Tomatoes and Garlic and Basil, Oh my!!

Tis the season for tomatoes! I love this time of year. To me there is absolutely nothing better to eat than a homegrown tomato still warm from the sun! But here's where I'll make a confession: I've never actually grown any tomatoes. My husband and I tried once. Our plant thrived until some sly critters enjoyed the fruits of our labor. Our house backs up to a wooded area so the wildlife sometimes gets to enjoy our yard more than we do. But never fear...I have friends and family that are successful gardeners! (image courtesy of flickr.)

My good friend, Mari, has had an amazing crop of Roma tomatoes this year as well as a lot of basil. And like good friends with gardens do, she shared them with me. While I'm happy just eating the tomatoes as is, sprinkled with a little sea salt, I decided to try something I've had at various parties and something I see a lot of in magazines and cooking shows when tomatoes are in season:

Roasted Tomatoes with Basil and Garlic.

I made sure I had:

roma tomatoes
fresh basil
a head of garlic
olive oil
kosher salt
pepper
crackers or chips
cheese of your choice

(and a kid who must sample everything.)

I sliced the tomatoes lengthwise. Here's where I have to put in a plug for the Pampered Chef tomato knife. No...I'm not a consultant trying to make a sale. I just think that this knife is really awesome!



After preheating the oven to 275, I got out my extra large casserole dish.
I laid out the tomatoes,
threw in a handful of basil leaves and
scattered a head of whole garlic cloves.
I sprinkled everything liberally with kosher salt
and gave it all a few grinds of pepper.
Lastly I drizzled it all with olive and tossed it around to make sure everything was evenly coated.



Now here's where I change things from most of the recipes I found online. Instead of leaving it uncovered, letting everything get caramelize and chewy, I covered the pan with foil.

And the slow roast begins. Let this baby simmer for 5 to 6 hours on low heat, 250 or 275 F.



And here's what you get. Not quite as pretty as the "before" picture but believe me when I tell you what it's lacking in appearance will definitely be made up in taste!



Now get yourself some toast points, pita chips, bagel chips or make your own crostini.
Layer some mozzarella (or goat cheese would be good too), a roasted tomato and a clove of garlic and go for it!
Crazy delicious!
The roasting makes the tomatoes so incredibly sweet!





Enjoy!! I think I'll go have some more....

The Famous and Sought After Salsa Recipe

It's official! I'm sick of hospitals. I won't go into the details, but I've had to visit way too many relatives in the hospital this year. This past weekend my mother gave us a scare and had to get emergency brain surgery, but she's doing well and we think everything is going to be okay. But not only can I not get internet connection in the hospital, it seems my creativity connection was blocked by those thick walls, too. I sat in the hospital room wondering what I was going to post today, "Uses for Latex Gloves" or "How to make friends in the surgery waiting room" or "How to not react when you see way too much of the patient through those hospital gowns."

But I couldn't think of anything past the titles, so my loss of creativity is your gain (I sound like a craigslist ad) because I decided to post my famous and sought after salsa recipe. Believe me when I say people invite me to functions so I can bring this salsa. I hope you have success with it, too. And here's to hoping that next week I can bring my creativity back.

2 14.5oz cans of diced tomatoes
1/4 of a white or yellow onion
a bunch of cilantro (medium sized bunch)
Bottle of sliced Jalapeno Peppers (the glass bottles)
Optional: Sea Salt, 1 fresh Jalapeno pepper
Food Processor, this works best for salsa

Put the onion and the tops of the cilantro in the food processor. If you are going to put a fresh Jalapeno pepper in, put it in now, too. Take out the seeds if you don't want it too hot, leave the seeds in if you want HOT salsa.

Also, I open the bottle of jalapenos and put about 5-10 slices of jalapeno in as well as pour about three tablespoons of the jalapeno juice in as well. Pulse this in the processor till onion and jalapeno are in small pieces. Don't over pulse.

Add one can of diced tomatoes and pulse again. Now I my food processor can take another can of tomatoes, but some can't. So just pour the mixture out in a bowl and pulse the second can of tomatoes and mix well.

