What to do with an over abundance of tomatoes...

make homemade tomatoe sauce and wonderful salads!

Tomatoes, caramelized onions, garlic, basil, celery and olive oil

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Heirloom Tomatoes with Creamy Gorgonzola Dressing

Please, I beg you, even if you don't like tomatoes, please try this. It just might be the best salad in the whole wide world.
Heirloom Tomatoes with Creamy Gorgonzola Dressing
adapted from the recipe by Ina Garten
The best place to find heirloom tomatoes is probably your local farmer's market, and I thought they were delicious. Whatever you do, just make sure that the tomatoes you choose are fully ripe when you eat them; if they are white or mealy in the center, they are not worth eating.
Ingredients
3 pounds heirloom tomatoes, mixed colors and sizes
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 pound Gorgonzola cheese, divided in half
1 cup good mayonnaise
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
slice and core tomatoes, cutting the large ones into thick slices, and halving cherry tomatoes. Arrange on platter, and sprinkle liberally with salt, pepper, and parsley.
In the bowl of a food processor, combine half the Gorgonzola, 1 cup mayonnaise, 1/2 cup cream, and 2 tablespoons vinegar, as well as 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Process until combined, but still chunky.
drizzle the dressing over the tomatoes. Crumble the rest of the blue cheese, and serve at room temp. Enjoy! I ate this for every meal until all my tomatoes were gone!

Camping this summer

BLT Pasta for 2 or Summer Pasta

I haven't been doing allot of cooking over the last few months. I have been making easy meals for us. I found this recipe in Cuisine at Home and had to try it. It is a wonderful pasta dish made with whole wheat noodles, grilled chicken, caramelized onions, garlic, tomatoes and garlic bread crumbs. I left out the bacon and added basil and arugula at the end. Anna and I loved this dish. It says it is enough for two but we still have leftovers for lunch today. YUM!
BLT Pasta
Pasta: 

2 strips thick-sliced bacon, diced ( I used 2 grilled chicken breast instead)
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 tsp sugar 
1/2 cup onions, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic chopped 
1/4 cup dry white wine 
1/2 cup chicken broth 
1 tsp red wine vinegar 
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes 
4 oz dry bucatini or whole wheat spaghetti 
1 cup fresh spinach leaves ( I used Arugula instead)
10 basil leaves thinly sliced
For garlic bread crumbs:
1 cup French bread, cubed (about one 1/2 inch thick slice)
1 T olive oil
salt to taste
How to make it
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Bring a pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta.
Mince the garlic for the bread crumbs in a food processor, add the cubed bread, and process until coarse.
Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium: add crumbs and toast until golden, 3-4 minutes, stirring often. Season with salt and set aside.
Saute the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat.
Cook until crisp, then drain on paper-towel. Pour off all but 1 T. drippings.
Caramelize the tomatoes and sugar in the drippings over medium heat.
Cook until beginning to brown, about 5 minutes.
Add the onions, saute until wilted, 3-4 minutes.
Deglaze with wine; simmer until liquid is nearly evaporated.
Add the broth, vinegar, and pepper flakes and simmer until reduced by 1/3, about 5 minutes.
Cook the pasta in boiling water according to package directions.
Add the spinach or whatever green you are using, basil, and bacon pieces to the sauce.
Transfer the cooked pasta from the pot to the pan using tongs.
Toss to coat.
Season with salt, then transfer to large serving platter or individual plates.

Sprinkle with garlic bread crumbs before serving.

Our trip to the Oregon Coast

We have been gone for the last month to Oregon and Washington to visit family. We had a whirlwind trip with our families. The kids loved getting time with all of there cousins and grandparents. We were able to take the kids to the Oregon Coast twice. It is always one of my favorite things to do in Oregon. We visited Pacific City and played on the sand dunes all day building sand castles, eating a sandy picnic lunch and playing in the water. We went to Seaside and Cannon Beach and ate at one of our favorite restaurants.We also took a trip to Tillamook to the famous cheese factory to sample the best icecream ever. I lived in Tillamook for 4 years as a kid. It brings back allot of memories of our trips to the coast with my family. My parents would love to get fresh oysters, crabs and muscles from the ocean to eat. I didn't enjoy it as a kid but I love it now! It was a great month long vacation but we are happy to be back home. I can't believe that school is starting in 3 weeks.

Summer is on its way

We have had our share of fun moments since Spring arrived and now Summer is on its way. Today was the last day of school for the kids. It was a bittersweet moment for all of us. The kids had wonderful teachers this year and are going to be greatly missed. Soccer ended as of 2 weeks ago. The kids had fun playing but being at the soccer field 4 days a week was a little much for me. The kids were in the talent show together. They did a great job holla-hooping to an Alvin and the Chipmunks song! Anna was in the end of year regional Art Show at the highschool. The end of school always includes field trips. I chaperoned both kids classes (on seperate days) to go to the same park. Carillon Park is a great place for school age kids. They have one of the Wright brothers planes displayed for the kids to see and walk completely around.  It was a very educational for me too. Softball is in full swing at the moment. The kids are excited to get to sleep in, have lots of playdates with friends, visit Kings Island quite often since we bought Seasons Passes, visit some of our local Metro Parks, summer reading program at the library and swim as much as possible!

Getting to know you...

Its Sunday! Time for "Getting to Know You Sunday". Link up over at Mannland5 if you want to play along.


The questions..

1. If a person has a booger in their nose. and you can see it, do you tell them?
I would have to look away. That has happened before and I just feel to bad to mention it to them.

2. What are you passionate about?
God, my husband and kids, running, cooking, spending time with good friends!

3. How long have you been blogging?
A little less then 2 years. I started so I could join Ina Gartens Barefoot Bloggers. I am a huge fan of hers!

4. What is your favorite "summer" drink?
I would have to say strawberry lemonade. I really love the homemade lemonade my mom made as a could where you slice the lemons really thin and muddle them with the sugar to get the most flavour out of them.

5. What is your favorite type of music?
I like huge variety of music. I really love Christian uplifting, love songs, country, stuff from the early 90's and late 80's.

6. Something I do before I go to bed is.
I try to read a couple chapters in my Bible before I fall asleep. I also always watch foodnetwork in bed and use a lotion that I keep beside my bed.

7. My Summer vacation plans are...?
To go and visit family for a month, take the kids swimming, library, bought passes to a local amusement park and lots of activities with friends.

8. My favorite must have, can't live without, beauty product is?
Sunscreen! I love thick body lotion without too much scent. Trader Joes has a good one. I have also started using a lemon perfume that I am addicted too.

Take me out to the ball game...

We went to a Dayton Dragons game with some friends for Military Appreciation Day. The kids had a blast but we got to have lawn seats and sit in the muddy grass. Fun day with friends and the kids got to help carry the flag for the ceremony.