We have our information technology from BayEast Association of Realtors to thank for this recipe… We had our housing opportunity council meeting a week ago and he was in the boardroom doing his own thing… of course techie stuff for a bunch of realtors and we just had brief chat about him giving me some recipe for crab cakes… and one conversation lead to another recipe which is the breakfast tomatoe, okey he did not call it breakfast tomatoe but that’s what I am calling since it doesn’t have a name of its own.

Ingredients:

Tomatoes

Eggs

Hotdog (cut in small pieces)

Jalapeno(cut in small pieces)

Red Bellpepper(cut in small pieces)

Onion(cut in small pieces)

Directions

Cut the end of a tomatoes and take the inside meat & seeds out. Set aside.

Cook the onions, redbellpper, jalapeno & hotdog. Mix in the egg. Cook it half way. This mixture will be the filling for your tomatoes. Fill in the tomatoes and bake it for 8-10mins in 400degrees.

You would wanna buy a bigger tomatoes… I have roma tomatoes and it is petite.

2 CUPS UNCOOKED RICE

4 CUPS WATER

1/2 CUP SWEET PEAS (DRAINED FROM CAN OR FROZEN)

1/2 SLICED CARROTS (FRESH OR DRAINED FROM CAN)

2 GREEN ONIONS, SLICED

2 TBS. HOT CHILI GARLIC SAUCE

5-8 SUNDRIED TOMATO (PREFERABBLY IN OIL)

3 CHICKEN BOUILLON CUBES

2 CUPS SMALL COOKED SHRIMP

ADD BOUILLON CUBES TO BOILING WATER, AND ADD RICE. ALLOW RICE TO COOK AS DIRECTED IF USING FRESH CARROTS PLACE CARROTS IN WATER BEFORE YOU COOK THE RICE. IF USING CARROTS FROM CAN, ADD LATER WITH SWEET PEAS.  ONCE RICE IS DONE ADD CHILI SAUCE AND SUN-DRIED TOMATOES. ALONG WITH SALT AND PEPPER TO TASTE. ADD SWEET PEAS AND CARROTS, IF NOT DONE EARLIER. ADD SHRIMP AND GREEN ONIONS AND STIR INTO RICE MIXTURE. MORE CHILI GARLIC SAUCE CAN BE ADDED IF PREFERRED FOR SPICINESS.

SERVES 4-6 (1/2 CUP SERVINGS)

Woah! Heinz has re-created its packaging – squeeze and dip!

I am proud to say i love all things saucey! Whenever i hit a cafe or take out joint i always and i mean ALWAYS ask for extra sauce, and now i can have a handbag full of these Heinz packets.

Can’t wait for these babies to hit Oz shores.. esp ones in mustard.

More sauce please!

New image in the veggies photography contest

Yum! …
Tomatoe photography picture

This site offers a ton of tips on where and how to store vegetables, fruits, and things such as herbs and mushrooms. It even has pictures and some tips on how to prepare them. It’s definitely an unexpendable resource. Here are a couple of good examples, but be sure to check out the site for the full list.

Garlic
Store whole heads of garlic in a cool, dry, dark place (45-50°F) with good ventilation, but do not refrigerate. However, always refrigerate peeled or cut garlic in a sealed container. Use in dressings, marinades and stir-frying for flavor.

Spinach
Keep spinach refrigerated (32-36°F), stored in a perforated plastic bag, away from fruits to avoid deterioration. Wash spinach and remove stems.

Tomatoes
Keep tomatoes at room temperature (55-70°F). Do not refrigerate, as it will make the tomatoes mealy and flavorless.

Pomegranates
Keep pomegranates refrigerated (32-36°F). To remove the seeds: Cut out the blossom end, remove some of the white pith, but do not break the red pulp around the seeds. Score the skin into quarters. Break the pomegranate into halves and then halve again following score lines. Bend back the rind and pull out the seeds. Eat seeds whole or juice into mixed drinks.

Every time Nick takes control in the kitchen, the resulting dish is a spicy one. He was especially excited about this recipe because it not only satisfies his “spice tooth,” it also caters to my fondness for shrimp.

Though neither of us has visited The Big Easy, this dish took us there. It’s hearty and soulful, and we even added celery to achieve the holy trinity of Cajun cuisine.

We also substituted a combination of whole tomatoes and tomato sauce for the suggested tomato juice cocktail, which yields a thicker base — more like a gumbo than a soup.

