Many of you have the go-to grilling foods that you grill every summer time and time again, but have you tried your hand at grilled pizza yet? Grilled pizzas were actually one of the first foods I learned how to make because I was so intrigued by the whole idea of it. I love the flavor that a grill has to offer and I also love the idea that during the summer it keeps the heat outside. The grill just offers a flavor that the oven can't with pizza, it gives it a flavor like pizza you'd buy at a stone-fired oven pizza restaurant. Especially when you try this Grilled Rainbow Tomato Pizza!
A good pizza crust is the perfect canvas to create a delicious masterpiece. I especially like to create a unique pizza using the fresh produce of the season. The star of this show is the tomatoes, but you can use even more colorful toppings on your veggie pizza. Scan the veggies at your local store, backyard garden, or what you already have in your kitchen. Red onions, corn, bell peppers, purple cabbage, broccoli, mushrooms, orange bell pepper, potatoes, be my guest! This rainbow beauty can be made with whatever flavors you like best.
Try parmesan cheese, mozzarella balls, burrata, cream cheese, alfredo, ranch, or your usual cup pizza sauce! I also love a balsamic glaze on this pizza.
]]>Like I've said before I never make a huge deal about the sides I serve at my house (unless we are talking like breadsticks and good carbs :)), but when you say a side that includes tomatoes I'm always in. Tomatoes are one of my favorite foods.
I eat tomatoes nearly every single day, sometimes two or three times a day. I add them to omelets, in salsa, in sandwiches, over tacos, tossed into a marinara sauce - the possibilities are endless.
Tomatoes are just one of those ingredients I'd have a hard time living without. For example, when I go to make a taco salad for lunch and I look over and all my tomatoes are gone, I pretty much don't even want to have taco salad anymore because they are just that important.
And crazy thing, I ended up with a guy that hates tomatoes. Opposites attract as they say.
I used to have a hard time with it at first, thinking there were so many things I couldn't make, now I wised up and I just make him pick them out :). His dislike for tomatoes also means more tomatoes for me.
At restaurants I always get double pico because I get his portion. It definitely has its perks.
This is a quick prep side that requires minimal effort, they way sides are meant to be in my opinion. And each tomato halve only uses about 1 Tbsp of cheese so I'd still consider these to be healthy. They beat having cheesy garlic bread anyway.
The flavor of the fresh roasted tomatoes topped with toasted cheese and herbs is one you simply won't be able to resist! Enjoy!
Such a delicious simple way to make roasted tomatoes. You'll love the addition of cheeses here!
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place tomatoes on a baking sheet. In a small bowl, stir together olive oil with garlic. Brush mixture over tomatoes (working to somewhat evenly distribute garlic), then season with salt and pepper to taste.
Toss asiago and parmesan together then sprinkle cheeses evenly over tomatoes (about 1 Tbsp over each), then sprinkle evenly with Italian seasoning. Bake in preheated oven about 15 - 18 minutes until cheeses are golden and tomatoes are tender. Serve warm.
**You can replace the dried Italian seasoning with fresh herbs such as basil, oregano, thyme or parsley.
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This time around I've gone with one that is perfect for the season at hand as all the fresh vegetables are being harvested and you'll find an abundance of them at the farmers market, or if you are lucky enough in the garden in your backyard.
I happened to have a fridge full of veggies so it inspired me to create this version. This lasagna is loaded with them so it makes these a more nutritious alternative to the meaty lasagna.
Yeah the cheese might not be as nutritious but it's the only way you could ever get me to eat that many vegetables at once - if there's a generous amount of cheese to go along with it.
You could probably use a little less cheese to make them healthier, but really, why would we do a thing like that? Cheese and dessert make life good, right :)?
]]>It's loaded with cheese and baked to perfection, then removed from the oven and covered with deliciously ripe tomato slices and a generous amount of fresh basil leaves (I chose to add both ingredients on after baking to keep it more traditionally Caprese-like, and it is so good this way).
Then, if you prefer, you can drizzle the top with a simply prepared balsamic reduction. Yes, this pizza has Caprese written all over it. It also gets an added bonus with the addition of three other cheeses (as the traditional Caprese salad only has mozzarella).
If I'm going to leave out the sauce on my pizza I need to make up for it somehow, and an abundance of cheese will definitely do the trick.
]]>At least once this summer, buy plenty of plum tomatoes at the farmers market, or save some from your garden and make this soup! This is one of the best things I've made with fresh tomatoes. Yes, you have to boil and peel the tomatoes and roast the garlic in the oven both of which are a few annoying extra steps, but the few extra steps make this soup what it is. The classic San Marzano tomatoes make a great soup, but garden tomatoes simply have the best flavor!