Summer Tomatoes

There is nothing better than summer tomatoes.  I had a few tomatoes from my garden and a colleague gave me some  home grown ones as well.  I made my favorite summer tomato recipe. This recipe is really only good in the summer when you have a garden, access to a friend who does have a garden and is growing tomatoes or a farmers market.  Store bought tomatoes just won't do.

Marinated Tomatoes
3-4 pints of summer tomatoes
3-4 cloves of garlic. pressed or finely minced
1/2 lb Monterrey Jack, cut into small pieces
1/4 c julienned fresh basil
Salt & Pepper to taste
1/4 c olive oil
1 # pasta of choice, I like farfalle (bow tie)
Grated Parmesan cheese

In a large bowl, mix together all the ingredients except the pasta.  Let this mixture marinate for an hour, if you can.  The olive oil and the acid from the tomatoes make a very nice, mild vinaigrette.  After your ingredients have marinated for an hour, cook the pasta according to the package directions.  Drain the pasta and add it to the bowl.  Mix gently.  The warm pasta will gently melt the Monterrey Jack cheese.  Serve immediately with grated parmesan cheese and a good crusty bread.

I served this with Campo Viejo Temparanillo as recommended by my wine guy, Steve at the local HEB. It was most excellent.

I shopped today and berries were on sale.  I find it very hard to resist good berries.  Tonight we had blackberry and raspberry cobbler with Bluebell homemade vanilla ice cream.

We had good food and live is worth living! 

Sarah is home.  We are glad to see her.  She and Jim decided that the movie that would be best after dinner is A Good Year. After all the theory is that good food and good wine make a good year.  We'll see.