WEBVTT
00:00:27.099 --> 00:00:28.329
Well, happy summer.
00:00:28.329 --> 00:00:31.809
I am so thrilled to be back this summer.
00:00:31.809 --> 00:00:36.819
I have a fantastic series that's gonna change the way you are cooking.
00:00:37.209 --> 00:00:53.079
I'm calling it small bites, and each week I'm going to have a little shorty episode for you that includes 15 minutes or less focusing in on a single ingredient or technique here to make your summer better.
00:00:53.289 --> 00:00:53.889
So.
00:00:54.579 --> 00:00:57.459
We've gotta naturally start at the beginning, right?
00:00:57.459 --> 00:01:10.989
And talk about summer tomatoes, and we wanna talk about how to choose, use and store them because they're just little things we wanna do to make sure that our tomatoes are showing off the best they can.
00:01:11.409 --> 00:01:17.289
Now, here in the Mid-Atlantic, I'm in Maryland, we just pulled our first two early girls.
00:01:17.468 --> 00:01:19.959
Off the vine, which I'm so thrilled about.
00:01:20.019 --> 00:01:23.138
And I asked my husband, do you think you pulled him a little early?
00:01:23.259 --> 00:01:25.688
He said, no, I beat the squirrels.
00:01:26.259 --> 00:01:37.179
And I thought that was awesome because we have fat, fat squirrels hanging out in our backyard, and they love to go and take one bite of everything that we have.
00:01:37.418 --> 00:01:39.578
So he beat the squirrels, they'll vine.
00:01:39.608 --> 00:01:40.599
They won't vine ripen.
00:01:40.599 --> 00:01:41.978
They'll ripen on the windowsill.
00:01:42.338 --> 00:01:45.039
But when you are looking for a tomato, what?
00:01:45.224 --> 00:01:46.153
Are you looking for?
00:01:46.364 --> 00:01:50.233
Can you just trust that it's the summer and they're good?
00:01:50.894 --> 00:02:01.123
Well, you can to a point, but when you are choosing a tomato, whether you're at your grocery store or a farm stand, it doesn't matter.
00:02:01.394 --> 00:02:02.144
We want.
00:02:02.159 --> 00:02:12.568
To pick a tomato that has really rich, rich color, no matter what it is, and I'm a big fan of using all of the funky heirloom tomatoes.
00:02:12.568 --> 00:02:14.278
I love the purple Cherokees.
00:02:14.278 --> 00:02:17.368
I love the sunrise that have the yellow and the orange.
00:02:17.579 --> 00:02:25.618
I love all sorts of neat, funky tomatoes, but they should not only have like a rich color for what they are.
00:02:25.913 --> 00:02:27.623
But they should feel heavy.
00:02:27.954 --> 00:02:30.774
Your tomatoes should feel laden, right?
00:02:30.984 --> 00:02:34.313
You don't wanna pick up a light tomato and go, yeah, that's perfect.
00:02:34.373 --> 00:02:35.003
No, no.
00:02:35.274 --> 00:02:38.213
You want that sucker to be heavy.
00:02:38.484 --> 00:02:40.794
'cause if it's heavy, it's juicy.
00:02:40.794 --> 00:02:43.433
It's gonna be so good for you.
00:02:43.433 --> 00:02:44.003
So.
00:02:44.033 --> 00:02:50.633
I definitely want a good bright color and a heavy for its size tomato, trust me.
00:02:50.693 --> 00:02:52.253
And you can pick'em all up.
00:02:52.463 --> 00:02:53.334
You can do that.
00:02:53.334 --> 00:02:56.243
You can give it a little gentle squeeze.
00:02:56.454 --> 00:02:59.334
But we are not trying to put our thumb through it, right?
00:02:59.514 --> 00:03:02.873
We want just that very gentle yield to it.
00:03:03.084 --> 00:03:05.274
The way you know an avocado is ripe.
00:03:05.424 --> 00:03:09.234
And if you can do that perfect, you are in good shape.
00:03:09.563 --> 00:03:12.234
And when you get them home, where should they go?
