Oven-Roasted Tomatoes

So what do you do when a friend shares a ton of super sweet, itty-bitty, orange colored cherry tomatoes from her bountiful garden? Actually, I popped them like candy for a few days, but now I need to seriously find a use for them before she gives me more... and there apparently will be more... lots more! She said these Sun Gold cherry tomatoes are more prolific than bunnies :).

So I thought I'd try roasting them in the oven to attempt a homemade version of one of my favorite foods on earth... Sun-Dried Tomatoes.

I cut them in half, doused them generously with extra virgin olive oil , sprinkled on a little kosher salt and pepper, and roasted them in a 400F oven, cut side up, for about 35 minutes.

This is what they looked like when they were done. Yummy! Not exactly the same as sun dried tomatoes from the store, but they taste absolutely wonderful. They're soft-ish and still a bit juicy, but their flavor is INTENSELY SWEET!

We ate many of them right off the sheet pan, but I rescued a bunch of them for a ridiculously delicious pasta salad. You should definitely try these!

Emeril's Hot Potato Salad with Bacon and Ham

Oh my goodness, was this ever good! It's a recipe from Emeril's new book Emeril at the Grill. I found this recipe on a great blog called Whipped by Caroline - you should definitely check it out.

True Confession Time, I've watched Emeril cook a gazillion times, but this is actually the first recipe of his that I've ever made. If his other recipes are half as good as this one, I'll have to add a few of his cookbooks to my collection!

I made the recipe almost exactly as stated below, with just a couple of very minor changes. I didn't have any creole or whole-grain mustard on hand, so I subbed dijon. I also had about 1/2 c. cubed grilled ham leftover, so I threw it in, and wow - what a combo with the mustard!

The recipe says you can serve this salad warm or cold. Since I'm usually a cold potato salad kind of girl, I thought I would like this one best cold, but nope, I actually preferred it warm. Also, next time I make this salad (and there will be a next time), I'll increase the potatoes to 2.5 or 3 pounds. I like a higher spud to dressing ratio.

Hot Potato Salad with Bacon and Ham

makes 8 servings

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

• 2.5 - 3 pounds small red potatoes, cut to bite-size pieces

• 3/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne

• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

• 1/3 cup finely chopped celery

• 2 tablespoons finely chopped scallions

• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley leaves

• 4 hard-boiled eggs, coarsely chopped

• 3/4 cup mayonnaise

• 1 1/2 tablespoons dijon mustard (E likes creole or whole-grain)

• 4 strips crisp cooked bacon, crumbled

• 1/2 cup cubed ham

Directions

1. Put the potatoes in a saucepan and add enough water to cover, add a little kosher salt for flavor, and bring to a boil.

2. Cook for about 10 minutes, until for tender.

3. While potatoes are cooking, prepare the dressing. In a large bowl, combine mayo, mustard, salt, pepper, cayenne, and lemon juice; mix to combine.

4. Add drained potatoes and remaining ingredients; toss and serve warm.

adapted from Emeril at the Grill