Summer Love

It's all about fresh, homegrown tomatoes and sweet, pungent herbs picked out of the garden.


Case #1: Buttery Sage and Tomato Omelet

In a few teaspoons of butter, saute some fresh chopped sage and diced tomato a few minutes. Not long enough for the sage to wilt and lose its color! Whip up your eggs (I used 2) with some salt, pepper, and a dash of milk and pour over the tomatoes. Next comes the hard part. Turn down the heat and resist the temptation to touch it until it is nearly dry-looking on top. Then get a spatula under that thing and flip it! Turn off the heat and let it sit in the pan a few moments to completely cook the eggs. Slide onto a plate, top with cheese, and give thanks to God for fresh tomatoes and herbs!

Of course, if you want to make it a real, full breakfast, you must have fried potatoes on the side. I cut up my potatoes, add some water and zap them in the microwave for about 4 minutes to cook them. Then I transfer to my iron skillet with some butter or oil and fry over low-med heat until they're browned. Salt, peppah, nothin' bettah! Here I ate them with some fresh tomato chutney.

Summer Love Case #2: Eggplant-Tomato Stackers with Pesto Pasta

Right off the bat, I have to say these stackers were less than ideal. Maybe they needed more salt, more oil, more pesto, or just needed to be totally re-done. I simply brushed eggplant slices with a little olive oil, spread on a bit of pesto, slapped a tomato on top and baked in the toaster oven at 350F for 20 minutes or so. Not particularly tasty. Salt helped. I think another time I would fry the eggplant first, salt the slices, top it with goat cheese--YUM!--and then add diced tomato and fresh basil with more salt and pepper. Or something like that.

As for the pesto pasta-yummy! Check back in for a pesto discussion later.



Case #3: Scrambled Eggs with Fresh Diced Tomato and Basil

Pretty, no? Especially on that blue and white plate! Scrambled eggs--make 'em like you like 'em. I like mine a little browned just so I KNOW they're done. Topped with fresh diced tomatoes, chopped basil, and parmesan. I loved how it looked, liked less how it tasted. Maybe too much basil in too big chunks. I think next time I will mix the tomatoes and finely chopped basil with a little olive oil and salt before topping the eggs.

Ah! Summer love! How quickly your beauty fades! How fast you all go to seed!