© OLD SAGE HANDS

Posts Tagged ‘easy’

Tiny Tomatoes

In Food, Glorious Food, Recipes on January 12, 2017 at 4:30 pm

Although organic cherry tomatoes tend to be plentiful during the summer, I noticed them on sale in late fall and more recently before and after Christmas – so I had to buy a few containers. We like to use sun-dried tomatoes on pizza, in pasta, sauces and other dishes but it’s not always easy to find organic ones and they can be expensive. Why not roast your own? This recipe is super easy to make and has more flavour than any store-bought variety I’ve ever had. When I made bruschetta with them, it was gobbled up in a flash.

inbowl

Oven-Roasted Organic Cherry Tomatoes

Ingredients

30 oz               organic cherry tomatoes (3 small containers/284 g each)

4                      cloves organic garlic, chopped

4                      bay leaves

8 oz                 organic olive oil  (250 ml)

salt, ground pepper, dried thyme to taste

Method

Preheat oven to 250° C. Wash tomatoes and slice in half. Arrange cut side up on tray. Season with salt and pepper. Roast about 2 hours until shrivelled. Cool.

Mix oil, garlic, bay leaves and thyme in bowl. Stir in cooled tomatoes to cover. Enjoy!

If you’re not eating them right away, place in a sealed container in the fridge. Oil will solidify, which can make it more spreadable for some dishes. Otherwise, if you want it to liquefy, let it come back to room temperature.

 

Spring Forward

In Easy Elegance on March 22, 2016 at 1:13 pm

OK, it’s officially spring and I’ve already reset my clocks (what a pain) and even seen my first robin. Sure there have been some beautiful sunny days — just don’t forget your winter coat as you step outside! Where did that warm weather go that we had a week or so ago?

table

Now, I don’t know about you but I am so ready for the change of season. Forget the February blahs…this is March madness already! Time for a little refreshing pick me up – aka some inexpensive retail therapy. In my mind, nothing screams spring quiet like tulips but there were slim pickings in that section – hey, what can you expect from a corner store? A quick scan of their offerings and these bright yellow mums caught my eye. Yes, I know chrysanthemums are more of a fall flower but they were fresh and I thought the great colour would take me through to Easter.

Once home with my flowers, I happily discovered they would easily divide into two bunches, which is great since I always like pairs. Found some pretty, matching containers, ditched the plastic container in the recycling, repotted the plants, and topped the soil with moss stolen from my Christmas arrangements. Voilà – simple, spring tables cape. Paired with white accents like the tablecloth and milk glass, they read fresh, spring vibe. (I’ll add the chocolate eggs and bunnies later.) Now if only the temperature would cooperate…