Posted on 21 May 2009 by tomatocasual.com
By Vanessa Richins
When I was attending community college, my favorite class was Italian Cooking.
A friend from high school happened to sign up for the same class, and we had many adventures together, whether it was a hand mixer that sparked or accidentally using up all of the good Parmesan.
Since then I’ve been fond of trying as many different Italian foods as possible. The day that a little Italian deli opened near my house. I’ve spent as much as $26/pound for a good imported Italian cheese.
The inspiration for this sandwich comes from my local airport, of all places. While I was waiting for a plane, I decided to grab a sandwich at Granato’s. The result was simple but delicious.
Ingredients:
Posted on 12 March 2009 by tomatocasual.com
By Vanessa Richins
One of my favorite hobbies (besides my number one passion - gardening - of course!) is cooking from scratch.
When I was in community college, I took some cooking classes.
Italian cooking still reigns as my favorite course.
Many nights I will make my own tomato sauce to go with pasta. It makes an easy dish to serve to my friends.
However, people run into a problem if they ask for my recipe. I don’t use one - I just throw together whatever sounds good that day. It usually works out quite well.
Today I will describe my “recipe” on how to throw together your own tomato sauce.
It all begins with the tomatoes, of course. Paste tomatoes like Roma will make the best sauce. It will be especially flavorful if you use one of the heirloom varieties. Each tomato will make about 1/5 cup of sauce, so figure out how many you will need. I like to leave the Read the rest of this entry »
Posted on 26 February 2009 by tomatocasual.com
By Vanessa Richins
White Flower Farms is well known for its perennial plants.
However, this year they are focusing more on edible plants.
In the starring role — tomatoes.
The Great Tomato Celebration of 2009 will return this year, with the addition of a recipe contest.
As an article in the Hartford Courant explains, “Why the emphasis on tomatoes?
Barbara Pierson, the farm’s nursery manager and spokeswoman, says Read the rest of this entry »
Posted on 23 December 2008 by tomatocasual.com
By Michelle Fabio
A popular southern Italian Christmas Eve tradition carried on by Italians all over the world is the Feast of the Seven Fishes.
The number seven represents the seven sacraments, seven days of creation, or simply the fact that seven signifies perfection in the Bible.
And the fish?
Well that’s because Catholics aren’t supposed to eat meat on the Vigilia di Natale.
Popular fishes in the feast include calamari, smelt, clams, and shrimp, but my favorite is baccalà: dried, salted cod.
To reconstitute the fish, you soak it for two days, changing the water three or four times, a nice ritual that increases the anticipation of a delicious Christmas Eve dinner with each change of the water.
Here is a recipe for baccalà typical of Calabria in southern Italy: Read the rest of this entry »
Posted on 11 December 2008 by tomatocasual.com
By Michelle Fabio
For those of you who like lasagna but are bored with the same old layered version, I present to you baked pasta with eggplant, fresh from my kitchen in southern Italy.
This is a delicious, hearty dish that feeds lots of people, so it’s particularly great at holiday time!
Baked Pasta with Eggplant
• 3 medium eggplants
• 200 grams of pancetta, cubed
• 1 large clove of garlic, minced
• One large jar of tomato sauce or peeled tomatoes
• 3 large basil leaves Read the rest of this entry »
Posted on 28 October 2008 by tomatocasual.com
By Vanessa Richins
Eating at home is on the rise - no small feat in our ultra-busy world.
People are preparing their own food again for fun, to save money, and to savor the goodness of homestyle cooking.
In order to inspire would-be cooks to create tasty meals in their homes, Hunts Tomatoes is holding the “Best Meals, Best Moments” recipe contest.
“We’re looking forward to trying America’s favorite recipes and to learning how our tomatoes have played a role in people’s best memories.”" said Laura Flanagan, vice president and general manager of ConAgra Foods’ Grocery Group.
Contestants can upload recipes with a note explaining what is memorable about their meal and why it is the best recipe. Recipes must be received by December 8, 2008.
As the rules state:
