Well the work week is more than half way over…just two more days of work and then Todd and I are headed up to Saratoga Springs, NY for the weekend. This week has been very dreary, damp, cloudy, and cold. I miss the sun and the warmer temperatures, so I made a recipe the other night to bring me back to summer!
But first, I would like to share with you my friend, Pat’s, blog, 2013 Miles in 2013. He has made it his goal to run 2,013 miles in the year 2013! It’s a pretty crazy and steep goal…but I know he can do it! He updates his blog everyday with his progress…it’s a very interesting blog, so check it out and cheer him on!
There are certain foods that I wouldn’t mind eating everyday. Cheese is definitely one of them. Mix cheese with toasted bread, roasted tomatoes, and basil…makes it even better. This Roasted Tomato Panzanella Salad would be ideal to make during the summer months when locally grown tomatoes are abundant. However, roasting either grape or cherry tomatoes results in a sweet and juicy tomato so you may not even miss the summer tomatoes that much.
Roasted Tomato Caprese Panzanella
[from How Sweet Eats]
serves about 4
Ingredients
- 4 cups grape tomatoes
- 4 cups cubed bread (I used Wegman’s Rosemary Olive Oil bread)
- 6 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 2 1/2 cups fresh mozzarella balls (I cut them in half)
- 15-20 fresh basil leaves
- a heavy dose of balsamic glaze (or you can buy store bought to make it easier)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. On one baking sheet, lay the tomatoes down and drizzle with 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. On a separate baking sheet, place the cubed bread and toss it with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Place both sheets in the oven. Roast the tomatoes for a full 20 minutes, tossing once during cooking. Toast the bread for 10-12 minutes, until golden, tossing 2-3 times during cooking.
- Place mozzarella on a paper towel to remove a bit of the moisture and water. Chop any larger basil leaves, leaving the smaller ones intact if desired.
- In a large bowl, add bread, tomatoes, basil, remaining salt and pepper. Gently toss with two large spoons, trying to keep the tomatoes intact for pretty visual purposes. Drizzle the remaining olive oil over the salad, and then add on a liberal drizzle of balsamic glaze. Serve immediately.
