Photo Credit: Instructables.com

  This past weekend we spent the weekend with friends and I was looking for some creative and new breakfasts to try out. I came across this recipe at instructables.com and was immediately attracted to how delicious it looked and simple to make. You can mix up the stuffing to work with left overs from the night before or vegetables fresh picked from the garden or off the milk truck!

Photo Credit: Instructables.com

 On instructables.com they used vine ripened tomatoes, just like the Maine's Backyard, cutting off the tops and coring out the centers. You can use the guts of the tomatoes to make fresh salsa or use in a marinade for chicken or fish. 

 On a lined cookie sheet or grill place the tomatoes, cored side up. You are going to fill the tomatoes with the veggies, meat and cheese. Finally you will top each tomato off with one egg.

Photo Credit: Instructables.com

 Finally you cook the eggs at 425*f in an oven or on a covered grill. If you like a runny yolk cook the egg closer to 10 minutes or just until the whites have set. If you are into a firmer yolk cook the stuffed tomato for a longer time or until the yolk has turned a lighter opaque color. 

Fresh Basil and Tri Color Tortellini Salad

   This weekend is full of cookout with family and friends and I usually have the task of bringing a pasta salad to the table. This year I wanted to share with you one of my favorites that is full of flavor and colorful too.

 To start the fresh basil adds an aroma of summer mingling in with the diced tomatoes and sliver of fresh carrot. The bits of fresh mozzarella adds levity to the dish in contrast of the ricotta filled tortellini. Just a small amount of Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar brings it all together.

Ingredients:

1lb of Venda Tri Color Tortellini (cooked)
1/2 cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 cup of Balsamic Vinegar
8 leaves of Chopped Basil
1/2 red Onion Chopped
1 Carrot Sliced
1 Maine's Backyard Tomato diced


Directions:

 In a large bowl combine all of the ingredients and gently toss. Chill before serving for up to 1 hour if using warm pasta.

Can be made 1 day ahead.

To make this dish a meal add extra vegetables like asparagus, zucchini, pepper, and eggplant. You can also dress it up with grilled shrimp, salmon, chicken or steak.

Grilled Pizza Margherita

Grilled Pizza Margherita

1 ball of Narragansett Creamery Fresh Mozzarella (diced)

1 sliced Maine's Backyard Tomato
6 Fresh Infinite Basil Leaves (Sliced)
3/4 cup of Italian Corner Pizza Sauce
1 Top This! Pizza Crust
Optional- Crumbled Fortuna's Sausage, Grilled Chicken or Shrimp
Preheat the oven or grill to 400° f.
 Spoon the Italian Corner Pizza sauce over the Top This! Pizza Crust, spreading it out evenly with the back of the spoon. Layer the sliced tomato over the sauce, along with any other topping that you wish to add. Next evenly spread out the diced Narragansett Creamery Mozzarella. Finally top with the chiffonod (sliced) fresh Basil.
 Cook on the grill covered for 8- 10 minutes or in the oven for 8-10 minutes.
* For a crispy crust cook the pizza right on the grill racks and on the oven racks for a few minutes longer (10 to 12 minutes.) The flow of air over the bottom of the crusts will create a crispy crust.
* Keeping the pieces of cheese smaller helps when cutting and eating the pizza. When the pizza topping pieces are larger it is messier to eat with a larger chance of you wearing your food!

Open Faced Avocado and Chicken Sandwich with Melted Fresh Mozzarella

Photo Credit: Country Fixins

 Rotisserie Chicken Avocado & Basil Open Faced Breakfast Melt

4 slices of Hillshire Farms Rotisserie Chicken

1 sliced Maine's Backyard Tomato

1 sliced Avocado

4 Fresh Infinite Basil Leaves

2 slices of Narragansett Creamery Fresh Mozzarella

1 Munroe Dairy English Muffin Split

Optional 2 Munroe Dairy All Natural Eggs (hard boiled, poached, or fried) 

To make the Sandwich first by toasting the English Muffin and then layering the ingredients on top. Start with the sliced avocado, the oils in the avocado will take the place of any butter to moisten the English Muffin, next add the two pieces of basil per muffin followed by two slices of the Hillshire Farm Rotisserie Chicken, finish off the sandwich with one slice of tomato each topped with one slice of fresh mozzarella.

Place both side face up under the broiler on a lined cookie sheet for 3- 4 minutes or until the cheese has melted.

If you want to add an egg for more protein, layer the egg over the tomato and under the cheese.

