Roasted Tomato Soup

 I have a favorite roasted tomato soup on here, but I tried this easier version.  It was really good.  If you have garden tomatoes to use, this is a great way to use them!

Roasted Tomato Soup

3 lbs.tomatoes, quartered (garden tomatoes= 6 large or 9 medium)

1 yellow onion, halved, then each quartered

1 red bell pepper, quartered

olive oil

 salt. 

1 1/2 teaspoon pepper

3 cloves garlic

5 cups chicken stock

2 teaspoons dried basil

1 teaspoon dried parsley

 Heat oven 400.  Line a baking sheet with parchment and spread the vegetables on it.  Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Roast for 30 minutes until tender.

In a pot, bring the stock, basil and parsley to boil.  Reduce heat and simmer.  Add roasted vegetables and garlic and blend with an immersible blender*.  Simmer.  Serve.

*You can do batches in a regular blender if you don't have an immersible blender.  

Caprese Crescent Rolls

 

Caprese Crescent Rolls

1 tube refrigerated Pillsbury crescent roll dough

4 ounces fresh Mozzarella cheese 

Tomato slices

8 large fresh basil leaves

Unroll the dough into 8 triangles.

Top each triangle with a slice of fresh Mozzarella cheese, a tomato slice, and a leaf of basil.

Roll into crescents and bake according to the package directions.  I do them in the air fryer at 300 for six minutes, then turn them over with tongs for another four minutes.  The air fryer and oven directions are on the package.  These are so good!!

Caesar Pasta Salad

 This is an easy and very delicious pasta salad.  Originally, I got the recipe from my sister, Joan.  Now we all make it.

Caesar Pasta Salad

1 pkg. rigatoni or other pasta, cooked el dente and drained

Caesar Dressing

1/2 cucumber, seeded and diced

2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced

Sprinkle the veggies with lemon pepper or Mrs. Dash

1/2 cup canned Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese

Mix all together and chill.  Serve.

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.

California Melts

This is a delicious, simple, healthy recipe for an open-faced sandwich.  Delicious served with a bowl of soup!  You won't even miss the meat.

 California Melt     This makes four open-faced sandwiches

4 slices whole wheat bread, toasted 

1 avocado, sliced

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1/3 cup sliced toasted almonds

1 tomato, sliced

4 slices Swiss cheese

 Mayonnaise, if desired

 Preheat the broiler.  Lay the four pieces of toast on a baking sheet.  Top each slice with 1/4 of the avocado, mushroom, almonds, and tomato.  Top with the cheese.  Put under the broiler until the cheese is well melted.  You can put mayonnaise on the bread first, if you would like.

Mexican Restaurant-Style Salsa

 Are salsa and chips your favorite part of eating at a Mexican restaurant?  You can make salsa just like your favorite restaurant at home.  You can customize it to make it just the way you and your family like it!

Here's the basic recipe:

6-8 large tomatoes, scalded and peeled (or you can substitute a large can of tomatoes)

2 cans Rotel (diced tomatoes and green chilis)

1 roughly chopped onion

1-3 cloves garlic, mashed or chopped

1-2 Jalapeno, quartered and seeded if desired (the seeds are where most of the heat lives)

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt (or more)

1 teaspoon cumin

Bunch cilantro, chopped

1 lime, juiced

garlic salt to taste

You need a food processor for this, though I don't know why a blender wouldn't work.  1st put in your tomatoes and pulse until smooth.  Pour into a bowl( unless you have a really big food processor that will hold the whole recipe.)  Then put 1 can of the Rotel in the processor (I like to leave the other chunky and put it right in the bowl) and the rest of the ingredients.  Process until smooth.  Pour in with the tomatoes and mix well.  Taste.  Add more, sugar, lime, salt, cilantro as your taste dictates.  Some may want it much hotter and add more Jalapeno.  When you get it the way you like it, refrigerate for at least an hour.  You can serve it just like this (like restaurants do,) or add some or all of the following to the part you are going to eat right now:

1 bell pepper, chopped

green onions, chopped

about 1/3 cucumber, chopped very fine

more lime juice

1 tomato, chopped

Again, adjust to your taste.  

