Slow Roasted Tomatoes

These are one of those simple delicacies that really make you appreciate the easy things in life! These are great in pasta, as a salad topper, or as a quick snack all by themselves. The recipe says you can use various types of tomatoes. I used grape because I find them a bit sweeter than cherry tomatoes. They worked nicely, but they did take the full three hours of slow roasting. I would venture to say that if you wanted to use Roma they would take far longer than even the stated three hours. These are a lot less oily than the packed sundried tomatoes that I am used to. I can appreciate them for that. For my seasonings I used sea salt, cracked pepper, and an italian seasoning mix.

Slow Roasted Tomatoes via Panini Happy:

http://paninihappy.com/condiment-time-slow-roasted-tomatoes/

Black Bean-Pineapple Soup/Stew/Chili?

Let me start by apologizing for this horrible picture. My camera is on hiatus, but this turned out SO good, I absolutely had to include it on the blog. This combination of black beans and pineapple was an instant intrigue to me when I saw this recipe on foodgawker. Finally got around to trying it last night and I was so impressed! If other veggie/vegan dishes I had tried before tasted THIS good... I might actually consider passing on the meat. This is really simply, hearty, and super healthy. Enjoy.

Black Bean-Pineapple Soup/Stew/Chili via Fat Free Vegan Kitchen:

http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2011/04/black-bean-pineapple-soup-stew-chili.html

Orecchiette with Cherry Tomatoes & Arugula

This is what life is all about: simple pleasures: simplicity, deliciousness, wholeness. You'd never think something so quick and simple could be so delightful and satisfying. I had the best intentions when I decided to attempt this recipe, most of all because Deb at the Smitten Kitchen has steered me in the right direction since the birth of this blog... but of course things never can go as planned. Example/question: Stater Brothers, why do you not carry orecchiette?! A basic pasta, simple enough you would think. Would it be too much to ask for even more, whole wheat orecchiette?! Probably. That's ok, compromise it is. So I made my best attempt by substituting mini whole wheat shells. It was the closest pasta size comparison I could find to the elusive orecchiete (which p.s. come to think of it I have only ever found at Olive Garden.) I also decided that my dinner needed some green uptake, so I added the whole bag of baby arugula opposed to the measly two cups that Deb suggested. One more substitution: grape tomatoes for cherry tomatoes, I find them a bit sweeter & less round. I hate round. :) Either way, delicious, quick, weeknight meal. Moscato pairing = perfection!

Orrecchiete with Cherry Tomatoes & Arugula via Smitten Kitchen:

http://smittenkitchen.com/2006/12/little-ears-big-chew/

Boudros Famous Guacamole

This is a replica of the most amazing guacamole that I found on my New Year's trip to San Antonio a few weeks ago. If you go to San Antonio, you MUST go to this restaurant... Boudros = probably one of my top 3 LIFE dining experiences. (And I eat A LOT.) At the restaurant they make this guac for you tableside. The waitress had mentioned to us that they had they recipe for it on their website. You know I had to check that out, voila! Perfect appetizer for my Jets to beat the Pats yesterday! Roll on to the Steelers!

Boudro's Famous Guacamole via Boudros.com:

Juice of 1/4 of an orange

Juice of 1/2 a lime

1 avocado seeded and scooped out of skin

2 Tbs roasted and charred Roma tomatoes diced

                                              1 ea Serrano pepper roasted seeded and diced
                                                          1 Tbs medium dice red onions
                                                               1 tsp chopped cilantro
                                                coarse ground salt to taste (sea salt is better)

Squeeze juices into bowl. Add avocado and coarsely chop. Add onions, roasted tomato, serrano and cilantro fold into avocado mixture. Add salt (more is better). Result should be crudely chopped not mashed. That’s it.

Enjoy!

Sauteed Shrimp with Arugula and Tomatoes

Again, looking for clever ways to fancy up my necessary protein intake... especially considering the necessity of the Thanksgiving detox. This one was super easy, quick, and satisfying but still light. I added 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes for some heat and topped the dish off with some fresh, chopped chives. The recipe didn't really specify, but according to my standards, this was 2 generous entree portions. This would be a great after work/weeknight meal. I would definitely make again.

Sauteed Shrimp with Arugula and Tomatoes via Noble Pig:

http://noblepig.com/2010/06/15/sauteed-shrimp-with-arugula-and-tomatoes.aspx

Orzo Salad

This was made for our 4th of July Potluck at work. How do I end up working all these holidays?! Dislike! Anyway... turned out great, light & refreshing. Great for a make ahead dish, just stir it up before serving to make sure none of the salad on top has dried out.

ORZO SALAD

1 cup whole wheat orzo pasta

1 1/2 cups of corn kernels (canned or frozen will work if you don't want to shuck the cobs)

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 avocado diced (I used Hass)

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

2 tablespoons sugar

3/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 pint grape tomatoes, halved

1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley

Bring a pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add orzo and cook according to package directions. Add the corn the last minute of cooking, until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain and transfer to a medium bowl, set aside. Pour lemon juice over avocado and coat evenly (prevents discoloration). Whisk together olive oil, vinegar, sugar, cumin, and salt. Drizzle over orzo and add avocado, tomatoes, and parsley. Mix until combined. Serve warm or cold!