Tomato and Goat Cheese Tart

summer + tomatoes = perfection. 

There's nothing better than fresh, home-grown tomatoes. And thanks to my sweet mother, I have a TON of tomatoes. 

Even though we still have an entire month of summer left, mine is starting to come to an end. It's kind of hard to believe that I actually have to go back to work in less than 2 weeks! I'm really going to miss these lazy summer days of watching Food Network and HGTV. 

All summer I have been obsessed with cooking things and building things. 

As I was watching my usual line up on Food Network yesterday...Rachael, Giada, and Ina...I saw a yummy recipe for a tomato and goat cheese tart. Let me tell you, the Barefoot Contessa has done it again with another amazing recipe.

 

This tart would be a perfect lunch with a salad, or you could make smaller ones for an appetizer. It does take a little extra effort to caramelize the onions, which is something you could do ahead of time. 

This delicious recipe combines some of my favorite ingredients: puff pastry, goat cheese, caramelized onions, Parmesan, and tomatoes…add a glass of wine, and life is perfect! :)

Tomato and Goat Cheese Tart

Recipe adapted from Food Network

Ingredients:
1 sheet puff pastry, defrosted 

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 large onions, thinly sliced
3 large garlic cloves, cut into thin slivers 

Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
4 tablespoons grated Parmesan
4 ounces goat cheese  

2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved (or you could use whole tomatoes, sliced)
3 tablespoons julienned basil leaves

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out puff pastry to a 12-inch square; transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium to low heat and add the onions and garlic. Saute for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions are limp and there is almost no moisture remaining in the skillet. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and the balsamic vinegar and continue to cook for another 10 minutes, until the onions are lightly browned. Remove from the heat.

Place the onion mixture evenly over the puff pastry, about a 1/4 inch from the edge. Crumble 1 ounce of goat cheese on top of the onions. Top with the tomato slices. Brush the tomato lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with basil, salt, and pepper. Finally, sprinkle Parmesan all over the tart.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown. Serve warm.

Roasted Edamame

I came across this recipe in a Rachael Ray magazine a while back and then saw it again on Pinterest. It caught my eye and I realized it's sort of like the roasted chickpeas I made a few months ago. 

This little snack or appetizer is smoky, salty, and very addictive! They're crunchy on the outside and slightly chewy in the middle. It is super simple to make...just throw all of the ingredients in a bowl, mix, and spread them out on a baking sheet. 

Roasted Edamame
Recipe adapted from Rachael Ray

Ingredients:
2 cups fresh or frozen edamame

*If using frozen edamame, rinse beans under water and place on paper towels to dry completely. If using fresh edamame, dry the beans as well as possible.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon red chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place edamame in a mixing bowl. Combine olive oil, salt, pepper, chili powder, and cumin. Drizzle over edamame and stir to combine. Place on a large baking sheet and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, stirring once or twice, until beans are completely dry and slightly crunchy.

Oven Fried Okra

Last weekend my mom loaded us up with some fresh veggies from her garden. We had cherry tomatoes, zucchini, and okra. Evan and I loooooove fried okra, but don't ever fry food at home. So we opted for oven fried instead. All you have to do is slice up the okra, soak it in a buttermilk and egg mixture, then toss it around in some breadcrumbs, which has a hint of paprika, and bake it for about 40 minutes. They came out golden and had a great crunch...this recipe is super easy!

Oven Fried Okra 

Recipe adapted from Cooking Light 

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups plain breadcrumbs

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1/2 cup fat-free buttermilk

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 pound fresh okra pods, trimmed and cut into 3/4-inch slices (about 3 cups)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Combine breadcrumbs, 1/2 teaspoon salt, black pepper, and paprika in a shallow dish; set aside.

Combine buttermilk and egg in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add okra; toss to coat. Let stand 3 minutes.

Dredge okra in breadcrumb mixture. Place okra on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Lightly coat okra with cooking spray. Bake for 40 minutes, stirring once. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Baked Penne with Roasted Summer Veggies

This pasta is seriously bursting with every summer flavor possible.  It has a handful of summer vegetables including summer squash, zucchini, eggplant, and tomatoes. To add a depth to the sauce, I added some homemade pesto, Greek yogurt, and sun dried tomatoes. There are so many flavors going on in this dish...and it's healthy!

Baked Penne with Roasted Summer Veggies (Recipe adapted from Food Network)

Ingredients:

1 eggplant, quartered and cut into cubes

2 zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut into cubes

2 summer squash, quartered lengthwise and cut into cubes

1 yellow onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

2 tbsp sun dried tomatoes, chopped

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp salt

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 tbsp Italian seasoning

1 tsp red pepper flakes

1 lb whole wheat penne pasta

3 cups good marinara sauce

1/4 cup homemade or store bought pesto

3/4 cup fat free Greek yogurt

1 cup Italian blend shredded cheese

1/4 cup grated Parmesan

1/2 cup grated mozzarella plus more for topping

 

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• On a baking sheet, toss the eggplant, zucchini, summer squash, and onions with olive oil, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, garlic, red pepper flakes, and Italian seasoning. Roast until tender, about 20-30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta for about 8- 10 minutes. DO NOT OVER COOK.
• In large mixing bowl combine marinara sauce, pesto, sun dried tomatoes, and Greek yogurt. Mix until combined.
• In a separate bowl, toss the drained pasta with the roasted veggies, sauce mixture, Italian cheeses, Parmesan, and 1/4 cup mozzarella. Gently mix until the pasta is coated with sauce and the ingredients are combined.
• Pour the pasta into a 9x13-inch pan. Top with some extra mozzarella. Bake until the top is golden and the cheese melts.