Roasted Tomatoes with Fresh Basil and Mozzarella

Easy and so good!

Recipe by Dava Parr, Delicious Living

Serves 8 / An easy appetizer. Be sure to use a glass or enameled pan (not plain metal) to avoid any reactivity with the acidic tomatoes. Splurge on a flavorful, fragrant olive oil for the best results.

Good-quality olive oil
4 medium-large, ripe tomatoes
½ cup chopped fresh basil, plus whole leaves for garnish
4 large cloves garlic, crushed
8 very thin slices mozzarella cheese

1. Preheat oven to 450˚. Pour a little olive oil into a glass or enameled baking dish.
Cut tomatoes in half and roll cut part in olive oil; then turn over and arrange in dish, cut side up. Sprinkle each tomato with chopped fresh basil, crushed garlic, salt and pepper to taste, and a thin cheese slice. Drizzle again with olive oil. Roast for 20 minutes, until tender and lightly browned.

Garnish with whole basil leaves.

PER SERVING: 86 cal, 5g fat (2g mono, 0g poly, 3g sat), 18mg chol, 7g protein, 2g carb, 0g fiber, 177mg sodium

Cheesy Piggies in a Blanket

Throwing a holiday party? Serve these as a quick and easy appetizer.
- recipe came from People Magazine.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 27 minutes
Makes: 8 servings

What You Need
1 pkg. (8oz) refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
1/4 cup A.1 Original Steak Sauce
2 Kraft Singles, quartered
1 pkg. (16 oz) Oscar Mayer Selects Premium Beef Franks
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp. poppy seeds
1/4 cup Bull's-Eye Original Barbecue Sauce
1/4 cup Kraft Real Mayo Mayonnaise
4 tsp. Grey Poupon Dijon Mustard
1 1/2 tsp. yellow mustard

Make It
HEAT oven to 350F. SEPARATE crescent dough into 8 triangles. Brush with steak sauce; top with Singles pieces. Place 1 frank on wide end of each dough triangle; roll up. Place, seam-sides down, on baking sheet. Brush with egg; sprinkle with poppy seed. BAKE 10 to 12 min. or until golden brown. Meanwhile, mix remaining ingredients. SERVE franks with sauce.

Caprese Salad

Large red or yellow tomatoes, sliced

Fresh Mozzarella cheese, drained and sliced

1 bunch of fresh basil leaves

Olive oil

Salt and Pepper

Slice tomatoes and place on platter, top with slice of cheese and a basil leaf. Drizzle olive oil over the top and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Alternative recipe;

Sliced tomatoes cut into bit size pieces

Small fresh Mozzarella balls - cut in half

Fresh basil - chopped

Kalamata Olives - cut in half

Sea Salt and Fresh ground black pepper

Olive Oil

Kalamata Olive Tapenade

Kalamata Olive Tapenade

1 large container of pitted Kalamata Olives (aprox 2 cups)

2 - 3 cloves of garlic

3 tablespoons pine nuts

Blue cheese crumbles (good w/ Feta also)

Good quality extra-virgin olive oil

Combine olives, garlic & pine nuts in a food processor and process (adding the Olive oil) until the tapenade is thick but still has texture.  Fold in the blue/feta cheese.

Melissa - This was so yummy and addictive. I think I ate most of it :)