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.