Recipe: Stuffed Garden Tomatoes

     In the summer, I eat some sort of tomatoe-y something everyday! I l-o-v-e- love tomatoes! Did you know that tomatoes work as natural sunscreen when you consume them everyday! Pretty cool! I truly think that has something to do with why I never burn, and I have to be the sun for quite some time to get a minimal tan. So, I am a believer! Here's how you too can include more tomatoes!

Yields: 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 4 medium fresh tomatoes

• 1 medium carrot, coarsely chopped

• 8 radishes, coarsely chopped

• 2 green onions, thinly sliced

• 1 small cucumber, peeled, seeded, and coarsely chopped

• 1/2 cup of fresh or frozen peas

• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

• 2 garlic cloves minced

• 1/2 teaspoon, sea salt

• 4 tablespoon butter, divided

• 4 teaspoons Parmesan, grated

• 4 teaspoon seasoned dry bread crumbs*

• 1 teaspoon sugar

* Use stale bread for and crumble it or take a slice and toast it till stiff and crumble it.

Method Of Preparations:

1. Cut a think slice from top of each tomato... If you are trying to spruce up appetizers then cut in a zig-zag way like a pumpkin carving. Leave a 1/2 in.-thick shell, scoop out pulp and discard. Invert tomatoes onto paper towels to drain.... When you get good, you can do this with large cherry tomatoes!

2. Meanwhile, in a skillet, saute the carrot, radishes, green onions, cucumber, peas, parsley, oregano, garlic and salt in 2 tablespoons of butter until the veggies are tender... If you need more fat, add olive oil.

3. Stuff tomatoes and place in a greased shallow baking dish. Melt remaining butter; stir in the parmesan cheese, bread crumbs and sugar. Sprinkle over tomatoes. Bake, uncovered, at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until crumbs are lightly browned.

    

     If you are anything like my family... My sister won't eat these... My dad will wrinkle his nose, but he isn't picky... He will woof it down. So, mom and I are really the only ones who will appreciate this! So, we may make this for ourselves occasionally, but there are left over ingredients. So, use the leftover parmesan for pizza or pasta with added oregano in the sauce. Do asian food night and top with green onions or mix into a salad. Also, add the carrots, radishes, parsley to your salad! How to avoid having leftover ingredients is my specialty! Get creative and get your stuffed tomatoes today!