Weenie Roast

We were invited to a weenie/smores roast by some fellow Virginia transplant friends. It lasted two hours, during which our girls pulled out their garden of green onions for kindling, called 911 accidentally and had a policeman dispatched to the house, and burned each other with their roasting wands. All in all, not a gold star night for the girls. However, these recipes I brought are terrific. Sorry, Brian and Norma!

Roasted Green Beans with Garlic and Soy Sauce

1 lb. fresh green beans, cleaned and trimmed
3-4 cloves roasted garlic (fresh would work too) thinly sliced
2-3 Tbl. olive oil
2-3 Tbl. soy sauce
fresh ground pepper
a few pinches red pepper flakes

Preheat oven to 400*. Spread beans evenly on parchment lined baking sheet and coat evenly with olive oil (use your hands). Bake in oven for 30-40 minutes until beans begin to carmelize. Remove from oven and toss with soy sauce, pepper and red pepper flakes. Serve immediately or super yummy at room temperature.

Tomatoes Stuffed with Rice (adapted from Giada DeLaurentiis)

1 cup short-grain white rice (couscous, quinoa, wild rice would all be lovely)

6 ripe but firm large tomatoes

4 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 garlic clove, minced

3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves

1/4-1/2 cup grated Parmesan
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Cut a circle in the top of the tomatoe, like a pumpkin. Twist and pull the core of the tomatoe out, scooping the seeds, pulp, and juice from each tomato into a small bowl. Reserve the tomato juice and pulp.
Oil the bottom of an 8 by 8-inch baking dish with olive oil. Place the hollowed tomatoes in the prepared dish.
Toss the rice with the reserved tomato juice and pulp. Add the garlic, basil, Parmesan, olive oil, and salt and pepper, to taste. Combine well. Spoon the rice mixture into the hollowed tomatoes, mounding slightly. Drizzle entire dish with olive oil and more Parmesan, if you wish. Bake until the rice is heated through, about 20 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature.