Tag Archives: tomato

Quick Mom Lunches with Tomato, Basil and Cheese

You know how the day seems to get ahead of you faster than you anticipate? Before you know it, it is time to serve the kids lunch, make sure they eat it, clean it all up and then move on to the next adventure. Usually, moms eat whatever the kids are eating, if they eat lunch at all. But if you want something other than the usual chicken nuggets, grilled cheese or pasta for lunch, try one of the following recipes. I call these recipes my go to lunches for a number of reasons. They are quick and easy to … Continue reading →

Making the Most of Summer’s Harvest: Tomato, Summer Squash and Cucumber Salad

You know that summer is winding down when the price for a pound of strawberries passes the $3 mark… again (up from $1.50 a few weeks ago) and local markets are practically giving away tomatoes. You can count on an abundance of cucumbers and tomatoes during the late summer months and if you are counting calories and pennies then you might as well make the most of the current crop. The following recipe is a terrific way to showcase your own homegrown vegetables or simply a way to infuse a traditional summer cookout with a hearty dose of nutrients. Besides … Continue reading →

What to do with Leftover Raw Vegetables

Well, I guess I won’t be cooking for a Super Bowl party after all. Now that the Green Bay Packers blew their chance to compete for the title of best team in the NFL not only am I left with a bitter taste in my mouth, I have a ton of leftover raw vegetables to boot. For those of you who haven’t been following my guest blogs here in the FOOD category, Valorie has been kind enough to allow me to share the recipes I have been furiously preparing for the numerous playoff and championship game parties I’ve attended during … Continue reading →

Recipes For End Of The Summer Produce

Now that you know the health benefits associated with consuming all that end of the summer produce that seems to be growing out of your ears it’s time to put your cooking skills to the test. The following are some quick, easy and delicious ways to make the most of your bumper crops of tomatoes, peppers and squash. A word about peppers and squash: Peppers can be stored in the refrigerator produce drawer up to one week or frozen whole for later use. Meanwhile, squash should stored unwashed in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to one week. … Continue reading →

Nutrition 101: Health Benefits Of End Of The Summer Produce

Monday is Labor Day and the unofficial end of summer (or at least the end of summer vacation for many school kids). The long holiday weekend also marks the end of the gardening season, and if you are like my mom you likely have an abundance of tomatoes, peppers and squash (and have been generously doling out to friends, family and co-workers). In my mom’s case, her bumper crop has yielded so many tomatoes she’s been complaining that if she eats one more she’ll turn into a tomato herself. It got me thinking about the benefits of a diet high … Continue reading →

Choosing The Best Tomatoes

Do you choose your tomatoes by the way they look? For example, a bright red tomato is always the best chose, right? Um not necessarily. It can turn out to be less than desirable: sour, mealy, hard or even rotten! There is a lot that can be done to a tomato to make it look like it is ripe and juicy when the reality is quite the opposite. Many of today’s tomatoes are engineered to hold up under rough handling by machines, as well as look the best in appearance. This can result in tough tomatoes that appear to be … Continue reading →

Tomato Basil Soup

If you like tomato soup at all, you will probably love tomato soup with fresh basil. The Tomato Basil Soup recipe that I’m listing here is just that; this recipe is, of course, tomato-y, creamy, full of basil and soooo tasty. And it’s simple to make if you don’t mind using your blender to puree the tomatoes and basil together. Here’s what you’ll need to gather and do to make this delicious Tomato Basil Soup: Ingredients: 4 cups tomatoes (8 – 10 fresh tomatoes), peeled, cored, chopped; or 4 cups canned whole tomatoes, crushed 12 fresh Basil leaves, washed 1 … Continue reading →

Planting a Pizza Garden—A Great Family Project

As part of my plan to make the most of the long awaited, much anticipated warm temperatures that befall Wisconsin for three short months (okay, two) each summer, I signed my daughter up for gardening classes at our local botanical garden. (Actually, it was a two-day “Kids & Gardens” seminar.) She had a wonderful time and I left with some great kid-friendly gardening ideas. My favorite: “How to Plant a Pizza Garden.” Let’s face it; even if your kids are picky eaters, pizza, is likely a menu option they won’t say no to. Planting a pizza garden allows you to … Continue reading →

Roasted Eggplant and Tomato Stacks

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I saw this recipe on Easy Entertaining with Michael Chiarello on the Food Network. I cannot wait to try it. It has two of my favorite ingredients – eggplant and tomato. For this recipe, you will need 3 large eggplants, kosher salt, extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, two large tomatoes (or three medium ones), minced garlic, 1 1/2 pounds of fresh mozzarella. To prep for this recipe, cut the eggplant crosswise into 1/2 inch slices. Cut the tomatoes into 1/4 inch slices (you should have about 16 slices). Cut the fresh mozzarella into 1/4 inch slices. Place the eggplant … Continue reading →