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp butter
• 1/2 cup chopped green pepper
• 1/2 cup celery
• 1/4 cup chopped green onion
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 can whole tomatoes, chopped
• 1 can tomato juice
• 1 – 8oz can clam juice
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 tsp dried thyme
• 1/4 tsp basil
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup uncooked long-grain brown rice (or white rice)
• 3/4 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
• hot pepper sauce to taste

Directions

1. Melt butter in a large stockpot over medium heat. Sauté green pepper, celery, onions, and garlic until tender. Stir in tomatoes, tomato sauce, clam juice, and water. Season with thyme, basil, red pepper, bay leaf, and salt.
2. Bring to a boil, and stir in rice. Reduce heat, and cover. Simmer for an hour, until rice is tender.*
3. Stir in shrimp, and cook 5 minutes longer, or until shrimp are opaque. Remove the bay leaf, and season with hot sauce.

*Next time we add brown rice to a soup, we’ll cook it separately. It had a bit of a bite, even after an hour. If you choose to use white rice, cook time is about 15 minutes.

(adapted from allrecipes.com)

I seem to be on a food kick recently, so I’m sharing my favorite made-up recipes with you! This one has pictures. Hope you like it!

Tomato sauce recipe

Ingredients-

• 1 tomato
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1/4 cup mushrooms
• 1 clove shallot
• 1/4 cup ricotta cheese
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste

1. Melt butter and vegetable oil in a pan over low heat.
2. Dice tomato, garlic, mushrooms, and shallot.
3. Lightly salt garlic and squish under knife to create a paste.
4. Add shallot and mushrooms to pan with butter and oil and sauté until mushrooms become soft.
5. Add garlic until it becomes a light golden color.
6. Add tomatoes and cook down until it is the desired consistency.
7. Puree with ricotta cheese until it is desired smoothness.
8. Add salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste.

It was sooooo cold in D.C. yesterday and night…. I needed to make something to warm us all up. Mike was feeling sickly still from his flu shot he got the other day, and he wanted some Minestrone Soup.

So I pulled out the book…. because I don’t know the recipe by heart and made the Minestrone Soup:

8Cups of Vegetable Stock
11/2Cup Garbonzo Beans*
2Cups Red Kidney Beans*
1/2Cup Carrots
3Medium Tomatoes*
1/2Cup Fresh or 1Tbsp Dried Parsley
1Cup Cabbage
1/4tsp Oregano
3/4tsp Basil
1/4tsp Thyme
1/2Cup Celery
1/2Cup Onion
1Clove Garlic
1Pkg Noodles

* Or one 14oz can of unsweetened and unsalted Italian Tomatoes with juice
*Soak Kidney Beans or Garbanzo Beans overnight and rinse and then cook beans. Or use canned Kidney Beans or Garbanzo Beans.
Chop all vegetables, saute in water or soup stock over medium heat until onion is translucent-about 5 minutes. Stir in drained Kidney Beans, Garbanzo Beans, Diced Tomatoes and Minced Herbs. Bring to a simmer, then turn heat down and simmer about 10 minutes. As the soup cooks, it will thicken. Add more tomatoes or soup stock as needed. Serve with Noodles.

Mouth watering spaghetti

A good meat based tomato sauce is the staple of dozens of recipes.  Until recently, I made my sauce from a mixture of crushed tomatoes and canned spaghetti sauce until I was introduced to this recipe.  It’s relatively simple and the end product is awesomely tasty.

Yields ~8 cups.

• 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 medium onions, diced
• 3-5 cloves of garlic, sliced thinly
• 1 cup fresh basil, diced
• 1 cup red wine
• 2x 28 oz can of whole tomatoes
• 2-3 tbsp brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp fennel seeds
• 1/4 tsp chili flakes, or chili powder
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 lb ground beef

Tomatoes

I suppose if you want to consider this a truly “from scratch” recipe, then you should start with some good fresh tomatoes.  Blanch them in boiling water until the skins are loose and wrinkled.  Throw them into cold water to cool.  Remove the skins and dice.  I have yet to try this so your millage may vary.

If you use canned tomatoes, splurge and buy the good stuff!  Trust me, it makes all the difference in the world.  The tomatoes I use I get from a local butcher, imported from Italy; “Solania – San Marzano” tomatoes.  At $4 CAD per can, they aren’t cheap but well worth it.

The amount of sugar needed is relative to the acidity of your tomatoes.  Better quality tomatoes will require less sugar.  I like to start with 2 tbsp of sugar mixed with the spices and add more later if needed.

