Stuffed Tomatoes with Pesto Rice

Total Time: 50 Minutes              Serves 4
Stuffed tomatoes are a delicious choice for a quick supper or even a mid-day luncheon. Hull the tomatoes as gently as possible. If you break the skin, they will over-soften while baking and could fall apart. Stir in browned ground beef, sausage, or shredded rotisserie chicken for extra heartiness. In order to quickly make this recipe,  Mamie suggest using store-bought pesto. If you happen to have a surplus of basil in your herb garden, however, try this easy recipe for homemade basil pesto. Serve these tasty stuffed tomatoes alongside a salad or steamed green beans for a light vegetarian dinner. Or try them as a side dish with grilled seafood, steak, or chicken. They also make a great potluck dish for summer cookouts.

8           (6-oz.) tomatoes 
3/4        teaspoon kosher salt, divided 
2           tablespoons salted butter 
2           cups chopped yellow onion
 5          ounces baby spinach
 1          (8.8-oz.) pouch microwavable long-grain white rice (such as Uncle Ben’s Ready Rice) 1/2        cup chopped fresh basil 
1/2        cup refrigerated pesto (such as Buitoni), divided
 1 1/2     ounces pecorino Romano cheese, shaved (about 3/4 cup )

 1              Preheat oven to 350°F, with oven rack 6 to 9 inches from top. Cut about 1/2 inch off tops of tomatoes; discard tops. Cut a small (1/8-inch) slice off bottoms of tomatoes so they will sit flat in baking dish. Carefully scoop out tomato pulp, using a serrated tomato corer or melon baller, leaving a 1/2-inch shell intact. Sprinkle shells with 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. Place pulp in a wire-mesh strainer over a bowl; press to remove 1/3 cup tomato juice. Reserve juice; discard pulp.

 2               Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high. Add onion to skillet; cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to soften, about 4 minutes. Add spinach to skillet; cover and cook until wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Add rice and reserved 1/3 cup tomato juice to skillet; cook until warmed through, about 1 minute. Remove from heat. Stir in basil, 1/3 cup of the pesto, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Divide mixture evenly among tomato shells. Place shells in an 11- x 7-inch baking dish.

3                Bake in preheated oven until tomatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Top with cheese and remaining pesto.

Thanx  Mamie  Landrieu   
You  can  leave the cheese  off  ... they are delicious  either  way .

Witchy

Hanging out in my reno-messy house

Hello Knights,

 It's cold up here... about 20 degrees below freezing. We re snug in our house, keeping warm and trying to clean up after more renovation. I have no climate change story today, so I will give you a tour of the downstairs of my house.  I thought Wandering Brook was a more appropriate place to put it. You will see it is a bit messy but clean and cozy. We have crammed a lot of stuff into fewer rooms because we have turned the upstairs into a separate apartment.

 

Uncle Brian has taken over my desk in my private office that I call my' hidey hole'. His papers are everywhere...even on top. His desk is in another room but he can't use it at the moment so he is messing up my desk.

 As you can see there are polar bears on top. People buy them for  me. I wonder why. I also like pictures of all the people I love around me.

This painting is in my 'hidey-hole'. It is Indonesian and about two hundred years old. It was given to me by the man I married before Brian. I think he said it was a wedding. I wouldn't have those people at my wedding. But I love it for it's antiquity and out of respect for the artist who is long gone.

See the little rug under the chair  in the hidey-hole? That is Mika's secret hiding place. She thinks no one knows about it.

This bear is Huggy and Mister Noodle always sits on his head because he is the brains and makes all the decisions for both of them. I have lots of stuff in my little office. Uncle Brian made me let him get that new floor put in. I don't like it but it's stays warm no matter how cold it gets.

This is a real eskimo carving, not the fake stuff you see in gift shops. Most Eskimo men carve and they used to sell the carvings for necessary supplies. Nowadays, I think it is just a good business for amusing the tourists.

Uncle Brian used my petrified dinosaur poop to hold his papers down. He has no respect for my treasures.