00:03:14.213 --> 00:03:15.834
Always on the counter.
00:03:16.074 --> 00:03:18.204
Never in the fridge.
00:03:18.653 --> 00:03:23.274
Fridge is going to give you mealy tomatoes, and those are no good.
00:03:23.304 --> 00:03:23.753
Right.
00:03:24.024 --> 00:03:30.174
You've had that sandwich with a slice of tomato on it that's been in the fridge and it's all just kind of gross.
00:03:30.743 --> 00:03:31.524
Exactly.
00:03:31.674 --> 00:03:33.503
We are not messing around with this.
00:03:34.329 --> 00:03:38.079
So we wanna keep those tomatoes out on the countertop.
00:03:38.318 --> 00:03:39.278
That's where they belong.
00:03:39.908 --> 00:03:42.068
Keep'em away from the fridge.
00:03:42.068 --> 00:03:45.639
Definitely the freezer, unless you're cooking them, do what you do.
00:03:45.968 --> 00:03:47.919
But that's how we want to go.
00:03:48.128 --> 00:03:51.818
We wanna make sure we're not putting a chill on'em.
00:03:51.818 --> 00:03:58.088
We want them just to rest in all of their meaty, juicy, goodness waiting to be used now.
00:03:59.183 --> 00:04:00.443
How are you gonna use them?
00:04:00.894 --> 00:04:02.514
Couple of ways.
00:04:02.693 --> 00:04:03.713
Really simple.
00:04:03.713 --> 00:04:12.593
I, I do think, and I'll bet you'll agree here, I do think the goal of summer cooking is to keep it as simple as possible, right?
00:04:12.894 --> 00:04:16.973
Like, just don't screw it up by trying to do too much to it.
00:04:17.663 --> 00:04:20.574
This is not where we're gonna guild the Lilly, right?
00:04:20.574 --> 00:04:23.814
We wanna keep it really, really easy.
00:04:23.814 --> 00:04:26.874
A lot of times I just wanna chop up tomatoes.
00:04:27.564 --> 00:04:28.764
And go with them that way.
00:04:28.913 --> 00:04:31.704
And I was never a tomato girl.
00:04:31.704 --> 00:04:44.694
Lots of, uh, daddy issues there because my dad would have a, you know, my mom would do the plate of sliced tomatoes in the middle of the summer, and my dad would always go, Chrissy, there's nothing better than a ripe tomato.
00:04:44.694 --> 00:04:48.684
And I was always like, that is disgusting, because I was a crazy picky eater.
00:04:48.894 --> 00:04:52.824
And also if my dad forced me to eat it, I then would never want to eat it.
00:04:52.884 --> 00:04:55.163
Hello to the seventies and eighties.
00:04:56.814 --> 00:04:56.843
Mm.
00:04:57.834 --> 00:05:02.274
So I'm still not a tomato on a sandwich.
00:05:02.663 --> 00:05:03.024
Girl.
00:05:03.024 --> 00:05:04.343
Can't do it.
00:05:04.793 --> 00:05:12.053
Uh, maybe if it's a caprice, I can do it, but it's just, I like'em in chunks and I think about it this way.
00:05:12.413 --> 00:05:13.494
I'll eat a salsa.
00:05:13.548 --> 00:05:24.619
Right, like you should be making a pico deo with salsa, excuse me, with tomatoes and cilantro and maybe a jalapeno if you grow it or your nice neighbor does.
00:05:24.858 --> 00:05:26.689
Little red onion if you've got it.
00:05:26.718 --> 00:05:28.759
Easy breezy lemon squeezy, right?
00:05:29.363 --> 00:05:34.103
Put a little squeeze of lime juice, so limey, squeezy on there.
00:05:34.134 --> 00:05:35.754
And salt and pepper.
00:05:35.754 --> 00:05:37.434
You are great, right?
00:05:37.434 --> 00:05:38.423
You're all set up.
00:05:39.564 --> 00:05:43.973
I also love, you know, a typical bruschetta, always.
00:05:44.303 --> 00:05:45.053
It's so good.
