Tomato and Roasted Red Pepper Spread

We love tortilla chips and are always happy to find tasty chip spread recipes.

This recipe and photo comes from McCormick Spices website.

Ingredients

Serves: 16
Serving Size: 2 tablespoons


1 pound green bell peppers
1 pound red bell peppers
1 pound plum tomatoes
1 tablespoon McCormick® Paprika
1 teaspoon McCormick Gourmet™ Sicilian Sea Salt
1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Cumin, Ground
1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Garlic Powder
1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Red Pepper, Ground
1/4 teaspoon McCormick® Red Pepper, Crushed
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. 

Place bell peppers on large baking sheet and roast 30 to 40 minutes or until skins begin to blister.  Turn peppers after 20 minutes. Transfer to a large paper bag. Close bag and let stand 15 minutes or until bell peppers are cool enough to handle. Peel off blistered skin and remove tops, ribs and seeds. Coarsely chop bell peppers and set aside.

Make an X in the bottom of each tomato and place in saucepan of boiling water for 10 seconds. Transfer tomatoes to bowl of ice water with slotted spoon.  Peel off skin and coarsely chop tomatoes.

Place bell peppers, tomatoes and seasonings in skillet on medium-low heat. Cook 35 to 45 minutes or until vegetables are very soft and stir frequently so mixture does not stick to the bottom of pan. Stir in sugar and tomato paste.  Cook 15 minutes, stirring frequently until thickened.  Stir in lemon juice.

Serve warm or at room temperature with pita, chips or crackers.  You can also refrigerate until chilled to serve cold.

Photo and recipe source

BLT Macaroni Salad Recipe

Love the twist on the traditional macaroni salad!

Sounds delicious, although I am not sure about the chili sauce.

Ingredients

1/2 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons chili sauce
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon sugar
3 cups cooked elbow macaroni
1/2 cup chopped seeded tomato
2 tablespoons chopped green onions
3 cups shredded lettuce
4 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled



Directions

Combine the first four ingredients in a large bowl.  

Add the macaroni, tomatoes and onions; toss to coat. 

Cover and refrigerate. 

Just before serving, add lettuce and bacon; toss to coat. 


Yield: 6 servings.


Source:  Taste of Home
Originally published as BLT Macaroni Salad in Country Extra May 2000, p51

Fresh Tomato Vinaigrette

This recipe is from the newsletter of Ciao Italia's Mary Ann Esposito.  I've watched her PBS cooking show since I was a very young girl . . . and she is still on the air . . . America's longest running cooking show!  Check your local PBS listings or visit her website to find out when she's on in your area.

I remember the days when we grew so many tomato plants that friends and family would leave the house with bags of tomatoes.  It was such a joy to have so many fresh tomatoes at my fingertips.  This fresh tomato vinaigrette is the type of food I would often make.

To make a creamy tomato salad dressing, add some mayonnaise.  Experiment and add mayonnaise slowly until you reach the desired taste and consistency.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 large Backyard Farms vine ripened tomato
• 1 1/2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
• 1 large garlic clove
• 1/4 cup basil cut into ribbons
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup Filippo Berio extra virgin olive oil

DIRECTIONS

Cut the large tomato in half and grate with a box grater over a dish or wide bowl, discarding the skins, but collecting the juice and pulp.

Mince the garlic clove with a little salt. Add to the tomato. Add a pinch more salt, crushed red pepper to taste, vinegar and basil. Whisk in enough of the olive oil to make an emulsion.

This should yield at least one half cup of vinaigrette. 

Tomato Bacon Omelette

This omelette was one of the most delicious experiments ever!

It was one of those mornings that I just wanted to sleep late, so The Captain made his own breakfast and left me some bacon for my breakfast.  Such a sweet guy :)  I knew I wanted an omelette since it is what I eat just about every morning.  We also have an abundance of tomatoes that need to be used up.  So I decided to make something different with the combination of tomato, bacon and mozzarella cheese.

Sorry for the awful photo, but I had to share this delicious discovery!

Ingredients:

• 2 or 3 beaten eggs
• 2 slices of crumbled cooked bacon
• 1 tomato
• 1 Tbsp butter
• salt to taste
• Mozzarella cheese

Directions:

Melt butter in pan and throw in diced tomatoes, add salt to taste.  Cook until tomatoes are falling apart or however you like cooked tomatoes.

Add crumbled cooked bacon.  Mix in with tomato.

Add beaten eggs, add a dash of salt to eggs before adding to pan.

Cook on one side and turn.

Top with your desired amount of mozzarella cheese.

Turn off the heat and cover the pan.

Omelette is done when the cheese is melted.

Linguine with Roasted Red Peppers, Tomatoes & Toasted Breadcrumbs

You can never have enough

ways to make pasta!

Ingredients

• Kosher salt 
• 1 medium clove garlic 
• 12-oz. jar roasted red peppers, drained and cut into 1/4-inch dice (about 1 cup) 
• 1 cup small grape or cherry tomatoes, halved 
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 
• 4-1/2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil 
• 1 Tbs. capers, rinsed and chopped 
• 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes 
• 1/2 cup coarse fresh breadcrumbs, preferably whole wheat 
• 12 oz. dried linguine or spaghetti 
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano; more for serving 

Directions

Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil over high heat.