You can freeze this base.  It gets a little more watery, but it tastes good.

Garlic Shrimp Pasta

Kristen made this recipe for me when I visited her in Wisconsin.  It is delicious, easy, and low calorie!
Skinny Garlic Shrimp Pasta
8 oz angel hair pasta
4 cups fresh baby spinach
1 1/2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 lb. fresh medium shrimp, peeled, deveined, and tails removed
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
3/4 cup chicken broth
Salt and pepper
3 T. chopped fresh parsley
2 T. butter

Cook pasta in plenty of salty as the sea water.  Drain;  Return to pan and stir in spinach, tomatoes and 2 tsp. of the oil.  Cover to keep warm.

While pasta is cooking, heat remaining oil in skillet.  Add onion and cook and stir until soft.  Add shrimp, garlic, and pepper flakes.  Cook and stir for 2 minutes.  Stir in chicken broth and add salt and pepper.  Cook until shrimp are pink- about two minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in parsley and butter.  Stir until butter is melted.  Add shrimp mixture to pasta mixture.  Toss and serve.

Original Source:  Betty Crocker

Olive Caprese Salad

I was making French Dip Sandwiches and wondered what to serve with them.  So I googled (get used to it spell check- it's a word now!) just that.  "What side dish is good with French dip Sandwiches?"  This salad was one of the suggestions that came up.  Since my husband loves olives, I gave it a try.  It is very yummy and flavorful and it was perfect with a French Dip!

Olive Caprese Salad
1 1/2 cups grape or cherry tomatoes, havled
Handful Black Olives, pitted and halved
Handful Green Olives, halved
Fresh Mozzarella Cheese, cubed OR Grated Mozzarella cheese
2-3 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
2-3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
Handful of Fresh Basil leaves, chopped

Mix the tomatoes, olives, and cheese together in a bowl.  Mix the vinegar, oil and salt and pepper in a small bowl and pour over the tomato mixture.  Add the chopped basil and mix.

Avocado-Crab Dip (or just avocado dip)

I found this recipe in a Food Network magazine and made it last night and LOVED it. I served it with baked sweet potato chips. It was healthy and delicious! I didn't put the crab meat in and it was great without it.


3 avocados
1/4 cup diced white onion (I used the white parts of 2 green onions)
1/2 cup diced plum tomato (I used grape tomatoes)
1/2 cup diced fresh mango
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
4 ounces lump crab meat, picked through (I didn't put this in)
Juice of 1 lime
Kosher salt

1. Halve and pit the avocados; scoop the flesh into a large bowl and mash.
2. Stir in the onion, tomato, mango, cilantro and jalapeno; fold in the crabmeat. Add the lime juice and season with salt.

Cream of Tomato Soup

I got this recipe years ago from my husband's aunt Jennie.  It is the old-fashioned way of making tomato soup and is really delicious.  Of course you need to add grilled cheese sandwiches to complete the meal!

Cream of Tomato Soup
1 quart tomato juice (you can substitute a quart of canned tomatoes and blend them)
1-2 Tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
4 Tablespoons real butter
 2 heaping Tablespoons flour
1 can evaporated milk (you can use cream if you'd rather)
2 cups milk

In a saucepan, melt the butter and blend with the flour until the butter is melted and it forms a roux.  Cook and stir for a couple of minutes.  Add the tomato juice and seasonings. Whisk until smooth and well blended.  Cook and stir until thickened.  Add the milks and stir and heat until thoroughly blended and heated through, but do not boil.

Pico de Gallo

I got this recipe from my friend, Emily.  It is delicious and colorful and healthy.  Emily's family likes to eat it with chips as a snack.  It is delicious served with Mexican dishes.  It's shown here with Chicken Enchiladas.  It's the perfect, healthy Mexican side dish.    Thanks, Emily!!

Shown here with Chicken Enchiladas (recipe to follow)

Pico de Gallo
4 tomatoes, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1-3 Jalapeno Peppers, seeded and diced
 Cilantro, chopped (probably about 2-3 Tablespoons)
Fresh Lime Juice- about 2-3 limes
Salt to taste

Mix all of the ingredients and put in the fridge for about an hour.  Serve.

