Lottie Greer's Country Biscuits

Have you ever came across a recipe to learn that you don't really agree with the ingredients are off, and you either fix it, or just ignore it and move on to something else. Homemade Southern buttermilk biscuits are always so comforting to have served with chicken, breakfast, or just have it for a snack with fresh sweet butter slathered on it...yumm!

I have so many great cookbooks, but I always end up googleing for recipes on the Internet to get quick results. I purchased this lovely cookbook called Jan Karon's Mitford Cookbook and Kitchen Reader at World Thrift store for a mere $2.95...2004 edition, which is still popular and has the author's Southern family recipes which were no doubt 'hand-me-downs'...probably verbal and not all of them tried and tested before being published!

I was so thrilled that the biscuits turned out so nice, crunchy and perfectly baked out the outside, and super flaky, and delicious on the inside. Also, I want to share a little tip with you regarding the buttermilk and the self-rising flour. I must be the only one that does not particularly favor self-rising flour...only because, it tends to be too salty, and has a distinctive flavor on its own. (just my opinion)
Buttermilk is being wasted if only used in just a certain recipe; so, it's wise to use an easy substitute!

These awesome biscuits freeze well, just pop them into a plastic baggie, and when ready to use one or all, they heat up in the oven so nice, just as fresh as you made them.

You can actually see the flakiness of the biscuit, as I split it in half. Seriously, I will continue to make my own buttermilk, and save money, but not spare the flavor. As for self-rising flour, (maybe the American brand)...just not a fan of it and will stick with the all-purpose flour!
You can purchase Jan Karon's Mitford Cookbook and Kitchen Reader on Amazon

Linking to; Cookbook Wednesday @ Months of Edible Celebrations

Lottie Greer's Country Biscuits

Chef.Foodie

my adaptations in blue

Ingredients

	Shortening	8 Tablespoon, chilled (More For Greasing The Baking Sheets) I used 4 Tbsp. shortening and 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter...also use parchment paper to cover baking sheet (no greasing baking sheet; removed parchment paper when done, for photo shots)
	Self rising flour	3 1⁄4 Cup (52 tbs) (White Lily, More For Rolling Out The Dough) made my own 'self-rising' flour from all-purpose flour, using the 'alternating method' 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt For 1 cup of all-purpose flour=1 cup of self rising flour
	Salt	1⁄2 Teaspoon...no additional salt needed
	Granulated sugar	2 Tablespoon...way too much sugar...I did use 2 teaspoons organic sugar
	Baking soda	1⁄2 Teaspoon...1 teaspoon
	Buttermilk	2 Cup (32 tbs), chilled...I used the 'alternating method' ...ONLY 1 CUP OF BUTTERMILK IS NEEDED1 For 1 cup milk...whole milk, 2 % or heavy cream 1 scant cup of milk 1 Tbsp. white vinegar Combine milk w/ vinegar, let stand 10 min. it will slightly thicken and bubble; use in place of buttermilk

Directions

Preheat the oven to 475°F...450 degrees F. is needed
Grease a couple of baking sheets and set aside....no greasing needed when parchment paper is used.
Combine the flour, salt, sugar, and baking soda in a large bowl.
Cut in the shortening with a pastry blender until the shortening is the size of small peas.
Add the buttermilk and stir until just mixed.
The dough should be very wet....THE DOUGH WILL BE JUST RIGHT IF ONLY 1 CUP OF MILK IS USED! DO NOT USE 2 CUPS...
Place some flour in a shallow bowl.
Spoon a heaping tablespoon of wet dough into the flour.
Flour your fingers and sprinkle flour on the top of the wet dough.
Roll the dough gently in flour just to coat the outside.
Try not to mix too much extra flour into the dough.
Add a handful of flour on the board or counter, and gently gather your dough patting it lightly into a disk...no rolling is needed at all!
Shape into biscuits, using floured hands, working the dough as little as possible.Shape into biscuits using 3 inch biscuit cutter, or smaller....3 in. cutter will make 9 biscuits, and smaller will make 12. Use scraps up, gently shaping and cutting it.
Arrange the biscuits, touching each other, on the baking sheets.
Arrange biscuits...DO NOT touch together!
You can brush extra milk on the biscuits (optional) before baking.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until just brown on top.

