Slow-Roasted Tomatoes

Best thing to do with all those damaged, mediocre, or extra tomatoes.

Roasting tomatoes concentrates the flavor, and turns them into the best condiment ever.

Start with cherry tomatoes, or any tomatoes.

Grab some fresh herbs, if you have them.

I used rosemary & thyme from my herb garden.

Halve the tomatoes. Chop the fresh herbs.

Gently coat the tomatoes & herbs with olive oil.

Just a little bit of olive oil.

Only enough to make them glisten.

Season with salt and pepper. But just a tad.  

Spread everything out on a baking sheet lined with foil.

Make sure all the tomatoes are gut-side up (skin-side down?).

Throw it in a 225 degree oven for.. are you ready? 3 hours or more.

I almost forgot! If you want roasted garlic,

throw in a few cloves. Leave the skin on.

3 hours later..

The outside is dry, the inside is still a little juicy. So fab.

Peel the garlic, and throw everything into tupperware with a little olive oil.

It'll be good for a couple weeks in the fridge.

We had pizza and wings for dinner. 

I put them on my pizza.

The next night I added them to pasta.

The next day I added them to my LeanCuisine for lunch.

I'm pretty sure they make everything taste better.

Pumpkin Bars

These didn't last long in our house. 

Obviously. 

Not long enough for me to take a decent picture, anyway.

Michael loves them.

I can't stop myself from eating them.

I love pumpkin bars. 

I want a pumpkin bar wedding cake someday.

Pumpkin Bars

Adapted from Paula Deen's recipe

• 3 eggs
• 1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree
• 2/3 cups white sugar
• 2/3 cups brown sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup applesauce, unsweetened
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie seasoning

Icing:

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups sifted confectioner's sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 13 x 9 inch baking dish. 
2. In a stand mixer, beat together the eggs, pumpkin, sugars, applesauce, and oil until well-combined. About 3 minutes on medium speed.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and pumpkin pie seasoning. Gradually stir the flour mixture into the pumpkin mixture over low speed until well-combined. 
4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

*If you want a more cake-like, less dense pumpkin bar: increase the eggs to 4, and double the baking soda and baking powder.

Asparagus & Gruyere Tart

I don't know how to pronounce 'Gruyere'. Therefore, this dish is fancy.

Start by thawing Puff Pastry on your counter (approx 40 minutes).

If you want to ensure you're using a good quality puff pastry,

check the ingredients. 'Butter' should be the first ingredient listed.

After the puff pastry has thawed, unfold it.

Lightly flour your work surface, and roll it into a 16" x 10" rectangle.

Trim the rough edges.

I used a pizza cutter.

Transfer to a baking sheet.

Using the tines of a fork, mark a one inch border all the

way around the rectangle.

Then lightly score that border with a sharp knife.

Use your fork to puncture little holes, approx 1/2" apart.

Do that to the entire inner-rectangle.

Tedious, I know. But this will allow air to escape, 

so the middle won't puff up as much as the border.

Throw it into a preheated 400 degree oven for 10-12 minutes,

until lightly golden.

While the pastry is baking, grab your gruyere. 

I purchased this at Costco.

Grate two cups, approx 5 1/2 ounces.

Next, trim your asparagus so it is all a uniform length.

Ideally, you want it to be equal in length as your pastry is in width (8 inches).

Remove the pastry from the oven. 

If the middle has puffed up, flatten it out with a pancake turner.

Brush the inner rectangle with 1/4 cup honey dijon mustard.

Top it with the cheese.

Lay the asparagus over the cheese, alternating ends & tips.

Lightly brush the top with olive oil.

Sprinkle salt & pepper over the top.

Bake for 18-20 minutes, until the spears are tender.

Asparagus & Gruyere Tart

Original recipe by Martha Stewart

• Flour, for work surface
• 1 sheet frozen puff pastry
• 1/4 cup honey dijon mustard
• 5 1/2 ounces (2 cups) Gruyere cheese, shredded
• 1 1/2 pounds medium or thick asparagus
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• salt & pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. 
2. On a floured surface, roll the puff pastry into a 16 x 10 inch rectangle. Trim uneven ends. Place pastry on a baking sheet. 
3. With a sharp knife, lightly score pastry dough 1 inch from the edge to mark a rectangle. Using a fork, pierce dough inside the markings at 1/2-inch intervals. Bake until golden, 10-12 minutes.
4. Remove pastry shell from oven, brush with honey dijon, and sprinkle with Gruyere. Trim the bottoms of the asparagus to fit crosswise inside the tart shell; arrange in a single layer over Gruyere, alternating ends and tips. 
5. Brush with oil, and season with salt and pepper. Bake until spears are tender; 18-20 minutes (longer if the asparagus is especially thick).