00:05:45.053 --> 00:05:48.444
Fresh basil, fresh onion, red onion, whatever you want.
00:05:48.983 --> 00:05:51.803
Tomatoes, little balsamic, little salt and pepper.
00:05:52.223 --> 00:05:58.283
And let me tell you, when it comes to tomatoes in the summer, I am all about that crunchy salt.
00:05:58.598 --> 00:05:58.959
Right.
00:05:58.988 --> 00:06:01.149
I am all about the crunchy stuff.
00:06:01.238 --> 00:06:02.528
That is what I want.
00:06:02.829 --> 00:06:06.459
I want my mal and salt, and you can go back and listen.
00:06:06.459 --> 00:06:09.399
One of my first episodes is all about salt.
00:06:09.668 --> 00:06:11.649
It'll tell you everything you need to know.
00:06:11.649 --> 00:06:17.048
But treat yourself to a box of Malden salt, white box, green lettering.
00:06:17.079 --> 00:06:20.139
It's in the British isle of your grocery store.
00:06:20.379 --> 00:06:21.728
Treat yourself to that.
00:06:21.728 --> 00:06:23.499
You will be really happy with it.
00:06:23.949 --> 00:06:27.338
Um, but I love a simple bruschetta.
00:06:28.269 --> 00:06:31.178
I also love a panzanella.
00:06:31.509 --> 00:06:43.538
Now if you know panzanella, you know it's basically a bread and tomato salad, and sometimes people are like, I don't like squishy bread, I don't like wet bread, and I totally respect that.
00:06:43.778 --> 00:06:46.899
So you don't have to have it be aggressively.
00:06:47.139 --> 00:06:48.038
Wet right.
00:06:48.098 --> 00:06:49.088
Here's what I do.
00:06:49.418 --> 00:07:01.749
I will make a red wine vinegarette really simple, little bit of Dijon, little bit of red wine vigor, whisk it together, some salt and pepper, and then some olive oil stream in that olive oil while you're whisking.
00:07:01.749 --> 00:07:02.379
It'll help it all.
00:07:02.379 --> 00:07:03.129
Stay together.
00:07:03.548 --> 00:07:15.608
Then I'll throw in tomatoes, maybe a little mint, garlic torn, or basil that's in a chiffonade, which is when we stack up the leaves and then we slice them.
00:07:15.608 --> 00:07:17.619
Because you never wanna chop basil.
00:07:17.619 --> 00:07:18.999
It makes it turn all black.
00:07:19.298 --> 00:07:20.199
It's kind of gross.
00:07:20.348 --> 00:07:26.949
So either tear it into big pieces, which I love because it looks kind of rustic and cool.
00:07:27.639 --> 00:07:30.249
Or do that shiff a nod if you're feeling chefy.
00:07:30.459 --> 00:07:31.689
We call it a shiff.
00:07:31.899 --> 00:07:32.918
All right, now.
00:07:34.269 --> 00:07:39.009
I throw that in and I let those tomatoes give up some of their juices.
00:07:39.519 --> 00:07:42.338
I also always throw in a cucumber.
00:07:42.699 --> 00:07:46.178
I hated cucumbers my whole life and now I can't get enough of them.
00:07:46.238 --> 00:07:56.798
And I really like the hot house cucumbers, the English cucumbers, they come into plastic, uh, wrapping and you always feel a little naughty when you're unwrapping it.
00:07:57.038 --> 00:08:00.338
I had to learn in classes, unwrap it before the class.
00:08:00.338 --> 00:08:01.418
Otherwise you just.
00:08:02.093 --> 00:08:04.343
It just gets giggles from everywhere.
00:08:04.553 --> 00:08:16.764
But I'll take half of one of those, or if I'm feeling feisty, the whole thing, but again, I'm trying to make only what I'm going to eat because I don't really want to put those tomatoes in the fridge.
00:08:16.913 --> 00:08:22.999
This is never gonna be as good the second day if you've put in the fridge and we gotta do the fridge for food safety stuff, right?
00:08:23.499 --> 00:08:28.314
So only as much as I'm going to eat maybe half a cucumber in there and then.
