Broiled Tomatoes with Cheese

My brother, Christopher, came home for Labor Day, which always means a feast. This time was no exception; we enjoyed spinach, blueberries and strawberries tossed with raspberry vinaigrette, Keenbell Farms' spicy cheese brats, slightly over caramelized onions and peppers in gravy, mashed potatoes and Broiled Tomatoes with Cheese for lunch. It was a filling meal that was quick to put together and quick to clean up... So far so good on trying to keep things simple in September.

Whenever he comes home I start thinking of what we enjoyed eating as a kids and this time I remembered Mom serving broiled tomatoes with parmesan cheese. According to my memory they were warm, juicy, savory and comforting. All of those descriptors sounded good to me and I saw Mom's tomatos in the garden looking ripe, so I proposed we have them. She was thrilled, partly because it was such an easy request I'm sure.

Below is her rough recipe, which she emphasized can be adjusted to taste. It, or something like it, came from a cooking for two cookbook back when us kids didn't exist. While the source has been forgotten, then concept was clearly memorable as she made this without any references. 

If you like tomatoes, pizza and/or tomato sauce you will like this one. Its simple ingredients and short broiling time let the tomato's bright flavor shine. Next time I might sprinkle some oregano or basil on top to see how much I can make it taste like pizza sans crust. 

Broiled Tomatoes with Cheese
Serves 2

1 Tomato
Garlic Salt
Bread Crumbs
Parmesan Cheese (The grated sprinkles are fine. We used those when I was young!)

1. Turn on the broiler. Cut the tomato in half, do not core it, and place it juicy side up on the baking sheet.
2. Sprinkle the tomato with garlic salt, then the bread crumbs and finally the parmesan cheese.
3. Broil until the cheese gets slightly brown!

 

Corn, Tomato and Basil Salad

Thanks to Hurricane Irene our house is without power. Like generations before we are now rising closer to sunrise, sleeping closer to sunset and eating meals by flickering kerosene lamp light. Luckily, we have a generator that we can cycle to run our refrigerator and freezer and the well's pump. This lets us have drinking water, etc. and, hopefully, will help us salvage some of food. Until the power returns our meals are improvised and, if they involve cooking, they are made on the propane camp stove or the grill. 

Here's a rough recipe for a Corn, Tomato and Basil Salad I improvised the other night to go with defrosted, pre-cooked shrimp the other night. It was a fresh, satisfying and super quick. I should to keep easy meal ideas in mind when we have our power back as it is going to be a busy fall with anatomy and physiology part II, organic chemistry lab and lecture and a few other things to juggle.

I hope you aren't suffering the effects of Hurricane Irene or other natural disasters, but if you are I hope whatever troubles you are experiencing go away soon! I'm so thankful that a lack of power is my only Irene-related issue.

Corn, Tomato and Basil Salad

4 Tomatoes (from interning at Red Dog Farm!)
1 15 ounce can Corn, drained 
1/4 cup Basil, approximate measure (from the porch)
Apple Cider Vinegar, Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper to taste

1. Open the can of corn and turn it upside down with the lid on to let it drain.
2. Cut up the tomatoes into large chunks. Place in a bowl with whatever residual juice remains and add corn.
3. Slice the basil thinly, or if you would prefer tear it roughly, and add it the bowl.
4. Add a tablespoon or two of Apple Cider Vinegar, 5 twists of freshly ground pepper and a sprinkling of salt (or whatever amount of these items you prefer) and toss ingredients to combine.
5. Eat it all because you can't refrigerate the leftovers for later!

Pink Summer Salad

Growing up this pink salad was one of my favorites. I forgot all about it until a few weeks ago when I came home from Red Dog Farm with tomatoes, cucumber and onions and saw Mom, who triggered the memory. I promptly asked if she would show me how to make it for dinner. Her response was to ask if I was sure since it involved Sweet 'n' Low and mayonnaise.

It's true that I don't use artificial sweeteners and only in recent years started using mayo sparingly, but I couldn't resist the delicious memory. Thank goodness as, Sweet and Low be damned, this still is a great salad. It is comes together in a snap, especially if you don't get all OCD about dicing the veggies, and is so satisfying with its crispness, sweetness and tang. I'm salivating as write about it. In fact, I suspect by the time you see this post I'll have made it again for lunch.

Moving on now. In the picture below, I used equal amounts of tomato, cucumber and onion but I have decreased the onion in the recipe by half. If it would make you more comfortable, you probably can swap sugar or another sweetener for the Sweet and Low, but I'm not going to break with tradition. Mom got this loose recipe before I was born from a church picnic (nearly 30 years ago!) and I see no reason to change it now.

Pink Summer Salad
2 cups chopped Tomatoes (no need to seed them, you want the juice)
2 cups seeded, chopped Cucumber
1 cup chopped Onion
3 tablespoons Mayonnaise
2 tablespoons White Vinegar
1/2 to 1 packet of Sweet and Low
Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Combine the chopped vegetables in a large bowl. Sprinkle with Sweet and Low. Stir.
2. Add the mayo, white vinegar and salt and pepper. Stir until the liquid turns pink and the taste meets your approval.
3. Consume a generous portion and look forward to finishing it the next day.

Polenta With Zucchini and Tomatoes

I loved, loved, loved this Polenta With Zucchini and Tomatoes. It is easy, hearty and filling. The basil is a light, refreshing note in the midst of the savory zucchini and tomato ragout. The vegetables' smooth, yet crisp texture provide a pleasant contrast to the polenta's firmness.

I used "instant" polenta and learned the valuable lesson that once polenta solidifies into a shape there isn't any opportunity for alteration, thus the lack of a nest for the topping in my polenta square. Next time I would definitely prepare the instant polenta at the last minute rather than doing it first.

I'll definitely revisit this recipe, probably even in the winter when it isn't in season. I think I'll like its warmth even more then.