For me, every summer meal starts with the tomato. We have this quality for such a short time, so I don't mind 'overdoing it', and incorporating them into any dish possible. Honestly. I love the flavor and  can never get enough.

Tomatoes from my sister's backyard garden. Gorgeous and delicious! 

TURKEY 'MEAT LOAVES'


One large sweet yellow onion finely diced
Two ripe tomatoes, cored with outer portion and skins chopped into fine pieces
One small red pepper, chopped
1.5 Tbsp Lucini Olive Oil
1.5 lbs ground turkey
Texas Ketchup from The Southern restaurant
Fine texture, plain breadcrumbs (I like Fresh Market's)
1 egg
Salt and pepper


Warm up the olive oil in a medium skillet. Once heated to med/high heat, toss in onion and pepper pieces and reduce to medium. Cook for 5 minutes and add the tomato. Continue to sauté until  onions are soft/transparent (about 6 minutes). Remove and let rest to room temperature. Put turkey into bowl with cooled mixture, 2 Tbsp of the ketchup, 2/3 cup of bread crumbs and egg. Combine with your hands until fully mixed.
Place mixture evenly in 4 ramekins, lightly sprinkle with salt and pepper and spread a thin layer of the ketchup on top. Place ceramic ramekins on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 40 minutes. Remove from heat, transfer to a ceramic mixing bowl, and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes prior to serving.

The key to getting super-moist turkey is in softening the peppers and onions and tomato skins first.

BAKED TOMATOES

Six ripe but firm tomatoes
2 Tbsp Italian seasoning
3 Tbsp Lucini Olive Oil
Coursely ground parmesan cheese and loosely grated for topping.
Sea Salt


Slice tops off the tomatoes and cut out the cores. Rub a bit of oil into the bottom of a round, metal cake pan, place tomatoes inside. Pour 1/2 tsp of oil into each tomato and rub a bit on the sides. Evenly sprinkle first with the seasoning and then enough cheese to cover the tops of each tomato (I like lots!). Bake for 25 minutes along with the Turkey, or until browned and bubbly (I like to broil the last 2-3 minutes for a crisp finish). Sprinkle lightly with grated cheese and sea salt: serve. PS: these are also great the next day sliced and tossed with a light pasta and fresh basil, so save any leftovers.




I also browsed the web for inventive ways to use tomatoes while they are at their best, and found the most interesting/useful tips on Tomato Recipes.

It isn't fancy, but is a high protein, low calorie/low fat meal with great flavor!

CHARRED CORN


4 ears of fresh corn from The Produce Place
2 Tbsp butter, softened to room temperature
1/4 cup fresh oregano, finely chopped


Husk and clean the corn thoroughly.  Soften butter and mix with oregano. Rub butter mixture over corn and place each ear on a plate once coated. Char either in a cast iron skillet or on the grill on each side-- about 10 minutes total. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. (Most of the butter drips off if you grill, so I suggest that option).




This is a typical dinner at our home this time of year. Light...and celebratory of the summer tomato. We are also putting The Southern's spiced-up ketchup on everything. It has an amazing flavor. I would love to hear your ideas on how you utilize this super-fruit in your own kitchen?


I hope that you will follow the Southern Sophisticate for more inspiration!




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With the extreme heat we're experiencing in Nashville (and across the country), outdoor grilling plans are being set aside. Seriously, there is NO way I'm going to stand outdoors near a flame when it is 108˚ degrees! And I don't want to turn on the oven either. Keeping things cool is the goal. The good news? Appetites are lessened when it's this hot. Light dinners rule. I've found the perfect meal that requires zero cooking but delivers spectacular flavor that is refreshing, hydrating and perfect for the steamiest summer night. 

Gorgeous, fresh and healthy....

CITRUS MARINATED SHRIMP SALAD
1 lb frozen jumbo shrimp, defrosted under cold running water 
1 large red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup sliced fresh mint
1 Tbsp cilantro flakes

DRESSING

1 Tbsp course/country-style Dijon mustard

The juice from one lemon

1/4 cup orange juice

1/4 cup Lucini olive oil (my favorite for dressings—authentic, delicious taste for a fair price)

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

FINISHING TOUCHES

1 bag of butter lettuce salad mix

1 ripe avocado, diced

Freshly grated black pepper

Remove shrimp tails once defrosted. Put into a bowl with other items. After whisking together dressing ingredients in another container, pour over shrimp mixture and chill overnight. When ready to serve, take out of refrigerator 30 minutes in advance (important step so that any hardened oil softens). Spoon over a platter of butter lettuce along with any remaining vinaigrette. Place avocado pieces on top and finish with pepper. 

Enjoy with a yummy glass of a glass of Groth Sauvignon Blanc and toast to lower temperatures.

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Being a great nurse to someone post-surgery isn't an easy job. Especially if you're usually the person requiring much of the attention/service. I categorize myself more high-maintenance than caretaker. But, this week, I've done everything possible to be a superlative servant. And, have learned a few tips along the way.

Priceless photo: TIm Nichols so happy pre-surgery. Heavily medicated, of course!

1. No matter what time you've allotted to be at the hospital, double it. Don't try to plan meetings/calls on the day of your loved one's operation. And forget getting lots of work done in a waiting room. Loud-talkers and fussy children will prevent that from happening. 

2. Stock up on everything the day before. And INSIST that the surgeon's office calls in your prescription in advance. Don't plan on doing this after you get your patient home and settled. There are usually too many requirements and needs. Plus, you will not want to leave him/her alone early on. When I say 'stock up', that includes goodies to make it more bearable for the one in pain and confined to the bed. 

Get the bedroom ready for your patient in advance!

A few more suggestions once you're home:

Wash and change sheets the day before the operation for fresh linens on the bed. It might be awhile before you have a chance to change them again.

Get a package of his favorite chocolate and mix in with almonds and cashews. Keep these by the bed for a snack, and to munch on when medicine requires 'taking with food'. The protein in the nuts will keep nausea at bay, and the sweet is a nice touch for someone not in the mood to eat.

Plan on having lots of fluids on-hand. If he's a Diet Coke lover, be prepared to say NO to the sodas (carbonation is not a good thing for recovery). Have something better to offer instead.

I put together a pitcher of naturally diuretic water that tastes fantastic, and helps with swelling

To make the water more interesting, place on a fab tray, cocktail style and put alongside his favorite magazine (my patient likes Esquire) 

FLAVORED 'HEALTH' WATER

One large cucumber, sliced (with peel)

One handful/bunch fresh mint

Two lemons, sliced in rounds

2-3 stems of basil leaves

One gallon filtered water

Steep overnight in the refrigerator and serve ice cold, bedside.

Fruits and vegetables are your friends. The vitamins are healing and their water content helps with hydration issues that occur with draining meds/antibiotics. Keep them available for a very random, strange eating schedule. Find a favorite like cherries (full of anti-oxidants) that you don't usually keep on hand. Food really is entertainment for the patient.

Ripe, locally grown cherries and peaches from The Produce Place

Don't worry about calories or treats during this time. If he loves Ben and Jerry's Cherry Garcia— buy it and serve it every night. I also found that a slice of the delicious (usually forbidden/avoided) coconut cake from The Picnic does wonders for keeping pain at bay.

We're still in 'recovery mode' at our house, so I'm curious to see if you have any suggestions on the topic?

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