Stuffed Tomatoes

Things are heating up around the northern hemisphere lately. Yesterday it was over 90 here and they expect it will be just as warm today. Here in Pa we have some of the nastiest humidity ever. I know as kids we tend to be having so much fun that we overlook these things but I honestly don't recall humidity like we've had the past 15 or so years.

Anyway, I'm letting R,S,C fall by the wayside for the Summer and I plan on overloading you all with every no-cook and warm-weather recipe I have.

Today is stuffed tomatoes. I think Tomatoes are the food of the Gods.

I have too many stuffed tomato recipes so I'll only give a few of my favorites today.

***************
BLT Stuffed Tomatoes
8 servings

8 medium ripe tomatoes
1/2 pound sliced bacon
1/4 of 1 head of ice berg lettuce
1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 c. mayo or Miracle Whip

Slice tops off tomatoes-reserve tops.
Scoop out flesh and seeds from centers, reserving about
1/2 c. flesh. Rinse out tomato shells. Let dry upside
down on paper towel. Chop reserved tomato flesh.
Cook bacon until crisp. Drain and crumble.
Slice lettuce into fine shreds.
Mix in reserved chopped tomato flesh and remaining
ingredients. Mix well.
Place tomatoes upright on platter. Spoon filling into
tomatoes, mounding slightly. Replace tomato tops if
desired. Chill well before serving.


Salmon & Pasta Stuffed Tomatoes

1 c four color corkscrew macaroni
1 7 1/2 oz can of salmon-drained-flaked and skin & bones removed
1/2 c plain low fat yogurt
1/2 c shredded cucumber
1/4 c shredded carrot
2 T mayo
1/4 t dried dillweed
4 medium tomatoes

Cook the macaroni according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
Combine all but tomatoes and add salt and pepper to taste. Toss with
pasta. Cover and chill for 4 to 24 hours. Meanwhile, for tomato cups,
cut out 1/2" of the core from each tomato. Invert the tomatoes. For
each, cut from the top, but not quite through the stem, making 6
wedges. To serve, place the tomatoes on plates. Spread wedges slightly
apart, fill with salmon pasta mixture.


Italian Tuna Stuffed Tomatoes

2 tomatoes
1 can water packed tuna (6 1/2 oz)
1/4 c fat free Italian dressing
2 T chopped cucumber
2 T chopped green pepper

Combine tuna, cucumber, green pepper and dressing. Mix well and pack into hollowed
tomatoes. Serve immediately or chill for up to several hours before serving.



Couscous-Stuffed Tomatoes
Yield: 4

1 cup couscous
1 1/2 cups boiling water
Zest and juice of 1 lemon or 2 limes
1/4 cup of fresh mint leaves, sliced thinly or chopped
4 x ripe tomatoes, pulp removed and set aside
Salt and pepper

Put couscous in a medium sized bowl and cover with boiling water. Cover tightly with a piece of plastic wrap and let steam for about 10 minutes, or until couscous is tender. Toss with a fork and add lemon juice and zest, fresh mint, tomato pulp and salt and pepper to taste.
Spoon couscous mixture into hollowed out tomatoes and serve.



Mediterranean Orzo Salad Stuffed Tomatoes
SERVES: 8

8 large ripe tomatoes
2 (6 ounce) cans marinated artichoke hearts
1 cucumber
¼ cup yellow bell pepper, small diced
1 red onion, halved and sliced very thinly
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 (2 ounce) can sliced black olives, drained
1 cup Italian olive salad, not drained
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp fresh oregano, chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Cut off about ½-inch from the top of each tomato. With a finger, scoop out the seed pockets and, over the sink, remove the seeds and juice. With a small, sharp knife, remove the inner pulp and discard or save for another use. Place the tomatoes upside down on a rack to drain.

Bring a large pot of lightly slated water to a rolling boil. Add pasta and cook for 8-10 minutes or until al dente. Peel cucumber, slice in half lengthwise, seed and slice each half. Drain orzo, run under cold water until completely cooled and place in a large bowl. Add artichoke hearts with liquid, cucumber, bell pepper, onion, feta, olives, olive salad, parsley, lemon juice, oregano and salt and pepper to taste. Scoop mixture into tomato shells and serve.


