Roasted Cherry Tomatoes with Cheesy Breadcrumbs, Garlic and Basil

Hot, hot, hot summertime!  Oh my goodness, this is certainly a brutal heatwave that most of the U.S. is enduring. I thought that we were in Arizona yesterday with the record-breaking 110 degrees in our area of South Carolina.  And we live in the northern and cooler part of the state!  I can’t think of anything really positive about this kind of weather unless you can live in a cold swimming pool!  Or take a trip to sit and sip in one of the new trendy ‘ice bars’!
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In the meantime, Mr. Meat and Potatoes husband and I have been enjoying the bounty of summer with some oh-so-sweet S.C. corn on the cob oozing in hot butter, some outstanding juicy and tender Iowa beef steaks, and fresh tomatoes and basil from the garden.  This is what we call "good eatin" in our (cook)book!
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The tomatoes in the garden are ripening now and some varieties are a bit too early.  So that means it is time for me to start using them up in some recipes before they literally bake on the vine!  In fact, on tonight's local news, the farmers markets are stating that the green beans are truly baking in this unseasonal heat.

I love how roasting brings out and intensifies the flavor of vegetables and fruit, and so I was ready to try a new recipe for cherry tomatoes. A common way that Italians prepare these little red orbs is to roast them with breadcrumbs and herbs. This is a delicious side dish or one that can be tossed in fresh pasta. Another recipe very similar to this (but without breadcrumbs) was posted here a few summers ago and that's an absolute winner that you might also enjoy:  Sweet Cherry Tomato Basil Pesto Sauce with Farfalle Pasta.  

a beautiful platter of fresh cherry tomatoes from the garden, "Sweet 100's"

place the cherry tomatoes halves on an olive oil covered pan, with open sides facing up

sprinkle any good brand of Italian seasonings on top and then generously sprinkle the cheese-garlic-breadcrumbs on top

perfectly golden brown breadcrumbs on the cherry tomatoes after baking!  the aroma is amazing too!

Mangia!

click on 'read more' for this delicious recipe!

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A Stroll In My June Garden!

What would summer be without taking early morning and late evening strolls in beautiful flower gardens?  I just cannot imagine this season without the sight and smell of these beautiful blooms!  

Every year I add more perennials that usually take a good 3 years to expand and fill their spot in the garden.  And this year was the year for a great show of daylilies, roses, hostas, and sedum.  Here's just a few shots of how things are looking up outside of the kitchen:

Pink daylillies in front of hostas.

A close up shot of a buttery yellow daylilly.

"Blue Mammoth" is huge among other variegated hostas.

I love how the morning sun at dusk shines through delicate flower petals.

More daylillies!

The gardenias have been blooming since May!

"Knock Out" red roses just pop with vivid crimson color against the texture of the stone wall and walkway and the velvet-like green lawn (thanks to all of the rain that we received this year).  These rose bushes are only one year old, highly prolific, as well as being bug and disease-resistant too!

Another brilliant pink daylilly!

A patch of pink and chartreuse Sedum in front of a lime-colored "Sum and Substance" hosta, soon to be another huge plant, it's only 2 years old.

 Lastly a shot of a large bed of hostas, daylillies, and roses.  I just love water elements in gardens and this tall water fountain is perfect with a lovely, trickling sound out in the quiet of the countryside.  The azaleas are in their green stage, having already bloomed back in April.  We've already planted a new group of smaller hostas that will fill in the empty spaces after a few years of growth.  If there is one thing that gardens teach us, it's patience!

Thanks for going on this little garden stroll with me today!

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Baked Pasta Fagiole

At a family reunion many years ago, I prepared this baked pasta, beans, and cheese recipe to feed a big crowd.  It's a cheese-laden casserole version of the classic Tuscan soup, "Pasta Fagiole" (lovingly called "Pasta Fazool" in my family).  This pasta dish was a huge hit at that reunion in the 90's and so for this year's family reunion 20 years later, my mother and I prepared it once again.  The same result happened . . . it was devoured!  If you're watching your weight, you'll have to pass up on this, because it's pretty heavy in the calories, carbs, and fat.  But you have to indulge sometime huh?  If you don't like beans, you can leave them out, but then it wouldn't be a spin off of the famous Tuscan Pasta Fagiole soup.  "Fagiole" simply means "beans" in Italian.

Here's the recipe for you to prepare someday when the heat of summer turns down and you're wanting some rib-sticking comfort food.  I hope that you enjoy!

Mangia!

click on 'read more' for this delicious recipe!

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