 

 Even when it is arctic outside, Mika still has to go outside to do her business.  You can see she is not happy to about it. She is so spoiled, she thinks she should be allowed to poo on the carpet when it is so cold outside.

 This is an old painting by a well known American Artist who lives in the south. Most of his paintings, I believe are of things in the Florida Keys... lots of boats and water.  His name is Russ Smiley. I think it was painted in the early fifties and was so abused and discolored, you could hardly tell what it was. The paint  was cracked with parts missing.I am restoring it. I love to restore old art. I have had to paint most of it over and guess at some of the colors. I still have more to do.

 This painting is by an indigenous artist who  died very young because he, tragically, got mixed up with drugs...Cecil Youngfox. His paintings are worth more because he is dead and there are not many of them.

I like the painting on the left because it is of the Canada I grew up with before climate change, frigid, white and starkly beautiful. Sorry I did not get a good picture of it...the camera shifted down when I wanted up.

This is some of uncle Brian's collection of chunks of lead crystal. He likes all shapes and colors. They are heavy. When I dusted them, one fell on my foot. My foot was black for a month and hurt to walk.

This is the family room. If you look really close in the corner, guess what you can see?? Polar bears of course.

I love this old antique sideboard. Someone kept it highly polished for  a century or so. You touch history when you touch where all those loving hands touched. It's not crooked like in the picture.
 Uncle Brian's crystal balls are here too. At least I own the two Antique plates.

I just noticed the  candy dish is empty again. Uncle Brian and his sweet tooth. It's amazing he still has his teeth. He has strong bones and teeth. Drink your milk Knights.

This is my Dad's old cabinet. He kept his treasures in here. Some things from his family were hundreds of years old. They are in a very safe place now.

This is one of the ugly tapestries I told your mama about. My Aunt Rose makes them. I have two. They don't look good no matter where you hang them. Maybe it's the peach colored sky. Nana would come down from heaven and bonk me on the head if I dared to get rid of them. Maybe I can hang them in my closet.

 Uncle Brian's papers are all over the kitchen too

 My daughter Jaye had my dogs' pictures  put on canvas. Maxy was always smiling, Moochy always looked sad. Black Scruffy lived to be eighteen and could say 'hello' and 'go out'.  But Chucky was the smartest dog I ever saw. You could say, "Bring me my slippers, newspaper and an apple", and he would.

I stopped painting this picture because it was boring. Maybe I should put all my dogs in the picture. Or at least a little clown on the bridge

 

I will show you some more sometime when my brain is too dead to write something useful.

Love to you all

 Aunt Jeannie

Southern Fried Pork Chops with Cream Gravy

 Prep Time: 5 Minutes             Cook Time: 25 Minutes
Serve this Southern classic with mashed sweet potatoes, green beans, and biscuits. 

1         cup all-purpose flour
 1        teaspoon Cajun seasoning
 1/4     teaspoon garlic powder
 1/4     teaspoon pepper 
8         (4-ounce) boneless center-cut pork chops 
1         cup nonfat buttermilk 
Vegetable cooking spray
3         tablespoons vegetable oil  
1         cup fat-free milk
 1/4     teaspoon salt Garnish: coarse ground pepper

1        Reserve 2 tablespoons flour, and set aside. Place remaining flour in a shallow dish.

 2        Combine Cajun seasoning, garlic powder, and pepper. Rub pork chops evenly on both sides with seasoning mixture.

3        Dip pork in buttermilk; dredge in flour. Lightly coat both sides of pork with cooking spray.

 4        Cook pork, in batches, in hot oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat 5 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

 5        Add reserved 2 tablespoons flour to pan drippings in skillet; stir in milk and salt, and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened and bubbly. Serve immediately with pork. Garnish, if desired.

Ferrari - Carano Wine Pairing Guide

PINOT GRIGIO
Light-bodied white wine, gently aromatic with palate-cleansing fruit acid. Great as a sipping wine, brunch or first-courses.

