Fresh Summer Bruschetta

One of my favorite things to order when we go out to eat is Bruschetta.  We always end up saying what a wonderful, healthy meal it would be if we made it at home with our own veggies.

So I found this recipe for Bruschetta and tried it.  I have to say, it was DELICIOUS!  And using our own 'maters & basil was the added bonus of healthiness... no pesticides or added "stuff."

So here's my modification of the recipe - hope you enjoy!

Dawn's Bruschetta
    * 6 or 7 ripe plum tomatoes (about 1 1/2 lbs)
    * 2 cloves garlic, minced
    * 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
    * 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
    * 6-8 fresh basil leaves, chopped.
    * Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

    * 1 baguette French bread or similar Italian bread
    * 1/4 cup olive oil

Method

1 Prepare the tomatoes first. Parboil the tomatoes for one minute in boiling water that has just been removed from the burner. Drain. Using a sharp small knife, remove the skins of the tomatoes. (If the tomatoes are too hot, you can protect your finger tips by rubbing them with an ice cube between tomatoes.) Once the tomatoes are peeled, cut them in halves or quarters and remove the seeds and juice from their centers. Also cut out and discard the stem area. Why use plum tomatoes instead of regular tomatoes? The skins are much thicker and there are fewer seeds and less juice.

2 Make sure there is a top rack in place in your oven. Turn on the oven to 450°F to preheat.

3 While the oven is heating, chop up the tomatoes finely. Put tomatoes, garlic, 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, vinegar in a bowl and mix. Add the chopped basil. Add salt and pepper to taste.

4 Slice the baguette on a diagonal about 1/2 inch thick slices. Coat one side of each slice with olive oil using a pastry brush. Place on a cooking sheet, olive oil side down. You will want to toast them in the top rack in your oven, so you may need to do these in batches depending on the size of your oven. Once the oven has reached 450°F, place a tray of bread slices in the oven on the top rack. Toast for 5-6 minutes, until the bread just begins to turn golden brown.

Alternatively, you can toast the bread without coating it in olive oil first. Toast on a griddle for 1 minute on each side. Take a sharp knife and score each slice 3 times. Rub some garlic in the slices and drizzle half a teaspoon of olive oil on each slice. This is the more traditional method of making bruschetta.

5 Align the bread on a serving platter, olive oil side up. Either place the tomato topping in a bowl separately with a spoon for people to serve themselves over the bread, or place some topping on each slice of bread and serve. If you top each slice with the tomatoes, do it right before serving or the bread may get soggy.

Makes 24 small slices.  (It was delicious served with cottage cheese on the side.)

With a great tomato crop, there's so many delicious recipes and we've been eating so fresh.  Too bad that doesn't last in WI.  This is a Meals on Monday post to coincide with Stacy Petersen's wonderful Meals on Monday event.  If you'd like more information about Meals on Mondays, check out Stacy's Blog!

Bon Apetite!

~Dawn

Meals on Mondays - Oh so many Cucumbers

The weather this year has been perfect for my cucumber plant.  Yes, I planted one single cucumber plant.  And I've taken 2 dozen cukes off already and there's more that are still growing.  My cucumber has gotten massively big (I staked it when I planted it with a big square tomato cage so that it would grow up rather than sprawling all over my small patch of vegetables.  But let me tell you, it grew up, then overflowed the cage and grew back down... and now it is officially sprawling all over my garden.  At least I delayed the inevitable to let my peppers and tomatoes grow tall enough to get their own sunshine.

So with the copious amounts of cucumbers I have, right now I have two favorite recipes to use them.  So today you get a two-fer!  Try one or both!  I think you'll like 'em!

Recipe 1 - Basic Tomato Cucumber Salad - a spin on one of my favorite Caprese Salads.
1 Cucumber
1 Tomato
2 sticks of string cheese
2 Tbsp You Favorite Italian Dressing

Peel & slice cucumber.  Dice Tomato. Dice String Cheese.  Combine all in bowl and toss with your dressing.  Eat immediately!  How Easy is that?

Recipe 2 - Twisted Sister's Creamy Cucumber Salad - Made Dawn's way :)
2 medium cucumbers
1 Tbsp onion flakes
2 large tomatoes
1/2 green pepper (optional)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. white vinegar
4 Tbsp. granulated sugar
1 Tbsp. dried parsley flakes
1 tsp. dried dill
1 tsp. seasoned salt - more to taste if desired

Peel, halve and slice cucumbers into 1/2" slices.  (Important not to go thinner because cucumbers will then get soggy in dressing.)

Wash and quarter tomatoes.  Take out the seeds and rough dice the tomato meat.

Add onion flakes. (If desired, you can use 1 medium red onion roughly diced)

Thinly slice 1/2 green pepper.  Cut slices into 1" strips.

Combine all veggies into bowl and give a good toss to mix well.

Dressing:  Combine mayo, vinegar, sugar, parsley, dill and season salt in separate bowl.  Mix well.  Pour over vegetables and give a good toss to thoroughly coat all of the vegetables.  Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours stirring at least once to re-distribute the dressing.  When you first put dressing in, it seems dry... don't worry.  It quickly starts mixing with the natural juices of the vegetables.

You'll love this recipe!  I have a hard time actually putting it in the fridge for 2 hours.  I personally like the freshness of the veggies about 10 minutes after I make it... but maybe that's part of my "red-headed-ness!" :)

This post is part of SLM Petersen's Meals on Monday collection of recipes.  Every Monday we Celebrate Cooking and Sharing time around the dinner table with family.  Anybody is welcome to join us and please, take a moment to click here and check out Stacy's blog and this weeks other Meals on Monday Contributors! :)

Enjoy your cucumbers and I hope your gardens are growing plentifully!
Dawn