Silent Sunday

Like a bird on a wire, like a drunk in a midnight choir, I have tried in my way ... to be free.~
Leonard Cohen

Tomato, Avocado, and Cucumber Salad

When you have 4 beautiful Haas avocados, that are still fairly hard...you let it sit outside in a basket, or fruit bowl and wait for two or three days and they will be perfectly at their best, firm, yet soft to make some nice salad with it...if you let it ripen another day or longer; best to make Guacamole out of it. In my case I chose to make a beautiful and healthy salad. Same goes with the plum tomatoes. When you purchase them, and they are firm, but just getting ripe...let them sit outside for a couple days, and they will ripen to perfection.

Also, I decided to add hard boiled eggs to the salad...only because hard boiled eggs are a nice addition to any healthy salad...and because, I felt extremely guilty for having to toss out half a dozen eggs that I neglected to use up, and they were nearly one month old. I always check the dates on the egg carton and are careful not to use them more than 1 week pass the expired date. The expiration date is really just a caution to warn you but they will still be OK to use after the expiration date for a week, I'm quite sure of that! I always use organic eggs which cost a little more, but so well worth it. Same with my vegetables!

At our Latino produce market, everything is 'dirt' cheap. Just have to make an effort to stop there, and stock up on all the things I need; but it's more convenient to buy everything at the local supermarket when I do my weekly grocery shopping. Who can pass up Haas avocados...2 for $1.00 when at the supermarket they are $1.50 each! Same with the limes, at the produce market, they are always 10 for $1.00 compared to 3 for $1.00 at the supermarket. You really have a choice, but not always convenient to go out of your way when you can find all the things you need in one stop! Whole Foods Market is more expensive, but that still happens to be my very favorite market for the best quality!

Even though I live alone, but I have lovely neighbors/friends in my condo complex, and my family is just a few minutes over the 'bridge' on the other side of the Intracoastal waterway. I live on the island, which is quite a large size, and only 1 supermarket; which I recently realized, but it takes only 10 minutes to drive over the bridge and have the 'world at your feet'! I only cook about once or twice a week, and almost always have all my amazing meals at my daughter's Lora! ...and once a week at my son Joe...how fortunate can one mom be?...having loving family around me...feeling truly Blessed!

When you prepare something healthy and delicious, you really need to have the freshest ingredients, especially when you make a beautiful salad. You don't always need lettuce for your salad...just use your imagination, and create something that inspires you...no recipe needed for that. I happen to love sweet Vidalia or another brand of sweet onions. Naturally sweet; you can almost bite into it like an apple...but really, you don't want to do that; just peel, an slice, or dice it to saute it in cooking...never, ever any tears...which is the best part, as well!

Tomato, Avocado, and Cucumber Salad
created by; Elisabeth

4 Haas avocados
4 Plum (Roma) tomatoes
1 firm cucumber
2 hard boiled eggs
1/2 of a medium sweet onion
1 or 2 limes
1 bunch of Italian parsley
Extra Virgin olive oil
Sea Salt
freshly ground pepper

Cut avocados, tomatoes, in half...carefully remove the pits from the avocados, then cut them into half again, lengthwise...same with the tomatoes, and dice them into bite size pieces.

Peel cucumber partially, or all the way, cut it in half lengthwise, and dice it into bite-size pieces as well. For the hard boiled eggs, also cut in half lengthwise and dice into bite-size pieces.

For the onion, cut in half, and slice thin lengthwise, as well. For the parsley, chop a small handful, and save a few whole pieces for decoration. Combine everything in the proper order, starting with the tomatoes, and ending with the avocado, and hard boiled eggs...since they are delicate. they need to be on top.

Drizzle with about 1 Tbsp. of olive oil, and juice of half of a lime...or a whole if not enough juices. Salt, and pepper to taste, and additional oil, and juice of lime
if preferred.

Serve with pita bread, flat bread, or bread of your choice. Serves 2, generously!

