🍅 Tomatoes 🍅

Foolish child! Such was I! I didn’t like tomatoes, but through the years, I have grown to enjoy these lovely fruits of the summer. Fresh garden tomatoes! Red! Delicious! Full of flavor! That said, I will pass on the unsavory lot all winter long.

I will not just grab one of these little red orbs and pop it in my mouth, but give me a warm loaf of Tuscan bread, some creamy butter, and a slice of vine-ripened tomato, and I will enjoy the feast. The memories don’t stop there. Add in the summer sun, a cool ocean breeze, and a glass of wine. What a perfect start to a beautiful evening!

Honestly!

Don’t these look amazing! I am thinking BLT!

Are you hungry yet?

But first, my next favorite summer dish is to make tomato salad. There are infinite possibilities to enjoy the goodness of the bounty of summer.

The easiest is just tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil with a balsamic vinaigrette and a pinch of salt, as shown below. When I get wild, I might at in black or Kalamata olives, peppers, and grated Parmesan cheese. Oh! The possibilities!

Memories of childhood bring back dishes that my grandmother made with her garden tomatoes. My favorites were her stuffed tomato with tuna salad and her fried zucchini and tomatoes.

She would fry the zucchini and tomatoes together and serve them in a hamburger bun. If it sounds a bit strange, my 8-year-old pallet loved them. To this day, I can’t seem to replicate her recipe, but I keep trying.

Unfortunately, I can’t make her tuna salad due to food allergies, but I have easily substituted it with chicken salad, as pictured below.

🍅 Stuffed Tomatoes 🍅

I use canned chicken for consistency and ease. Then I gather my spices! However, you could always boil, shred and season the chicken if you have time...no pressure.

Chicken Salad Recipe

Chicken (1 can)

Mayonnaise (3 tablespoons)

Yellow mustard (1 teaspoon)

Relish (2 tablespoons)

Ground mustard (1/4 teaspoon)

Garlic (1/8 teaspoon); add more to taste.

Onion powder (1/4 teaspoon)

Dried shallots or fresh chives (1/2 teaspoon)

Paprika (dash)

Purely optional: I also like to add nutritional yeast and black pepper. A dash here. A dash there! I don't generally add salt unless I am cooking for large groups that are not used to a low-sodium diet. If you need the salt, add a dash.

WARNING! I hardly ever measure anything, so feel free to adjust the seasoning to your taste.

Grab Your Mixing Bowl

Gather up all of your ingredients, and we are ready to start making the chicken salad.

When using canned chicken, I always like to drain the chicken first. It reduces the sodium content, not by a tremendous amount, but a bit. Add in all of the ingredients and mix well. Give it a taste and adjust it to fit your taste buds.

Time to Prep the Tomatoes

Pick tomatoes that are large enough to stuff but small enough for an appetizer unless you are making them as the main course. 1.5 to 2" wide is a good estimate.

You will need to hollow out the tomato. I like to cut the very top of the tomato off and then scoop out the inside. Be careful not to pierce through the skin; otherwise, your stuffed tomatoes could leak.

Hint: You will have a bowl full of leftover tomatoes. What to do? I try to make something with it, like peach salsa, or add the inside of the tomatoes to another meal later on.

Stuff Away

Once your tomatoes are prepped, and your chicken salad is mixed, it is time to stuff away.

Don't forget to plate them so they look amazing!

Enjoy!!!!

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Here is a link to my other recipes.

Stuffed peppers

Spicy BBQ Rub

Sunburst Fruit Salad

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