Marinated Cherry Tomatoes

I like cherry tomatoes but if I don't use them quickly, so within about two weeks, they go bad. So, I have been looking for recipes using cherry tomatoes.

This recipe is great because the marinated tomatoes can be used as an added ingredient in omelettes; salads; rice dishes, warm or cold; and on sandwiches.

Plus, I am assuming because the tomatoes are marinated they may keep longer. But, I don't know that yet, since I already ate them all.

Marinated Cherry Tomatoes
Adapted from: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Marinated-Cherry-Tomato-Salad/

Ingredients:
1.5 cups cherry tomatoes, cut in half
A dollop of olive oil
1 Tbspn table vinagre
1 Tbspn Balsamic Vinegar
1 palmful dry parsley, crush between hands
1 palmful dry oregano, crush between hands
1 palmful dry basil, crush between hands
Ground Black Pepper to taste.
A dash of salt (optional)
1/3 tspn sugar

Process:
In a bowl or covered container, add olive oil, vinegars, herbs, salt and sugar. Stir.
Add tomatoes. Stir to coat tomatoes. If necessary, add more oil.
Place bowl or container in frig to chill for about an hour.

My First Chayote Salad

Several recipes I make are made from what I have on hand.

All health and medical sites and my doctor say: “Eat more greens.”

They’re right. While I eat well, I don’t eat greens regularly. If I get a head of lettuce, it’s salads for a week. If I get cabbage, it works better because I can make a skillet dish and freeze some of it. But, it’s hard to avoid waste even if I buy half a head. and I hate waste, so my produce purchases are limited.

Since I have chosen not to go bulk grocery shopping for a bit, I have to rely on what produce the  local tiendas have and that varies day to day.

Today, I wanted to make a pepino, tomato and onion salad. All I needed was a pepino, but, all the tienda had was one green pepper and one chayote.

Green Pepper & Chayote

I have never eaten or cooked a chayote. It’s a lovely looking vegetable and it is green.

So, after researching how to use a chayote, I found I could slice it and eat it raw. So, I made a chayote, tomato, onion, and green pepper salad with a dash of grated carrot and an oil and vinegar dressing.

Small Chayote Salad

1/4 Chayote, sliced

1/4 Green pepper, sliced

1/2 Tomato, sliced

1/4 Red onion, sliced

grated carrot

Place vegetable slices in a bowl. Top with grated carrot.

Oil & Vinegar Dressing

Adapted from: http://simmerandboil.cookinglight.com/2015/05/29/why-homemade-salad-dressing-is-best/?xid=social_twitter+

3 parts Olive oil

1 part Vinegar (Vinagre La Cocinera)

3 turns of Black pepper

1/2 lime, squeezed

In a measuring cup, add oil, vinegar, black pepper and lime juice.
Pour it into a jar with a lid.

Close lid and shake.

Boiled Potatoes

Boiled Potatoes

Ingredients:

1 large mexican white potato
2/3 cup milk*
2/3 cup water
A dollop of olive oil
S/p to taste

Variation: Instead of milk, use equivalent amount of water.

Note: When using more than one potato, increase liquid.

Process:

Peel potato. Cut in half vertically.
Place in large microwave dish with a cover.
Add water and milk.
Add a dab of olive oil to top of each half.
s/p to taste.
Cover.
Cook on high, 10 minutes.

Check periodically to make sure liquid does not boil dry. Add more water if needed.
Time may vary depending on size of potatoes and wattage of microwave.
Potato is done when you can pierce easily with a fork.

Note: To use leftover boiled potatoes, see Potato Pancakes 

Basic Stovies

Basic Stovies

I could not find the source of my original recipe. I found plenty of other recipes like this one from All Recipes:

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Stovies/

While the basic Stovies recipe is boiled potatoes mixed with cooked onions and corned beef, when I found this recipe, it seemed simple and I could make variations of it later. As usual, I had to my  "Use What I Have" method.

Here's the original recipe:

8 red potatoes, peeled and cut in half vertically

salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup butter
Place potatoes halves in a pot with 1/2 inch water or milk
Season potatoes
Cook on medium heat for 15-40 minutes

Here's my revised recipe:

Electric Two-Burner Stovetop Version:

Ingredients:

2 medium, white Mexican potatoes, peeled and cut in half vertically

about a cup of milk and water mix

1/2 cube of chicken bullion

black pepper

garlic salt

a dab of olive oil

Instructions:

add milk and water to pan to fill with 1/2 inch of liquid.

add chicken bullion and stir.

set potatoes in broth.
season with black pepper, garlic salt, and a dab of olive oil.
cover.

cook on low for 15-40 minutes until done.
check to make sure they don’t stick.

Microwave Version:

I had 1 potato and the leftover broth from making the stovies. I poured the broth into a glass casserole dish; cleaned and peeled the potato and placed the two halves in the broth and seasoned. I cooked the potatoes in the microwave for 15 minutes and it came out --- drum roll -- Perfect!!!