Bruschetta

Ingredients:

loaf of bread

10-15 small tomatoes or 2-3 large (Roma-type are good as they are less juicy)

1 t. balsamic vinegar

salt and pepper to taste

2 cloves garlic

6-10 basil leaves

Preheat the oven to 400 F.

Slice up a yummy loaf of french or italian bread.  We used a multigrain French bread straight from Dillons.  (It is TOO hot and TOO humid to be baking bread!)  Cutting it on the diagonal is not necessary, but it is pretty and gives a little larger piece to hold more tomato delight!

Chop some tomatoes.  I chop small, James chops big, so dice according to preference.  We used our grape tomatoes, as we have oodles.  Two cups of tomatoes was plenty for our loaf of bread.  Add salt and pepper to taste,

as well as two cloves of garlic and some torn basil.  A teaspoon of balsamic vinegar is fabulous too.  Stir to incorporate, then set aside.

 Brush the bread with olive oil, add a slice of mozzarella cheese, and toast for five minutes (or more, if you want it crispier).

 Top with the tomato mix and enjoy!

Grilled Veggies

Grilling zucchini is probably our favorite way to consume this prolific vegetable.  If you've never grilled veggies before, it's easy to prepare and can be placed on the grill with your meat.

Start by washing your veggies.  Slice off the ends and any bad spots.  Peel and remove the seeds if desired.

Slice into 1/4"-1/2" slices for softer vegetables (summer squash, for example).  

Lay out a sheet of foil.  Coat the foil with oil (I use olive oil and a brush; you can also use cooking spray).  Place the zucchini in a single layer half the size of the foil and leave room around the edges to fold them up at the end.  Add salt and pepper or your favorite herbs and spices.  Add a second layer if desired.  I usually stop at two layers so the center is done when the edges are.  Coat with olive oil again.

Fold up the center edges twice, then fold both ends twice.  Folding twice helps keep in the oil and juices.  If you're worried about over-packing the packet, wrap in another sheet of foil.  Leaking oil can cause unexpected flare-ups on the grill!

Harder vegetables, such as potatoes, should be sliced more thinly to allow them to cook in the same amount of time.  I use a mandolin or a sharp knife.  Some people mix veggies in their packets, but I tend to find the zucchini limp and the potatoes raw, so I keep each one to its own foil packet.

Grill for 7 minutes on either side over direct heat.  Be careful when opening the foil packets: there will be steam and hot juices.

Enjoy!