The amounts don't need to be exact and can be according to your taste.

Just in case you're wondering, as I was, what the difference is between Pico de Gallo and Salsa:
Pico de Gallo is like a salad with chopped vegetables and Salsa is a sauce, so it's more, well, saucy.

Bruschetta

 Ken and I traveled to Italy a few years ago.  Michelle was on the BYU folk dance team and we followed them around and watched them perform.  It was a wonderful trip, and the food was so delicious.  We got hooked on Bruschetta. It is served as an appetizer in nearly every restaurant and we LOVED it!  Part of Why it was so good is they used those sweet Italian tomatoes that are almost like candy.  But it's good here, too.  We love it with our fresh garden tomatoes.  There are so many ways to make it, and all of them are delicious.  Here is the basic recipe, then some suggestions for variations.  Please share any of your ideas.
Bruschetta
Slice a baguette or french bread into about 1 " slices.  Place the slices on a baking sheet.  Paint or spray on some extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle on some garlic salt.  Toast the bread under the broiler.  Watch it carefully.  In a bowl, combine:
2 or 3 tomatoes, chopped
1 sweet onion, diced fine
Fresh basil, several leaves, chopped
Fresh oregano, chopped
Fresh parsley, chopped
1 (more or less to taste) clove garlic, minced or pressed
About 2 T. olive oil
Salt
Pepper

Mix well and put the mixture on the bread.  Some like to put it back under the broiler (especially if you add cheese) but you don't have to.  We like it fresh.  Okay, here's some variation ideas.
 1)Put fresh mozzarella on the bread,  then add the tomato mixture. Broil until the cheese softens.
2) Sprinkle parmesan cheese over the mixture on the bread and broil another bit until the cheese browns
3.  Add ground mustard to the mixture
4)Use dried herbs instead of fresh (Basil, Parsley and Oregano) or Italian seasoning works great.
5) Add a pinch of red pepper flakes to add a bit of heat.
6) Add a splash of Balsamic Vinegar (we love this one!)
7) Use a garlic/ herb soft cheese spread (Boursin).  Put that on the hot bread, then spoon the tomato mixture on.  This is good, people!

Garden in a Bowl Salsa

Tomatoes, tomatoes, tomatoes. I've bottled lots of salsa (a different recipe):

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and made Summer Tomatoes (my husband's absolute favorite!) and every other tomato recipe I can think of. I decided to make some fresh salsa, that stores in the fridge for a really long time. You don't really need a recipe for fresh salsa- you really can't go wrong- but I do have a secret ingredient that I add as we eat it. We'll get to that. So here's what I did for our salsa, but again, if you're missing something or want to change the quantities- just do it. It will be delicious.

Garden in a Bowl Salsa

About 1 quart tomatoes (give or take a quart!), peeled and coarsely chopped

1 coarsely chopped onion (you can dice some of it to put in after it's processed if you like some onion chunks)

1 or 2 coarsely chopped green peppers (same as onions- I like to dice some of it to put in after it's processed)

1-3 or more jalapeno peppers, to taste (Put in the seeds for more eat, don't for less)

1-3 tsps. salt (more or less to taste)

Lots of fresh ground pepper

1/2 cup chopped cilantro (again, to taste)

Juice of 1 lime

1/2 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. sugar

Put all in a food processor. If yours is small, you may need to process parts at a time and then mix it in a bowl. Mix it and taste it on a chip. Add more sugar if it's really acidy and adjust the seasonings to your taste.

Now, here's the secret: When Ken and I went to Lake Tahoe last year on vacation, we found a Mexican restaurant that we LOVED! The salsa was SO good. It was owned and operated by a Mexican- descent family. I talked to the son who made the salsa to ask what is in this stuff that makes it so good. He said his grandmother taught him to add cucumber. Yes, cucumber. And why not? I have cucumbers in my garden, too. I was a little afraid that they might not last in the salsa as long as the other ingredients (stored in the fridge), so I just chop one up as I serve it. I'm thinking next time I might just throw one in the food processor to help thicken the salsa. Anyway, it makes it really yummy and fresh tasting. I also sometimes add green onion as I serve it. This stuff is good on anything: with chips, breakfast burritos, tacos- anything Mexican. Adios!

