Cheese Stuffed Tomatoes

I was visiting with a friend in New York a few years ago when the subject of dinner came up. We discussed going to a nearby fondue restaurant and, as much as I love cheese, I pointed out that maybe we should opt for something a little healthier with vegetables and protein, etc. My friend, who is a dietitian replied, “Cheese is a protein.”

Case closed. That is why it’s great to be friends with a dietitian. It’s like the lady said, cheese is protein. Not the leanest, admittedly, but a protein nonetheless.

Stuffed tomatoes are great for side dish or a light meal. This dish is like a lighter, fresher tasting version of pizza. Use any type of cheddar. In this case I used Grafton Village Cheese Company’s Sage Cheddar, which is why you see little green specs on the cheese in the pictures.

Cheese Stuffed Tomatoes - serves 2 – 4

1/2 C cooked white long grain rice
1 egg
1/2 C cubed cheddar cheese
4 thin 1″x1″ slices of cheddar cheese
4 medium tomatoes

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Beat egg and add to rice. Mix in cubed cheddar.

To hollow out the tomatoes – cut off the top. Cut out the stem out of the top piece and discard, reserving the rest. Using a knife, free the inside structure from the tomato’s walls. Scoop out the flesh with a spoon. Remove any seed membranes and white parts and discard. Dice the remaining internal structure along with the tops. Scoop any remaining seeds from the tomato shells.

Add diced tomato bits to the rice mixture. Scoop the rice mixture into the tomatoes. It’s ok if it there is enough to create a small mound.

Carefully place on a rack on a bakling sheet. Bake 25 minutes. Place cheese slices on top and bake an additional 5 minutes. Remove from oven and allowto rest 5 minutes before serving.

Ingredient origins: Rice – California; Egg – New Hampshire; Cheddar – Vermont; Tomatoes – Maine

Sausage and Kale Soup

It’s been a relatively warm autumn here and our neighbor’s garden is still producing kale. She had kindly brought some by a few months ago and I made this lovely soup out of some Italian sausage we had in the freezer and some rice and lentils we had on hand. I wasn’t expecting much, but the soup turned out to have that rare combination of being hearty and light at the same time.

Our neighbor mentioned the other day that the kale is still going strong, and so she invited us over to grab some more before the first frost. It’s a good thing too, because it snowed the following day. I decided this time to perfect the recipe and use some of my homemade stock and some fresh sausage from a local farm. The result is a rich and flavorful soup that’s not too heavy. I know this one was a winner because my husband had seconds.

Sausage and Kale Soup – serves 6 – 8

1/2 C long grain white converted rice
1/2 C dry red lentils
1 C water
6 Italian sausages
1 bunch (15-20 leaves) of kale, spines removed and chopped into 1 -2 inch squares
8 C vegetable or chicken stock
Salt to taste

Remove sausage from the casings and form pieces about 1 inch in size. Brown in a skillet over medium heat for 10-15 minutes. Drain fat and set aside.

In a large stockpot combine vegetable stock, kale and salt to taste. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes. Meanwhile, lightly simmer rice and lentils in water, covered for 10 minutes until not quite cooked through.

Combine all ingredients in the large stockpot with the kale. Season to taste.

Simmer for an additional 5 – 10 minutes. Serve hot.

Ingredient origins: Organic kale – neighbor’s garden, Converted rice – Texas, Organic lentils – California, Italian sausage – Maine, vegetable stock – my own kitchen from water and vegetables trimmings of mostly local organic veggies.