Crab-Stuffed Tomatoes

4 lg. ripe tomatoes, chilled
2 c. crabmeat
1 c. chopped celery
1/2 c. mayonnaise
1/4 c. Worcestershire
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper

Cut a slice from the top of each chilled tomato. Scoop out the center, leaving a thick shell. Cut each shell into four sections but not quite through. Dice the centers and combine with remaining ingredients. Spread out the tomato shells on lettuce-garnished salad plates. Fill with salad. 4 servings.


Tomates farcis
From Debra F. Weber,Your Guide to French Cuisine (about.com)
Tomatoes stuffed with goat cheese.

6 medium ripe Italian plum tomatoes, washed & dried
1 bunch scallions or chives, washed & dried; chopped to measure 2 Tablespoons
10-12 oz. fresh soft goat cheese
1/2 cup olive oil
freshly ground black pepper

Core the tomatoes and cut in half crosswise. Cut off a small slice from the rounded end of each half so that it will stand upright.

With a melon baller (or other small spoon) hollow out each half, discarding seeds and pulp.

Fill the halve with the cheese, mounding it slightly.
Garnish each with some of the chopped chives or scallions and drizzle with the olive oil. Season with pepper.

Sunday Dinner

Baked Ham With Cumberland Sauce
Oven Roasted Potatoes (good recipe here~I do similar with mine)
Broccoli-Cauliflower Casserole
Almost No Bake Dessert

**********
Baked Ham With Cumberland Sauce

5 lb Ham
1/2 c Brown sugar
1 t Dry mustard
Whole cloves*

Cumberland sauce

1 c Currant jelly
1/4 c Orange juice
1/4 c Lemon juice
1/4 c Apple juice
2 T Honey
1 T Cornstarch

Remove skin from ham; score the surface with shallow diagonal
cuts, making diamond shapes. Mix brown sugar and mustard;
rub into fat of ham. Insert a whole clove in center of each diamond.
Place ham in a large roaster with a baking rack. Bake,
uncovered at 325~ for 20 - 22 minutes per pound. For
sauce, combine all the ingredients in a medium
saucepan. Cook over medium heat until thickened,
stirring often. Serve over the slice ham.

*Note: If you don't want to deal with the whole cloves, a teaspoon ground mixed
into the brown sugar will give the same flavor.

**********
Broccoli-Cauliflower Casserole

3 eggs
1 lb. cottage cheese
3 Tbsp. flour
10 oz. pkg. frozen cauliflower and broccoli
1 small can water chestnuts
bacon bits

Mix eggs, cottage cheese and flour until well blended. Fold in the remaining ingredients
and pour into a well-greased casserole. Cover with shredded colby or cheddar cheese
to taste.
Bake one hour at 350. Covered with foil for first half hour.


**********
*Almost No Bake Dessert

1/2 c Margarine, melted
1 c Pecans, chopped
1 1/2 c Graham wafer crumbs
8 oz Cream cheese
4 c Cool whip, divided, thawed
3 oz Chocolate instant pudding
3 oz Vanilla instant pudding
3 c Milk
1 Unsweetened chocolate square
1 c Icing sugar

Mix well margarine, pecans and graham wafer crumbs and
pat into 9x13 in pan. Bake at 350 degrees
till lightly brown, about 20 minutes. Cool completely.
Beat together cream cheese, icing sugar and 1 cup
of Cool Whip. Spoon onto baked layer. Mix both puddings
with milk and beat as per package directions. Let
pudding almost thicken and pour over second layer. Put
remainder of Cool Whip on top and swirl melted
chocolate throughout topping.

*Mom has a version of this called something else, I've seen a few, she makes hers with pistachio pudding and it's really good.

**********
Prayer for Today

I met my husband in a 12-Step program and the first part of this prayer is used
there. Many people have never seen the prayer in it's entirety. There are lines
that are different from the original text but the basic meaning remains the same.

The Serenity Prayer
Reverend Reinhold Niebuhr
1943

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can; and
the wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time;
enjoying one moment at a time;
accepting hardship as the pathway to peace.

Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it.

Trusting that He will make all things right, if I surrender to His will.
That I may be reasonably happy in this life,
and supremely happy with Him forever in the next.

Many Thanks

I'm just no good at Thank Yous. I fail miserably trying to say it and come off sounding fake. 'Scuse me if that happens again.

My dear friend Mamacita sent word to the masses (and I do mean masses, she has quite the following) and I was visited by some very lovely people.

