My bags are packed and I’ve never been so ready to go. I don’t know why but this year has seemed to be a little more hectic and chaotic then years in the past. My wife and I will be heading north with her twin sister and fiancé for the next 10 days. We will be staying at my family’s cabin in Minnesota. Our little slice of heaven! I have been making trips to this destination yearly ever since I was about 1 year old. There is no other place in the world I would rather be.

I don’t know what it is that draws me there the most. It could be the peace and tranquility of being miles away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. IT could be that I LOVE fishing and being able to walk out the cabin door and hit the lake every morning causes me to wake up at sunrise without an alarm or cup of coffee. Or it could be…the insane amount of junk food I get to stuff my face with the entire trip!

Every year we make our trip north; which is no small feat considering it’s a 16 hour drive north. I would love to fly every year but due to the remote location you one; need a car and two; you would pay 10 million dollars in bagging fees at the airport with how much stuff you need to bring out there. So every year I make one recipe that is super simple, super quick, and super delicious. It’s not vacation time until I have made my favorite Traditional Chex Party Mix.

While I know that Traditional Chex Party Mix is not exactly “gourmet” or something that no one has seen before, however, it’s literally been a tradition in my family ever since I was a little child. I could eat this Chex mix daily. In fact; when I have been longing for a vacation and don’t have one anywhere in sight I will sometimes make this as a little mini escape. Never underestimate the power of food and how much it can alter one’s psyche.

Traditional Chex party mix can be made with a few simple steps. First pre heat your oven to 250 degrees. As the oven is warming place a stick of butter on a 10 x 15 baking sheet. When the butter has melted, pull it out of the oven mix in your seasoned salt and Worcestershire sauce. Now add your Chex cereal and nuts and in my families case pretzel sticks.

While the Chex mix calls for you to use bran and wheat Chex I find that these have become increasingly harder to find. Don’t fret! Feel free to substitute any of your favorites. This year we added honey Chex mix in place of the bran. If they are short two of the flavors just add a cup more of your two favorites!

Place this in the oven and stir every fifteen minutes. Once it comes out of the oven allow it to cool for 15 minutes and spread it on some super absorbent paper to cool. Once the mix has cooled place it in some large sealable containers and mix in your favorite M&M’s. I love to use peanut but my wife prefers regular. We usually make 2 batches. You’re now ready to hit the road! What I really love about this recipe is that it’s super simple, super delicious and super portable.

While I am on vacation I will try to photograph some of my favorite vacation foods but I can’t really promise anything because… well… I’M ON VACATION. So as I head out the door I ask you….

What’s your favorite vacation road trip food? Who knows maybe it can become a new tradition later on down the road….

Traditional Chex Party Mix
(I believe this recipe came right off the box of Chex mix but if not can you point me to where it came from so I can give credit where it is due.)

Ingredients:

½ cup margarine or butter
1 ¼ teaspoons seasoned salt
4 ½ teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 cups Corn Chex cereal
2 cups Rice Chex cereal
2 cups Bran Chex cereal
2 cups Wheat Chex cereal
1 cup unsalted peanuts
2 cups pretzel sticks
2 cups M&M’s

Directions:

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. While oven is heating melt butter on 10 x 15 baking sheet. When butter has melted mix seasoned salt and Worcestershire sauce.
Add Chex cereal, pretzels and nuts, mix until all pieces have been coated.
Heat in oven for 1 hour; stirring every 15 minutes.
Remove from oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes. Place on absorbent paper to cool. Once cooled place in air tight container and add M&M’s.

I am always looking for new and innovative Hor D’oeuvres for my dinner parties. Constantly scouring my cook books and surfing the net to find a Hor D’oeuvre that looks as though they were really hard to execute but were in fact really quite easy to execute.

I have found some really great recipes in the past such as Prosciutto and Parmesan Stuffed Mushrooms, Cheddar Cheese Straws and Lemon Garlic Olives to name a few. Many of these are products of The Gourmet Cook Book and I must confess that this recipe originates from this source as well. What can I say? It’s probably the best cook book out there!