Chicken Quesadilla topped with Fresh Guacamole

 Chicken and Corn Quesadillas

Makes 4 Quesadillas

4 grilled chicken breasts (deiced 1/4" pieces)
1 diced Maine's Backyard Tomato
1/2 chopped Red Onion
1/2 cup of Corn (defrosted)
1 cup of Shredded Supreme Cheddar Cheese
3/4 cup of Sommermaid Monteray Jack Shredded Cheese
1 tablespoon of Sommermaid Butter
4 Maria & Ricardo's Organic White or Wheat Tortillas
Top with:
Cabot Sour Cream (Light or Regular)
Homemade Guacamole with Munroe's Guacamole Kit
 In a large mixing bowl combine the grilled chicken, onion, tomato and corn. Using a slotted spoon, 11/2 scoops of  the mixture onto 1/2 half of a tortilla spreading out evenly and topping with a blend of the cheeses over the chicken and corn mixture.
 In a skillet on medium heat add the butter coating the bottom of the pan. Place the tortilla folded in 1/2 in the skillet and press using a grill press of lid of a pan. When the bottom is golden brown, 3- 5 minutes, flip the quesadilla over to the other side using a large spatula. Again press the quesadilla down. This pressure on the quesadilla causes the cheese to melt into the chicken holding the quesadilla together like glue. Cook until the tortillas is browned, about 3 minutes.
Slice into thirds and enjoy with some fresh guacamole and sour cream!!

I LOVE my Guacamole Kit!!!

Photo Credit: Noshtopia

 Have I ever told you before how much I LOVE the Guacamole Kit that Munroe Dairy has? Well I do! It makes the best Guacamole ever and it can also be used to make so many other dishes as well. 

Here are a few of my tips for the Guacamole Kit:

Photo Credit: The Avocado Store

Linny's Tip #1: Ripen your Avocados. It is hard to make Guacamole with Avocados that are not quite ripe. It is best to store your Guacamole Kit out of the fridge and on the counter. If your Avocados are really hard toss them into a paper bag to quicken the process in just a day or two you will have ripe avocados. By keeping the avocados in the bag you are trapping the gases naturally released from the ripening fruit accelerating the process. 

Linny's Tip #2: Roast you Jalapeño and Garlic! Roasting the jalapeño pepper and garlic either in a skillet on the stove or on the grill. If using a skillet just add a bit of oil to the bottom of the pan or grease the pepper before putting it on the grille. Roasting the jalapeño and garlic will bring out a sweeter flavor in both.

Photo Credit: Restaurant Girl

Linny's Tip #3: Add some Extra Flavor! Some people find Guacamole to be a bit bland; however, I can guarantee those people are not helping to develop the flavors in the dish. Just by adding a dash or sea salt or extra heat from dried chilies can make a huge difference in the way you taste. You can add a bit of chopped celery to add crunch crunch or red onion for a bit more zip. Another great addition is diced fresh mango, mango have a hint of Cinnamon to compliment their sweetness. Corn is wonderful to add to your guacamole, it can be fresh of the cob, from the freezer, or roasted.  Some people will even add a tablespoon of Sour Cream for some tang and creaminess. 

Linny's Tip #4: Stop your Guacamole from turning brown. Brown Guacamole is not what you want to put out for your friends and family. The citric acid from the lime will help to not just add flavor to your dip but, will in fact help to keep it from turning brown. The other thing you can do is to keep it covered in the refrigerator until just before your guest arrive. Also do not put out a huge bowl of Guacamole, instead put out a smaller bowl and refresh it through out the party. 

Oscar's Guiltless Guacamole

Linny's Tip #5: Think outside the bag. Guacamole likes to travel on more than just tortilla chips. Use fresh veggies like carrots, celery, tomatoes, asparagus, and zucchini to accompany your dip. Not only is this a healthier option but, it is a fun and festive way to add color to any table or food spread. You can use a head of lettuce to serve your guacamole in, using the leaves as chips or mini wraps! 

Linny's Tip #6: Take it to Lunch! Guacamole is a great addition to a sandwich either in a wrap or on some bread. Recently we just added Rotisserie Chicken to the list of sandwich meats and one of my favorite sandwiches is the Rotisserie Chicken, Guacamole, Fresh Olivia's Organic Baby Spinach, Shredded Carrots and Red Onion all wrapped up in Maria & Ricardo's  Organic Wheat Tortilla. 

Photo Credit: Delish.com

Linny's Tip #7: Decontsruct the Kit. Just because it says Guacamole Kit on the Label does not meant that is what you have to use it for. You can use the ingredients of the Guacamole Kit in many other dishes not all mushed together. Use all of the ingredients in making a Fresh Shrimp Salad with Diced Avocado and Jalapeños or Chop everything up and use the ingredients for a make your own Burrito/ Fajitas Dinner Night. California Pizza's are another great way to serve 

California Pizza: Great as an appetizer or Salad Alternative

1 Top This! Pizza Crust White or Wheat

1 Cup of Sommermaid Monteray Jack Cheese Shredded

1 Avocado Diced

1 Tomato Diced

1/4 cup of Diced Red Onion

1/2 Cup of Shredded Romaine Lettuce

1 tablespoon of Olive Oil

Brush the Top This! Pizza Crust with Olive Oil and top with the Shredded Monteray Jack Cheese. Place the pizza on the grill heated to 400*F. Cook until the cheese is melted about 8 minutes. Remove the Pizza from the grill and top with lettuce, avocado, red onion and tomato. Slice and serve!