00:08:28.718 --> 00:08:29.978
I grab some bread.
00:08:30.338 --> 00:08:35.048
Now, my big trick as an Empty nester, I deserve good bread.
00:08:35.408 --> 00:08:36.609
I deserve good food.
00:08:36.818 --> 00:08:47.078
Just because I can't eat an entire loaf of bread, well, I could, but just because I'm not going to eat an entire loaf of bread doesn't mean I shouldn't get the good stuff.
00:08:49.734 --> 00:09:02.033
I also don't wanna waste it, so typically I will either have them slice it at the bakery of a wonderful sourdough bakery here in town that's been open about six months.
00:09:02.274 --> 00:09:04.163
Holy banana or bread is incredible.
00:09:04.489 --> 00:09:06.739
But it's$12 for a loaf.
00:09:07.129 --> 00:09:13.578
I don't want to eat three slices and then have to chuck the thing, so I'll slice it or I'll have them slice it.
00:09:13.788 --> 00:09:26.119
If I slice it, I'll slice it into thicker pieces and put it into the freezer the same day that I buy it, I eat what I want, and then it goes in the freezer, and then I've got that good crusty.
00:09:26.489 --> 00:09:30.208
Yummy bread ready for my tomatoes, right?
00:09:30.269 --> 00:09:39.119
So I take that bread, I will cube it, and then I'll toast it either in the air fryer or in the oven.
00:09:39.538 --> 00:09:49.678
Now an air fryer is the secret summer weapon in my mind, and I am not, um, an appliance freak right at all.
00:09:49.678 --> 00:09:55.168
I steer clear of lots of them, but I do love a pressure cooker and I do love an air fryer.
00:09:56.693 --> 00:10:03.354
An air fryer solely because it's tiny and it will not heat up your entire kitchen.
00:10:03.803 --> 00:10:05.274
I have a regular size oven.
00:10:05.333 --> 00:10:07.283
I heat that up to 400 degrees.
00:10:07.494 --> 00:10:09.144
I'm in a super old house.
00:10:09.504 --> 00:10:13.313
It is going to heat up the kitchen, it's going to heat up the dining room, all of those things.
00:10:13.524 --> 00:10:18.443
So I love to use my air fryer and I think an air fryer, which doesn't fry at all.
00:10:18.443 --> 00:10:20.333
It's just a convection oven, right?
00:10:20.693 --> 00:10:23.724
But an air fryer is so good for an Empty nester.
00:10:23.724 --> 00:10:24.384
I really.
00:10:24.908 --> 00:10:27.129
Cannot recommend one strongly enough.
00:10:27.129 --> 00:10:29.558
If you need a recommendation, let me know.
00:10:29.589 --> 00:10:31.899
You can just come to me through social media.
00:10:32.139 --> 00:10:33.308
Um, on Facebook.
00:10:33.339 --> 00:10:38.259
I'm Empty Nest Kitchen and on Instagram, I'm the Empty Nest Kitchen.
00:10:38.469 --> 00:10:47.708
But you can drop me a message or a comment and I will get back to you with one I love because it's got racks in it and holy cow, it's so good.
00:10:47.708 --> 00:10:53.048
I can make a whole dinner for two of us without heating up the whole kitchen, and I love that.
00:10:53.964 --> 00:10:56.183
So back to my panzanella.
00:10:56.333 --> 00:11:03.774
I've got that tomato salad mixture right going, and then I've got toasted bread cubes.
00:11:03.774 --> 00:11:04.823
I've cubed that bread.
00:11:05.004 --> 00:11:11.214
I might have tossed it with a little olive oil and then I throw those in right before serving.
00:11:11.634 --> 00:11:14.933
Now, this is not a salad you can save, right?
00:11:14.933 --> 00:11:19.254
Because that bread is going to absorb all of.
00:11:19.869 --> 00:11:21.099
All of the liquid.
00:11:21.308 --> 00:11:27.999
So I like to, you can even serve the salad and then put the croutons, crouton ish.
00:11:27.999 --> 00:11:28.269
Right?