All of your words of kindness about Dad helped to ease the pain. Really. Please check out the comments from my last post and give those people a visit. They are all terrific, diverse, and well-written.

Send them a hello from Anne if you would and give them all a good once-over.

As for me, I'm hanging in there. There was a decision not to have any type of services for dad becuase we all live so far from one another. There will be a memorial of some sort in the not-too-distant future. I'm not used to this way of doing things so it feels as if there is no "closure". I have moments where, without all the formality, it feels as if dad never existed to anyone but me. I know he did though and I have gotten emails and cards from others who loved him.

I bet none of this makes much sense to anyone else.

I had a moment or two where I wanted to stop blogging~just quit the whole thing. Anyone who reads this regularly knows that dad loved this blog so I guess I will just keep on keepin' on, just as dad would have. He wasn't one to sit and dwell on things.

So, because of dad, have no fear, I'll be here. (ugh-sorry for the rhyme)

Dad

Robert Mac Franklin Foster

9/23/1941-5/20/2006


Dad passed away late last night at 11:15 pm after being very sick all day and lapsing into a coma for 2 hours before his death. He was in a hospice residence and was well cared for.

Before you think that second photo is a bit silly, let me just say, that was dad. He was quick-witted and funny almost all the time. Don't get me wrong, he was serious when it counted; in his love for us children, in his trust in the Lord.

Just last week when I called my step mother to check on dad I told her he would probably go out with a joke. My brother called this morning and told me that Joyce (our step mother) said that dad kept his sense of humor up to the end.

In that first photo we both look so serious, what really happened was a photographer that kept forgetting to tell us all to "say cheese". In the second, I don't recall what dad was saying to me but that is just a classic "dad moment", him saying something to make me laugh.

When I saw him in January one of the first things he said to me (through a drugged haze) was "Did you drive all the way up here?" I said, "Sure I did!" and he replied, "And you didn't kill anybody?".

My brother told me that while he was visiting last week there were times that they weren't sure that dad was "with them" and at one of those moments my step mother leaned over and asked dad, "Do you know who I am?" and dad's reply was "Rumplestiltskin?".

What a guy. I've never known anyone smarter...he was a whiz no matter what he was doing. He seemed to know the answers to everything. You couldn't win a brain-based game (like Trivial Pursuit or Boggle) against him if you had Einstein on your team. He was strong. Just 3 years ago he came to visit and we all left a particular restaurant about a mile away from my house at the same time. I took off walking pushing a stroller and he and Joyce and a couple of my kids went in his Suburban (dad always had a Suburban). I got to the park we were meeting at near my home and everyone but dad was there. They let me know he went to catch up with me. Several minutes later, there he was, RUNNING in our direction. He had run nearly the whole way and proceeded to tell me about a marathon he had been in when I was younger that I didn't remember.

I could go on and on...I am so heartbroken I can't even relate it now.

Yes, he is not suffering, yes, he is with our Lord. I just wish it hadn't happened this soon.

One thing we agreed on when I saw him last was this; when you think to yourself "I have time" just remember...you don't know if you do. Carpe diem and all that.

For any of my dear friends reading this that got my email early this morning with the time of death wrong-please forgive me-my mom is a dear but often gets "details" mixed up. My brother called this morning and gave me all the particulars.

Raspberry Lemon Smoothie

Made these this weekend. I think the motor in my blender is going to blow this Summer. We love smoothies and milkshakes.

Raspberry Lemon Smoothie
Printable RecipeServes 4-6

1 - 6 oz. can frozen pink lemonade
1 cup milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 - 10 oz. pkg. frozen raspberries
1 pint vanilla ice cream

In a blender, place first four ingredients in the order given; blend until smooth. Pour into glasses.

Happy Mommy's Day

I'm a day early since I am indeed a mother and I want tomorrow off~completely.

Everybody has a mother, and hopefully yours is more this:



than this:



If you love your mama and you live near enough to do something nice for her, here is a link to some really good looking recipes. Yep, I'm not even posting a recipe today. After all, my personal favorite for Mother's Day is reservations.

