Get Back

While y'all are all slaving away at work, Thatboy and I are getting back. Back to my childhood vacation spot. We've been here a couple of days already and are enjoying all my fondest memories over and over again. Before we left, we had to clean out the fridge. I hate coming home to things growing.

I had fresh mozzarella from my new beloved cheese store, fresh summer tomatoes, and a bunch of zucchini. This led to a very hodge podge mix for dinner the night before we left. But it was light and AMAZINGLY tasty. This tomato bruschetta uses onions in addition to the classic ingredients and now it's my new favorite brushetta. And the zucchini is a quick fantastic way to use the last of your summer stock. I can't remember an easier veggie side. Put the two of them together and we were humming with every bite.

Although we ate it for dinner, this dish is so colorful and attractive (and tasty) it would be perfect for a party. As an appetizer on it's own or paired with some well selected wines it's sure to please. I know it pleased us. Although we're pretty easy. When a dinner comes together in less than 30 minutes it's almost always a success.

Tomato and Mozzarella Bruschetta

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 baguette, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
• 1 1/2 lbs. tomatoes
• 1/2 cup slivered fresh basil leaves
• 2 Tbs. finely minced red onion
• 1 clove minced garlic
• 1 Tbs. aged balsamic vinegar

1. Preheat an oven to 350°F. Brush a baking sheet with olive oil and arrange the baguette slices on the sheet in a single layer. Brush the tops with oil, and season with salt and pepper. Bake until crisp and golden, 15 to 18 minutes.
   
2. Core, seed and dice the tomatoes. In a bowl, stir together the tomatoes, half of the basil, the onion, garlic, vinegar, the 1/4 cup olive oil, salt and pepper.
3. Slice the mozzarella into 1/4-inch-thick pieces or into smaller pieces so they fit on the baguette.
   
4. To assemble, lay a piece of mozzarella on each crostini and spoon 1 to 2 Tbs. of the tomato salad on top. Garnish each with a pinch of the remaining basil.

Serves 8.
Each serving has:

Calories		226.3
Total Fat		5.9 g
Cholesterol		0.0 mg
Sodium		387.2 mg
Potassium		418.7 mg
Total Carbohydrate		37.1 g
Protein		6.7 g

Shredded Zucchini

• 5 to 10 medium zucchini
• 1/2 lemon

1. Grate unpeeled zucchini
   
2. Put the zucchini into a large sauté pan, cover and place over high heat for 20 to 30 seconds. Uncover and stir, adjusting the heat as needed so the zucchini does not burn. Re-cover, let steam again for 10 to 20 seconds, then uncover and stir. Repeat until the zucchini is just heated through; it should remain crisp and green. If too much juice appears, leave off the cover to reduce the liquid. The whole process should only take a few minutes.
3. Just before serving, add salt and a squeeze of lemon juice.
   

Serves 6.
Each serving has:

Calories		3.1
Total Fat		0.1 g
Sodium		0.4 mg
Potassium		67.3 mg
Total Carbohydrate		0.5 g
	Dietary Fiber	0.2 g
Protein		0.4 g