Tag Archives: tomatoes

Grilled Tomato, Smoked Turkey, and Muenster Sandwiches

I was talking with my friend the other day about how the best food to eat at a diner at 3am is a grilled cheese with tomato and French fries. I haven’t actually had such food in a really long time because I haven’t been to a diner, let alone at 3am, since I don’t know when. And that scenario at that time of night is the only time I will let myself eat such food. Since that conversation, I’ve had grilled cheese and tomato on the brain. It’s no wonder I found myself dying to make these Grilled Tomato, Smoked Turkey, and Muenster Sandwiches.

Slices of sourdough bread are smothered in a sour cream/Dijon mustard sauce, topped with turkey, tomato, and Muenster cheese before being buttered and browned until perfectly crunchy and oozing. This sandwich didn’t stand a chance with me. Fresh tomato with gooey cheese and yummy turkey? Sold! If only I had some French fries. And I was in a diner. And it was 3am.

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Combine red onion, sour cream, Dijon mustard, and thyme in a bowl. Spread 1 teaspoon butter on one side of each bread slice.

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Spread 2 tablespoons mustard mixture over unbuttered side of each of 2 bread slices; top each with 3 turkey slices, 2 tomato slices, 1 cheese slice, and 1 bread slice (with buttered side out).

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Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot. Add the sandwiches; cover and cook for 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown.

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Additions: None

Omissions:

  • Red onion

Substitutions: None

Overall Rating: Love It

Source: Cooking Light magazine

Caprese Sliders

Yes, I know, caprese tends to be a little more July than December. After all, tomatoes are a little redder, a little plumper, and a little juicier in the summer. But if I only ate caprese during warm months, I think I’d die. Okay, so I’m dramatic. But I could easily eat it in some way every single day. Even if the tomatoes aren’t in season, caprese can still be good because fresh mozzarella and basil are always available. And if you add a little bit of balsamic vinegar or pesto, it can help you forget that tomatoes aren’t at their best. I needed a caprese fix now so that’s why I made these Caprese Sliders.

Slices of tomato are grilled on the stove (although I didn’t actually grill them) before being layered with avocado, basil, and fresh mozzarella onto warm, doughy rolls smeared with vibrant bold pesto. Really, you don’t need to grill or warm the tomatoes but if the tomatoes aren’t so great, what’s it hurt? In season, I would stick to raw tomatoes but since it’s not, warming them actually makes them a little juicier so I didn’t mind. These sandwiches didn’t stand a chance with me. So what if they fell apart a little bit? Scooping up pieces of a really good sandwich and having juices dripping down your wrists is a sign of a good sandwich. And this is a really good sandwich!

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Heat oven to 400 degrees . Place rolls on a baking sheet and bake 10 to 12 minutes, following package directions. Allow to cool. Heat stovetop grill to medium-high. Brush tomato slices with olive oil and grill 2 minutes. Turn and grill 1 additional minute.

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Split rolls horizontally and spread bottom half of each with 1 tsp pesto. Layer each with 1 tomato slice, 2 basil leaves, 1 mozzarella slice and 2 avocado slices. Top with remaining roll halves.

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Additions: None

Omissions: None

Substitutions: None

Overall Rating: Love It

Source: Family Circle magazine

Chicken Bites with Tomato Mint Salsa

I was in Atlanta last week for work and every time I travel, I look forward to getting home and cooking. I know several people who just don’t understand that but it’s something that puts me at ease. Also, after eating restaurant food for five days, I just want to eat something that I cooked. Anyone else like that? So, of course, I decided to make chicken. You know, something (not so) new and different. Boring chicken these Chicken Bites with Tomato Mint Salsa aren’t. I’m wowed.

Tomatoes, onion, and jalapeño are broiled in the oven giving them a deep rich, sweetness and then whirled together with chipotles in adobo sauce, cumin and fresh mint and cilantro. The chicken is seasoned with cilantro and cumin giving it a warm, comforting flavor that mixes so well with the bold salsa. This salsa though…my gosh. Even if you don’t want to make the chicken, make this salsa. It’s bold, it’s vivid, and it’s alive. It makes the salsa from my hotel happy hour last week look like sad, pathetic, lame, boring nothingness.

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Preheat broiler with a rack set about 4 in. from heat. Set tomatoes, onion, and jalapeño on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Broil, turning as needed, until blackened, 15 to 25 minutes; as done, transfer to a bowl and let cool.

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Peel, stem, and seed chile. In a food processor, pulse vegetables (including blackened parts from tomatoes and onion) and their juices until chopped. Add remaining salsa ingredients and pulse until finely chopped. Transfer to a bowl.

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Cut chicken into 1- to 1 1/2-in. chunks. In a bowl, combine 2 tbsp. oil, the cumin, salt, chopped cilantro, and chicken.

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Heat a 12-in. frying pan (not nonstick) over high heat. Add remaining 1 tbsp. oil; swirl to coat. Cook chicken, stirring and turning once, until lightly browned but still moist, 5 minutes.

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Stir cilantro leaves into chicken; transfer with a slotted spoon to a platter. Serve with salsa and skewers.

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Additions: None

Omissions: None

Substitutions: None

Overall Rating: Love It

Source: Sunset magazine

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