Fresh Tomato Bruschetta

Tomato Snob

I love tomatoes, but this love is not unconditional. In my mind, there is nothing worse than a watery, bland tomato. As a card-carrying food snob, I require full tomato flavor—which means that for most of the year, I don’t eat tomatoes. Frankly, an out-of-season tomato doesn’t taste as good.

Now that it’s July, things are lookin’ up.

In an effort to capitalize on the very best tomatoes possible, I planted some in my garden. However, I planted them late, so I’m not sure how well they’ll do. The fruit on the vine is taunting me, but they are not quite ready. So, I continue to wait. Meanwhile, the heirloom tomatoes in the market are fantastic, and I am able to get my fix while I wait for my plants to start producing.

Because home-grown, summertime tomatoes have so much flavor on their own, I like to serve them simply sliced up with a little vinaigrette, or on a toasted slice of French bread–bruschetta style. Throw on some fresh mozzarella and you have a tasty light lunch. I have been known to add goat cheese (or Bellwhether Farms Frommage Blanc for people with a goat cheese aversion).

Fresh Tomato Bruschetta
I use this as my base recipe, and improvise. Read more…

Grilled Cheese BLT

No More Pencils, No More Books…
This week marks the last week of school for a lot of folks, and for those of us who have been experiencing end of school year burn out, it can’t come too soon. It’s not just the kids who get burned out, it is also the parents, and I’ve reached my limit.

For the next 10 weeks there will be no lunch-making, no did you do your homework?, no why aren’t you ready to go?, no why didn’t you tell me about this project sooner?, no what time is practice? and no can you pick up this kid, because I need to pick up the other kid halfway across town, in afternoon commute traffic?.

For the next 10 weeks I might actually get to enjoy a cup of coffee before I get to work. For the next 10 weeks there is a better than average chance that someone will do a load of laundry (folding optional). And I know without question, that for the next 10 weeks my sons (and most likely their cousin) will be eating a legitimate lunch (meaning not just cereal straight from the box), only because their younger sister will make it for them. She has been known to encourage their couch potato/sloth-like habits by making up a “Summer Menu” for them. This helps me out because I now have a ready-made list of shopping items to have on hand for Zee Chef. See? Win-win for everyone. It will be dark times though, when she is at camp…

Although the menu has not yet been set, one item that will certainly be on there is grilled cheese. We’re all grilled cheese fans. How can you not be? It’s bread and cheese. (Word!) So it would not surprise me if this is the most popular meal, whether it be the traditionally grilled version or hot off the Panini press.

I like to experiment with my grilled cheeses. Use different cheeses or adding veggies and spreads to them. Irish Dubliner and some thin sliced green apple is one of my favorites…Brie works too.

So here’s to the start of Summer and to a quick grilled cheese meal to get you out and enjoying the most fun time of the year!

Making a Great Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Everyone knows how to make a grilled cheese sandwich, right? You need bread, you need butter, and you need cheese. Then you cook it in a flat, oiled pan until brown on both sides. Here are a few tips to make yours extra-delicious—and also a few of the infinite variations for customizing this favorite comfort food.

Carrot Cake Cheesecake

The (Cream) Cheese Stands Alone

If it’s Easter Sunday, you can pretty much count on there being a carrot cake on our table…which is a good thing. I am pretty sure it’s not the cake I love so much (though that it pretty tasty) but rather, the cream cheese frosting. If I am being honest with myself, the carrot cake is just the socially accepted vessel for the creamy goodness that is cream cheese frosting. Eating the entire bowl with a spoon is, apparently frowned upon. If I could, I would put cream cheese frosting on everything.

Over the years our carrot cakes have come in many forms: cupcakes, sheet cakes even trifles, but I saw a recipe this year that has me intrigued…This Carrot Cake Cheesecake gives cream cheese frosting a twist. Though I may be giving up my precious frosting, I am still getting that sweet cheese flavor, and it is in a layer that is as thick as I wish I could spread the frosting on without people thinking I’m nuts. (Which I am by the way.)

If you’re looking for tradition with a twist this Easter, give this Carrot Cake Cheesecake a try!

Carrot Cake Cheesecake
Adapted from the Food Network

You need to get a jump on this recipe, as the carrot cake should be made a day in advance, and the cheesecake needs time in the fridge to set.

The reviews mentioned that this cake was too dry. We increased the oil by 2 tablespoons from the original recipe. Also mind your oven temperature, you might want to decrease it to bake more slowly. Or you can use your own recipe as long as it’s not too moist, since the cheese cake has to be supported.

There are video instructions at this link. Read more…

Classic Cheese Fondue

Downhill Racer

When I was in grade school, we always got a week off in February. The school called it Presidents Week but we called it what it really was, Ski Week.

The concept of Ski Week brings to mind a lovely European scene complete with tall snow covered mountains, quaint Alpine lodge, mulled wine, schnitzel, cheese fondue and the always faithful St. Bernard. Reality is quite different.

I had the opportunity to ski a lot as a kid, and I have no idea how my mother did it. It’s one thing if you are an adult who presumably can manage to haul your gear and get yourself on the mountain. It is a very different (read: painful) thing entirely when you are dragging your children up the mountain, But Mom did it, often, and it was awesome. I have been semi-successful at getting my kids to ski. The biggest obstacle, of course, has been the lack of snow. This year was better, but our one outing was not that enjoyable do to blizzard-like conditions. Who knows when we’ll go back…

The best I can do is recreate that blissful scene from the Alps. As hard as it is to get in the mood with this unseasonably warm weather, it’s harder to pass up the opportunity for melted cheese.

Classic Cheese Fondue
Fondue possibilities are endless, and you can get pretty creative, so mix your cheeses and dippers. Try a gorgonzola fondue with cut up pears—the bomb!

Although it is great to have a traditional fondue pot, don’t let that stop you! What you need is a pot with a source of heat underneath so the fondue stays melted. You can even use a cast iron pot with sterno or a tea light underneath. Read more…