Thank you everyone for your kind comments, and support; and I do appreciate your friendship, even though I don't comment regularly, and often...not even checking my own blog. I must confess that I'm Pinterest...aholic, and not even bothering with my e-mails every day! (when you receive about 200 e-mails daily, you really have to add another e-mail address...can't see the 'trees' from the forest...as they say!
Have a wonderful weekend, dear friends! xo

Pumpkin Bread

I'm so excited about my Pumpkin Bread, which I rarely make...my daughter is the Pumpkin Bread 'queen' and also makes the best Pumpkin Pie for Thanksgiving, with her amazing homemade crust.
When I was a 'kid' I hated pumpkins, and squash...how absurd was that! Even now, it's still not my favorites; but I've learned to adapt a liking to all of these wonderful fall treasures!

I normally would not have even made it, but my daughter and family were away for a long weekend last week, kids were out of school the following Monday. I was happy to 'dog sit' for my favorite little guys that I have spoiled since the last few years and they were so excited to have me around to give them treats and take them for walks. In the meantime, I was treated royally by my son and family to invite me over for dinner each evening, so I didn't even have to cook, and just bring dessert which happens to be my 8yr. old granddaughter's favorite...Pumpkin Bread!...my, how times have changed...tastes have changed since I was their age. Kids are so much more adventurous with their foods and are offered a lot more healthier choices!

Instead of googling for a Pumpkin Bread recipe, I decided to look for one in Martha Stewart's cookbook, which was of course a 'thrift find'...a 1995 edition that has so many great recipes...even if the book does not have any photos...you gotta love anything from Martha Stewart! Instead of making one loaf of bread spending precious time to make it, why not make 2 or 3 loaves? I can't even find this recipe online so I will have to type it out, and the modifications I had to make, that even gave it a nicer and much more flavorful, moist bread!

I was totally looking forward to making the Pumpkin Bread, and have an extra loaf to keep. I love these cute little loaf pans, and they're so perfect and handy being attached instead of separated.

Pumpkin Bread
source; Martha Stewart, from the Martha Stewart
cookbook...1995 edition

my modifications in blue

12 Tbsp. (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
I used 1 stick of butter
3 Tbsp. molasses
I omitted the molasses
2 cups sugar
I used 1 1/2 cups sugar
2/3 cup orange juice or water
I used 1 cup fresh orange juice from 2 oranges
also grated the zest from one of the oranges
2 cups pumpkin or squash puree
I used 1 can (15 oz. 425g.) Libby's pumpkin puree
3 1/3 cups flour
I use 3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
I used 1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
I used 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
I used 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup raisins or currants
I omitted raisins and currants

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter 3- 9x5x3-inch loaf pans.
I sprayed cooking spray (for baking that has flour mixed in) Used 1 used 4 attached mini loaf pans, and 1- 9x5x3 loaf pan.
With an electric mixer, cream the butter, molasses,and sugar until light and fluffy.
I used a metal whisk to cream the butter,eggs and sugar until light and fluffy
Beat in the eggs one at a time.
I added the 4 eggs to the butter, and sugar, the vanilla extract, and whisked it until a light lemony color.
Add orange juice and pumpkin puree and mix well.
Sift the dry ingredients together into a large bowl.
No need to sift...just mix them all together without sifting.
Add the pumpkin mixture to the dry ingredients with a wooden spoon, stirring well incorporated.
Add the raisins at this time. I omitted the raisins.
Spoon into prepared pans. Bake for 1 hr. or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out unto racks to cool.
I baked the mini pans for 35 minutes at 350 degrees F. along with the larger loaf pans...took the mini pans out of the oven, leaving the 9x5 loaf pan in the oven...lowered temperature to 325 degrees F. and bake for an additional 20 minutes...tested with toothpick and it was done in 55 minutes.

For Orange Glaze; 2 cups of powdered (icing) sugar, and 1 Tbsp. orange juice...mix it well together, until smooth (you should have a thick paste) ...drizzle on the bread with a soup spoon, or omit the drizzle.

Note: This was the best Pumpkin Bread that turned out so moist, the orange zest and the extra orange juice gave it such a pretty color, and flavor with the vanilla extract addition. The glaze is optional, but you don't have to use it on all the Pumpkin Breads...leave some without it if you prefer!

