TOMATO SAVORIES

April is National Florida Tomato Month and April 6th is Fresh Tomato Day, so it’s time to add a few tomato savories to the list of recipes for this month’s tea times.

BACON & TOMATO CUPS
8 slices bacon
1 tomato
1/2 onion, chopped
3oz shredded swiss cheese
1/2c mayonnaise
1tsp dried basil
1 - 16oz can biscuit dough
            Cook bacon until crisp.  Cool and crumble then mix with tomato, onion, cheese, mayonnaise and basil.  Separate biscuits into halves and place in greased mini muffin tins.  Fill with bacon mixture and bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 mins or until golden.

 

 

 

 

 

SPINACH, TOMATO & MOZZARELLA BITES: Wrap a grape tomato and cube of mozzarella with a fresh spinach leaf and place on a toothpick.  Drizzle with balsamic vinegar.

 

STUFFED CHERRY TOMATOES
16 cherry tomatoes
2c cooked chicken
2 granny smith apples, peeled & chopped
2tsp chopped parsley
1/4c mayonnaise
1/2tsp cinnamon
salt & pepper
          Slice off top of tomatoes and remove seeds.  Combine remaining ingredients and spoon into tomatoes garnished with a sprig of parsley.

TOMATO BASIL QUICHE
2 medium tomatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 unbaked 9-inch pie shell
1 small onion, thinly sliced
Fresh basil
4 eggs
1 2/3 cups light cream
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
          Place tomato slices on a paper towel to absorb excess moisture.  Toss the cheese with the garlic and sprinkle 1 1/2 cups of the cheese mixture evenly on the bottom of the pie shell. Arrange the onion on top of the cheese then tomato on top of onion.  Distribute the basil on top of the tomato. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese mixture on top.
          Beat the eggs thoroughly and add the cream and pepper and beat well. Slowly pour the egg mixture into the pie shell.   Bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake for 35 minutes longer, or until the quiche is lightly browned on top.

 

April is also National BLT Sandwich Month, so here’s a tomato savory that mimics the taste of the traditional BLT!

BLT BITES: Combine 3oz cream cheese & 4oz goat cheese with 3Tbs finely chopped basil and 1/8tsp salt in food processor until smooth, then refrigerate until use. Scoop seeds from 1 pint cherry tomatoes cut in half and sprinkle with salt & pepper.  Pipe 1tsp basil cream into each half, top 1 half with cooked bacon, cut into 1” pieces & basil leaf, then top with other half and skewer with toothpick.

 

"So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do,
do it all for the glory of God"
I Corinthians 10:31