The Rest of Me

R,S,C #13 Recipes

Variety again! Just what I'm always looking for ;o)
***************

From Ian:

Ian's Baked Mushroom Caps

24 large cremini (brown) mushrooms, stems removed
1 C grated cheddar cheese
500g (1 lb) cocktail shrimp, cooked and drained
1 C snow peas, trimmed and chopped
1 8oz tin water chestnuts, drained
3 cloves garlic, minced
freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp basil
1 tsp ground chipotle pepper
Extra virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 375F.
Place all ingredients except mushrooms and cheese into a food processor, and
pulse three or four times to blend, but not puree.
Place mushrooms on a baking tray, and brush the inside of each one with a
little olive oil.
Spoon a heaping tablespoon of the mixture into each cap and top each
mushroom with the grated cheese.
Bake at 375 for 15 minutes until golden brown.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
From Compulsive Writer:

Shrimp Stir-Fry

Cook up a batch or sticky rice or your favorite lo-mein or yakisoba
noodles.

Stir fry generous amounts of shrimp, sliced mushrooms and snow peas
with a little grated carrot and thinly sliced onion.

Toss in your favorite stir-fry or yakisoba sauce.

Serve over noodles or rice.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The original recipe that the three ingredients came from:

Spring Shrimp Salad
6 servings

10 Asparagus spears, first 4- inches cut in 1 in. pieces- save rest for soups, etc.
1 Carrot, cleaned and sliced- diagonally
1 T Olive oil
2 T Water
6 Onions, green, sliced diag.
1/4 lb Snow peas
1/2 Red pepper, slivered
1/4 lb Mushrooms, sliced
Cherry tomatoes
1/4 lb Fettuccine, cooked, cooled
16 lg Shrimp, shelled and deveined
2 tb Olive oil
2 Garlic cloves, minced
1 ts Dill
1 ts Salt
Juice of 1 lemon
6 c Salad greens, mixed

Dressing:

1/2 c Olive oil, light
1/4 c Sesame oil
1/4 c Rice vinegar
1 1/2 tb Soy sauce
4 dr Hot chili oil
1/2 ts Sugar
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt and pepper to taste

Saute asparagus and carrot in oil and water for 2 minutes. Add green
onions and snow peas and cook until crisp tender. Drain vegetables.
Add red pepper, mushrooms, tomatoes and fettuccine. Saute shrimp and
garlic in 2 tablespoons olive oil. Sprinkle shrimp with dill, salt
and lemon juice. Cook until shrimp is done. Add to vegetable mixture.
For dressing: Blend all ingredients. Pour on shrimp mixture;
refrigerate at least 1 hour. When ready to serve, divide greens
between 6 plates and top with shrimp and vegetable mixture.

Ready, Set, Cook #13

Budding gourmets, get ready! If you have not played Ready, Set, Cook! with us yet, please go here to read the rules of play.

Our three ingredients today were taken directly from a real recipe and they are:



snow peas
mushrooms
shrimp

Amounts are up to the individual chef to allow for more creativity.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
**NOTE: Life got a bit out of hand last week (funny, this week too!) and I didn't finish up linking the recipes on the recipes page. Sorry to anyone who was counting on that! I am working on it bits at a time and hopefully will get caught up and KEEP up!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Also, keep praying for dad. He called us all recently and is ready for hospice and does not think he will make it much longer. God still performs miracles; send up a word or two if you would.

Spinach and Feta Quiche

Before you break the bank making the recipe I posted for Spanakopita, try this. It's far easier and definitely not so hard on the pocketbook. I made two yesterday.



Spinach and Feta Quiche

1 (10 oz.) pkg. frozen chopped spinach
10 eggs
1 c sour cream
1 c milk
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 t dried basil
4 oz Feta cheese, crumbled
2 deep dish 9inch pie crusts
3 T grated Parmesan

Drain spinach and squeeze out as much moisture as possible; it should be fairly dry. Mix the eggs, sour cream and milk well with a whisk or hand blender until light. Add the salt, pepper, and basil. Stir in spinach and Feta cheese. Fill crusts and place the grated cheese on top.
Bake at 375 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes or until a knife inserted in center comes out dry. Cool for 10 minutes before serving. Wonderful at room temp!