Pepperoni and Mushroom Pizza

Hi everyone! Not much to post since nearly 2 weeks of absence. Although, I did post my Pepperoni and Mushroom Pizza photo on facebook...which I have also been absent from for 3 months now. Wasn't a smart thing to post the pizza photos, since I didn't have it on my blog and it made it look like I just posted a 'random' store bought pizza.

I don't know about you, and how you feel about the 'follow' part on facebook...seems like I follow a lot of people, especially family relatives...ie. cousins, and close friends, but what I have discovered lately...duhh! (dummy me)...pondering over the fact that I have not gotten any feedback of my postings from any, or most of these close friends and relatives...I mean...what gives? I never stopped getting their latest 'tid-bits', photos of their kids mostly...their latest trips, etc. and I have always commented and 'liked'...so when I finally found out that they are NOT following me...I stopped following them...but not un-friending them, and at that point I gave up my interest in viewing what's going on out there. I discovered a totally new 'meaning' to my facebook page; just view what is being sent to my 'timeline' and keep 'liking' and commenting back to friends' that took the time to see my posts as well! So, that's that...getting back to my pizza!

It is really so easy to make your own fresh pizza dough by mixing the dough in a sturdy Kitchen-Aid mixer with a dough hook, or place the ingredients in a Bread Machine, and let it do its work. Just let the dough rise in a large oiled bowl, and the rest is so easy! I seem to be boring, but my favorite pizza topping is pepperoni, mushroom, and onions...although you can't see it all in the photo...it's in there!

MARTHA STEWART
Quick Basic Pizza Dough

2 packets (1/4 ounce each) active dry yeast
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for bowl and brushing
2 teaspoons coarse salt
4 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for work surface

COOK'S NOTE

To freeze, you can wrap the dough in plastic and freeze it in a resealable freezer bag for up to 3 months. If you plan to use it in a recipe that calls for half a batch, divide it before freezing.

Note: This pizza is from half a batch...divide the dough in half, and wrap the other half in plastic wrap...freeze for another use, or make 2 pizzas with the recipe!

DIRECTIONS

STEP 1

Pour 1 1/2 cups warm water into a large bowl; sprinkle with yeast and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
STEP 2

Whisk sugar, oil, and salt into yeast mixture. Add flour and stir until a sticky dough forms. Transfer dough to an oiled bowl and brush top with oil. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm, draft-free place until dough has doubled in bulk, about 1 hour. Turn out onto a lightly floured work surface and gently knead 1 or 2 times before using.

After kneading the dough once or twice, let the dough rest on the floured board...and if you're not a practice 'pizza thrower'...just get a rolling pin and roll into a circle from each direction as dough gets more elastic and your can fit it onto the pizza pan.

As you carefully fit it into the pizza pan, you can brush olive oil, and sprinkle it with salt, pepper, and garlic powder (I also used hot chili pepper flakes). Let the dough rise a little longer, and you can form nice shapely rims around the edges.

Next, I saute my sliced mushroom, and onions just slightly. (nothing worse than topping pizza with raw sliced mushroom, and raw sliced onions)...and paying $18.99 for a large pizza...horrific idea!

Here's a little secret...I pre-bake my dough at 450 degrees F. for 7 minutes, (this assures you not getting a soggy finish) ...next, I spoon my tomato sauce, and topping on it.

I make my own sauce...no pre-cooking needed, just add the entire 28 oz can of your favorite sauce into a medium bowl, add some extra virgin olive oil, abt. 1/4 cup, salt, and pepper, a few fresh torn basil leaves. Now, you are ready to top the pre-baked dough...(seen in the above photo)

Bake for about 10 more minutes, and at the last process, add more cheese and top with pepperoni slices.

Pre-sliced pepperoni comes in a convenient plastic bag, sliced 'paper thin'...so you really just add them at the few remaining minutes of baking time, on top of the shredded mozzarella cheese.

Now, you are ready to finish baking with the pepperoni topping, for an additional 5 more minutes. Total baking time abt. 22-25 minutes, at 450 degrees F.