Maybe it’s just me but for some odd reason no matter how hard I try, whenever we are having guests over for a dinner party I always seems to be running way behind. This is why quick and easy Hor D’oeuvres are so important to me. Nothing will ease your mind more then knowing you have little to nothing to do to prepare a starter for your meal yet you know your guests won’t have a clue as to how easy they were to whip together.

Not only does this allow you to keep hungry guests at bay while you are finishing cooking the main course, it also buys you valuable time to put out any hypothetical fires you might be having in your kitchen!

Baked Cheddar Olives are just that. Quick and easy to prepare, yet look exquisite when presented with a dip and not to mention tasty too!

Begin your baked cheddar olives by grating one of the stars of this Hor D’oeuvre; the cheddar cheese.

Next add a half cup of flour.

Followed by ¼ teaspoon cayenne, the original recipe calls for 1/8 teaspoon however, I feel that these babies can take a little more heat!

Now stir these ingredients together softly as to avoid forming clumps as this will make the next step a little more difficult.

Soften 2 tablespoons unsalted butter in the microwave and blend it into the cheese mixture with your fingertips until a dough begins to form. Then take approximately a tablespoon of dough and wrap it around each olive to form a small ball and place them on a baking sheet with wax paper. The recipe says this dough should cover about 20 olives, however, I have found that it really makes about 12 if you use a tablespoon. I would suggest doubling the ingredient to get 20 Hor D’oeuvres and plan on having 3 for each guest attending as they will definitely go fast! Pop them in the oven for 15 minutes and bake until golden and serve warm.

If you really want to make these delicious I suggest adding something for them to be dipped in. I love to make a Onion Chive Sour Cream Dip to go with these as they add another layer of complexity to them and your guests will agree!

Baked Cheddar Olives
Recipe from The Gourmet Cookbook

Ingredients:

1 cup coarsely grated sharp cheddar
½ cup all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
20 small pimiento-stuffed green olives (from a 3 ounce jar), drained and patted dry

Directions:

Put a rack in middle of oven and preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Stir together cheese, flour and cayenne in a bowl.
Blend in butter with your fingertips until a dough forms.
Drop tablespoons of dough onto a sheet of wax paper and place 1 olive on each piece of dough.
Lightly flour your hands and wrap dough around olives, enclosing each one completely.
Transfer olives to a baking sheet with sides and bake until pastry is golden, about 15 minutes. Serve Warm.

Look out chips there’s a new sheriff in town!

I don’t know what it is but there is something I find classic and classy about cheddar cheese straws. They are thin and elegant, and one should feel as though they too are thin and elegant when nibbling on them.

Chips have nothing on these cheese straws. Chips are messy, greasy, and make you feel heavy when you are finished. Cheddar cheese straws on the other hand are light, crispy, and delicious and will make you feel as though you are light as a feather even after devouring the whole batch as I may or may not have just done….

Cheddar cheese straws are so quick and easy to make you may just find yourself refusing to allow anyone in the house to bring home chips ever again and the best part is you probably have the ingredients to make these already in your home!

To make your very own batch of cheddar cheese straws you will need to begin by thawing out a sheet of puff pastry. When your puff pastry has thawed, place it on a lightly floured surface. Cut your pastry in half using a sharp knife or pastry wheel. Bring out your egg wash and lightly coat each strip with your wash.

Add a light layer of cheddar cheese. Now this is where your cheddar cheese straws become all that much cooler. Cheddar cheese can be substituted with any other cheese or added seasoning you can think of. Toss the cheese with a little cayenne pepper to spice things up. Use Parmigiano-Reggiano and dill for a flavor that is truly unique! You are only limited by your taste buds and imagination!

Fold your pastries over and press down firmly to remove the air bubbles by hand. Then using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the pastry lightly to adhere the layers.

Cut your straws in ½ in strips for regular cheddar cheese straws or you could cut them in ¼ inch strips for thinner and crispier cheese straws.

