Grilled Tomato, Bread & Basil Skewers

Summer has finally arrived! I love summertime. Warm weather, splashing in the pool, fresh fruit and vegetables from the farm and garden. We get to eat outside and dinner comes hot off the grill most evenings. I am always trying to find new creative side dishes that can either be prepared ahead of time or grilled. These skewers turned out great. If you never had grilled grape tomatoes you must try it, they get so juicy and sweet. It's fantastic!

This recipe will make enough for four skewers and you can easily change quantities.

For 4 Metal Skewers:

1 demi baguette or sourdough bread

24 grape tomatoes, rinsed

24 small basil leaves

3 Tbsp. olive oil

garlic salt to taste

You will only need about half of the demi baguette. Cut the bread into 24 cubes about the size of the tomatoes. Start skewering the tomatoes, basil leaves and bread, alternating until you have 6 of each on a skewer.

Brush generously with olive oil and season with garlic salt to your taste.

Grill them over medium high heat, turning them often so they won't burn, about 4 minutes all together.

***Tip***

If your basil leaves are bigger than the tomatoes, just cut them in half. You want them to be the size of the bread and the tomato so they don't get charred.

Crispy Roasted Potatoes

Besides bread and cake, potatoes are very high on my list of favorite comfort foods.

I like them mashed, baked, in soup or simply roasted.

I have looked at a lot of roasted potato recipes before I came up with my version.

Often times the recipes called for diced potatoes, used 4 or 5 different herbs or you had to boil the potatoes before roasting them. We are not going to do any of that. Using small potatoes, very few ingredients with big flavor, and roasting at a higher temperature make this recipe quick, easy and delicious.

Ingredients:

12 oz. small, light skinned potatoes

3 Tbsp. olive oil

2 sprigs of rosemary, only the leaves chopped

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

salt and pepper

Preheat your oven to 425F.

Rinse the potatoes and cut them in half lengthwise. Put them in a bowl.

Add the olive oil, chopped rosemary and chopped garlic to the bowl.

Season with salt and pepper.

Stir the potatoes to mix all the ingredients.

Lay the potatoes on a dark rimmed baking sheet, cut side down. Roast them in the middle part of your oven. Depending on the size of the potato, roasting takes between 15 to 20 minutes.

If you notice that the outer ones are getting darker faster than the ones in the middle, simply move them around using a spatula to scoop them up.

Enjoy the potatoes plain, with hummus or herbed Tofutti sour cream, or any way you like!