Preparation

1. Crush fennel seeds, chili, and oregano into a powder in a mortal and pestle.  Then add the sugar and grind until combined (spices courtesy of another drunkard).
2. In a large pot sauté onions in the olive oil over low heat, covered, for 10-12 minutes.
3. Add garlic and basil and re-cover for ~5 minutes.
4. Add the wine and reduce by about half (uncovered).
5. Add tomatoes, spices, and a teaspoon or two of salt.
6. Turn up the heat and bring the mixture to a boil.
7. Turn down the heat to a low simmer.  Periodically check the flavour.  If it’s too sour, add more sugar.
8. Continue cooking until the desired consistency is reached.  The further you reduce the sauce, the more intensified the flavours become.

Just before the sauce is ready, fry the ground beef and add it to the sauce.  I like to finely chop one shallot and 1-2 cloves of garlic and throw them into the frying pan before adding the beef.  Give the beef a good mashing with side of a wooden spoon while frying to ensure there are no large chunks sticking together.

Tip: You know all that liquid you usually dump down the drain after frying beef?  Well, if you buy good quality meet don’t drain it!  Dump the whole lot into the sauce… that’s tasty stuff in there.  Just don’t tell anyone you did that.

Why hello I am Emily G.

I am satrting this blog about my life haha

I love to laugh and i have lots of friends. I am 100% Christain… I love God and Jesus

If u want any advise ask me… im Dr. Phillis.. haha jk If ur a stalker then dont ask for me imformation cause i wont give it! haha

I do enjoy bloggin i have before for  like webkinz and stuff but now im kinda over it all I sometimes get in though. If ur a kid and want some good fun websites just ask… i have lots! haha… i love smileys so dont get mad if i do smileys all the time…. haha and so yepp.. and i say yepperz haha i have a few cute sayings that i lovvee – Love me or hate me cause both ways ur thinkin bout me, Everything im not made me everything i am, when life gives u skittles throw them at random people and say taste the sninkin rainbow.. haha and more ohh… and, I f barbie is so popular then why do u have to buy her friends?

hahaha i am pretty random lol so yepperz… thts me!!

‘Fortunate is the one who has learned to admire but not to envy.
To envy others neither diminishes their good fortune nor increases your own’ *

Thankfully envy was absent while reading about gluts of gorgeous red tomatoes at Allotment2Kitchen a few weeks ago.  Admiring Mangocheeks’s tomatoey produce (and hard work) undoubtedly increased my own good fortune when I received these wonderful gifts:  a jar of Spicy Tomato and Apple Chutney and a copy of  the Hummingbird Bakery cookbook.  Warm, huggy thanks from my kitchen to yours Mangocheeks and I hope you enjoy the Marrow Cream and Hedgerow Jelly.

Mangocheeks has written several posts about using home grown chillis and I’m coming round to the idea of adding a little more fire to my cuisine.  I’m usually a bit cautious with hot and spicy food after a friend’s over-chillied dish many moons ago left me feeling my insides had been blow torched.  I love the sweet kick of this spicy tomato chutney though.  We ate it with dinner the night it arrived and added generous spoonfuls to filled pittas for a lunch or two before polishing it off straight from the spoon.  How hard core is that for a chilli shy sampler?

allotment ingredients:   baked Robinta potatoes, roasted dwarf green beans, roasted beetroot
shop bought:  goats cheese

I thought it would be fitting to use an Allotment2Kitchen recipe to break my chilli embargo and experiment with the chilli peppers Dave gave me.  Where better to start than with a recipe I know I’ll enjoy? 

I made a couple of adjustments to Mangocheeks’ Spicy Tomato recipe because I didn’t have the same ingredients available

1) green and just turning orange tomatoes instead of ripe red ones
2) dates instead of raisins
3) an extra apple to compensate for the lack of sweetness from the unripe tomatoes

I was delighted with how it turned out and other than being a less vibrant red colour it tasted similar and had the same kind of kick.  I shall definitely be picking more of Dave’s chillis once I’d decided whether to freeze or dry them.  Oh heck, perhaps I’ll give both a try!

* Thought for Today the morning my gifts from Mangocheeks arrived

Poland

Chicken Noodle Tomato Soup

• This delicious Polish soup recipe Serves 5-6 people.
• Very easy to make and serve, a crowd favorite.
• Healthy alternative to store bought brands, low sodium and fresh taste.
• Add extra chicken for high protein diets, great after a gym workout.

