Fried Green Tomatoes with Remoulade Sauce

Ingredients:

2 large green tomatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 Tbs. olive oil
1/2 c. Panko
1/2 c. cornmeal
1/2 c. grated Parmesan
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 eggs, beaten

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and place a cooling rack on top. Spray the rack with non stick cooking spray. Mix the oil and Panko in a bowl. Add in the cornmeal, Parmesan, and seasonings and stir everything together well. Dip the tomato slices in the whisked eggs, dripping the excess back off.

Press the breading mixture on each side of the tomato and place on the rack. Repeat until all of the slices were breaded. Bake for 20 minutes, turn over and bake an additional 20 minutes until golden brown on the outside.

Remoulade Sauce:

1/4 c. Miracle Whip, light
1/4 c. mustard
1 Tbs. paprika
1 tsp. Cajun seasoning
2 tsp. horseradish, creamy
1 tsp. dill pickle juice
1 tsp. Frank's Red Hot Sauce
1 garlic clove, minced

Combine the ingredients above in a small bowl. Drizzle on top of the warm fried green tomatoes, or serve in a bowl on the side. As with many things, I added an over easy egg on top!

Avocado Tomato Salad

This is a quick and easy salad that only consists of 4 ingredients and can be thrown together in minutes!

Ingredients:

2 large tomatoes, chopped
2 avocado, diced
1 pkg. pearl Mozzarella balls (Bel Gioioso)
1/2 c. Balsamic Vinaigrette

Mix all of the above ingredients together in a large bowl. It is THAT easy!

Salsa Verde

Many people think salsa's are too time consuming to make at home. Let me tell you, for a salsa verde like this all you have to do is rough chop everything and then throw it in a food processor! It is so easy and you can change the recipe to the way you want it!

Ingredients:

1 Tbs. olive oil
2 lbs. tomatillos, husks removed and chopped
1 jalapeno, seeds removed and rough chopped
1 small onion, diced
2 garlic cloves
1/2 c. cilantro
1 Tbs. lime juice

Add olive oil to a large saucepan and heat to medium-high heat. Add the jalapeno, tomatillos and onion to the skillet. Saute until the onions are caramelized, about 3-4 minutes.

Transfer the ingredients to a blender and add the garlic, cilantro and lime juice. Pulse until everything is well combined and your preferred salsa consistency. (You may have to pulse in two batches and then stir together.)

Bruschetta "Caterpillars"

I am a huge fan of caprese salads and bruschetta. These little bites use all of the same flavors only are packed down into little bite size bundles. I think next time I make these, I will make the balsamic into a thick reduction so that it stays on the tomatoes a little bit better. And also add a lot more basil!

Ingredients:

1 pint Cherry tomatoes
20-30 Mozzarella Pearls
1 Tbs. (approx) balsamic vinegar
Fresh Basil, chopped

Slice the tomatoes hasselback style, slicing about 3/4 of the way through. Make 4 or 5 slices in each cherry tomato. Slice the pearl Mozzarella balls into thin slices. Place a slice of Mozzarella cheese into the hasselback tomatoes. Top with a fresh piece of chopped basil, and drizzle with balsamic vinegar.

(Above picture is from a 4th of July party)

Tomato Basil Hasselback Potatoes

Sometimes I don't have a good story for why I make the recipes that I do. I absolutely love potatoes, and I love tomato and basil together, so I decided to put them together. It's as simple as that. Add Parmesan cheese on top, and they are amazing!

Ingredients:

6 red skin potatoes (as oval shape as possible)
6 cherry or grape tomatoes, sliced
6 large basil leaves
Olive oil Pam (or any kind of cooking spray)
Salt and pepper
Grated Parmesan cheese (around 1/4 cup)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Slice each potato in thin slices (about 1/4 inch), going about 3/4 of the way down the potatoes. Rip each basil piece in thirds or fourths, depending on the size, and place a piece every two slices. Do the same with the tomato slices, places every other two slices and not duplicating with the basil. Repeat with each potato and place on a baking sheet or jelly roll pan. Season with salt and pepper, and thoroughly spray with the olive oil baking spray. Bake in the oven for approximately 60 minutes until the potatoes are tender and start to open up. Sprinkle the tops of each potato with grated Parmesan cheese and place back in the oven for about 3 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.