When your cheese straws have been cut brush the top layer again with a light egg wash. Add your finishing salt, a coarse salt works best as the flavor of the salt is a little more pronounced and will preserve well when baked. However, if you are looking for a lighter salt flavor I suggest using fleur de sel in its place. Again cheddar cheese straws are only limited by your imagination!

Holding one end of each straw gently twist two to three times and place on a well buttered cookie sheet. Be careful to no over twist or you risk breaking your pastry, the down side of this is you will have a smaller straw, the up side however, you now have two rather then one (I’m a glass half full kind of guy)!

Bake your cheese straws for about 10 to 12 minutes or golden brown. Thinner and crisper straws should be baked from 8-10 minutes. Place the freshly baked straws on a cooling rack to cool. Pour a tall glass of beer or your favorite soda and you are ready for an afternoon snack or have an elegant creation for your next party. These are best served warm and will last a couple of days. Simply drop them in a microwave and heat up for 5 to 10 seconds just before you eat them!

Cheddar Cheese Straws

Ingredients:

1 sheet puff pasty (thawed)
1 large egg lightly beaten with 2 teaspoons water (egg wash)
½ cup finely grated sharp cheddar cheese
Tablespoon coarse salt or fleur de sel

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
2. Place thawed pastry on a lightly floured surface and cut in half.
3. Lightly brush egg wash over both strips of pastry.
4. Evenly spread cheese over 1 strip.
5. Fold non cheese strip over top of cheese strip and press down firmly to remove air bubbles. Roll gently with a lightly floured rolling pin to adhere the layers.
6. Cut 12 to 14 ½ inch strips using a sharp knife or pastry wheel.
7. Lightly brush egg wash over freshly cut strips and sprinkle salt evenly over top.
8. Gently twist each strip and place on a well buttered baking sheet. Place strips approximately 1 inch apart.
9. Bake in the oven for 10 – 12 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and place strips on cooling rack for 10 minutes to cool. Serve immediately or warm them in the microwave just before use.

To conclude my series of posts on some of America’s greatest ball park foods I wanted to do a post on my all time favorite ball park concession. Ever since I went to my first ball game when I was a child I can’t remember a time in which I haven’t had this ball park staple.

The soft pretzel is so simple yet so delicious I have begun to keep them around the house all the time. I have even been known to have one for breakfast every now and then. In fact, I’m sitting here eating one as we speak (don’t give me that look – is it really all that different from a bagel?)

One of the best parts of the soft pretzel isn’t really the pretzel itself but what you dip it in that really makes the difference. You can dip it with cream cheese for a morning snack (or breakfast in my case) or you can warm up some cheese to make an afternoon game all the more delicious. However, my favorite thing to do with a soft pretzel is “accidentally” forget to put on the salt so that I’m “forced” to slather it in butter and cinnamon sugar, I mean think about it, is there really anything better then a warm cinnamon sugar pretzel in the morning?

Making a cinnamon sugar (or regular) soft pretzel really isn’t too difficult. We begin by mixing warm water and sugar. Make sure the water temperature is around 100 degrees as this will help aid your next step.

Adding yeast to your sugar water is a critical step as this is what makes your pretzel a pretzel. Without it you would have a clumpy crunchy ball of yuck and no one wants that!

Once your yeast has sat for 10 minutes to develop into foam that reminds me of pond scum (appetizing isn’t it?) you add a cup of flour.

Once you have mixed in your first cup of flour it’s time to add your salt and remaining flour. Mix on a medium slow speed (3 in kitchen aid terms) until the dough begins to pull from the sides of the bowl. If it gets stuck to the dough hook just pull it off the hook and push it down in the bottom of the bowl and continue to mix. Take the dough out and kneed it into a ball then cover with oil and let rest for an hour.

Now that you have a dough ball about twice the size you started with it’s time to form your pretzels. You have two options here. You can divide your dough ball into sixteen mini pretzels…

OR in your quest for the ultimate ball park food, you can quarter it and make 4 giant sized pretzels just like the one you get at the game!