Ingredients:

7-10 cups of fresh purified water
3 chicken quarters (skinned and cleaned) – or 3-4 chicken breasts (cleaned)
2-3 carrots (peeled)
2 sticks of celery
1 onion (whole peeled)
4 cloves of garlic (whole)
1-2 parsley roots (peeled) (looks like a white carrot)
½ teaspoon of salt
½ teaspoon vegeta seasoning
½ teaspoon pepper (whole or ground preferably whole)

______________________________________________

1-2 cans tomato paste (mix in bowl with water until fine watery consistency)
3 tablespoons of sour cream
1 tablespoon of cornstarch
1-tablespoon fresh parsley (chopped)
1-2 cups noodles (any pasta noodles desired can be used)- or basmati rice

Preparation:

Make a chicken broth with the above ingredients (above the separating line).  Boil all the meat ingredients in water until they are thoroughly cooked (smaller chunks boil faster), usually about 1 hour.  Then add all the remaining ingredients that are listed above the separating line and boil together for 10-15 minutes.  Take the broth off heat and prepare tomato add in.  In a bowl whisk together tomato paste, sour cream, corn starch, a little bit of milk, and a small amount of water.  Mix until a fine watery consistency is achieved.  Incorporate the tomato mix with the broth stirring quickly while making the addition.  Add fresh parsley and bring to a boil.  Then cook (in a separate pot) the spaghetti or rice and serve in a separate bowl.  Let quests add desired amount of pasta to their bowls and then flood with the rich tomato soup.  This dish can be served as an appetizer or as a main dish, depending on how much meat and noodles are utilized.

Add water to adjust desired thikness - Heat and eat

*** Very healthy meal, great for cool weather ***

*** Make a large batch, freeze or store the soup for later consumption ***

*** Add any other vegetables you desire to personalize ***

Well I haven’t had nightmares in a while, but last night it came back in full force. I woke up 3 times and each was to my worst nightmares. So at this point I decided it’s best to just get up and be productive. Which, probably explains why I’m blogging at 8 instead of 11 am. Anyways it got me thinking. We all been told by our parents on how we shouldn’t eat candy at night. Maybe they were right. Could it have been something I ate that caused the nightmares? Can food really affect how the brain works when we sleep? The United Medical Network had published an article on Sleep and other health related conditions.

According to the article.

The following foods are known to contain tyramine, a chemical created in the breakdown of tyrosine, an amino acid protein. Tyramine acts as a brain chemical stimulant. The following foods and drinks are known to contribute to the formation of tyramine: all forms of alcohol, bacon, caffeine, cheese, chocolate, eggplant, ham, potatoes, sauerkraut, sausage, spinach, sugar, tobacco, tomatoes, and wine. People with sleep disorders should avoid these foods, especially at bedtime.

Tell me what you guys think. Link – Via United Medical Network

I don’t know about where you live, but summer here in North Devon has been another washout. As a tease, we’ve has the most glorious weather since last Wednesday.

Warm sun means the remaining salad crops have had a late burst of ripening. So, our household has had a glut of tomatoes and cucumbers.

Slice the crusts off?

Researching online for one of my jobs, I stumbled across a great blog called MakeGrowGather. It is a wonderful blog with scrumptious food ideas and I recommend checking it out! One post brought up the topic of roasted tomatoes, and I immediately became intrigued. According to the post, one can roast tomatoes overnight in low oven heat and the next day be greeted by delicious and crunchy tomatoes. It seems like a fantastic idea!

While I have yet to try it, I decided to make a dish that incorporated baked tomatoes. I also have been thinking of an old friend who showed me a wonderful way of creating a dressing using olive oil, honey dijon mustard and lemon juice. I decided to experiment with the two ideas in order to create one dish.

I try not to follow recipes while cooking. Instead, I like to mix and match ingredients and wish for the best. This has yielded interesting results, both good and bad.

To begin this latest culinary test, I bought the following items:

1 box of whole grain pasta
4 red tomatoes (the big, oval kind)
1 squash
1 garlic
1 tub of feta cheese
1 bottle of honey dijon mustard
1 bottle of olive oil
1 lemon

I began by preheating the oven to 275 degrees (Farhenheit) and boiling the whole grain pasta. While this cooked, I cut up the tomatoes in thick slices, then cut up about a quarter of the garlic.

Leaving those to the side, I then cut up the squash.

With all the vegetables done, I sprinkled a bit of olive oil in my baking pan.

Then, I placed all of the vegetables in the pan, beginning with the squash first, the tomatoes layered on top and the garlic pieces in the crevices of the two. I then liberally sprinkled feta cheese on top.