Turkey Bacon - LT

Ingredients:

2 Kaiser rolls, or some form of bread
4 Laughing Cow Wedges, Light Swiss
4 large slices of tomato, I used heirloom
10 (1/2) slices Jennie-O Turkey Slices, cooked until crispy
Romaine lettuce

To assemble the sandwich, cut the Kaiser rolls in half. Spread a laughing cow wedge on the inside of each of the rolls. Place lettuce on the bottom bun. Layer with two large slices of tomato. Top with 5 (1/2) slices of turkey bacon. Then place the top bun on top of the bacon. Delish!

Bruschetta Bread Loaf

Ingredients:

1 container Pillsbury French Loaf bread dough

1/2 large tomato, seeded and chopped fine

1 Tbs. dried basil, give or take

1 ball fresh Mozzarella cheese, chopped

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a baking sheet or jelly-roll pan with non stick cooking spray. Unroll the dough and sprinkle with approximately one tablespoon of the dried basil. Top with the chopped tomato and Mozzarella, leaving an inch around the edges with nothing on them. Roll the dough back up tightly with the filling inside, and end seam side down. Sprinkle the top with dried basil and spray with non stick cooking spray. Add four slices to the top of the bread for steam to escape (when it cooks, the cheese will get slightly messy, but that's fine). Bake for 23-27 minutes until the top is golden brown. Let cool slightly before slicing.

Feta and Cherry Tomato Bites

Ingredients:

1 sheet Puff Pastry, thawed
Fresh dill
Extra virgin olive oil
Sliced cherry tomatoes
Block feta cheese, sliced and cut into strips (or cubes)
Green herb sea salt (or just plain sea salt is fine)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut the puff pastry along the perforated lines from when you unfold it from the package. Cut each strip into 5 smaller rectangles (you should end up with 15 total). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place each rectangle on the parchment and brush with the olive oil. Top with 4 slices of feta cheese, add three slices of cherry tomato on top. Garnish with the fresh dill sprigs and sprinkle the sea salt. Bake for 13-15 minutes in the oven. Let cool on a wire rack before serving.

(Makes 15, 2 WW points each)

Mini Tortellini Veggie Salad

(This tortellini salad is served as a side dish in the picture above with

 my Ham and Cheddar French toast sandwich)

Ingredients:

1/2 bag mini tortellini (the brand I used is pictured below. I got it from Big Lots...love the weird stuff there!)
2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 avocado, pitted and sliced into chunks
1/4 c. Wish-Bone Light Parmesan Peppercorn Ranch dressing
1/4 c. Sargento reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese
3 chives, snipped with scissors (or chopped)

Cook the pasta according to the directions. Let drain and cool until room temperature. Add the tomato, avocado, cheddar cheese and dressing. Stir until well combined. When serving, garnish with chives.

Italian Chicken Strips with Tomato Basil Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

3 chicken breasts, cut into strips (about 1 1/2 inches wide and 3-4 inches long)
2 eggs
1 tsp. garlic salt
1 1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/4 c. milk
1 c. Panko Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1/4 c. Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, place a wire rack (oven safe) on top and spray with non stick cooking spray. Place the eggs, garlic salt and dried basil in a shallow dish and whip together with a fork. In another shallow dish, mix the Panko and Parmesan cheese. Dip each piece of chicken into the egg wash mixture. Roll into the bread crumbs. Place on the prepared rack. Repeat for the remaining chicken. Bake in the oven to 30-35 minutes. Let cool slightly.

While this is baking....

Ingredients:
2-3 cups cooked pasta
1/4 c., plus 2 Tbs. Italian dressing (give or take on the amount, I used Paula Dean's sugar free dressing)
1 Roma tomato, seeds removed and diced
2 Tbs. chopped fresh basil
1/3 c. Belgioioso Parmesan snack cubes, cut into small square slices.

When the noodles are still warm, add the 1/4 cup of dressing. When the noodles have cooled down, add the tomato, basil and Parmesan cheese. Drizzle with 2 more tablespoons of the Italian dressing and toss everything to combine well.

