I ♥ Tomatoes

• Just because a recipe calls for it doesn't mean you have to use it (I hate cilantro but love parsley)
• Do not ever believe the number of servings because it makes a big difference on who you are feeding
• Good cooking does not have to be or should it be difficult
• Not everything has to be made from scratch
• Great ideas come from food magazines but be daring and change them up
• Cooking for family and friends is good for the soul

 
  

  

It's tomato time!  I've waited a long time for a juicy heirloom tomato and I intend to get my fill.  I start hallucinating around December when all that's available here is some thing that is shaped like a tomato but tastes like mealy cardboard.  Oh, to have real tomatoes now is my idea of heaven.

I had a friend tell me that she had too many tomatoes last year and so this year she planted fewer tomatoes.  My head started to spin.  There is no such thing as too many tomatoes.  I could eat a tomato sandwich for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  Just some bread and some mayo.  I don't even need the lettuce and bacon part.  And when it comes to tomatoes, I like them all.  Heirlooms and beef steaks are great for the sandwiches and for Caprese salad (a layer of sliced tomatoes, fresh mozzarella slices, some basil and some olive oil sprinkled on top).  Grape tomatoes are wonderful for BLT pasta (recipe follows) and Roma tomatoes are wonderful in sauces or oven roasted with some olive oil and garlic.

The French called the tomato a love apple.  It really didn't have anything to do with their love of tomatoes, they thought the tomato had aphrodisiacal qualities.  Leave it to the French to turn a delicious versatile food into a sexual turn on.  Yes, tomatoes turn me on, just not in that fashion.   My passion for tomatoes is in devouring them.

BLT Pasta

2 cloves garlic minced

2 cups bread cubes crushed

2 teaspoons olive oil 

salt to taste

4 strips diced bacon

2 cups of halved grape tomatoes

1 teaspoon sugar

1 cup thinly sliced leeks

1/2 cup white wine

1 cup chicken broth

2 teaspoons red wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

8 ounces bucatini or spaghetti

2 cups fresh spinach

1/2 teaspoon minced fresh thyme.

Heat olive oil over medium heat and add garlic and bread and cook until golden about 3-4 minutes.  Sprinkle with salt.  Set aside.  Cook bacon until crisp and remove with slotted sppon to a plate lined with a paper towel.  Reserve 2 tablespoons of drippings.  Carmelize the tomatoes and sugar in the reserved drippings until tomatoes brown about 5 minutes.  Add leeks and saute until wilted 3-4 minutes. Deglaze  the pan wit the wine and simmer until all the liquid is nearly evaporated.  Add the broth, vinegar and red pepper flakes and simmer until reduced one third, about 5 minutes.  Cook pasta according to the directions.  Add the spinach and thyme to the tomatoe mixture.  Transfer the pasta from the water to the skillet and toss to coat.  Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and bacon.

Still have some tomatoes left....

Scalloped Tomatoes

1/4 cup butter

1 onion chopped

1 teaspoon salt

ground black pepper to taste

1/2 teaspoon dried basil or if you have fresh basil 1/4 cup chopped

4 teaspoons brown sugar

5 tomatoes sliced

2 cups white bread cubes

Preheat oven to 375.  Saute butter and onion until transparent.  Place remaining ingredients into pan and mix until well seasoned.  Put into a greased  9 X 13 pan and bake 30-35 minutes.  You could also sprinkle some of your favorite cheese on top before baking.This can assembled a day ahead and baked before serving.

And then there's always....

Salsa

 

One avocado diced

4 medium tomatoes diced

One jalapeno seeded and minced

1/2 cup flat leaf parsley (or if you must Cilantro) chopped

3 garlic cloves minced

2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice

1/4 cup chopped red onion

3 Tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

 

Mix all ingredients and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes for flavors to develop.

 

And if you still have some tomatoes left, you can just bring them to my house.