Toasted Parmesan Tomato Bread

Labor Day came...and went, yesterday; a huge 'downpour' of rain in the early afternoon here, in S. Florida in Palm Beach County. As for the Ft. Lauderdale and Miami area...no rain, whatsoever!

I had lunch with my family, and came back home early hoping to spend the day relaxing on the beach...no such thing happened. Its as if the rain came out of nowhere...once the downpour starts, there's no 'ending' or 'letup', so you're either stuck in a store, or in your car because the minute you step outside you are drenched from head to toe...even with an umbrella, which by the way will turn 'inside-out' from the strong wind!

I enjoyed my evening with the super comforting, crunchy, fresh tomato toast with the Parmesan topping and even better, a slice of provolone cheese to melt and give me the ooey-gooey cheese effect. You start out making this toast as a garlic toast but totally 'kicking it up a notch' as chef Emeril Lagasse would say.

With all the great cook books, magazines, every now-and-then I like to try some recipes from my local newspaper in the weekly recipe section of the Palm Beach Post!

TOASTED PARMESAN TOMATO BREAD
adapted from the Palm Beach Post Times

4 cloves of garlic minced
1 large sprig fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
ground black pepper
4 large thick slices sourdough bread
4 large tomatoes
3 ounces Parmesan Cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a small sturdy bowl, combine the garlic, oil, salt and black pepper to taste. Mix well, then use the back of the spoon to mash the garlic and rosemary together to form a paste.

This method can also be use in a mortar and pestle, or a min food processor. The rosemary will not mash well, but it is fine. Spread quarter of the mixture over each slice of bread.

Note: the original recipe calls for 4 slices of bread and 4 tomatoes, I used 2 slices of bread and 2 tomatoes to cut 2 middle slices from each tomato for the bread.
Also, the original recipe calls for broiling the slices of the bread...I baked it first for about 5 to 10 mines and then added to cheese, and the provolone cheese slices which recipe does not call for.
Also, for the garlic...as you can see on the photo, I purchased the peeled fresh garlic in this plastic jar, and chopped it in the mini food processor. As for the fresh rosemary, it is easier to chop with knife and add to the garlic, and fill the jar up with canola oil (not olive oil)

What I did, was get a small bowl, take a spoonful of the garlic rosemary mixture with the canola oil, and add extra virgin olive oil to the garlic mixture and add the salt and pepper into the bowl and spread some of that mixture on the bread. I topped both slices with the large slices of tomatoes and get it ready to put into the toaster oven. Better to save time and electricity if you only make to slices...use your toaster oven.

Be sure to reserve the tops and bottoms of your tomato slices for another use...don't discard them.

Shave some of the Parmesan cheese over the tomatoes with a carrot peeler, which makes it easier to peel.

Set the assembled bread on a baking sheet in the middle rack of your oven.

(follow this method if you are using 4 slices of bread; I used 2 slices of bread and put mine in a toaster oven...no baking sheet needed because you want the bottom to get toasted, as well.)

Bake for about 7 to 10 minutes, and add one or 2 slices of provolone chees on each slice of bread. You can also use mozzarella instead of the provolone. You can broil bread slices now, and get the cheese nice and brownish, which takes about 3 minutes.

You are ready to serve, and enjoy!
 

I added an extra slice of cheese to broil to make it more bubbly, and ooey-gooey cheesy sensation! A perfect little meal by itself, or a hefty 'snack'!

The grey scene on the ocean from my beach photographed from my balcony, on the second floor

another scene later, from the other side on the intracoastal waters...pinkish sky at dusk means windy day the next day!

 

Thanks for all your sweet comments and support of friendship! Those of you that celebrated Labor Day...hope you had a nice and sunny day! xo

 

Chicken Stir-Fry...and Weight Watchers Diet

I have to be all honest with you...although, I've been good this week keeping up with my points system and staying away from unhealthy snacks, but last night I kind of "fell off the wagon"...NO! not the drinking "wagon" since I decided even with my favorite Chardonnay white wine, I am only enjoying that, once a week...even if that! Every point counts, and I don't want to jeopardize it with empty points, but I did. Last night, I just didn't feel like making dinner, so I bought some freshly made sushi, from our local supermarket. Ate the entire 8 pieces...will get to that, later!

Still loving my Weight Watchers Diet, the points are easy to keep track of, knowing that every recipe in the book gives you the points per serving. I made the Stir-Fried Chicken this past Thursday, and I was really proud with my progress of eating healthy, since I started the diet this Monday. When things go wrong, my problem is munching on snacks, that I normally don't do...I end up throwing out bags of chips, crackers, (no boxed cookies), peanuts, things of that nature, but this Friday, I ended up finishing all the chips, peanuts, crackers w/ cheese, so I lost track of my points. I will go into explaining "why" in another post, just want to concentrate on putting this post up, before my train of thought gets carried away.

Chicken Stir-Fry 
 adapted slightly from; Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook

2 Tbsp. low-sodium chicken broth
( I used 1 Tbsp. organic vegetable soup base
and stirred it in 1 cup of water)
1 Tbsp. minced peeled fresh ginger
1 Tbsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
(I also added 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar)
2 Tbsp. packed brown sugar
1 Tbsp. corn starch
1 teaspoon Asian (dark) sesame oil
3/4 lb. skinless boneless chicken breast
cut into strips (I used skinless boneless chicken
thighs, cut into small chunks)
2 teaspoon sesame seeds (optional)
1 Tbsp. peanut oil (I used canola oil)
8 scallions cut into 1 inch length
(I used sweet onions cut int halves,
and sliced into thin strips)
2 garlic cloves minced
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
(I used 1/2 teaspoon)
12 asparagus spears, cut into 2-inch length
I used a bunch of fresh green beans,
cleaned one ends, (you can cut them in half)
1 cup trimmed watercress
I used fresh organic carrots sliced (about 3)
also, I used yellow squash sliced thin

To prepare the marinade, in a zip-close plastic bag,
(I used a medium size bowl) combine the broth, ginger, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, (cider vinegar) brown sugar, corn starch, and sesame oil.Add the chicken. Seal the bag, squeezing out the air.(If you are using a bowl, add the chicken and turn to coat with the marinade.Cover with a plastic wrap.) Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight, stirring occasionally, or if using the bag, stirring the bag, occasionally.

Drain, and discard the marinade. (I kept 1/2 cup of the marinade to add 1 more teaspoon of cornstarch, and add at the end.

Heat a large nonstick skillet (I used a wok) until very hot.
If you're using sesame seeds, add to stir-fry until golden.
2-3 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl.

 In the same skillet, heat the peanut, or canola oil,. Stir-fry the scallion, or (onion) garlic, red pepper flakes for 2 minutes.( Add the asparagus, sliced carrots yellow squash, and (or if using beans, boil them first till still crisp for a few minutes) add these to the skillet, or (wok) and stir-fry.
Add the chicken and (watercress if you're using it)
Stir-fry until chicken is cooked through, 6-8 minutes.
Add the 1/2 cup of the reserved marinade, if you would like to have a nice thickened sauce, and let it come to a boil. (you can omit this process if you don't want the sauce)
Serve sprinkled with sesame seeds. (optional) I served it over Jasmine rice.
Weight Watchers points value: 4 with sauce, and rice, 6 points
4 servings

linking to: Cookbook Sundays #5 @ Couscous-Consciousness