Congrats to Melissa from TX on her winning this season’s
Next Food Network Star I’ll be tuning into her show for
sure. She was my fave all along and not just because of
her bubbly personality and energy (well and ok the “twin
factor” too) but she had so many practical ideas that
speak directly to us busy Moms. You go girl!

Thanks Lois for the idea on the tomato trio salad recipe
of adding bite sized buffalo mozzarella pieces in it I
think that’d be a great addition.

Today’s recipe is also a tomato surplus favorite. These
FRESH TOMATO CALZONES use any of your favorite pizza crust
but most pizza places will sell it to you too. I’ve also
added a hearty recipe for pizza dough in Marzee’s Corner
and that tubed pizza dough isn’t too bad as a substitute
if you’re in a pinch for time.

Enjoy! Marzee

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
RECIPE:  FRESH TOMATO CALZONES
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

INGREDIENTS:
1 pound pizza dough
3/4 pound ground beef, sausage, or pepperoni
Four or five tomatoes very coarsely chopped
One hot pepper, finely chopped
Ten or twelve fresh basil leaves, chopped
Grated Romano cheese – about 2 or three ounces to taste

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. These come out much better
if they are cooked on a baking stone, or oil a large cookie
sheet (not the insulated sheets (like airbake for this recipe).
Mix the tomatoes, cheese, pepper and basil, let stand while
doing the rest. If the dough has not risen a bit put it in
an oiled bowl, cover it with a moist towel and let it rise
until it is double in size. Handling the dough very gently
so as not to punch it back down, turn it out, and cut it in
half. Turn it out to form two circles about 10 inches in
diameter. Cook and drain the meat. Put the dough circle over
a plate (some will hang over the side). Put half of the meat
and half of the tomato mixture on the dough in the center of
the plate. Spread it out a bit. Fold one half of the dough
over the top and press the sides together. Pick up the plate
and turn the dough out onto the oiled pan. Do the same with
the other one. Bake about 20 to 25 minutes, or until it is a
brown color.

Category: Breads, Pizza

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                  MARZEE’S CORNER
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

 BONUS RECIPE FOR PIZZA DOUGH

Makes three hearty pizza crusts. This dough can also be
used to make calzones or can be frozen for later use.
Freeze any dough just after dividing. This cam be later
thawed at room temperature, then it is ready to use.

INGREDIENTS:
1 packet active dry yeast
1 tablespoon white sugar
2 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
5 1/2 cups bread flour

DIRECTIONS:
In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in the
warm water. Let sit until creamy; about 10 minutes. Stir
the olive oil, whole wheat flour, salt and 4 cups of the
bread flour into the yeast mixture. Mix in the remaining
flour, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition.
When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a
lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic,
about 8 minutes. Lightly oil a large mixing bowl, place the
dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a
damp cloth and put in a warm place to rise until doubled
in volume; about 1 hour. Deflate the dough and turn it out
onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into three
equal pieces and form into rounds. Cover the rounds and let
them rest for about 10 minutes. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Use a rolling pin to roll the dough into the desired shape,
cover it with your favorite toppings and bake at 425 degrees
for about 20 minutes or until the crust and cheese are
golden brown.

Makes 3 pizza crusts 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

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END OF THE DAILY RECIPE “Until we eat again!”
Copyright 2009 by NextEra Media. All rights reserved.

Today we have a wonderful tomato-based Spanish soup that’s
traditionally served chilled so it’s perfect for Spring or
Summer. There are probably as many recipes for gazpacho as
there are families in Spain and here’s just one to introduce
you to the taste. Pull this one out on a hot day when you
don’t feel like cranking up the oven.

Enjoy!  Marzee

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
RECIPE:  GAZPACHO
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

INGREDIENTS:
2 plum tomatoes, quartered
1 large cucumber, peeled and halved
1 onion, peeled and halved
1 cup green bell pepper, diced
1 4-ounce jar diced pimento peppers, drained
2 12-fluid ounce cans tomato juice
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup croutons
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
 
DIRECTIONS:
In a blender combine one tomato, half the cucumber, half the
onion, a green bell pepper quarter, the pimento and 1/2 cup
tomato juice. Blend at high speed, covered, for 30 seconds
to puree the vegetables. In a large bowl mix the pureed
vegetables with remaining tomato juice, 1/4 cup olive oil,
vinegar, tobasco, salt and ground black pepper. Cover mixture
and refrigerate until it is well chilled (about 2 hours).
At the same time, refrigerate 6 serving bowls. Meanwhile
saute the croutons in oil and add the garlic. Chop (separately)
the remaining tomato, cucumber, onion and green bell pepper.
Place the croutons and each of these chopped vegetables in
separate bowls to serve as accompaniments. Serve soup in
chilled bowls. Just before serving time, sprinkle with chopped
chives for garnish.
 