I add some salt to taste. You can use regular salt...but my secret is using Hawaiian rock salt. You can fly to Hawaii and get it or go to an Asian store and buy a bag of sea salt and sprinkle it in the salsa...remember that the it takes some time for the rock salt to dissolve, so don't over salt.

There you have it. Make it for a party and watch your social calendar fill up. My grandma loves this so much she ate it on a cookie.

Refreshing and Cool Watermelon Slushies

Here I sit on the eve of my very favorite weekend: The 4th of July! I don't know if there's a little bit of pyromania in me that makes me love this holiday so much (because as a kid it was the one day of the year I was allowed to play with matches!) or maybe it's just simply because it's always spent with family. I don't know, but I love the noise, the fire and the food! Since my last post addressed the fire part of the holiday, I've decided to dedicate this post to the food. Well actually, the beverage.

One year my husband and I bought a giant watermelon at a roadside stand. It turned out to be more than he and I could eat so I experimented with freezing it. As a result I created this delicious watermelon slushie! It's now a favorite summer beverage in my house.

It only takes three ingredients. THREE! So easy!

Watermelon
Ginger Ale
Limeade concentrate

And one tool: A blender.




I bought a seedless watermelon just to simplify things. It was a delicious, very ripe melon! (For my local friends - only $3.99 at Schnucks!)

Look how perfect this baby was inside!



I chopped it into chunks and spread the chunks out onto a cookie sheet. (here's are some tips on shopping for and cutting a watermelon.)




I stuck the sheet of melon chunks into the freezer. Later in the day, when they were frozen solid, I tossed them into a ziploc and I had some great tasting ice cubes. When watermelon is in season, I love to keep these in the freezer because they make great snacks for the kids on a hot day!



So back to my beverage.....

• I got out my blender
• tossed in a bunch of the frozen watermelon chunks,
  
• added a few splashes of the ginger ale,
  
• topped it off with a couple spoonfuls of the limeade concentrate (Go easy. Too much can be overpowering.)
  
• and blended away.

If you find it's getting too liquidy, just keep tossing in the frozen watermelon to achieve the desired texture.



The result is a wonderful, refreshing, cold, watermelony drink! You won't be disappointed!




And if you stick the leftovers in the freezer, you will have a nice sorbet to snack on. Good stuff!



Happy 4th and God Bless America!!

All American Dessert!

I'm proud to be an American. I know there are a lot of people out there who will not agree with me. But no matter what's going on politically, I have to admit that I'm truly blessed to live in this country. I was talking to a friend the other day and she was telling me that as a child the 4th of July was merely a time for BBQing and fireworks...but that the holiday has more meaning to her now.

I can say that as a young child, I was always grateful to live in this country. My father was an immigrant from the Philippines and his story of how he stayed in this country is truly remarkable. I definitely won't do it justice on my little blog.

As the eldest of 10 children, my dad left the stardom of a growing music and acting career in the Philippines to come to America and live the American dream. He came with his friend on student visas and looked for work. Unfortunately, no one would accept my dad's architecture degree from the Philippines so it was very hard to find work. Time was running out and my dad was trying to do anything to earn money to survive and send to his family.

He saw a flyer for an art contest in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. So with some left over paints he found in the trash (all shades of brown) and an old wooden cupboard door, my dad painted a portrait of Dr. King and submitted it.

To make a long story short (we'll save the long version for a movie I'll write one day) he won the city, then regional, then state competitions. His painting was then representing California in a national competition, which he won. When a reporter asked him what was next in his life, my dad truthfully stated that he was being deported. Upon hearing this, Dr. King's wife gave my dad what so many people aren't offered...a chance. She arranged to have him stay in the country where he eventually met my mom and had three wonderful kids (yes, I'm biased). He has also had one of his paintings on display in the Smithsonian museum...which I think it pretty cool. So did he get his American dream? He and my mom are still happily married, enjoying life. My older brother is a prominent lawyer, my younger brother is about to receive his doctorate and I have a very fun blog!!! We all have families who are happy & healthy. And this is why on the 4th of July, I'll probably tear up like I do every year in honor of a country where I can worship how I please, where I can offer my children an education and where people like my dad can find the American dream.

