BLT Quiche

Salty bacon, buttery leek and fire-roasted tomatoes, topped off with savory cheese...this is one finger-lickin' quiche!

Ingredients:

1        Pillsbury™ Refrigerated Pie Crust

3        slices thick cut bacon, diced

1        large leek, sliced, rinsed and drained

1        tablespoon butter

1        (14.5 oz) can Muir Glen™ organic fire roasted tomatoes, drained

3        large eggs

1        cup half and half

1/2    teaspoon salt

1       cup shredded flavorful cheese (Swiss, gouda, cheddar, etc)

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 325°F.
• Lay the prepared pie crust in a quiche or pie pan.
• Fry the bacon in a skillet until crispy. Set aside.
• While the bacon is frying, to save time heat the butter in another skillet and cook the leek over medium high heat until softened, 5-7 minutes.
• Beat the eggs, half and half and salt in a mixing bowl with a wire whisk until combined.
• Place the leek, bacon and fire-roasted tomatoes in the pie shell and pour the egg mixture over. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until the quiche feels firm at the center. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.  

Click Here for tutorial.

Source:  tablespoon.com

Tomato, Cheddar, And Bacon Pie

We raised the ante on classic tomato pie with a sour cream crust studded with bacon, layers of colorful tomatoes, and plenty of cheese and herbs to tie it all together. For best results, seed the tomatoes and drain the slices before baking.

Ingredients:

Crust:
 

2 1/4 cups self-rising soft-wheat flour (such as White Lily)

1 cup cold butter, cut up 

8 cooked bacon slices, chopped 

3/4 cup sour cream 

 

Filling:

 

2 3/4 pounds assorted large tomatoes, divided 

2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided

1 1/2 cups (6 oz.) freshly shredded extra-sharp Cheddar cheese 

1/2 cup mayonnaise 

1 large egg, lightly beaten 

2 tablespoons fresh dill sprigs

1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives

1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 green onion, thinly sliced

2 teaspoons sugar 

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 tablespoons plain yellow cornmeal

 

Directions:

1. Prepare Crust: Place flour in bowl of a heavy-duty electric stand mixer; cut in cold butter with a pastry blender or fork until mixture resembles small peas. Chill 10 minutes.
2. Add bacon to flour mixture; beat at low speed just until combined. Gradually add sour cream, 1/4 cup at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.
3. Spoon mixture onto a heavily floured surface; sprinkle lightly with flour, and knead 3 or 4 times, adding more flour as needed. Roll to a 13-inch round. Gently place dough in a 9-inch fluted tart pan with 2-inch sides and a removable bottom. Press dough into pan; trim off excess dough along edges. Chill 30 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, prepare Filling: Cut 2 lb. tomatoes into 1/4-inch-thick slices, and remove seeds. Place tomatoes in a single layer on paper towels; sprinkle with 1 tsp. salt. Let stand 30 minutes.
5. Preheat oven to 425°. Stir together Cheddar cheese, next 10 ingredients, and remaining 1 tsp. salt in a large bowl until combined.
6. Pat tomato slices dry with a paper towel. Sprinkle cornmeal over bottom of crust. Lightly spread 1/2 cup cheese mixture onto crust; layer with half of tomato slices in slightly overlapping rows. Spread with 1/2 cup cheese mixture. Repeat layers, using remaining tomato slices and cheese mixture. Cut remaining 3/4 lb. tomatoes into 1/4-inch-thick slices, and arrange on top of pie.
7. Bake at 425° for 40 to 45 minutes, shielding edges with foil during last 20 minutes to prevent excessive browning. Let stand 1 to 2 hours before serving.

Source: Southernliving.com

Caprese Salad

Ingredients:

Beefsteak tomatoes or cherry tomatoes
Mozzarella Ball Fresh or the little balls (Ovalini Can be marinated or not)
Basil, Fresh
Balsamic Vinegar or Italian Dressing
EVOO and Balsamic. 

Directions:

What ever combination for your taste

I usually use just Balsamic Vinegar unless I can only find the marinated Mozzarella Ovalini. You can use fancy skewers or just plain toothpicks for the appetizers. For these, you can use more than one layer or several.

Layer tomato, cheese and basil. Platter and drizzle with the dressing of your choice.

Source: RandysHealthyWay 

BLT Dip

 
 Ingredients:

1-1/2 pound bacon, cooked, drained, crumbled, and divided
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 cup cheddar cheese (shredded) or to taste
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (or to taste)
1 tablespoons mustard
2 cups chopped seeded tomatoes
1-1/2 cup shredded Iceberg lettuce
pepper an salt to taste

Toasted bread rounds, crackers, or pita chips.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350˚. Spray a 11⁄2-quart baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Set aside 3/4 cup crumbled bacon.
In a large bowl, combine remaining bacon, cream cheese, shredded cheeses, sour cream, mayonnaise, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and mustard. Spoon mixture into prepared baking dish. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
Sprinkle chopped tomatoes, remaining 3/4 cup crumbled bacon, and Iceberg lettuce over hot dip.
Serve immediately with toasted bread rounds, crackers, or pita chips.

Tomato And Cucumber Sandwiches

Ingredients:

4 oz. cream cheese at room temp
4 Tbsp. butter at room temp
1/3 C. crumbled Feta cheese
2 Tbsp. minced fresh chives
16 slices very thin wheat / 12-grain bread
½ med. English or seedless cucumber, thin sliced
2 Roma tomatoes, seeded & chopped
½ small red onion, diced
Salt to taste

Directions:

Combine cream cheese, butter, feta & chives in a bowl; set aside.

Combine tomatoes & onions in bowl; set aside.

Using a 2½” round biscuit cutter, cut bread slices into rounds; use remaining bread for making crumbs.

Spread cheese mixture on bread rounds; arrange 3 overlapping cucumber slices on each; sprinkle with salt. 

Top sandwiches with small amount of chopped onion/tomato mixture. 

Arrange on platter and serve as an appetizer. Makes 16 servings.

Grilled Corn, Avocado And Tomato Salad

Ingredients:

•1 pint grape tomatoes
•1 ripe avocado
•2 ears of fresh sweet corn
•2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

Honey Lime Dressing

•Juice of 1 lime
•3 tbsp vegetable oil
•1 tbsp honey
•Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste
•1 clove garlic, minced
• Dash of cayenne pepper

Directions:

Remove husks from corn and grill over medium heat for 10 minutes. The corn should have some brown spots and be tender and not mushy. Cut the corn off the cob then scrape the cob with the back of your knife to get the juices. Set aside and let cool. Slice the tomatoes in half. Dice the avocado and chop the cilantro.

1. Add all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.

2. Combine the sliced tomatoes, avocado, cilantro and grilled corn and honey lime dressing and mix gently so everything is evenly coated. Be careful not to mash the avocados. Let the salad sit for 10-15 minutes to let flavors mingle. Enjoy.

Tomato Stacked Salad

Ingredients:

Fresh Tomatoes
Mozzarella Cheese 
Asparagus
Balsamic Vinaigrette

Directions:

Just stack tomatoes, some mozzarella cheese and asparagus and drizzle with some balsamic vinaigrette.

Mater Sammie

Mater Sammie - Not gonna be long before you'll be able to be eatin' one of these over the sink.

From my hillbilly garden last year - homegrown, an inch thick, lotsa salt. Excuse the healthy bread - we were all out of white bread...

Little Mater Sammie - No sir, these little babies do not go into salads. From my hillbilly garden last year - homegrown, Duke's mayo (I realize I'm probably starting a mayo war here ), lots a salt. Actually white bread would have made it perfect but all we had was hippie bread.