September 29, 2009

Tomato-Basil Tart



1-2 pounds tomatoes
1 tsp salt
1 cup corn kernels (fresh, frozen, or canned)
1 T lemon juice
3 T sour cream (I’ve also used plain yogurt)
¼ c butter
1 ½ c flour
¼ cup yellow cornmeal
½ cup thinly sliced fresh basil or 1 T dried basil
1 T chopped fresh oregano or ½ tsp dried oregano
1 1/2 cups grated fontina cheese* (you can use mozzarella if you can’t find fontina)

Slice tomatoes into ¼”-thick slices. Arrange in a single layer on several layers of paper towels; sprinkle with ½ tsp salt. Let stand 20 minutes; blot dry with paper towels.
Preheat over to 400F.
Place corn, juice, and sour cream in a food processor or blender; process until smooth. Combine flour, cornmeal, and salt in a large bowl; stir with whisk. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add corn mixture; stir until a soft dough forms. Knead gently 3-4 times.
Place dough onto overlapping sheets of plastic wrap and cover with more plastic wrap. Roll into a 14-inch circle, then place in freezer for 10 minutes. Lightly grease baking sheet then sprinkle with 1 T cornmeal. Remove dough from plastic wrap and place on baking sheet.
Combine ¼ cup basil, cheese, and oregano. Arrange half of the cheese mixture on dough, leaving a 1 1/2” border. Arrange half of tomato slices in a circle, covering the cheese mixture. Repeat process to finish using cheese and tomatoes. Fold edges of dough toward center to partially cover tomatoes. Press to seal.
Bake at 400F for 35 minutes or until crust is brown. Sprinkle remaining basil on top. Serves 6.

**The fontina cheese is really, really yummy, so if you can find it, it’s worth the extra cost.

What to serve with it: Green salad

Submitted by Holly: This recipe is originally from Cooking Light magazine. I’ve been making it for years as a way to eat up my yummy home grown tomatoes. This version is the one I make, which is a bit different from the original recipe. It does take some time to make, but is delicious!

September 1, 2009

Oven Fried Chicken

2 cups Panko bread crumbs
1 cup grated Parmesan
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons freshly minced thyme leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons water
2 ½ lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded to ¼-inch thickness

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with heavy aluminum foil. Place a cooling rack over pan and spray rack with non-stick cooking spray.

In a shallow dish combine bread crumbs, cheese, 2 tablespoons olive oil, thyme, salt and pepper, to taste. In separate shallow dish combine mustard, water, salt and pepper to taste, and remaining olive oil. Coat each chicken breast with mustard mixture; dredge each in bread crumb mixture. Place on prepared rack in pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until chicken is golden brown. Serve immediately.


Submitted by Alison: This is a recipe that I got from Paula Deen’s cooking show on the food network. I watched her make it and have been anxious to try it out. I’m making it tonight, I’ll let you know how it goes. Enjoy!