Bruschetta with Tomato and Basil Recipe

INGREDIENTS

• 6 or 7 ripe plum tomatoes (about 1 1/2 lbs)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
• 6-8 fresh basil leaves, chopped.
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

• 1 baguette French bread or similar Italian bread
• 1/4 cup olive oil

METHOD

1. Prepare the tomatoes first. Parboil the tomatoes for one minute in boiling water that has just been removed from the burner. Drain. Using a sharp small knife, remove the skins of the tomatoes. (If the tomatoes are too hot, you can protect your finger tips by rubbing them with an ice cube between tomatoes.) Once the tomatoes are peeled, cut them in halves or quarters and remove the seeds and juice from their centers. Also cut out and discard the stem area. Why use plum tomatoes instead of regular tomatoes? The skins are much thicker and there are fewer seeds and less juice.

2. Make sure there is a top rack in place in your oven. Turn on the oven to 450°F to preheat.

3. While the oven is heating, chop up the tomatoes finely. Put tomatoes, garlic, 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, vinegar in a bowl and mix. Add the chopped basil. Add salt and pepper to taste.

4. Slice the baguette on a diagonal about 1/2 inch thick slices. Coat one side of each slice with olive oil using a pastry brush. Place on a cooking sheet, olive oil side down. You will want to toast them in the top rack in your oven, so you may need to do these in batches depending on the size of your oven. Once the oven has reached 450°F, place a tray of bread slices in the oven on the top rack. Toast for 5-6 minutes, until the bread just begins to turn golden brown.

Alternatively, you can toast the bread without coating it in olive oil first. Toast on a griddle for 1 minute on each side. Take a sharp knife and score each slice 3 times. Rub some garlic in the slices and drizzle half a teaspoon of olive oil on each slice. This is the more traditional method of making bruschetta.

5. Align the bread on a serving platter, olive oil side up. Either place the tomato topping in a bowl separately with a spoon for people to serve themselves over the bread, or place some topping on each slice of bread and serve. If you top each slice with the tomatoes, do it right before serving or the bread may get soggy.

Serves 6-10 as an appetizer. Or 3-4 for lunch (delicious served with cottage cheese on the side.)

Yield: Makes 24 small slices.

source:

http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/bruschetta_with_tomato_and_basil/

Candice Crawford: Personal Life

Born in Lubbock, Texas and then raised in Dallas, Texas, Crawford is the younger sister of the actor Chace Crawford, from the television show Gossip Girl. Crawford graduated from Trinity Christian Academy in Addison, Texas in 2005.

After high school, Crawford enrolled at the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri, where she studied journalism and business. While at Columbia, Missouri, Candice worked with the local NBC affiliate KOMU-TV as a reporter. During college, Crawford also worked for Dallas, Texas CBS affiliate KTVT, as a reporter covering the Dallas Cowboys on the CBS show, The Blitz. She was also an active member of Pi Beta Phi Fraternity for women. Plus, Crawford served as a volunteer writer for sports blog Midwest Sports Fans.

On March 16, 2007, Crawford was arrested for underaged possession of alcohol at the bar Tonic in Columbia, Missouri.

She dated Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo since summer 2009. On December 16, 2010, the KDAF Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas news station where Crawford works, announced she became engaged to Romo while celebrating her 24th birthday with her family at the restaurant Five Sixty. On May 28, 2011, the couple were married.

source:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candice_Crawford

http://www.candice-crawford.com/professional-bio

A Bossy Toddler Could Save Your Life

No one likes a smart mouth on a small kid (or on anyone, really), but on a recent trip with my daughter, her know-it-all attitude actually improved my health. You see, I've recently been diagnosed with celiac disease, and suddenly my daughter is all up in my business about what I put into my mouth. A frequent refrain while dining out from this pint-sized MD was, "Is there gluten in that?" Once this actually came in incredibly handy when I was dying for a Frappuccino, but remembered a warning I received about the cold frosty drink. I switched to an iced latte, and I have my little girl to thank.

Of course I could have done without her constant checking up on me while driving, "Are you sure we're going the right way, mommy?" Ummm, I don't know, and you're NOT helping.

But I realized that this kind of bossiness could actually come in handy in many others ways, even life-saving ways. For example --

• "You can't make me eat my vegetables!"

Hello, recalls! From spinach to cucumbers, your toddler may be onto something.

• "But I don't wanna' go outside and play!"

Given all the tornadoes and flooding lately, your bossy pants is saving everyone's skin by ducking and covering indoors.

• The airplane freak out

You know that as long as there is a screaming child on the flight, it can't crash, right?

• "Everyone else in my pre-school has seen Star Wars, so I have to."

Okay, not so much life-saving, as afternoon-saving. How much fun is watching Star Wars with your kid?

• "I want iPhone!"

Especially helpful if you're driving in the car and can't fight the tempatation to check your texts. Give it to the kid, and save everyone's lives.

Does your toddler boss you around?

By: April Preveteaux

source: http://thestir.cafemom.com/toddler/120987/a_bossy_toddler_could_save

picture: http://www.shopacoholic.com/toddler-boy-clothing

Apple Cranberry Currant Crumble Pie Recipe

• 1/4 cup brandy
• 1/4 cup dried currants
• 1 1/2 cups fresh or thawed frozen cranberries, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 6 Tbsp plus 1 cup of all-purpose flour
• 1 Tbsp finely grated orange zest
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 6 cups sliced peeled Granny Smith apples (about 2 1/4 pounds)
• 10-inch pie pastry for a single-crust pie
• 2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into chunks

Combine the brandy and the currants in a small bowl. Let them sit for about an hour, until currants are plump.

Preheat your oven to 375. Then, in a large bowl, mix 1 cup of white sugar with 6 Tbsp flour, orange zest, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Use a slotted spoon to transfer currants from brandy (reserve the brandy!) to the sugar mixture. Add your cranberries and apples and mix well. Pour the filling into unbaked pie pastry and drizzle with the reserved brandy.

Now, in another bowl, mix 1 cup flour with 2/3 cup of brown sugar. Add the butter and cut in with a pastry blender or rub with your fingers until the mixture forms small lumps. Sprinkle topping over the filling. Set pie in a foil-lined 10x15 inch baking pan (to catch the juices, it's worth it).

Bake on bottom rack until juices bubble, 55 to 65 minutes. If your pie starts to brown too quickly, cover loosely with foil.

Set pie on rack, uncovered, to cool for 2 to 3 hours.

Add some ice cream or whipped cream, if you fancy :)

source:http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/apple_cranberry_currant_crumble_pie/

picture: http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/apple_cranberry_currant_crumble_pie/

Potato Salad with Garlic Mayonnaise and Chives

Ingredients:

2 pounds small boiling potatoes (about 1 to 1 1/2 inches in diameter)

3 garlic cloves, minced and mashed to a paste with 1 teaspoon salt

3 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice plus additional to taste if desired

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon hot water

1/4 cup chopped fresh chives

Preparation:

In a large saucepan combine potatoes with salted water to cover by 1 inch and simmer until just tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain potatoes and cool until they can be handled.

While potatoes are cooling, in a large bowl whisk together garlic paste, 3 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice, mayonnaise, and hot water.

Peel potatoes and cut in half. Add potatoes and chives to dressing and toss well. Season salad with additional lemon juice and salt and pepper. Salad may be made 1 day ahead and kept chilled, covered. Before serving, toss salad with 1 to 2 tablespoons water to moisten dressing.

Serve salad at room temperature.

source: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Potato-Salad-with-Garlic-Mayonnaise-and-Chives-12498