The finished product! Perfect pizza,
not overflowing with extra cheese, but you can add more for the last baking process if you like. Just the right amount of sauce and topping...enjoy!

...and some other photos to share!

My newest little friend, who lives with his family in our courtyard...in the coconut palm trees...comes to visit me every morning on my balcony, for his peanuts; I named him Alvin!

Caught a glimpse of the lunar eclipse on the following morning...at 7:15 AM...missed it at night, on Oct. 8 before; too many clouds at night~ photo taken on our private beach, in Palm Beach, FL.

Notice the white streak in the sky? An airplane flying through the sky...how awesome is that?!

Finally, at 7:40 AM...this is how the sky and the ocean appeared!
Wherever one is at any given moment...we are seeking connection with the Divine~

Hershey's "Perfectly Chocolate"...Chocolate Cake...

Just to prove my point...cloudy, dreary, and rain, rain, rain, every single day, here in South Florida until Oct. 17, the official date for the end of our rainy season. Don't get me wrong that we don't get any sunshine...yes we do, even with all the rain. Clouds form on one side of the sky and it's clear and blue on the other side. The weirdest part is; when it rains on one side....for instance; down the road it is sunny...less than one mile away! I was so determined to take my photo of this classic Hershey's Chocolate Cake...by the time I finished, the clouds were rolling in...so there you have it...my ~~worst~~ best shot!

One hour later...delivered the cake to its destination...(did not realize the small smear taking it out of the carton)...doing yet, another 'photo prop' outside my daughter's back yard patio....little better natural lighting, then, a few minutes later...had to literally run inside with the cake because it started to rain. So there you have it; 'the rain saga'...once more!

While I was visiting and commenting on blogs, I stumbled on this wonderful 'classic' Hershey's "Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Cake from a dear new blogger friend, Dottie, @Family Plus Food Equals Love...what a sweet name for a food blog. She is so gracious, and talented; you can also find the Hershey's Milk Chocolate Chip recipe there, as well!

I haven't made this classic cake in a while, and I must say I had to adapt a few things, first...by adjusting the sugar amount and adding a small amount of 'real' butter to the batter, as well.

My modifications are in red

Hershey's "Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

2 cups sugar 1 cup of sugar
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour 2 cups flour
3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa 1 cup
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder 2 teaspoons
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda 1 teaspoon
1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs 3 eggs
1 cup milk 1/2 cup milk boiled
1/2 cup Hershey's semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup vegetable oil 1/4 cup veg. oil + 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter softened
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.

2. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, softened butter, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water, boiled milk, with chocolate chips added in the milk to melt (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.

3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost with "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING. Makes 12 servings.

Frost with FLUFFY WHITE (7-MINUTE) frosting

VARIATIONS:

ONE-PAN CAKE: Grease and flour 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Heat oven to 350° F. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely. Frost.

THREE LAYER CAKE: Grease and flour three 8-inch round baking pans. Heat oven to 350°F. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake 30 to 35 minutes. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost.

Fluffy White Frosting, or 7- Minute Frosting...or Marshmallow Frosting is a true American 'classic' that has been around for decades...my very first time I tried it, was a Better Homes and Gardens cookbook that was given to me as a gift, in 1974, when it was called...FLUFFY WHITE FROSTING!

Every recipe I googled called for the addition of light corn syrup added...which I sparingly use...or don't use at all! I have been using McCormick Cream of Tartar instead...for years; which is a powdery substance, a very small amount added to make the frosting fluffy, and add body which the corn syrup adds...which happens to be a stabilizer. A tiny amount of the Cream of Tartar does it all!

Fluffy White Frosting

1 cup white sugar

1/3 cup water

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

2 egg whites

I used 4 egg whites

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

This method is so much easier than the double boiler method, just make sure that you let the mixture get very bubbly, for a few minutes...it will get thicker, and almost a pale yellow color (after that it will turn amber) and you will have to make caramel sauce with it, adding cream to the amber sugar.
The choice is yours; just carefully watch over the boiling sugar content!