Summer Squash Medley

Our garden is going gangbusters, so every night I'm trying to figure out ways to use the delicious produce. This recipe isn't- a recipe, I mean. It's just a combination of ingredients my dad taught Ken how to put together years ago. When we make it, we always think of my Dad and his delicious food.

Yellow squash, pick them tiny

Zucchini, pick them tiny

onion, chopped

tomatoes, chopped

garlic, crushed or finely minced (I'm lazy and use the crushed from a jar), maybe 1 tsp.

olive oil

Salt, pepper, and basil

Put olive oil in a saute pan and add the squash, zucchini, and onion. Saute until the veggies are tender. Add the garlic and tomatoes and saute a minute or two longer. Add salt, pepper, and basil to taste.

Oh, Baby!

Oh, Baby!, The World's Greatest Sandwich or we affectionately call it the BELTCH (Bacon, Egg, Lettuce, Tomato, Cheese) Whatever you call it, it's really good. Really good. Oh, baby good! Adam Sandler plays a chef in the movie, "Spanglish" and just before he takes a bite of his late-night snack creation, he exclaims, "Oh, baby!" Ya, it really is that good. That, my friends, is one of the greatest moments in all of motion picture history! You just have to try the sandwich:

3-4 thick slices of bacon

2 slices monterey jack cheese

2 slices rustic country bread (really good bread- I'll have to post my buttermilk bread recipe. It's perfect for theses- but any good bread will do), toasted

Mayonaise

4 slices tomato

2 butter lettuce leaves

1 tsp. butter

1 egg

1. Cook the bacon til crisp. You can fry it on the stove or on nuke it on paper towels in the microwave. Drain on paper towels.

2.Place the cheese slices on one of the toasted breads and put under broiler until cheese is melted. Watch it closely.

3.Spread the other slice of bread with mayo and top with tomato slices, bacon and lettuce.

4. Melt the butter in a skillet and fry the egg on medium heat. When the bottom is set, turn over, but don't cook too long. Leave yolk runny. (over easy)

5. Slide the egg onto the lettuce and top with the melted cheesy bread. Put the sandwich on a plate, cut in half, letting the yolk run down the sandwich. The egg yolk makes kind of a sauce that permeates and Oh, baby!

Oh, and if you wish you can make a BELTCH-O by adding a slice of onion. Honestly, what can it hurt?

Nectar of the Gods

I got this recipe from my sister, Pam. She got it from a Lion House cookbook. Her family named it Nectar of the Gods, and believe me, it's an appropriate name. I'm sure I've changed it a bit from the original, but I don't remember what those changes are.

Nectar of the Gods

12 to 15 roma tomatoes ( or equivalent of garden tomatoes)
4 cans tomato soup
2 cups chicken stock
1 cup beef stock or consommé
1 big bunch fresh basil leaves
3/4 - 1 cup sugar
2-3 cups cream or half and half or whole milk
salt and pepper to taste



Cut tomatoes in half and put on a baking sheet lined with parchment.. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and salt and pepper. Roast at 400 until the tomatoes are soft and browned. Meanwhile, combine soups in a large pot and start to heat. When tomatoes are soft, bubbly and browned,  let them rest until you can touch them.  Pull the skins off put them in a blender with the coarsely chopped basil. Put a towel over the lid while you blend.  When blended, add to the soup and stir. 

 OR (and this is what I do) add the tomatoes and basil to the pot and use an immersible  blender to blend all together well.  Either method, heat through and let simmer for awhile.  When all is well blended and hot, add sugar, cream and salt and pepper. Do not boil. Heat and serve.

1 recipe makes 3+ quarts without the cream. In the summer, when we have tomatoes from our garden,  I double the batch, but don't put in the cream.  That fills my big pot.  I freeze it in quart jars.  We then add the cream (or milk or half and half) when we heat it to serve.  Kristen and Jared taught us to do that. Yummy soup all year-long!

*Before putting the filled jars in the freezer, put them in the fridge overnight.  They should be cold when you put them into the freezer to avoid breakage.  

