Marinated Mini Mozzarella Balls

Tags

food, fresh, gluten free, herbs, mozzarella, salad, tomatoes, vegetarian

I love this salad. It is fresh, very flavorful, and easy to throw together. I have eaten it several times this summer. I will be sad to see the tomato season end.

Marinated Mini Mozzarella Balls

• 1 lb fresh mini-mozzarella balls, drained and halved
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbs fresh parsley, oregano, basil
• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered (or chopped regular tomatoes)
• 3 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
• 1 garlic clove, microplaned
• Salt and pepper to taste

In a bowl, combine all the ingredients. Allow to sit for an hour or so at room temperature before serving. This allows the flavors to meld. Serves 2 large or 4 small servings.

Grilled Margarita Pizza

Tags

food, grilled, Italian, margarita, pizza, summer, tomatoes

I had never attempted grilled pizza before today, thought I have always heard that once you try it, you never want to go back to regular oven pizza. The rumor is true. It is fantastic! I made the margarita pizza, as well as a pizza with proscuto, spinach, mushrooms, and tomatoes. They were both very good but the margarita was better. Even the hubby, who is sparing on the compliments, said “this is really good.” Just be sure to watch your crust very closely. It will burn if you don’t keep an eye out. It’s totally worth the effort!

One Year Ago: Insalata Caprese

Grilled Margarita Pizza (courtesy of Old World Farms)

The Dough:

• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 package of yeast
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 cups beer heated / warmed to about 110 degrees F  (you can use water – the beer just really adds a great taste to the dough
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus 2 teaspoons

The Toppings:

• Mozzarella cheese
• Tomatoes
• Fresh basil
• Fresh oregano
• Tomato sauce

In a glass measuring cup, warm in the microwave your favorite beer to 105 to 110 degrees. Pour in yeast, and let stand for 10 minutes to activate. In a greased large bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, garlic, and hot pepper flakes. When proofed, add the liquid to the flour mix. Slowly work it in until it forms a ball. On a floured surface, knead the dough until smooth. Add more flour if the mix is too wet. Form into a ball and rub olive oil over the dough ball’s outer skin. Place back in the bowl, cover, and allow to rise for 1 hour. Knead again and divide into four equal dough balls.

Have your grill hot and make sure you give the grates a quick brush cleaning so they are fairly clean. Lay out the dough on the hot grill grates and let it on for at least five minutes. Lift up the edges and see if it’s got those nice grill marks.  Flip the dough over and top with your desired toppings. Close the grill lid and allow cheese to melt and the bottom of the crust to cook. Enjoy!

Oven Roasted Tomatoes

Tags

Dinner, food, Italian, roasted, Supper, tomatoes

Last time I went to the grocery, I bought a carton of baby tomatoes for my salad. But during the week, I just wasn’t feeling tomatoes on my salad. Weird, I know. Rather than let them go to waste, I roasted them to use on my Mushroom Pesto Pizza. They were very tasty and I can imagine using them with pasta, shrimp… the combinations are endless.

Oven Roasted Tomatoes (adapted from Ina Garten’s recipe)

• 1 carton of baby tomatoes, halved
• 4 tablespoons good olive oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Arrange the tomatoes on a foil lined sheet pan, cut sides up, in a single layer. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle the garlic, sugar, salt, and pepper over the tomatoes. Roast for 20 minutes, until the tomatoes are concentrated and beginning to caramelize. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Simple Greek Salad

Tags

Dinner, gardening, greek, salad, Supper, tomatoes

A light accompaniment for any summer supper. The cucumber and lemon make it cool and refreshing. Takes approx. 5 minutes to assemble. Perfect for the work week and the leftovers are good too.

• 3 large ripe tomatoes, chopped
• 2 cucumbers, peeled and chopped
• 1 small red onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 4 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 15 black Greek olives, pitted and sliced

Combine the above ingredients. Chill before serving.