After you have decided on the size of pretzel you want heat up 2 inches of water in a pan. Once the water starts to boil add your baking soda. Be careful not to add it too quickly as it will boil up and make a mess! Add the remaining sugar and your poaching bath has been prepared!

Poach each pretzel for about one and a half minutes each side.

When all of your soft pretzels have been poached wash them with the egg wash and place them in the oven. This is also where you “forget” to add salt if you “accidnetally” have to make cinnamon sugar pretzels. Bake for 15 minutes for minis and 20 minutes if you made breakfast …err… I mean…. ball park size.

When they come out of the oven your pretzels should be golden brown. Resist them if you can long enough to drown them in butter and cinnamon sugar. You are now ready for breakfast, lunch, and dinner!

Soft Pretzels
Adapted from Martha Stewart and borrowed from Smitten Kitchen

Makes 16 miniature or 4 ball park size

Ingredients:
2 cups warm water (100°F to 110°F)
1 tablespoon + 2 tablespoons sugar
1 packet active dry yeast
5 to 6 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons canola or other neutral oil
1/4 cup baking soda
1 large egg
Coarse or pretzel salt or 1/4 cup sugar and tablespoon sugar mixed

Vegetable-oil cooking spray

1. Pour warm water and 1 tablespoon sugar into bowl of electric mixer fitted with a dough hook* and stir to combine. Sprinkle with yeast, and let sit 10 minutes; yeast should be foamy.

2. Add 1 cup flour to yeast, and mix on low until combined. Add salt and 4 cups more flour, and mix until combined, about 30 seconds. Beat on medium-low until dough pulls away from sides of bowl, about 1 1/2 minutes. Add another 1/2 cup flour, and knead on low 1 minute more. If dough is still wet and sticky, add 1/2 cup more flour (this will depend on weather conditions); knead until combined, about 30 seconds. Transfer to a lightly floured board, and knead about ten times, or until smooth.

3. Pour oil into a large bowl; swirl to coat sides. Transfer dough to bowl, turning dough to completely cover all sides. Cover with a kitchen towel, and leave in a warm spot for 1 hour, or until dough has doubled in size.

4. Heat oven to 450°F. Lightly spray two baking sheets with cooking spray (parchment paper, ungreased, also works). Set aside. Punch down dough to remove bubbles. Transfer to a lightly floured board. Knead once or twice, divide into 16 pieces (about 2 1/2 ounces each) or 4 if making ball park pretzels, and wrap in plastic.

5. Roll one piece of dough at a time into an 18-inch-long strip. [I find the pretzels much easier to roll on an unfloured board, oddly enough, but see what works for you.] Twist into pretzel shape; transfer to prepared baking sheet. Cover with a kitchen towel. Let pretzels rest until they rise slightly, about 15 minutes.

6. Meanwhile, fill large, shallow pot with 2 inches of water. Bring to a boil. Add baking soda (and step back, it foams up quickly) and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Reduce to a simmer; transfer three to four pretzels to water. Poach 1 minute on each side. Use slotted spoon to transfer pretzels to baking sheet. Continue until all pretzels are poached.

7. Beat egg with 1 tablespoon water. Brush pretzels with egg glaze. Sprinkle with salt or leave off if wanting to make cinnamon sugar pretzels. Bake until golden brown, 12 to 15 to 20 minutes depending on size. Let cool on wire rack, or eat warm. Pretzels are best when eaten the same day, but will keep at room temperature, uncovered, for two days. Do not store in covered container or they will become soggy.

* These days, I mix all of my bread doughs by hand, with a wooden spoon. I find it a fantastically easy process, and not very hard to stir by hand. No need to mix for several minutes, just a minute or so after it looks combined. To save even more dishes, I rinse out the bowl, oil it and use it for proofing the dough. And you thought making bread wasn’t simple!