Yield: 6 Servings
Category: Soups, Vegetarian

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                 MARZEE’S CORNER
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

NO MORE GARLIC BLUES:

Microwaving makes garlic easier to peel and lessens the
“garlicky” smell on your hands.

Microwave unpeeled garlic cloves at 100 percent power 10
to 20 seconds, cool, and store in a self-sealing plastic
bag in the coldest part of the refrigerator.

Use the garlic within two weeks.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

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END OF THE DAILY RECIPE “Until we eat again!”
Copyright 2009 by NextEra Media. All rights reserved

Today I have a recipe for the BEST EVER BRUCHETTA which has
become such a popular starter on menus over the past years
and even turned up on bar menus too. This is a very garlicky
chopped tomato relish you serve on slices of toasted (or not
toasted) French bread. It’s a wonderful accompaniment to
pastas too. Sometimes you could make a meal out of this.

Enjoy! Marzee
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
RECIPE: BEST EVER BRUCHETTA
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

INGREDIENTS:
2 tomatoes, cubed
1 teaspoon dried basil
4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
 seasoning salt to taste
 ground black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:
In a medium bowl, mix tomatoes, dried basil, Parmesan
cheese, olive oil, garlic, seasoning salt and ground
black pepper. Cover and chill in the refrigerator 8
hours, or overnight, before serving.

Yield: 8 Appetizer portions
Category: Appetizers, Tomato

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                 MARZEE’S CORNER
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

                  FAT STRIPPING TIP

Switching to a diet low in fat and cholesterol does not
mean you’ll have to pitch your favorite family recipes.
Many recipes can be adapted by replacing fat and
cholesterol-laden ingredients with healthier ones.

-Instead of sauteing in butter or oil, use vegetable
stock or water.

-Steaming can also be used to bring out an ingredient’s
flavor and tenderize it.

-Try nonfat yogurt or cream cheese instead of heavy cream.
For a dessert topping, chill canned nonfat evaporated milk
until it’s almost frozen, then whip it to the right
consistency.

-Instead of eggs, use egg whites or an egg substitute
product. Many egg-based recipes – even omelets – taste
great without the yolks. Be sure to check the label for
fat and cholesterol content.

-Hold the mayo. When building a sandwich, forgo the
mayonnaise and instead use mustard (yellow, dijon, or
honey) to add desired moisture and flavor.

-Use fat-free products. Cheeses (regular, cream, and
cottage), salad dressings, sour cream, mayonnaise, and
a variety of snack foods are all available in fat-free
versions. But be warned: Foods labeled fat-free can
contain almost half a gram of fat per serving. So when
you eat more than one serving, the amount of fat you
consume can add up quite quickly.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
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END OF THE DAILY RECIPE “Until we eat again!”
Copyright 2008 by NextEra Media. All rights reserved.

Chilled gazpacho is one of the most refreshing things you
can serve on a hot day. Adding to its appeal, no cooking
is required. Start with a top-quality tomato juice and use
a trick replace the traditionally used stale bread with
bread crumbs to thicken the soup. You’ll be out of the
kitchen in a wink. This will make use of any surplus of
tomatoes you may have started accumulating. 

Take a peek at the crostini recipe goes excellent with
any soup as a crouton alternative or with your favorite
toppings as an appetizer.

Enjoy! Marzee

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
RECIPE: EASY GAZPACHO
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups tomato juice
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. dry bread crumbs
1 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/4 cup seeded and diced cucumber
1/4 cup finely diced green bell pepper
1 plum tomato, seeded and finely diced
1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
1/4 cup zucchini, finely diced

DIRECTIONS:
Place tomato juice, garlic and olive oil in blender and
process until garlic is puréed. Add bread crumbs and
vinegar, then blend to combine. Season to taste with salt
and pepper. Pour into covered container and chill well,
from 2 hours to overnight. Check seasoning and adjust,
if necessary. Divide soup among 4 serving bowls.  Add 1
tablespoon each of diced cucumber, pepper, tomato, onion
and, if desired, zucchini.
 