Now it was time to create my dressing. I have never attempted to make dressing before so I was slightly nervous. I decided to play it by taste. I put about 3 tablespoons of the honey dijon in a bowl, then squeezed a bit of lemon and poured a bit of olive oil in the bowl. I added more lemon juice and olive oil until I reached a taste I liked.

Mixing it all together thoroughly, I sprinkled it all on top of my vegetables and feta cheese. Doesn’t it look yummy?

It was now ready to be placed in the oven! I left it in for about an hour. Slowly, the smell of garlic, mustard and tomatoes began to waft through the apartment.

When the time was up, I hungrily poured everything in a bowl and chowed down! It was really tasty, although next time I will use less mustard. I will most likely try the dish again, maybe adding baked chicken pieces in it.

I declare this experiment a success!

I have a decent sized backyard and every year some one in the family plants boat loads of fruits and veggies. So during this time of the year (approaching Fall),  I usually end up with tons of tomatoes and other goodies. This is a simple recipe I swear by and it makes a good use of your fresh tomatoes. Oh and don’t forget to make your own bread. Check it out! Link -Via BBC GoodFood

As this week drags into Tuesday I think about the great weekend I had in Charleston, South Carolina. I am staying with a buddy from high school who loves to surf and he had been looking forward to the weekend and waves from Hurricane Bill (which was working its way north in the Atlantic). I had never been surfing for a few reasons but mainly because I didn’t like the idea of giving up my position at the top of the food chain and drowning is pretty high up there too. There was a part of me that has always wanted to try so I went with the “when in Rome” attitude and went for it.

Over the weekend we went surfing three times and I have to say it was a huge success. It wasn’t successful because I did great and picked up a few sponsor but the fact that my wake isn’t being held today is an accomplishment. The current and swell from Hurricane Bill was pretty fierce and there were at least two times that I was one salt water gulp from a full panic. I did get on the board a few times and managed to ride the waves and I definitely have the bug and want to try it again.

For now, I will do what I do best, “eat”. Charleston is a food lovers paradise and this is apparent if you have ever watched the travel channel or food network. There are a few places I am looking to try while I am in town and will report back on the goods. Meanwhile lets talk about this sandwich I made a few weeks ago.

Like most great ideas, this sandwich came to me while laying couch on an empty stomach. I wanted a grilled cheese but felt the need to change it up a bit. I knew using the leftover ingredients from the caprese salad I made the day before would work perfect. Instead of making it grilled cheese style I decided to get the cast iron skillet and cook it in the broiler. I also just called it “Mozzapep” because I didn’t know what else to call it…..any ideas???

MOZZAPEP SANDWICH

2 slices of rye bread

2 thin slices of tomato

1 tablespoon of butter

1 clove of garlic (chopped)

1 teaspoon of oregano

3 slices of fresh mozzarella (thinly sliced)

4 large slices of pepperoni

6 basil leaves (torn)

8 black olives (sliced)

cooking spray

salt

pepper

Put cast iron skillet in the oven and turn up to broil and let heat for 5 mins

Take  1 tablespoon of butter and set aside at room temperature. In a small bowl mix butter, garlic and oregano to make garlic butter. Sprinkle the butter mixture with salt and pepper to taste.

Spread butter mixture over one side of each piece of bread. Top piece of bread with butter side down with pepperoni, cheese, olives, tomato and basil. Top sandwich with slice of rye bread, butter side up.

Remove cast iron skillet from oven and spray with cooking spray.  Put sandwich on cast iron skillet and and return to oven on second to top shelf and cook until cheese is melted and bread slightly brown. You can also cook in a frying pan like a grilled cheese

Finally. Looks like this year – yep, another damp summer – could be the year that I get a bumper crop of tomatoes.

I’ve assimilated loads of advice and tips. I sowed seeds in god time. Planted out when the plants were nice and healthy. The soil’s good. My magic liquid feed has been applied regularly. Thanks to Mrs Allotment 5 1/2 the greenhouse has been kept warm to ripen the fruits.

Everything else is down to sunshine. Intuitively, I’d say it’s not been great. But, we’ve had good stretches of sun in May and June. Plus, the last few weeks have seen a few decent days.

All told, I’m pleased that we’re getting a constant and growing stream of sweet little toms – Gardener’s Delight, indeed. Moneymakers are on the way.

Meanwhile, the salad bed keeps producing bags of sandwich filling. There should even be a cucumber or two ready by the end of the week.