For years now I have loved going to the farmers market. I find that it is a relaxing experience as you take a moment in life to step outside and enjoy the beauty that is around you. I also find it a great way to stay current with what fruits and vegetables are in season in your area.

This weekend I found one of my favorite in season treasures; watermelon. Watermelon to me is one of those fruits that you can enjoy year round without too much disappointment but once a year this refreshing treat really hits its stride as it becomes juicier and sweeter then ever. I also feel that watermelon is definitely a summer must have! What kid doesn’t remember seeing who could spit the seeds furthest?

My intentions for this watermelon, however, went beyond that of a seed spitting contest (especially because I picked up the seedless variety) and into something a little spicier….

Seeing as how this watermelon was born and raised in Texas I felt that it deserved to be turned into something that is purely Texas at heart, a salsa. Not just any salsa my friends; no, this watermelon was predestined to become one of our family’s favorite Texas traditions. Watermelon Salsa!

Watermelon salsa is not only sweet and refreshing but spicy as well! It’s the best of both worlds! Trust me once you make this you won’t be able to stop eating it. Our family tends to run out of chips quickly once this Texas masterpiece has been created.

To begin your watermelon salsa, combine the lime juice and sugar in a bowl. Whisk until the sugar has dissolved. This is part of that sweet and refreshing feel.

Now… you can use the lime juice from the bottle if you want to save time, as it doesn’t really change the flavor all that much. However, the fresher the ingredients the fresher the taste.

Next add your chopped watermelon. I like to chop this somewhat fine but you will want to still have it be a little bit chunky as this will give your salsa some crunchiness. Running this through a blender will totally make a runny soupy salsa and no one in Texas likes that!

Add some chopped onion.

Then some chopped mint, cilantro, and your jalapeño. Make sure to only use the mint leaves and not the stems (Unless you want an “earthy” flavor to your salsa).

Also, when chopping the jalapeño be sure to mince this well. It will keep the flavor of your salsa even. Large chunks can cause one bite to be sweet and the next to be nothing but hot!! This is also your heat control switch for your salsa. If you like things hot go ahead and use the whole jalapeño. If you’d like to keep your taste buds for a few more years and like your salsa a little milder, then only use 1 tablespoon instead.

Now it’s time for the final ingredient; chopped cucumber. Once all of your ingredients are combined gently toss the salsa until everything has been combined. This will taste great right out of the box; but if you want to really get a great tasting salsa (and I mean GREAT TASTING SALSA), let it sit in the fridge overnight.

Bring out the Margaritas and now you’re ready to party Texas style!

This is a little bit of Texas from me to you. I hope you enjoy it!

Watermelon Salsa Recipe

Ingredients:
• ¼ cup lime juice
• 2 tablespoons browns sugar
• 3 cups chopped watermelon (about ½ full sized watermelon)
• ½ cup minced red onion
• ¼ cup mint leaves
• 2 tablespoons minced jalapenos (about ½ jalapeño)
• 1/3 cup cilantro
• ½ cucumber
• Salt to taste

Directions:

1. Whisk the limejuice and sugar until sugar has completely dissolved.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients in a medium size bowl. Toss gently. Refrigerate overnight.

So this month Artichokes are in season. I personally have a love hate relationship with artichokes. I love how easy they are to prepare. However, their flavor by themselves has little to be desired as they tend to be pretty bland to the pallet. The thing I think redeems artichokes, beside the fact that it’s fun to peel back the leaves, is that they make awesome dipping vessels. The artichoke is nature’s natural scoop, perfect for shoveling massive amounts of whatever dip or sauce you have made to go with them without altering the flavor all that much.

When I was dating my wife (what seems like forever ago) her family introduced me to the pairing of the artichoke and hollandaise sauce. Ever since then I have not been able to find a better dip or sauce to replace it! The sweet and tangy flavor of the hollandaise sauce melds perfectly with the slightly bland nutty flavor of the artichoke.

