Ever feel that you are running out of meal ideas with certain foods?  That happens to me sometimes so I try to step back and think about different ways to use that certain ingredient.  The last thing you want to have happen is that you get bored with a great food.  The food of choice today is “Tomato“.  I never used to like tomatoes but as I grew older I have found a new love for them.

I am not a huge fan of the tomato on just any given deli sandwich however but I do love tomatoes roasted, in sauces and on certain sandwiches with cheese.  I just compiled a simple list that I came up with on ways I like to use tomatoes.

Hopefully they will spark your interest to try them.

7 Ways to Use Tomatoes

1. No-Cook Pasta Sauce – In a large bowl combine several chopped tomatoes, a clove or two of minced garlic, salt and pepper to taste. Add olive oil to coat tomatoes. Add hot pasta and toss to coat pasta. Bits of fresh mozzarella can be added – they will get a bit melted  when tossed with the hot pasta. At the very end you can add red chili flakes, basil, and freshly shredded Parmesan are all tasty additions as well.
2. Grilled Tomatoes – Slice the tomatoes nice and thick, coat with a little olive oil – season with salt and pepper and grill for 4 mins on each side.  Yum!
3. Toasted Tomato and Pesto Sandwich – Spread two slices of your favorite sandwich bread with your favorite pesto (need a favorite? try this pesto), top one pesto-ed slice with several meaty slices of tomato, sprinkle with salt, sandwich, and enjoy!
4. Simple Salsa – Make your own fresh salsa by tossed chopped tomato with your choice of the following: minced red onion, minced garlic, finely chopped jalapeño or serrano chiles. Add salt to taste. A splash of red vinegar can be tasty, too.  Another addition can be some fresh avocado as well.



5. A Kicked Up BLT – This is a classic with a twist.  This takes a little bit of effort but is so worth it.  I like to take two slices of a thick homemade bread, toast it, top with a little butter and a nice piece of cheddar cheese. After that I add the fresh romaine lettuce, juicy red tomatoes and crisp bacon.  I top it with freshly ground pepper and enjoy!



6. In a Salad – Any salad of your choice – tomatoes are a great addition. Keep it simple and dress it just before serving.
7. Stuffed Tomatoes with Rice - This one is a great fun recipe on a cool day.  Scoop out the insides of the tomato.  To prepare the filling use cooked rice, oregano and ground beef ( or you can omit)  Top with fresh basil and mozzarella cheese and bake in the oven for 40 minutes.

So there you have it!  My top 7 ways to kick up the regular tomato.  Let me know if you have any other great ways to kick up the tomato in the comments section.  I will be back tomorrow - Have a great Wednesday.

I am off to New York… and will blog from the BIG Apple on Friday!

Take care

zesty

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I love salsa!  That is a given so when I thought about a menu items for Sunday to pair with the coconut crusted salmon – I knew it was a summer salsa.  There is something about summer flavors with crisp fruit and sharp vibrant colors makes everyone happy.  I chose to pair both pineapple and mango for the salsa and give it a little bit with cilantro and red onion.  No one in our family are really big onion lovers so I toned down the red onion to avoid any discomfort.  I find it is not really that sharp with the sweetness of the fruit.  To finish off the flavor matching, I chose to add a dash of hot sauce and cracked black pepper.

Ever try hot sauce with fruit?

Ingredients

• 2 Cups of fresh pineapple, cut into small chunks
• 2 Cups fresh Mango, diced
• A little bit red onion, diced
• 1 Cup of fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1/4 Cup of extra virgin olive oil
• Zest and juice of 1 lime
• Several dashes of your favorite hot sauce

Method

1. Put pineapple,mango, red onion and cilantro into a medium-sized bowl.
2. Add lime zest and juice, oil and hot sauce.
3. Toss well and let flavors mingle for at least one half hour before serving.
4. ENJOY!

Zesty Tip: This works very well with any form of meat or even as a vegetarian dish.  It would work great with a stir fry topping or even with cous cous.

Wednesday is here and the week is half over.  It is hard to believe that summer is on the way.  The weekend was super hot and guess what… I did survive a day of roofing.  I am pretty confident in saying that I will never be a roofer full time and I now have a lot of respect for those who do it as a trade.  Have a fantastic hump day and I will talk to you on Friday.

Take care

zesty

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Happy Monday!  It feels like I have been away for a long time which I guess is not that far from the truth.  Spinach and Mushroom Pasta was my last post since I had a special guest sit in on Friday with Sippity Sup.  This weekend was action packed and full of cooking.  A while back I used to cook on Sunday’s for the whole week including lunches ( for work ) and dinners in the evening.  I am not quite sure why I ever stopped doing that but I will chalk it up to being a bit too busy.

But I was talking to Mrs. Zesty earlier on the weekend and said” Let’s bring back cooking Sundays.  Sunday cooking was REBORN.  I will not get into great details as to what I prepared as you will see through the week and next but it was a ton of fun especially since Zesty Jr. was by my side for a couple of dishes.

This dish I want to share with you today is a simple dish combining a little Mexican and a small bit of India with the use of a few simple ingredients.

As I look back on my blogging career, I notice a pattern; everything I cook is super simple and quick.  I wonder if that means I am SIMPLE.  Anyway, let’s not go there.

Ingredients

• 1 Cup Jasmine Rice
• 1 1/2 Cups Water
• 1 1/2 Cups Salsa ( I used store bought )
• 1 Tbsp. Cumin
• 1/2 lb. Extra Lean Ground Beef
• 1 Carrot ( chopped)
• 1 Cup Mushrooms ( chopped)
• 1 Celery stalk ( chopped)
• 1 Tbsp. Olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Method

1. Prepare rice according to directions and set aside once cooked.





2. In a large preheated sauce pan over medium heat, combine olive oil, celery and carrots; cook for about 7 minutes



3. Add mushrooms and cook another 3 minutes



4. Next, toss in the ground beef, cumin, salt and pepper and cook until no longer pink







5. Add salsa and let simmer 5 minutes





6. Stir in cooked rice and mix thoroughly.



7. ENJOY!

Zesty Tip: When using mushrooms with a meat dish, be sure to cook them prior to adding any meat as they will release a lot of water and will not allow the meat to brown.

This was a super fun weekend and I am looking forward to doing the Sunday cooking next week as well.  Holler at me if you have any suggestions/recommendations for the week’s dishes.  I am looking for dishes that reheat well and pack up in a resealable container well.  I would love to hear your ideas.

Take care

zesty

Download my Free Recipe Book: Simply Zesty