In a saucepan, stir together the sugar, water and cream of tartar. Cook over medium-high heat until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is bubbly.
In a medium mixing bowl, whip the egg whites and vanilla to soft peaks. Gradually add the sugar mixture while whipping constantly until stiff peaks form, about 7 to 10 minutes. Frost the cake of your choice.
I have been making this frosting for my grown children when they were little...and now my 4 grandchildren are enjoying it, and it has become their very favorite. With 4 egg whites you can achieve the same quality...making sure you do the 'finger test'...seriously!

Tuna Salad-Stuffed Tomatoes with Arugula

I've always loved and enjoyed fresh salads and lately I have gotten bored with the simple 'hum-drum' salad with just cucumbers, tomatoes, and sliced or chopped onions (which I love all kinds, but mostly the red onions.) As for the dressing, just a simple extra virgin olive oil, and white balsamic vinegar.

Sometimes I just run out of ideas what type of salads I should make, and I simply grab one of my cooking magazines...especially my newest subscription; Eating Well, which I share with my daughter among our other great cooking magazines the she and I subscribe to. The best kind of inspirations you get are of course...the ones with photos, and also knowing you don't have to run out to purchase so many ingredients just for that recipe.

Here in the U.S. we tend to eat lunch 'on the run'...sometime just grabbing some 'takeout' fast food,
if you happen to eat at home; maybe leftover stuff from the night before...or if you happen to be in 'luck'...a friend might take you out to a nice restaurant or eatery place not too expensive. You can of course split the bill! Well, I don't seem to fit any of these categories, because most of the time I skip lunch (not good)...eating breakfast too late, and I would be 'starving' by dinner time, which is so unhealthy!

The only ingredient that I had to buy was the baby Arugula...also known as Roquette, or Rocket. I like to buy it in the small plastic bags, already sealed and the leaves are perfect, and tender...just love the peppery taste when you take a bite, it almost burns your tongue; but mixed with other ingredients, it blends so well!

Tomatoes, stuffed with tuna salad is a classic elegant lunch dish...now, there's a healthier twist to it, just leaving out the mayo, and adding oil and vinegar, salt and pepper. I must tell you, this was such an amazing light and enjoyable lunch for 2, or 4 people. Did not even require bread or rolls!

Hope you are all having a beautiful weekend, with most of you starting your Fall Season...oh, how I miss the beautiful fall colors of yellow, orange, red, brown, and burgundy leaves adorning the trees...only to be falling so quickly.

Before you know it, Halloween is around the corner! xo

Tuna Salad-Stuffed Tomatoes with Arugula

From EatingWell: July/August 2014

Ingredients

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons sherry vinegar I used white balsamic vinegar...you can use your favorite
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
4 large tomatoes I used 2 large beefsteak tomatoes (for 2)
2 5-ounce cans chunk light tuna in olive oil, drained I used 1 can of same tuna
1/3 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1/4 cup chopped Kalamata olives
I also added 1 Tbsp of rinsed small capers
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 15-ounce can great northern beans, rinsed Navy Beans are almost the same; I used 1/2 the amount.
8 cups baby arugula 4 cups
You can cut down on the ingredients, or just 'eyeball' it...use your own judgement

Preparation

Whisk oil, vinegar, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Transfer 3 tablespoons of the dressing to a large bowl and set aside.
Slice enough off the top of each tomato to remove the core (1/2 to 1 inch). Chop enough of the tops to equal 1/2 cup and add to the medium bowl. Scoop out the tomato pulp using a teaspoon or melon baller. (Discard the pulp or save for another use.)
Add tuna, celery, onion, olives and thyme to the medium bowl; gently toss to combine. Fill the hollowed tomatoes with the tuna mixture.
Add beans and arugula to the dressing in the large bowl and toss to combine. Divide the salad among 4 plates and top each with a stuffed tomato.

Nutrition

Per serving: 353 calories; 18 g fat (2 g sat, 11 g mono); 7 mg cholesterol; 30 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 9 g total sugars; 20 g protein; 11 g fiber; 476 mg sodium; 878 mg potassium.
Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (70% daily value), Vitamin A (63% dv), Potassium (25% dv), Folate (21% dv), Magnesium (16% dv), Vitamin B12 (15% dv)

Food and Thrift