A classic hollandaise sauce is a rich egg yolk based sauce that is flavored with lemon or vinegar or in my case both. Hollandaise sauce is typically served with vegetables fish or eggs (it’s the secret ingredient in Eggs Benedict). This sauce seems as though it should be pretty simple and straight forward to make. Simply use a double boiler to thicken the egg yolks as you add water, butter, vinegar, lemon juice and salt. But don’t be deceived! These pretty simple directions cause one to believe that hollandaise sauce can be prepared without much thought. However, if you let the water begin to boil or add the ingredients too quickly you can easily end up with a curdled or separated mess!

Allowing the water to boil in your double boiler (I know that pretty much defeats the purpose) will cause your sauce to curdle (don’t you love that about eggs?). If you add the ingredients too quick your sauce begins to separate leaving you with an oily slop resembling that of oil on water (if you have ever prepared this sauce before chances are you know what I am talking about)! Well fear hollandaise sauce no more! I’m here today to alleviate all of your hollandaise sauce nightmares.

Now, for the good news; if your sauce has begun to separate or curdle you can still save it! What? That’s impossible you say? Well you’re partially right. If your sauce has begun to curdle your options are pretty limited. You can start over (which I guess would probably ruin your day), or you can use a short cut and use a blender to blend it. Now the texture will be a little bit different depending now how curdled you let it get but this way but you can still salvage your sanity.

The real saver is what to do if your sauce begins to separate. You can salvage this mess and no one will be the wiser! Simply add 1 or 2 tablespoons of whipping cream and beat the sauce with a whisk until it becomes smooth again. You will have saved the day and feel like a superhero when you are done! Well at least that’s how I felt.

Classic Hollandaise Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoons white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 4 tablespoons boiling water
• 3 large egg yolks
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. Melt the butter in the microwave and keep it warm.
2. In a separate bowl heat the vinegar and lemon juice until just warmed.
3. In a small saucepan boil water.
4. Using a double boiler whisk together the egg yolks begin to thicken. Slowly add 1 tablespoon of the boiling water and beat constantly until sauce beings to thicken. Repeat this process until 4 tablespoons of water have been added.
5. Slowly add the warmed vinegar and lemon juice and briskly beat with a whisk. Remove the double boiler from the water and continue to beat the mixture as you slowly pour in the melted butter. Finish by adding the salt again beating the sauce until it is thick.

Well for those of you who don’t already know Bo Obama was welcomed into the White House yesterday. In honor of his new digs my toy schnauzer Austin insisted we share his favorite dog biscuit recipes with the new pooch. Austin says that these are the greatest dog biscuits he has ever tasted (way better then those box things we get from the store)! Austin also wanted me to pass a message on to Bo Obama that swimming is one of those learn as you go things; so don’t worry too much. Pretty soon you will be splashing around with the rest of the family in no time!

These biscuits are super simple to make and are good for every dog to eat. Austin loves them so much that I actually decided to give them a try one day. Since too much sugar isn’t a good thing for dogs they didn’t quite fit my pallet. However, I don’t feel as though he cares that much.

This is a picture of my Austin a.k.a. Bubba. Isn’t he adorable? We got him at Twilight Run Kennels. I really love how much they take care of their dogs and they have great facilities!

Bo Obama Cinnamon Peanut Butter Dog Biscuits

Ingredients:

• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 cup organic/natural peanut butter (has less sugar then regular)
• 1 cup skim milk
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Mix flour, cinnamon and baking powder in a medium bowl.
3. In a separate bowl mix the peanut butter and milk until smooth. This may take a while as natural peanut butter is somewhat grainy.
4. Combine the dry and wet ingredients and mix well.
5. kneed the dough with your hands until well combined.
6. Roll and cut with cookie cutter in your dog’s favorite shape.
7. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes.

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Puppy Frosting

Ingredients:

• 4 tbsp low fat cream cheese
• 2 tbsp plain yogurt
• ½ tbsp cinnamon

Directions:

In a small bowl combine all ingredients.
Mix until thick and creamy.

