Well, hello. I’m feeling sheepish that I haven’t posted for a week. The re-entry after a trip always takes longer than I’d like. I’ll admit, my suitcase is still half unpacked from our two week trip, in a corner of of our room. Denial that the trip is over? Laundry avoidance? Or, because unpacking is just no fun? Or, a combination of all three… yes. I’m guessing that there are many of us in the same boat this time of year.
Besides, the next thing is always just around the corner. We just returned from a wonderful weekend family reunion in Vermont. Way too much food; all of it delicious. Kids in bed now. Mr. BOP sitting next to me playing his guitar. He’s got this soothing, repetitive free-form thing going. Nice.
Soothing is good, as our house is in turmoil, due to the renovation project which began the day after we returned from Ireland. The entire contents of my former office are now in the dining room and the basement storage room is nearly emptied into the finished side of the basement to provide access to our electrician. We will exist this way for another two weeks or so, with rotating areas and levels of disruption. So worth it, though; we’ll be gaining a real office and a mud room with hooks and doors and knobs and everything! Goodbye, dumping ground.
So, today in our disheveled state I pass along something simple — after honing my appreciation of tomatoes in Italy. Earlier this summer my neighbor, Barb, shared a recipe from the Food Network when I was looking for something different to make ahead and grill on our camping trip. Absolutely delicious! Here’s my adaptation of the recipe. I expect other kinds of cheese would work well, too.
Stuffed Grilled Tomatoes with Goat Cheese & Basil
6 large tomatoes
4 tablespoons chopped basil leaves, plus 6 whole leaves for garnish
3 tablespoons chopped green onions
6 ounces plain or herbed goat cheese (or a little less)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups cooked orzo
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
Directions
Preheat the grill to medium heat. (Alternative: preheat oven to 375 and bake for 15-20 minutes)
Cut and core tomatoes, removing all seeds and juice. In a medium bowl combine the basil, onions, and goat cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Add cooked orzo to the bowl and combine. Stuff the tomatoes with the mixture, drizzling each with olive oil. Top with parmesan. Place the tomatoes directly on the grill with foil underneath, and cook with the cover closed for 10 minutes or until tender. Garnish with a fresh basil leaf. If camping, wrap loosely in foil bundles and place over campfire, as shown:
- Stuffed Tomatoes: A Camping Treat
Another stuffed tomato recipe that I haven’t tried but looks delicious: Stuffed Tomatoes with Peaches, Corn, Cucumber and Basil, compliments of Martha. Enjoy!
P.S. Thanks, Barb!
