Friday, April 13, 2012

These are a few of my favorite things...

No, I'm not talking about Salzburg, or the VonTrapp family singers... which definitely are in my top 10,  I'm just in the mood to go on vacation today, far far away. My mind was drifting off to my favorite place in the world, Italy. The first "premier" trip (premier=very fancy) I earned in my direct selling business was a trip to Rome, Italy. I had never been to Europe. And in 2003, we had not yet had two nickles to rub together to save for a nice vacation. So when my company announced the trip to Rome, I set it in my sights. Not to bore you with the grueling details... I did earn the trip, and Matt and I left for the most fabulous trip of our lives.

Hands down, the most fun thing we did was go on a Roman Wine Village Tour. We went to Moncada Castle in Lanuvio and toured the wine cellars, with an empty cup in hand and poured the vino straight from the barrels! But after our "sampling" we went to the back of the castle and on large grills they prepared the most delicious appetizer that I have every tasted. Grilled Italian bread, drizzled with olive oil, lightly salted and served with a fresh tomato bruschetta. I had never had bruschetta before, but I am happy to say, I have had it a million times since.

Thank you, Italy. Thank you, direct selling business.

Here are a few recipes that remind me of that... there are tons of versions... but my favorite is a light drizzle of olive oil, with a sprinkling of sea salt...

Tomato, Mozzarella and Basil Salad
Ingredients:
4-5 medium plum tomatoes, thinly sliced
7 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
Extra virgin olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
Salt and coarsely ground black pepper
Snipped fresh basil leaves
Grilled or toasted baguette slices

Directions:
Arrange tomato and cheese slices alternately in rows on Rectangle Platter.
Drizzle with oil and vinegar. Season with salt and black pepper; garnish with basil. Serve with baguette slices.
Yield: 4 servings





Easy Tomato Bruschetta Recipe

By: Kristen Oliveri
Fresh tomato bruschetta is a perfect appetizer to serve at parties and family gatherings. The treat is actually low in fat and high in lycopene, a cancer fighting agent found in tomatoes. You can whip up this appetizer with one quick trip to the market. It's best to use the freshest ingredients. Once you make your bruschetta, you can refrigerate it for a few days to serve later in the week.
Tomato Bruschetta Recipe
Ingredients You Will Need:
8 ripe Roma tomatoes, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
5 leaves fresh basil, chopped
1 pinch dried oregano
1 pinch salt
1 pinch pepper
1 pinch crushed red pepper
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 loaf of Italian bread
In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, basil, oregano, olive oil and garlic. Mix thoroughly and add the salt and pepper. Refrigerate the mixture for about 15 minutes. On a cutting board, slice the Italian bread on an angle in very thin pieces. Preheat your broiler. On a baking sheet, line up your bread and brown the slices on each side. Spread the mixture on your toasted bread and prepare on a platter. Serve immediately to guests.
Tomato Bruschetta Recipe Variations
Instead of using Italian bread, baguettes or ciabatta bread also work well for this tomato bruschetta recipe. For an extra kick, try adding chopped fresh parsley, one teaspoon minced fresh tarragon and one tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice. Other variations call for four ounces of fresh mozzarella cheese cut into ¼ inch cubes. Place the mozzarella on top of the tomato mixture before serving.


Taken from Life123.com

Italian Olive Bruschetta
They also grew olives at this winery and sold the most fabulous olive oil!

Ingredients:
1/4 cup (50 mL) finely diced red bell pepper
1 tbsp (15 mL) olive oil
1 tsp (5 mL) Italian seasoning
1 large garlic clove, pressed
1/8 tsp (0.5 mL) crushed red pepper flakes
2 cups (500 mL) small pitted ripe olives, finely chopped
2 tbsp (30 mL) snipped fresh parsley
1 tsp (5 mL) lemon zest
2  tsp (10 mL) lemon juice
24 slices French bread, toasted

Directions:
In (8-in./20-cm) Sauté Pan, combine bell pepper, oil, seasoning, garlic and pepper flakes; cook and stir using Square Slotted Spoon over medium heat 1-2 minutes or until bell pepper is crisp-tender. Remove from heat; stir in olives, parsley, lemon zest and juice. Serve olive mixture with bread slices.

Yield: 12 servings

Nutrients per serving: Calories 200, Total Fat 4.5 g, Saturated Fat 1 g, Cholesterol 0 mg, Carbohydrate 35 g, Protein 6 g, Sodium 510 mg, Fiber 2 g

2 comments:

Moie said...

I will be happy to accompany you on your next PC earned trip to Italy!

Unknown said...

And I would love to accompany YOU. Italian Traveler!