FLAVOR PROFILE:
Poached chicken, white-fleshed fish, summer stone fruits, melons, citrus sauces, snow peas, fava beans, baby lettuces, goat cheese, feta cheese, ginger, chives, fruit chutneys, walnuts.

Fume  Blanc

Light-bodied, dry white wine, with hints of citrus, melon and herbal/grassy notes, slight oak character giving the wine richness with a delicate creaminess.

FLAVOR PROFILE:
Chicken, turkey, white-fleshed fish, scallops, oysters, mussels, vegetable-based appetizers, goat cheese, feta cheese, light salads, soups or pasta, Asian food, slightly piquant sauces, asparagus, peas, bell peppers, fresh tomatoes, lemon and orange zest, chives, cilantro, chervil, dill, ginger, parsley.

SANGIOVESE
Medium-bodied red wine, with luscious fruit berry flavors. Ferrari-Carano’s mountain grown Sangiovese has a deep richness and earthiness that is complemented by full-bodied foods with moderately robust flavors.

FLAVOR PROFILE:
Duck, pork, lamb, beef, turkey, roast chicken, grilled tuna, salmon, mushroom, pepper, tomato-based pasta sauces, dark berry fruits, fig, cinnamon, clove, walnut, chestnut, thyme, mint, oregano, rosemary, aged cheeses.

MERLOT
Medium-bodied, mellow red wine with a natural softness and full-flavored.

FLAVOR PROFILE:
Duck, pork, lamb, beef, turkey, roast chicken, roast pork, French onion soup, caramelized onions, tomato, cherry, plum, fig, balsamic vinegar, mint, rosemary, thyme, rosemary, orange zest, Roquefort and cheddar cheeses, hazelnuts, walnuts.

ZINFANDEL
Full-bodied, rich and deep with spicy intense berry flavors.

FLAVOR PROFILE:
Grilled red meats, cioppino, blackened fish with Cajun flavorings, ribs, grilled sausages, hearty winter dishes, stews, meat braises, heavy pasta dishes with stewed tomatoes and/or meat, eggplant, cassoulets, barbecue sauces, pepper, nutmeg, oregano, sage, bay leaf.

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
Full-bodied red wine with rich austere fruit with an elegant refined taste.

FLAVOR PROFILE:

Roast beef, rack of lamb, grilled red meats, venison, game meats, grilled tuna or salmon, root vegetables, red wine sauces, aged cheeses, chestnut, bay leaf, rosemary, sage, garlic.

Mulled Wine

Over-boiled mulled wines, made with headache-inducing quantities of sugar, have long given this holiday classic a dire reputation. This version,  is gently infused with nutmeg, vanilla, and star anise, then lightly sweetened with honey and maple syrup. The result is a concoction you’ll want to sip all winter long.

20       whole cloves 
8         whole star anise 
6         cinnamon sticks 
1         whole nutmeg, smashed 
2        (750-ml) bottles dry red wine (such as Blaufränkisch, Zweigelt, or Pinot Noir)
 4        (6- x 1-inch) orange peel strips (from 2 large oranges) 
2         vanilla bean pods, halved lengthwise
 2        ounces pure maple syrup 
2         ounces honey 
3/4     cup (6 ounces) applejack brandy (such as Laird’s) (optional)

 1       Heat cloves, star anise, cinnamon sticks, and nutmeg in a small skillet over low, stirring often, until toasted and fragrant, about 5 minutes.

 2       Transfer spice mixture to a large saucepan over medium-low; stir in wine, orange peel strips, vanilla bean pods, maple syrup, and honey. Slowly bring wine mixture to just below a simmer, stirring occasionally, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat, and let steep until spices bloom and infuse into wine, about 30 minutes.


3       Return saucepan to medium-low; stir in applejack, if desired, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until warmed through, about 5 minutes. Pour mixture (through a fine wire-mesh strainer, if desired) into a large heatproof bowl. Ladle mulled wine into glasses.