Meanwhile, coarsely chop the garlic. Sprinkle it with 1/2 tsp. salt and using the flat side of a chef's knife mash it to a paste.

In a large bowl, stir the garlic paste, roasted peppers, tomatoes, parsley, 3 Tbs. of the oil, the capers, and the pepper flakes.

Heat the remaining 1-1/2 Tbs. oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the breadcrumbs and toast, stirring frequently, until the smaller crumbs are golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate and sprinkle with salt.

Cook the linguine in the boiling water according to package directions until al dente. Reserve about 1/4 cup of the pasta water and drain the pasta in a colander. 

Add the hot pasta to the red pepper mixture, toss to combine, and add just enough of the reserved pasta water to moisten (you won't need it all). 

Add the cheese, toss well, and season to taste with salt. Serve topped with the breadcrumbs and additional cheese.

Sources:

photo: Scott Phillips

From Fine Cooking 94, pp. 82a

July 1, 2008

by Lori Longbotham

Spaghetti With Roasted Tomatoes and Herbs

Ingredients

• 12 ounces spaghetti (3⁄4 box)
• 2 pounds cherry tomatoes (about 6 cups)
• 6 cloves garlic, smashed
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for serving
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped mixed fresh herbs (such as basil, parsley, and chives)
• shaved Parmesan, for serving

Directions

1. Heat oven to 400° F. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and return it to the pot.
2. Meanwhile, on a rimmed baking sheet, toss the tomatoes, garlic, 2 tablespoons of the oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
3. Roast the tomatoes, tossing once, until they begin to burst, 20 to 25 minutes. 
4. Toss the pasta with the tomatoes, herbs, and remaining tablespoon oil. Serve with the Parmesan and additional oil (if desired).

Source:  Real Simple By Kate Merker, September 2010

Garlic and Sun Dried Tomato Hummus

Ingredients

• Cooking spray
• 2 (6-inch) pitas, each cut into 10 wedges
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tablespoons chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomato halves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained
• 
  

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 425°.
• Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. 
• 
  
• Place pita wedges on pan, and coat with cooking spray. 
• Bake at 425° for 6 minutes or until golden.
• 
  
• Combine water, tomato, salt, pepper, garlic,
•  and beans in a food processor, and
•  process until smooth. 
• 
  
• Serve with pita wedges.

Cooking Light
JANUARY 2004

Canning tomatoes

If you grow your own tomatoes, canning  is the perfect way to preserve your surplus.  Here is an excellent instructional video:

In addition to this video, 

here are some links on 

canning tomatoes:

Information on canning and many tomato recipes

Articles on canning tomatoes

Canning 101 from Paula Deen

Savor the Season: Your Guide to Canning Tomatoes

Check out my website page

 on growing tomatoes

Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit; 
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.

How to oven-dry tomatoes

Prepare:

Roma tomatoes are best for oven-drying.

Remove their stems, rinse them under water and pat dry.

Cut the tomatoes in half lengthwise. Core and remove the seeds.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Place the tomato halves, skin side down, on the parchment.

Bake:

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.

Bake for 8 to 10 hours for tomatoes that are about 3 1/2 inches long.

Smaller tomatoes will take less time.

Start checking them after about 6 hours.

The tomatoes should be drying out and shriveling.

When done, they will be reddish-brown flat pieces about 1 1/2 inches long.

Store:

Keep them in the refrigerator for about a month or in the

freezer for six months for best quality.

Use:

Rehydrate them in hot water. Use kitchen scissors to cut them

and use on pizzas and in sauces, soups and pasta dishes.

Source:

Susan M. Selasky

Detroit Free Press Test Kitchen
July 28, 2010

Seafood Tomato Alfredo

from Campbell's Kitchen


Ingredients:

1 tbsp. butter
1 medium onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Mushroom with Roasted Garlic Soup
1/2 cup milk
1 cup diced canned tomato
1 lb. fresh fish fillet (flounder, haddock or halibut), cut into 2-inch pieces
4 cups hot cooked linguine


Directions:

Heat the butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat.

Add the onion and cook until it’s tender.

Stir in the soup, milk and tomatoes. Heat to a boil.

Add the fish to the skillet and reduce the heat to low.

Cover and cook for 10 minutes or until the fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.

Serve over linguine.

Serves 4




Make it cheaper . . .

Leave out the fish and make veggie pasta by adding broccoli, cauliflower . . . veggie leftovers would be perfect.

This would also be good with rice . . .

An idea for leftovers of this meal . . . use the sauce with some rice in a frittata!

Salsa

Quick and Easy Salsa
Makes 3 cups

3 red tomatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds), seeded, chopped and drained of some
juice
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
1 jalapeño pepper, minced (add to taste)
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil

Combine all ingredients in medium bowl and mix gently.

Cover and refrigerate up to 8 hours before serving.