tomato – Wenderly

This year we decided to plant some roma tomatoes in our teeny tiny garden,

and boy oh boy did they take off despite the drought.

We have a plethora of roma tomatoes.

And that was the point, right? To plant, pore over, prune and pray for a plethora of sweet red romas was indeed our plan.

However.

One can only eat so many bowls of sliced red juicy romas drizzled with olive oil, balsamic vinegar and salt & pepper. Right?

So you know what we did with the little pretties?

We made oven-dried roma tomatoes! And oh my are they the perfect savory treat enjoyed alone or as a tangy, chewy punch in a salad, a pasta dish or with scrambled with eggs! I couldn’t believe how easy they were to make! This is all we did!

We picked a peck of perfect romas, (ok I’m not entirely sure that it was a peck of tomatoes, but it sounded good in the sentence),

placed them in a colander and rinsed them with water.

Sliced them in half, scooped out the seeds (which we used in a delicious sauce), tossed them lightly with salt,

then put them on a metal cooling rack that was set on a rimmed baking sheet.

Next, we placed them the oven on the lowest setting,

and just let them do their thing for about 10-12 hours depending on your oven.

And this is what came out of the oven…

Tangy, chewy, heavenly oven-dried tomatoes.

Do yourself a favor today.

Pick a plethora of roma tomatoes, whether from your garden or the supermarket, and oven-dry them.

But make sure to make plenty…

Because you won’t be able to resist plucking one right out of the bowl to plop it right into your mouth!

Again. And again. And again…

~Wenderly

This fresh mozzarella tomato basil flag is perfect for any patriotic occasion. Bursting with flavor and color this dazzling dish takes moments to put together.

If you’re looking for a fun, patriotic appetizer that can be assembled before you can hum the phrase, “our country tis of thee”, then boy do I have a delish dish for you! I’m a big fan of dazzle without hassel. So in the spirit of my watermelon feta flag that has become an all time favorite 4th of July family tradition, I dreamt up the fresh mozzarella tomato basil flag.

This fresh, savory flag was a breeze to assemble and yet it exploded with tremendous flavor that made my spirits soar. So without further adieu, I give to you, freedom from slaving away over a hot & steamy stove…

Just place some fresh Opal Basil leaves into a square white dish to make a perfect field of blue.

Then lovingly line fresh mozzarella balls and grape tomatoes two by two, on a white rectangular platter, to make some splendid, scrumptious stripes.

You’ll be filled with glee to find that the three ingredients thread onto a bamboo skewer make a darling red, white & blue,

…bite of bliss just for you.

And for a little more bling to the taste buds,

drizzle with a sprinkling of balsamic vinegar…

And that my friends is an explosion of summertime celebration in your mouth.

You’ve still got time to run to the store for these 3 simple red, white & blue ingredients that will be sure to *woo* your guests at that post-parade picinc or pre-fireworks party.

Wishing you a most festive 4th that includes freedom from slaving away over a hot & steamy stove!

~Wenderly