Sunday Dinner

 

Menu:

• Coq Au Vin
• Potatoes Provençal
• Steamed Fresh Green Beans
• Crescent Rolls
• Strawberry Pretzel Squares

Claude Monet, Luncheon, c. 1873

Coq Au Vin
Serves 6 to 8
Printable Recipe

1/2 c unsalted butter
1 c diced lean bacon
12 pearl onions
1 boiling fowl (about 5 pounds), cut into serving pieces
1 garlic clove
1 bouquet garni
6 c mushrooms
4 T brandy
2 c burgundy
2 T flour
Fried 1/2 inch croutons

Melt half the butter in a Dutch oven or flameproof casserole with a lid and sautè the bacon pieces and pearl onions until the onions are transparent. Remove and reserve the bacon and onions. Sautè the chicken pieces, turning them several times as they cook. Add the garlic clove, bouquet garni, and the mushrooms (if any are rather large, slice them in half). Cover the casserole and cook for 15 minutes.

Skim off the surface fat.

Add the brandy and flame. Add the burgundy. Cover the casserole and cook for another 35 minutes.

To check whether the chicken pieces are cooked, prick them with a fork. If the juice runs clear, they are cooked; if the juices are pink, continue cooking. When the chicken is cooked, drain it over the casserole and keep it warm.

Combine the rest of the butter with the flour until you have a smooth paste. Break off bits of it, and stir them into the sauce, stirring until each has melted before adding the next. As soon as the sauce is thick and smooth, return the pieces of chicken to it. Garnish the chicken with the fried croutons.

From "Monet's Table, The Cooking Journals of Claude Monet" by Claire Joyes
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Potatoes Provençal
Serves 6

Printable Recipe

1 garlic clove

3 med potatoes, sliced thin

3 lg tomatoes

3 sprigs fresh parsley

2 t salt

1/4 t crumbled tarragon leaves

1/4 t crumbled basil leaves

1/4 t ground nutmeg

3 med red onions

1/2 c sliced black olives (imported preferred)

2 T butter

1/4 c or more shredded Swiss cheese

Preheat oven to 400F. Cut garlic in half lengthwise.

With cut garlic, rub inside of 1 1/2 quart shallow baking dish; set aside. Peel potatoes; cut into 1/4 inch

slices. Place in bowl of cold water and set aside.

Peel tomatoes. Cut into 1/2 thick slices; set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the parsley, 1 tsp salt, tarragon, basil and nutmeg. 

Peel and thinly slice the onions. 

Drain potatoes well; pat dry with a paper towel.

Place half the potatoes into a greased casserole dish.

Sprinkle with half the parsley mixture, half the onions, half the tomatoes, and half the olives.

Sprinkle tomatoes with salt.

Repeat layering procedure.

Cut butter into small pieces and dot onto casserole.

Cover loosely with foil.

Bake 45 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Sprinkle top of casserole with cheese, and bake uncovered for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted and lightly browned.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Strawberry Pretzel Dessert
Printable Recipe

2 c finely crushed pretzels
1/2 c sugar, divided
2/3 c butter or margarine, melted
12 oz. (1-1/2 --8-oz. pkgs.) cream cheese, softened
2 T milk
1 c thawed whipped topping
2 c boiling water
1 pkg. (8-serving size) strawberry gelatin
1-1/2 c cold water
1 qt. (4 cups) strawberries, sliced


Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix pretzels, 1/4 cup of the sugar and the butter.
Press firmly onto bottom of 13x9-inch baking pan.
Bake 10 minutes. Cool completely.
Mix cream cheese, remaining 1/4 cup sugar and milk until well blended.
Fold in whipped topping. Spread over crust. Refrigerate until needed.
Stir boiling water into gelatin in large bowl until completely dissolved.
Stir in cold water. Refrigerate 1-1/2 hours or until thickened.
Stir in strawberries. Spoon over cream cheese layer.
Refrigerate 3 hours or until firm. Cut into 20 squares to serve.
Store in refrigerator.

Chocolate Warning: Just Because I Care

Scharffen Berger Chocolate Makers
America's Finest Dark Chocolate



Who am I to contend with the almighty chocolate manufacturer?
They really may have the best chocolate going.

All I can do is my civic duty and pass on this little tidbit;

Don't try to eat the 82% Cacao Extra Dark and expect to live to tell about it.
Do yourself a favor and don't go over 65% cocoa maximum if you don't want to look like you accidentally swallowed a lemon...whole.

I bet they added sugar to that 82% bar. Really. I'm SURE they did. Otherwise they'd have to bill it as unsweetened baking chocolate, right?