Caprese Pasta

 

Ingredients:

8 oz. Cavatappi noodles, cooked as directed on the box
2 Tbs. margarine
2 Tbs. flour
1 1/4 c. milk, 1%
1/2 c. heavy cream
8 oz. fresh mozzarella, shredded
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
3 Sapori tomatoes (or large cherry tomatoes, chopped
1/4 c. fresh basil, chopped

In a medium saucepan, heat the butter on medium heat until melted. Whisk in the flour until the mixture forms a roux, and it all sticks together in a ball. Immediately pour the milk and heavy cream in, and whisk until everything is smooth and there are no lumps. Add the Mozzarella a small amount at a time and continuously stir. Increase the temperature to medium high and keep stirring until the cheese is fully melted and the sauce is thick (about 5 minutes). Season with salt, pepper and garlic salt. You may need to add more garlic salt depending on your preference. Top with the chopped tomatoes and fresh basil.

Creamy Tomato Pesto Soup

 

Ingredients:

1/4 c. olive oil

1 yellow onion, diced small

3 (14.5 oz.) cans diced tomatoes

2 c. chicken stock (or vegetable)

1 1/2 c. Heavy whipping cream

1 c. Basil pesto, homemade or store-bought

Heat the oil in the bottom of a large soup pot or dutch oven. Once the oil is heated, add the onions and cook until translucent. Add the tomatoes and chicken stock. Bring to a simmer and let cook for 15 minutes. Add the whipping cream and pesto and stir until everything is combined well. Place the soup in a food processor (you might have to do this in batches) and process until smooth. Top with fresh herbs or more cream. 

 

I made this soup for my annual Halloween party, only I poured it into plastic test tubes and served them as soup shooters with mini cheese sandwiches. It was delicious!

Pesto Cream Cheese Filled Tomatoes

Ingredients:

3 c. fresh basil leaves
3 garlic cloves
1 tsp. salt
1/3 c. pine nuts, plus garnish
1 Tbs. olive oil
8 oz. 1/3 less fat cream cheese
1/2 tsp. grated fresh pepper
2 pints cherry tomatoes (or your tomato of choice)

Remove the stems and or core of the tomato. Scoop the filling out with the end of your paring knife and place the tomato upside down to drain out the liquid. Repeat with the remaining tomatoes. Meanwhile, process the basil, garlic, salt, pepper, pine nuts and olive oil on low speed. Add in the cream cheese and pulse until well combined. Scoop the cream cheese mixture into a pastry bag with a star tip at the end and set aside. Cut a small portion of the bottom off of the tomato to make the bottom flat so that the tomatoes will not roll on the plate. Fill each tomato with the cream cheese mixture. Top with a few pine nuts.

Taco Turkey Pot Pies

Ingredients:

9 inch pie crust
1/2 lb. lean ground turkey
1/2 red onion, chopped
15 oz. can black beans, rinsed
14.5 oz. can petite diced tomatoes
1 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. taco seasoning
shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese

Brown the turkey and onions in a large saucepan until the turkey is fully cooked and the onions are soft. Add the tomatoes, chili powder, taco seasoning and beans. Simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool.

Using a Bella mini pie maker, cut out the pie circles following the instructions in the book (they give you a gadget with the pie maker that makes this very easy). Preheat the machine. When the green light turns on, place the bottom pie crusts down into the molds and using the same tool you made the circles with, press down into the crust. Fill the molds with the taco turkey mixture to the top. Do not heap the filling or over fill because it will end up going everywhere the top is pressed down. Sprinkle each with cheddar cheese. Place the top crust on and close the lid. This will literally take less then 4 minutes to cook! I love this kitchen gadget!

If you do not have the mini pie maker, this recipe makes a great taco turkey chili! Just omit the pie crust from the recipe, serve in bowls, and top with cheddar cheese!

Turkey Burger Pita Pockets

Ingredients:

1/2 lb. ground turkey
1 tsp. pepper
1 1/2 tsp. garlic salt
Lettuce
1 tomato, sliced
4 wedges Swiss laughing cow
2 pita pockets, cut in half

Mix the ground turkey, pepper and garlic salt together in a small bowl. Form into 2 patties, thinner towards the middle. Heat a grill pan on medium heat and spray with non stick cooking spray. Place the patties on the pan and heat for 2 minutes on that side. Flip the patties over and heat for another 2-3 minutes, until there is no pink left in the center. Remove from the heat and let sit for about 2 minutes. Meanwhile, spread a laughing cow wedge on the inside of each Pita half. Line with a layer of sliced tomatoes. Cut each burger in half. Place each burger half into the pita. Add lettuce on top of the patties.

