roasted red pepper appetizer

You can add black olive slices, fresh basil and italian parsley, use bleu cheese or ricota and parmesan

16 ozs roasted red pepper (drained)
8 ozs goat cheese (room temperature)
1 garlic cloves (minced)
3 tbsps olive oil
3 tbsps pine nuts (toasted)

12 tsp red pepper flakes
14 tsp pepper
5 slices garlic (bread)
1 Swirl half of the olive oil into an attractive baking dish - 9x13 or so.
2 Combine the softened Goat Cheese with the garlic, stuff gently into the Red Peppers and place them in a single layer into the baking dish. Sprinkle with the pine nuts, red pepper flakes and pepper, drizzle with remaining olive oil.
3 Cut garlic bread (I use the frozen box of garlic toast) into "fingers" and kind of place them on their sides in the dish, so they will brown.
4 Bake about 350 degrees for about 15 minutes.

tomato pie

Double Crust Tomato, Onion, and Bacon Pie

* 1 recipe pie crust (9″ pie) – feel free to cheat and use refrigerated if you’re in a hurry
* 4 very ripe tomatoes
* 1/2 medium onion
* 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
* 3/4 cup shredded monterey jack cheese
* 3 slices bacon crumbled
* 3 TBSP mayonnaise
* 1 tsp dried basil divided
* salt/pepper to taste

Core each tomato. This is simply a matter of removing the hard area around the stem. Cut each tomato in half through the equator. Use your finger to scoop the seeds out and into the trash or sink. Then slice each tomato. Place the sliced tomatoes in a colander over a large bowl or the sink, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Allow this to sit while preparing the other ingredients.

Preheat the oven to 425F. Slice the onion very thinly. No, thinner. No, thinner still, we want the Calista Flockhart of onions.

In a bowl combine the cheese, bacon, and 3TBSP mayo. Mix thoroughly.

tomato layerCarefully lay the bottom pie crust in a 9″ pie plate. Arrange a layer of tomatoes, sprinkle with half the sliced onion and 1/2 tsp dried basil.

Repeat the first layer with the remaining tomatoes, onion, and basil.

Top with cheese mixture. Add the second crust, seal the edges, and cut slits in the top.
Use water to glue on any decorative touches.

Use water to glue on any decorative touches.

double crust tomato pieBake for 45 minutes, checking after 30. Use the foil trick from the pie crust recipe to protect the edges of the crust.

Allow the pie to cool for 10 minutes (at least) on a wire rack. If you can wait longer to slice the pie, the cheese won’t be as runny.

We look at each other and say, but we LIKE the cheese to be runny.

Enjoy.

mexican casserole

we haven't had anything today but coffee and a handful of nuts. i went to a class at the y at 8:30, then to publix for company and feast next week, and prompted organized the pantry, the freezer, the fridge, began the huge task of straightening the mess that diana left in the basement, and changed the sheets for debi and waymon. dv was hungry. i used what i had to create something i've been wishing for since i bought a bag of corn tortillas. it's enough to feed eight people i think. leftovers will abound.


1 lb ground round
1 medium onion
generous dose of ancho chile powder
garlic salt,cumin,oregano

Brown beef and onions, add seasoning.

corn tortillas, torn in strips
1 package frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1 cup sour cream, seasoned with something (i used Old Bay with garlic)
1 can of chili beans
cheese (I used sliced pepper jack)

I layered torn tortillas on top of a base of salsa, then added a layer of chopped spinach, topped that will about a cup of sour cream, seasoned, add more corn tortilla strips, top with beans and beef, end with cheese. bake 30-40 minutes.

see if you like it.

roasted pear salad

Roasted Pears with Blue Cheese from The Barefoot Contessa's latest book.

The recipe is simple. Preheat the oven to 375; get a bunch of pears (Anjou pears, ripe but firm) one for every two guests you'll have. Cut the pears in half, scoop out the middle, cut a sliver off the back of the pear so it'll sit flat in a baking dish. Toss the pears with lemon juice so they don't turn brown. Arrange them, core side up, in a baking dish (or a few baking dishes, depending on how many pears you're roasting.) Now mix together 3 oz. crumbled blue cheese (like Stilton), 1/4 cup dried cranberries, and 1/4 cup chopped toasted walnuts halves (using more of each in equal proportion for more pears; this recipe is for 3 pears) and stuff the pears with a ball of the mixture, just like you see in the picture above. Finally, mix together 1/2 cup apple cider, 3 Tbs port (I skipped the port, but if you have it, use it), and 1/3 cup light brown sugar--then pour over and around the pears. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, until tender. Set aside and let come to room temperature.

Then just take a bunch of arugula, dress with lemon juice, olive oil, and some of the basting liquid from the pears. Mound on plates and place a pear on top; easy and beautiful. People will love it.