With the Super Bowl quickly approaching I thought I would post my favorite vegetarian nachos recipe. I would have to say that my favorite part of the Super Bowl is definitely all of the great tasting hors d’oeuvres. While the game can be fun to watch all in itself or the commercials at least; it is definitely nothing without great food! With the exception of Thanksgiving and Christmas, this is one of my favorite times of the year. It seems that every chef comes out to posting their new and tasty recipe ideas. I know that most people would scoff at the idea of nachos without meat, but these are thick and hearty nachos that will fill you up!

Vegetarian Super Bowl Nachos

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

Directions

Set oven to 350 degrees F

In an oven safe platter layer harvest tortilla chips

Top with shredded Colby, Jack and Cheddar cheese

Add your favorite sliced or diced veggies

Heat until the cheese is melted

Top heated nachos with salsa and sour cream.

I finally got an opportunity to clear out my DVR last night after having a week long hiatus. I definitely have a love hate relationship with that piece of equipment as I can not express the joy I get from having complete narcissistic control over what and when I watch. However, lately I feel like I have become a slave to the shows that I have recorded. I feel obligated to watch the 50 episodes of Food Network programming that have gone unwatched despite the fact that I really don’t have time. However, every once and a while forcing yourself to sit through the hours of programming you brought upon yourself pays off. I was watching Giada at Home and she made a recipe that made me crave a quick and easy late night snack! I must admit that I am not a huge fan of Gorgonzola (too much like blue cheese to me) but what’s great about this recipe is you can really choose to substitute any cheese you want! Me personally, I believe that mozzarella is the way to go here. It is definitely a little messy as the tomatoes cook down a little bit with the addition of the olive oil but if you eat them with a fork it’s definitely worth the mess! This recipe is a cinch to make and would make a great party appetizer!

Ingredients

• 12 Roma tomatoes, sliced in 1/2 lengthwise
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup plain bread crumbs
• 3/4 cup finely crumbled Gorgonzola or grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Using a teaspoon or grapefruit spoon, remove the seeds from the tomatoes. Place the tomato halves, cut side down, on paper towels to drain, about 5 minutes.

In a large bowl, mix together 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper. Using clean hands, gently toss the drained tomato halves in the oil mixture until coated. Marinate the tomatoes for 10 minutes.

In a small bowl mix together the bread crumbs and Gorgonzola cheese.

Place the marinated tomato halves, cut side up, on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Fill each tomato half with the bread crumb filling. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until slightly softened and the underside of the tomatoes are brown.

Arrange the cooked tomatoes on a serving platter. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley and serve immediately.

If you plan on having guests over this weekend you need to rush home and put this recipe together right now! I mean now! Okay, Okay, I will let you slide and allow you to do this during your lunch break! It is a snap to make and is a great way to impress anyone who has an affinity for olives. I personally love olives, so much so,  if an olive tree would have even the slightest chance of survival in my back yard I would plant it tomorrow. However, I don’t think I am quite as olive obsessed as the ancient Greeks who were known to smear olive oil all over their bodies in an effort for good hygiene and health (although the thought has crossed my mind before). Ever since I was young I have always piled on extra olives in my salads and on top of my sandwiches; so this is definitely the perfect appetizer for me. The most difficult step in making this recipe is keeping your fingers out of the container as they marinate! I personally did not have the will power to keep from tasting my work but isn’t that the best part of being the chef?

Ingredients:

• 4 cups mixed olives of your choice
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
• 6 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 4 cloves garlic (peeled and cut into slivers)
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• Zest of 1/2 Lemon
• Freshly ground pepper (to taste)

Directions:

Combine olives, thyme, rosemary, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, oil and pepper in a bowl that has a top. Mix well and cover. Put in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days, stirrings several times throughout the process. Serve with pita bread or other flat-bread. To make the pita bread slice a round pita into wedges and brush with olive oil. Then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Simply bake in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes turning half way through. Finally, share with your friends and family, if you can….