Yield: 4 Servings
* each serving contains 65 calories and 3 grams of fat.
Category: Soups

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                 MARZEE’S CORNER
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

RECIPE: QUICK CROSTINI

1 French bread baguette, about 2 1/2 inches wide
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
6 fresh garlic cloves, halved

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slice the baguettes into 1/2
slices. Brush both sides with the oil and place on cookie
sheets. Bake until lightly browned and toasted, about 10 to
15 minutes. Remove from oven. Rub each piece with the cut
side of the garlic halves while toasts are still hot. Use
warm or at room temperature. Leftovers can be wrapped in
foil and kept at room temperature for several days, then
refreshed briefly in the microwave before using.

* if in a hurry you cab sprinkle bread with garlic powder
before toasting and omit the garlic rub.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

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END OF THE DAILY RECIPE “Until we eat again!”
Copyright 2008 by NextEra Media. All rights reserved.

Today I have an excellent recipe for August when the tomatoes
and basil are fresh from the garden….FRESH TOMATO CALZONES!
Most pizza places will sell you the dough so if you’ve got
a favorite it will make them even better. Sorry, it’s just
not the same with that tubed pizza crust so I’ve also included
a hearty recipe for pizza dough separately below too. (or you
can try frozen and just thaw according to package directions.)

Enjoy!  Marzee

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
RECIPE: TOMATO CALZONES
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

INGREDIENTS:
1 pound pizza dough
3/4 pound ground beef, sausage, or pepperoni
Four or five tomatoes very coarsely chopped
One hot pepper, finely chopped
Ten or twelve fresh basil leaves, chopped
Grated Romano cheese – about 2 or three ounces to taste

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. These come out much better
if they are cooked on a baking stone, or oil a large cookie
sheet (not the insulated sheets (like airbake for this recipe).
Mix the tomatoes, cheese, pepper and basil, let stand while
doing the rest. If the dough has not risen a bit put it in
an oiled bowl, cover it with a moist towel and let it rise
until it is double in size. Handling the dough very gently
so as not to punch it back down, turn it out, and cut it in
half. Turn it out to form two circles about 10 inches in
diameter. Cook and drain the meat. Put the dough circle over
a plate (some will hang over the side). Put half of the meat
and half of the tomato mixture on the dough in the center of
the plate. Spread it out a bit. Fold one half of the dough
over the top and press the sides together. Pick up the plate
and turn the dough out onto the oiled pan. Do the same with
the other one. Bake about 20 to 25 minutes, or until it is a
brown color.

Category: Breads, Pizza

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
PIZZA DOUGH RECIPE:

Makes three hearty pizza crusts. This dough can also be used
to make calzones or can be frozen for later use. Freeze any
dough just after dividing. This cam be later thawed at room
temperature, then it is ready to use.

INGREDIENTS:
1 packet active dry yeast
1 tablespoon white sugar
2 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
5 1/2 cups bread flour

DIRECTIONS:
In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in the warm
water. Let sit until creamy; about 10 minutes. Stir the olive
oil, whole wheat flour, salt and 4 cups of the bread flour into
the yeast mixture. Mix in the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time,
stirring well after each addition. When the dough has pulled
together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead
until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Lightly oil a large
mixing bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with
oil. Cover with a damp cloth and put in a warm place to rise
until doubled in volume; about 1 hour. Deflate the dough and
turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough
into three equal pieces and form into rounds. Cover the rounds
and let them rest for about 10 minutes. Preheat oven to 425
degrees. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough into the desired
shape, cover it with your favorite toppings and bake at 425
degrees for about 20 minutes or until the crust and cheese are
golden brown.

Makes 3 pizza crusts 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* 
                 MARZEE’S CORNER
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

TOMATO STORAGE TIPS:

Firm, under ripe tomatoes can be stored in a warm, sunny
spot for a few days; they will soften and improve in
flavor. Ripe tomatoes can be left at room temperature for
a day but should be refrigerated for longer storage; once
ripe, use tomatoes within a few days. Any leftover tomato
sauce should be transferred to an airtight nonmetal container,
refrigerated, and used within a few days. Leftover canned
tomato paste should be transferred to an airtight nonmetal
container and covered with a film of olive oil to prevent
oxidation. In that condition, it may be refrigerated for
two weeks or frozen indefinitely. Cover unused sun-dried
tomatoes with olive oil and keep several months.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* 
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END OF THE DAILY RECIPE “Until we eat again!”
Copyright 2008 by NextEra Media. All rights reserved.