Stuffed Tomatoes Provecale

A taste treat from Julia Child ..

4 large ripe tomatoes

Salt and freshly ground pepper

½ cup lightly pressed down crumbs from fresh homemade type white bread

2 tablespoons minced shallots or scallions

1 clove of garlic, minced

¼ cup minced fresh parsley

3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil

1 Preheat oven to 400°F

2 Cut the tomatoes in half (not through the stem). Gently squeeze them to remove excess juice; dig out the seeds with your little finger. Salt and pepper the insides lightly and turn upside down on a rack to drain while you prepare the stuffing.

3 Toss the breadcrumbs with the shallots or scallions, garlic, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste, blending in droplets of olive oil as you do so.

4 Divide the stuffing into 8 portions and mound into each tomato; arrange the tomatoes into a lightly oiled baking dish. Drizzle a little more olive oil over the crumbs, if you wish.

5 About 20 minutes before serving, bake in the upper third of the oven until the crumbs are lightly browned and the tomatoes are hot through but still hold their shape. Serve them soon as they risk a collapse if kept warm!

Horseradish-Dill Beef Stroganoff

A new twist on a classic Old World recipe!

3 cups dried wide noodles

3 cups broccoli florets

½ cup light dairy sour cream

1½ teaspoons prepared horseradish

½ teaspoon snipped fresh dill

1 pound beef ribeye steak

1 small onion, cut into ½-inch slices

1 glove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 tablespoons all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon pepper

1 14-ounce can beef broth

3 tablespoons tomato paste

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 Cook noodles according to package directions, adding broccoli the last 5 minutes of cooking; drain. Cover and keep

warm.

2 Meanwhile, for sauce, in a small bowl stir together the sour cream, horseradish and dill. Cover and chill until serving time.

3 Trim fat from meat. Slice meat across the grain into bite-size strips. In a large skillet cook half the meat, the onion and garlic in hot oil over medium-high heat about 3 minutes or until meat is slightly pink in centre. Remove from skillet. Repeat with the remaining meat. Return all meat mixture into skillet.

4 Sprinkle meat with flour and pepper; stir to coat. Stir in the beef broth, tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce. Cook and stir until thick and bubbly. Cook and stir for 1 minute more.

5 To serve, divide the noodle mixture among bowls or dinner plates. Spoon the meat mixture on top of noodle mixture. Spoon the chilled sauce on top of the meat mixure.

4 Servings

Corn and Shrimp Chowder

.. I'm as corny as Kansas in August

1 tablespoon margarine or butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 medium carrots, coarsely chopped

1 large onion, coarsely chopped

1 stalk celery, coarseley chopped

2 packages (10-ounces each) frozen whole-kernel corn

2 cans (14½ ounces each) chicken broth

2 teaspoons sugar

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon dried thyme

⅛ teaspoon cayenne, add more to taste, as needed

1¾ pounds medium raw shrimp

½ cup half and half

Chopped fresh thyme leaves for garnish

1 in large saucepan, or stockpot, melt margarine or butter with the olive oil over medium heat until hot. Add carrots, onion and celery. Cook until tender, about 15 minutes, stirring often.

2 Reserve 1½ cups corn. Add remaining corn to the saucepan/stockpot; stir in chicken broth, sugar, salt, thyme, cayenne and 2 cups water. Heat to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3 Meanwhile, shell and devein 20 shrimp leaving tail part of shell on, for garnish. Shell and devein remaining shrimp, and slice each horizontally in half; set aside.

4 Cook shrimp for garnish: In 2-quart saucepan, heat 2 inches of water to boiling over high heat. Add the 20 shrimp; heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low; cook 1 minute or until shrimp turn opaque throughout. Drain; keep warm.

5 In blender at low speed, blend soup in small batches until very smooth. Pour soup into large bowl after each batch.

6 Return blended soup and reserved corn to the large saucepan/stockpot; stir in half and half. Heat soup over medium heat until hot, stirring occasionally. Do not boil. Add sliced shrimp and cook 5 minutes longer or until shrimp turn opaque throughout.

7 To serve, spoon chowder into 10 bowls; garnish each with 2 whole shrimp that has been set aside. Sprinkle with fresh thyme.

As a lighter meal, serve with a green salad and crusty baguette!

Shellie's Watermelon Salad

Perfect for a summer gathering!

¼ seedless watermelon, cubed

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 cup feta cheese, crumbled

1 cup green olives, sliced

¼ cup good quality balsamic vinegar

1 Mix 1st four ingredients in a large bowl.

2 Toss with balsamic vinegar, to taste.

Prepare a couple of hours ahead of serving and refrigerate to combine flavours. Delightfully different and refreshing. Serves up to 10!