Don't ever spend nearly $6 on a 3 oz. bar of chocolate. Okay? That'll teach me.
Guess who is going to have the most expensive chocolate cake for dessert after dinner sometime very soon?

Morning Muffins

Yesterday morning I needed to come up with a breakfast that would feed everyone that wasn't cold cereal. I had a couple bananas in the freezer (yes, I put them there when they are overripe and if I won't be using them right away-they work FINE) and half a jar of hot fudge sundae topping that I had been eyeing for some time and trying to find a use for.

So, these yummy muffins were born. The fudge falls right to the center of the muffin as they bake and is a wonderfully warm and gooey surprise. The kids asked for thirds.

Sorry, another "Anne" photo :o)



Fudge Filled Banana Muffins
Makes 12 regular sized muffins

1 stick margarine
1/2 c sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3T milk
2 small overripe bananas

Mix together until well blended and add:

2 c flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda

Blend well.

1/2 c hot fudge sundae topping-cold.

Fill greased muffin cups 3/4 full. Drop a teaspoonful of fudge on the top of each muffin. Bake at 350 about 20-25 minutes or until muffins are puffy and slightly browned. Let cool slightly since the fudge center can be dangerously hot if you eat them too soon out of the oven.

Recipes for R,S,C #12

From Ian, The Gallumphing Gourmand
Ian's Marinated Tuna Salad

¼ C balsamic vinegar
¼ C dark soy sauce
1 tbsp honey mustard
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp coriander
freshly ground black pepper

1 6oz can tuna, drained
¼ C mayonnaise
1 shallot, diced
1 medium cucumber
red leaf lettuce
extra virgin olive oil

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the first six ingredients. Transfer
to resealable freezer bag, add the tuna, and toss to coat. Marinate
overnight in the fridge, turning occasionally.

Remove the tuna from the bag, and discard the marinade.
Cut the cucumber in half, and peel and dice one half of it.
Combine the tuna, the mayo, the diced cucumber and the diced shallot in a
mixing bowl.

Peel the remaining half of the cucumber and cut into about ¼ inch slices.
Arrange the cucumber slices on a plate. Drizzle a little balsamic vinegar
on each slice. Cover each with a piece of lettuce that’s just a bit larger
than the cucumber slice.
Spoon a generous dollop of the tuna mixture on top of the lettuce leaf, and
drizzle each salad with little extra virgin olive oil.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

From Dalene our Compulsive Writer:
The New Tuna Sandwich

6 slices Tuscan bread
1 6 oz can tuna
1 medium cucumber--freshly picked, of course
a few tablespoons balsamic vinegar
a few tablespoons of a good extra virgin olive oil

Thinly slice cucumber. Layer slices over half of the bread slices.
Grind sea salt over cucumbers as desired. Mix tuna with your favorite
fresh mayonnaise or salad dressing. Season as desired. Spread over the
cucumbers. Top sandwiches with remaining slices of bread.

Stir together balsamic vinegar and olive oil.

Dip sandwiches into oil and vinegar mix bite by bite.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My recipe:
Tuscan Tuna Salad

1/2 (10-ounce) package Italian blend lettuce -- (4 cups)
1 large tomato -- coarsely chopped (1 cup)
1 (15-ounce) can great northern beans rinsed and drained
1 medium cucumber peeled, seeded and diced
1 (6-ounce) can tuna in water -- drained
3 T chopped red onion
2 T olive or vegetable oil
1 T balsamic or red wine vinegar
1 T Dijon mustard
1 t chopped fresh dill weed
OR
1/4 t dried dill weed

Gently toss lettuce, tomato, beans and tuna in large bowl. Mix remaining
ingredients; toss with tuna mixture just until coated. Serve
immediately. 4 servings.

Ready, Set, Cook #12

It's that time of week again. If you have not played Ready, Set, Cook! with us yet, please go here to read the rules of play.

Our three ingredients today are:

1 -6oz can tuna
balsamic vinegar
1 medium cucumber

If you don't know what balsamic vinegar is, check it out here. It has a fascinating history and the flavor, to me, is just out of this world.

Yes, I am playing today!
***************

On a side note, I will be updating the recipe links today to finally include all of March and April for easier searching. If you have contributed to R,S,C those recipes are there also!

Aprons on...get cooking!