(2 Servings, 2 Pita pockets per serving, 7 WW points)

Mini Tomato Mozzarella English Muffin Pizzas

                                                                                  

Ingredients:

4 English muffins, cut in half to make 8
1 large tomato, cut in half, seeded, and sliced thin
16 mini fresh mozzarella balls, marinated in olive oil and herbs
Pure garlic spray (or garlic infused olive oil)
1/2 c. fresh chopped parsley
Garlic salt
Fresh grated pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lay the English muffin slices out on a non stick baking sheet or jelly roll pan. Spray the tops with the garlic spray (or drizzle with the garlic olive oil).  Slice the mini mozzarella balls each into three slices, and use 6 slices to top each English muffin. Add three slices of tomato on top of the mozzarella. Sprinkle each English muffin with the chopped parsley. If you used the garlic spray, drizzle some of the extra oil and herbs from the mozzarella container on top of the muffins. Season with garlic salt and pepper. Bake for 5-7 minutes until the crust is just starting to turn golden brown and is slightly crunchy. Serve warm.

(Makes 8 servings, 3 WW points per serving)

Salsa Cheesecake

Ingredients:
2 pkg. (8 oz. each) cream cheese
2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
16 oz. sour cream, divided
3 eggs, beaten
1 c. salsa
1 can (4 oz.) green chilies, drained
Guacamole
Diced tomato

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and shredded cheese until light and fluffy. Beat in 1 cup of sour cream. Add the eggs and beat on low speed. Stir in the salsa and chilies. Pour the mixture into a greased 9 inch springform pan. Place on a jelly roll pan. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the center is firm. Remove from the oven and spread the guacamole on top. Then spread the remaining sour cream on top of that (i like to leave about 1/2-1 inch of the guacamole showing for presentation). Top with the fresh diced tomatoes. Slice, or serve with a cheese knife.

Italian Tomato Beef Roast

Ingredients:

2 lb. boneless beef chuck pot roast
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. garlic salt
1 tsp. pepper
14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes with garlic, undrained
1/4 c. brown sugar
2 Tbs. apple cider vinegar
2 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. dry mustard

Trim the excess fat off of the meat. In a bowl, combine the chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper, and rub over the meat. In the same small bowl, combine the tomatoes, brown sugar, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and dry mustard. Pour over the top of the meat. Cover and cook on low for 10-11, or on high for 5-6 hours. Transfer to a cutting board and shred the meat in large chunks. Place back into the slow cooker and let everything merry for 5 minutes.

(Makes 8 servings, 7 WW points each.)

Tomato Basil Panini

Ingredients:

1 large tomato, sliced thin
1/4 c. basil, chopped
2 Tbs. pesto (any flavor, I used walnut pesto)
1/2 c. shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
4 slices of wheat bread
Parkay butter spray

 

Preheat a skillet or grill pan on medium heat. Spray two sides of bread with the Parkay butter spray and place butter side down on the heated skillet. Spread 1/2 tbs. on each slice. Add half of the sliced tomato and basil to each slice of bread. Top with the shredded Mozzarella cheese. Spread the remaining pesto on the other two pieces of bread and place, pesto side down, on top of the Mozzarella. Spray the tops of each slice of bread with the butter spray. Flip both sandwiches and continue to cook on the other side for 2-3 minutes until golden brown and until the cheese is your preferred consistency. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly before cutting in half. (Makes 2 sandwiches, I used Sara Lee 100% wheat bread, which bumped the points up to 8 WW points per sandwich. If you use Taystee white bread, or a lower point bread, it could be as little as 5-6 WW points.)

Avocado Panzanella Salad

Ingredients:

1 1/2 c. cubed french bread, cubed and toasted

10 cherry tomatoes, cut in half

1 cucumber, cut in 1 inch cubes

1/4 c. cilantro

1 c. Avocado Dressing

1/2 c. shredded Romano cheese

Combine all of the ingredients together in a bowl. Let sit at room temperature for about an hour, so all of the flavors merry together. This type of salad can be made with any of your favorite types of bread, vegetables, dressings and cheeses! (Makes 5 servings, 4 WW points per serving.)