The very best slow roasted Tomatoes

We have a wonderful friend who has a mega garden this summer (2009) and he has been kind enough to share his bounty with us. So I am going to share my family's top Secert recipe with you. I promise you will love it.

Indigents:Cherry, grape or small Roma tomatoes,Whole cloves of garlic unpeeled, Olive oil , Herbs such as thyme or rosemary (optional)

Preheat oven to 225°F. Halve each cherry or grape tomato crosswise, or Roma tomato lengthwise and arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet along with the cloves of garlic. Drizzle with olive oil, just enough to make the tomatoes glisten. Sprinkle herbs on, if you are using them, and salt and pepper, though go easily on these because the finished product will be so flavorful you’ll need very little to help it along.
Bake the tomatoes in the oven for about three hours. You want the tomatoes to be shriveled and dry, but with a little juice left inside–this could take more or less time depending on the size of your tomatoes.
Either use them right away or let them cool, cover them with some extra olive oil and keep them in the fridge for the best summer condiment, ever. And for snacking.... ENJOY :)

ANY FRUIT STUFFED WHOLE-WHEAT FRENCH TOAST

For this recipe I use mashed or diced mango's, but you can substitute the fruit with almost anything you might have on hand. First Pre-heat oven to 400F ,

2 large or 3 medium eggs ,1/2 cups low-fat or vanilla soy milk milk 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract,1 tsp. raw sugar,4 slices of whole wheat bread.Beat together eggs, milk, vanilla and sugar. Dip each side of bread in this mixture, then leave bread to soak up remaining milk while you prepare your topping.

Topping:1 slice of bread , 1/4 cup Chopped macadamia nuts, 2 TBL. raw sugar.

Process bread, nuts and sugar in small bowl of food processor or blender.

Assemble: 2 TBL. Melted unsalted butter, 1 1/2 tsp. raw sugar,

Butter a small baking dish. Lay 2 slices of soaked bread on the bottom. Top with mango or your choice of sliced fruit. Sprinkle fruit with 1 tsp. of raw sugar. Top with second slice of bread. Liberally sprinkle bread-nut topping, then drizzle with melted butter.

Bake in pre-heated oven for 5 minutes, then turn oven down to 325F (for another 25 minutes). If top starts to brown to quickly, cover with foil to protect crust.

Enjoy !

Fresh Fruit Kabobs w/ yummy Lime Dressing

For kabobs:
1 large pink grapefruit, peeled, cut in segments (pith and seeds removed)
2 oranges, peeled, cut in segments (pith and seeds removed)
8 fresh pineapple pieces
8 large strawberries, rinsed
2 Tbs. fresh-squeezed lime juice
2 tsp. fresh grated lime peel

For salad and dressing:
2/3 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
4 Tbsp fresh-squeezed lime juice
2 tsp. fresh grated lime peel
3 Tbs. sugar
6 cups baby lettuce greens

To make fruit kabobs, toss fruit pieces with lime juice and peel.
Thread fruit pieces in the following order on each of eight 6-inch wooden skewers: grapefruit, orange, strawberry, pineapple.
Make salad dressing by whisking lite sour cream or low fat yogurt with lime juice, lime peel, and a drizzle of honey in bowl.
Reserve half of salad dressing, and toss baby greens with remainder of dressing.
On each of four serving plates, divide dressed greens evenly as bed for 2 skewers per serving.
Drizzle remaining dressing on fruit kabobs and Enjoy !