So how do I honor him? The American way....with JELLO!!

I promise that this dessert will make you a rock-star. It's soooo easy and pretty, but everyone will think it took you forever.

You will need: 

1 large box of blue raspberry gelatin

1 large box of strawberry gelatin

blueberries (about 1-1.5 cups)

strawberries sliced (about 1-1.5 cups)

2 small loaves of pound cake or 1 angel food cake

1 large tub of cool whip or lite cool whip

Clear bowl (the one shown is 9.5 inches in diameter and 4 inches high)

Last night I totally forgot I was going to make this so I ran to the store at 11:30 at night and I couldn't find pound cake, so I grabbed an angel food cake instead and it really was fabulous (and a lot lighter fat-wise)

1. Prepare the Jello by using the same amount of boiling water it calls for but only half the cold water it asks for...it makes the jello a little stiffer.

2. Cut the cake into little squares (about .5 - 1 inch squares).

3. Then in your bowl, layer the ingredients. Put half the cake squares at the bottom.
4. Then sprinkle all the blueberries over the cake (save some for decoration)
5. If you want to cut out star shapes from your jello, do it now and set aside (I've done it before, but not this time)
6. Cut the rest of the jello in small squares and layer that over the blueberries. Make sure you can see the layers from the outside.

7. Then take half of the whipped topping and put it over the jello.
8. Take the other half of the cake and layer it over the whipped topping.
9. Spread the strawberries over the cake (save some for decoration).

10. Then take the rest of the whipped topping and layer over the top and decorate.

It's so pretty like this and the flavors of tangy and sweet and the different textures make this a winner.
I'm making this for the 4th! And when I get to my parents' house, I'll give my dad an extra big hug!
Have a wonderful and safe holiday!

 

Cranberries - not just for fighting kidney stones and UTI's

For those of you who really know me, this next post is going to surprise you. In fact, many of you who may think you know me, may not know that I have an affliction, one that can be paralyzing at the most inopportune times.

I do not like to mix my sweet foods with my salty foods. Now, if I wrote that statement 15 years ago I would have stated that "I cannot mix my sweet foods with my salty foods," but I have matured and I think my palette is more tame. Let me explain.

In my brain, there are sweet foods (desserts, ice cream, cake, jello, fruit, etc.) and there are salty foods (meat, vegetables, cheese, etc.) and there was a slim group of switch hitter foods, or foods that were both (pretzels, certain not salty and non sweet crackers, etc.).

So you see what a predicament I was in when I was offered jello salad with cheese in it (true story) or when friends wanted to split a salad with me that had candied walnuts and craisins or when meeting my "to be" in laws for the first time and I had to wipe my plate off with napkins as to not have gravy touch any of my fruits. AWKWARD!

Back then you'd NEVER find me eating pineapple on my pizza (which is NOT HAWAIIAN in the least, by the way...but that is a subject for another blog "Pineapple doesn't always mean Hawaiian"). You would not see me eating sweet and sour anything, you would not see any fruit salad or jello salad on the same plate as anything salty and you would never ever find me putting cranberry sauce on my turkey.  Actually, you probably wouldn't see me doing any of those things now, either...but that's not the point of my story.

Here's the surprise.  I'm about to post a recipe for an appetizer that has been a huge hit at every party I've brought it to. It's actually my friend Dave's recipe, but I now have adopted it as my own and I promise it will bring happiness to your parties.  I introduce you to Cranberry Salsa over Cream Cheese. (TIP: Buy many bags of cranberries after the holidays and the price goes down. They keep perfectly in the freezer and then you'll have them year round.)

 

(I borrowed this picture from the web and will replace it with my own when I get a chance.)

1/2 bag cranberries

1 bunch cilantro

1 jalapeno

1 green onion

1/4 c. sugar

1/4 tsp cumin

Juice from one lime

Pulse in a food blender

Pour over cream cheese

I know, huh? Cranberries and sugar with onions and cilantro? But I promise. It's delicious. Even with salty crackers.