Grilled Cheese and Tomato Sandwiches

 This is one of my favorite kind of sandwiches when tomatoes are "on" in the summer.  We first tasted this combination years ago on a trip to Maui.  We went to "Cheeseburgers in Paradise" and several of us ordered their grilled cheese and tomato sandwich.  It tasted delicious and I have been trying to recreate it ever since.  This is what I've come up with:

Grilled Cheese and Tomato Sandwich

2 slices bread

Butter- has to be real, softened butter

1 slice American cheese

1 slice Swiss cheese

Butter the outsides of the bread.  Put a slice butter-side down in a hot fry pan.  Add the cheeses and put the other piece of bread butter-side up on top.  put on about medium heat.  Put a lid over the pan to help melt the cheeses.  Grill on each side until golden brown and cheeses are melted.  Open the sandwich and add a thick slice of homegrown tomato in the middle.  Put back together and cut in half.  

Simple Salsa

 As is evidenced by the many salsa recipes on this blog, we love salsa and we make it many different ways.  The last couple of years, Shonna has shared a jar of her salsa each time we go to her home.  Shonna is a prolific gardener and bottles and cans up a storm.  We have loved the salsa she has shared with us- so much so that last time we visited I begged for a bottle.   I didn't have to beg very hard.

She then shared with me the very, very simple recipe.  Her friend, Robyn brought over a packet of Mrs. Wages salsa mix one day and said, "Try this."  It was delicious.  You just blanch your tomatoes, skin and core them, then dice them.   You put them in a big pot, add vinegar and the spice packet and mix well.  Bring to a boil, then simmer for a few minutes.  As you do, you watch the dried vegetables plump.  Yum!

Eat it, put it into jars and freeze it or water bath can it(the directions are on the back of the packet.)   Just that simple.  And so delicious.  

This is a picture of Mrs.Wage's salsa mix.  It says it makes 5 pints.  We filled our pot with diced tomatoes and got 10 pints from each packet. 

When you open the jar of salsa, you can add fresh veggies:  diced tomatoes, green pepper, green onion, and diced cucumber.  But it's great without all that, too.

*If you freeze the salsa, be sure to put the bottled salsa in the fridge at least overnight before putting them in the freezer.  They should be cold when you put them in so the bottles don't break.

Kristen's Crepes

 When the Mackrory kids have a birthday, they get to choose what they have for the meals that day.  Almost without exception, they choose crepes.  They all love them.  For their family of eight, they use this tripled recipe.  You could easily reduce or expand it.

I did not get a good picture, but these were so delicious and were good as leftovers, too.

Kristen's Crepes

6 T. melted butter

3 cups flour

4 1/2 cups milk

9 eggs

Mix all together and pour a little of the batter in a fry pan, swirling to cover the pan.  When done on one side, flip to the other until done.

Fill with desired fillings and roll up like a burrito. They can be savory or sweet.  You can then top with whipped cream, syrup, a gravy- whatever you desire.  The Mackrory's favorite is filling with strawberries and whipped cream.

Other favorites:

Frozen or fresh blueberries, peanut butter, Nutella, bananas, cinnamon sugar, etc.   She has made them with chicken and sauce, too.

Sweet Chili Glazed Bacon

 My sister, Joan, made this for us at our family reunion.  It was absolutely delicious.  She got the recipe from her wonderful daughter-in-law, Sarah.  It is so easy and surprisingly delicious.

Sweet Chili Glazed Bacon
Spread sweet chili sauce on bacon.  Bake in oven at 350 until desired crispiness.