Tomato Bruschetta

A tomato and basil bruschetta is a classic combination. It’s simple, it’s rustic – it’s delicious.  Bruschetta is a good starter to any meal.

The key to good bruschetta is a good quality baguette.  Even when you want to save time, please don’t be tempted to by the pre-cut, pre-made crostini – they are almost always stale.  Buy a baguette and slice and toast it at home. Ciabatta can also work for your bruschetta.  Here is my favorite variation – Tomato Bruschetta.

Ingredients:

• Baguette or crusty long loaf bread, sliced
• 3 large cloves garlic, 2 minced, 1 set aside
• Pint of tomatoes, halved, seeded and chopped ( I used a variety pack for more color)
• Good handful of fresh basil leaves (about 1/3 cup)
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling  
• 1/8 cup balsamic vinegar
• Coarse salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1.) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

2.) Place bread slices on a baking sheet. Brush a bit of olive oil on each slice. Toast in oven for about 3-5 minutes or until light golden brown. After the bread is removed from the oven, rub a sliced clove of garlic on the toasted side of each slice of bread. Set bread aside.

3.) Place the seeded and chopped tomatoes in a bowl, add the minced garlic, balsamic vinegar, a good drizzle of olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Use a good quality, coarse salt – a kosher or even better, maldon sea salt. It does wonders for the tomatoes.

4.) Pile basil leaves on top of one another and roll into a log. Thinly slice basil into green confetti and loosely combine with the tomato mixture.

5.) Gently combine all of the ingredients. Place your toasts around the bowl of tomato topping. Place a spoon to scoop topping in bowl and serve.

Our Favorite Guacamole

I’m nervous – confused – my palms are sweaty.  Ok, maybe my palms aren’t sweaty, but I am still asking myself  ”are you sure you want to do this?”

(time lapse 10 minutes ahead)

Alright fine – I will share (give up) one of my best recipes.  It’s not like I am the only person in the world that makes good guacamole.  It just so happens that I think mine is the best. 

What’s my secret?  Perhaps it’s the red onion, or the mayonnaise or maybe the salt?  People always say that red onion has a mild, sweet flavor – I think it has a strong flavor – which adds something special to this guacamole.   The salt you use is also very important.  I love experimenting with different salts in my guacamole – salt compliments avocados so well.  To add a bit of creaminess to the guacamole I use the mayonnaise.  Sounds odd, but works so well.

This recipe will serve two or three people who really love guacamole.  Adjust accordingly to how much you will need. 

What You’ll Need:

• 2 avocados, halved, seeded and peeled
• ½ of a lime, juiced
• 1 roma tomato, seeded and diced
• ¼ cup red onion, diced
• 1/8 cup mayonnaise
• 1/8 cilantro, chopped
• good pinch of your favorite salt – I like fleur de sel in this recipe.
• dash of Tabasco

Directions:

1.) Prep your ingredients before cutting into your avocado. The avocado can go brown very quickly without the help of the lime.

2.) Once you are prepped – place the avocado, lime juice, tomato, red onion, mayonnaise, salt and Tabasco in a large bowl.

3.) Using the back of a fork, mash all of the ingredients together until you get the consistency that you prefer. Some people like smooth, others a bit chunky. Myself, I prefer a bit chunky.

4.) Finally, fold in the cilantro – trying not to bruise the leaves too much.|

5.) Place plastic wrap over the guacamole – so that is actually touching the surface of the guacamole and let sit at room temperature for 1 hour. After the guacamole has sat for an hour – go ahead and eat!

Corn, Avocado & Tomato Salad

No food tastes more like summer than fresh sweet corn, straight off the cob.  Small roadside stands selling their fresh harvest – really, there is nothing better especially in Ohio.  You may have heard…but you have never had corn until you’ve tried Ohio sweet corn.   I honestly believe that. 

Although we haven’t entered prime corn season, that doesn’t mean you have to settle for canned corn.  The grocery stores are already selling the season’s first corn on the cob – and it’s pretty good.   Get your corn fix early with this Corn, Avocado and Tomato Salad – it’s got such bright flavor!  Dressed with a cilantro lime dressing – it too, screams “SUMMER”.   

After writing the recipe out, I have decided that a healthy addition to this summer salad would be shelled edamame – wouldn’t you agree?

Corn, Avocado and Tomato Salad
Makes about 4-6 servings. 

Recipe (slightly) adapted from Paula Deen’s Corn, Avocado and Tomato Salad.

What You’ll Need:

• 3-4 ears of fresh corn
• 1 ripe avocado, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 cup finely diced red onion

Cilantro Lime Dressing

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon grated lime zest
• 1-2 tablespoon fresh lime juice (depending on taste)
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro (reserve a bit for presentation)
• Good pinch of salt (I use Fleur de sel)
• Pinch pepper
• Few dashes of Tabasco

Directions:

1.) Remove the corn from the cob. Place in a microwave safe bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Microwave for 5 minutes on high. Rinse with cold water to stop cooking. Drain on a tea towel thoroughly.

2.) Combine the prepared corn, sliced avocado, halved tomatoes and diced red onion in a large glass bowl.

3.) Mix the dressing ingredients together in another bowl and then pour over the salad. Gently toss to mix. Add some additional cilantro on top prior to serving.   Taste.  If you feel it needs salt, add some.  The corn can take a good amount of salt – it brings out all of the flavors.

Turkey Burgers

My mother is known for making some of the best meatballs around.  The flavor, of course, is great – but it’s the texture of the meatballs that makes them special.  She says it all has to do with how you mix the ground meat.  Whether it is beef, pork, veal or turkey – it’s all in how you mix it.  

So what is this special ground meat mixing technique?  It starts with the utencil you use, a large pronged fork is best.   Lightly lifting and separating the meat as you gently combine all of the ingredients.  This gentle fluffing of the ground meat  creates little air pockets and keeps  the ground meat airy.  Never, never mash it together and don’t use your hands – you will tend to mush it all together like you would a dough.  This only creates a dense product.  

So now that you know how to mix ground meat properly…what can you do with it?  Well, here are three variations using ground turkey.  Ground Turkey Three Ways…

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Spring Sugar Cookies

Another delicious holiday in the books!  On the Easter Menu – rack of lamb, turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, homemade rolls, salad,  cupcakes – really, really cute cupcakes, as well as these sugar cookies I whipped up - last minute.   

I always get compliments on these sugar cookies, and for awhile I proudly accepted them.  “Yes, I baked them.”  “Thank you, thank you.”   Well, I hate to admit it, but they are out of a bag.  Betty Crocker makes some darn good cookie mix.  

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