Summer Tomatoes

This a delicious way to use fresh tomatoes from the garden. It makes a nice pasta sauce or dipping sauce for crusty bread- or both! You need a 1/2 gallon canning jar or a large glass bowl that you can cover to set out in the sun. You could mix it in a bowl, then divide between two quart jars.

Dip 8 -12 tomatoes in boiling water for about a minute. Fill your sink with cold water and put hot tomatoes in there after the minute. The skins will come off easily. Coarsely chop the tomatoes and put in the 1/2 gallon glass jar. Add:

3 cloves garlic, minced

6 green onions, chopped OR 1 onion, chopped

3/4 - 1 cup olive oil

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

Big bunch of fresh basil, chopped

fresh parsley, chopped (opt.)

1-3 T. sugar (to taste)

Salt (to taste)

Pepper (to taste)

Mix all together in the jar. Shake well. Put jar in the sun for several hours. Occasionally shake the jar if you're around.

Serve with crusty bread for dipping or mix with cooked pasta and top with Parmesan cheese.

Peach and Tomato Pasta

I found this amazing recipe that is perfect for peach season. It's especially great for people like my mom who have a peach tree and grow tomatoes in their garden. I just got the Better Homes and Gardens magazine (thanks to my hubby for mother's day) and it has tons of peaches recipes (which we will be trying about 5 of them in the next couple of weeks) and we loved this one last night. I did change a couple of things and may make a couple changes next time, so I'll note those and you can decide how you want to make it.
Btw, this is a fast recipe and you don't want the peaches too mushy, so it's good to have everything chopped and ready to add when it calls for it.

12 oz. spaghetti or linguine (I used spaghetti but may try a single pasta next time)
3 cloves garlic (I used garlic powder equivalent, check the container)
1 Tbsp canola oil (I used olive oil)
1 pint grape tomatoes (I used several romas, diced)
2 lb. peaches (about 6), pitted & sliced and/or coarsely chopped (leave the skins on)
1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives, halved (don't like these at all so didn't use them)
1/3 cup chopped basil leaves (used dried equivalent)
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
toasted slivered almonds (opt.)

1. Prepare spaghetti according to package directions. Reserve 1/4 c. of the spaghetti cooking liquid. Drain spaghetti and return to pot; keep warm.

2. Meanwhile, in a 12-inch skillet cook garlic in hot oil over medium heat for 1 minute. Add tomatoes. Cook, uncovered, for 2 minutes. Add peaches. Cook 4 to 5 minutes more or until peaches are just soft, stirring occasionally. Stir in olives, basil, salt, and peppers; heat through.

3. Add peach mixture to cooked spaghetti along w/ reserved spaghetti cooking liquid. Toss to combine. Season to taste w/ additional salt and pepper. Serve warm or at room temp. Sprinkle w/ almonds just before serving.
Makes 6 servings.
Enjoy! So unique yet yummy.

Pasta Ponza

I love grape tomatoes and often buy the big box of them at Costco. But with only two of us, we have a hard time going through the whole box. So, one day I went to foodnetwork.com to find a recipe that uses them. I found this gem. I didn't have the capers, so substituted garlic. It's from Giada De Laurentiis.

If you want the original go here. I'm giving you my slightly altered (improved?) version.

4 cups grape tomatoes, halved

2 tsp. minced garlic

1 T. e. v. olive oil, plus extra

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup Italian-style seasoned bread crumbs

1 pound ziti or other tube-shaped pasta

1 1/4 cup Romano or Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup chopped parsley

Preheat oven to375. Butter an 8x8 baking pan.

Place the tomatoes, olive oil, salt and pepper in the dish. Toss to coat. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the tomato mixture. Drizzle with olive oil and bake for 30- 35 minutes until top is golden.

Cool for about 5 minutes.

Cook pasta in salted water. Pasta should be tender but firm to the bite. Drain, but RESERVE 1 cup pasta water.

Place the pasta in a large serving bowl. Spoon the tomato mixture onto the pasta. Add the cheese and toss well. Thin the sauce with pasta water, adding a little at a time until desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with the chopped parsley. Serve. Yummmmmm.