00:11:28.269 --> 00:11:30.068
We don't want'em totally crunchy.
00:11:30.369 --> 00:11:35.619
I want'em to still have a little give, um, but I'll toss that together.
00:11:35.828 --> 00:11:38.168
Really, really good stuff.
00:11:38.198 --> 00:11:38.708
Okay.
00:11:39.129 --> 00:11:42.788
So you can see our vibe here is don't do too much.
00:11:43.058 --> 00:11:47.109
Now, speaking of doing too much last night, I may have taken.
00:11:47.538 --> 00:11:50.928
Some grape tomatoes I had and roasted them in the oven.
00:11:51.288 --> 00:11:54.589
Uh, I roast them until they burst at 400 degrees.
00:11:54.769 --> 00:11:57.979
I put a couple of garlic cloves in the paper on there.
00:11:58.278 --> 00:12:03.589
Nice gug of olive oil, salt, pepper, about 20, 25 minutes.
00:12:03.828 --> 00:12:10.303
Threw those into a mini food processor, which is perfect again for your Empty nesters.
00:12:10.399 --> 00:12:12.259
'cause it all goes right in the dishwasher.
00:12:12.599 --> 00:12:15.119
I used a little, um, pasta water.
00:12:15.119 --> 00:12:16.349
I made some pasta here.
00:12:16.619 --> 00:12:18.899
I squeezed the garlic cloves in a little bit.
00:12:18.899 --> 00:12:20.339
Pasta water to thin it out.
00:12:21.479 --> 00:12:22.499
Perfection per.
00:12:23.663 --> 00:12:31.494
Affection and if you roast tomatoes, roast as may as you can, store'em in the fridge and some olive oil, they will be so yummy.
00:12:31.494 --> 00:12:40.313
They'll last you a couple of days, add some fresh thyme if you're feeling Frenchy, add some basil, add whatever makes you feel good.
00:12:40.344 --> 00:12:45.744
But those make a whole bunch, and once they've cooked, you can pop'em in the fridge.
00:12:45.803 --> 00:12:45.984
So.
00:12:46.629 --> 00:12:48.249
Got tomato questions.
00:12:48.249 --> 00:12:55.208
Wanna know what to do with your tomatoes, or do you have a favorite way that you make tomatoes in the summer?
00:12:55.538 --> 00:12:56.948
I'd love it if you'd let me know.
00:12:57.308 --> 00:13:05.798
Now, tune back next week because every week till the end of summer, you're gonna have a small bite just for you.
00:13:06.009 --> 00:13:09.639
All right, until next time, I'll see you in the kitchen.
00:00:27.099 --> 00:00:28.329
Well, happy summer.
00:00:28.329 --> 00:00:31.809
I am so thrilled to be back this summer.
00:00:31.809 --> 00:00:36.819
I have a fantastic series that's gonna change the way you are cooking.
00:00:37.209 --> 00:00:53.079
I'm calling it small bites, and each week I'm going to have a little shorty episode for you that includes 15 minutes or less focusing in on a single ingredient or technique here to make your summer better.
00:00:53.289 --> 00:00:53.889
So.
00:00:54.579 --> 00:00:57.459
We've gotta naturally start at the beginning, right?
00:00:57.459 --> 00:01:10.989
And talk about summer tomatoes, and we wanna talk about how to choose, use and store them because they're just little things we wanna do to make sure that our tomatoes are showing off the best they can.
00:01:11.409 --> 00:01:17.289
Now, here in the Mid-Atlantic, I'm in Maryland, we just pulled our first two early girls.
00:01:17.468 --> 00:01:19.959
Off the vine, which I'm so thrilled about.
00:01:20.019 --> 00:01:23.138
And I asked my husband, do you think you pulled him a little early?
00:01:23.259 --> 00:01:25.688
He said, no, I beat the squirrels.
00:01:26.259 --> 00:01:37.179
And I thought that was awesome because we have fat, fat squirrels hanging out in our backyard, and they love to go and take one bite of everything that we have.
00:01:37.418 --> 00:01:39.578
So he beat the squirrels, they'll vine.
00:01:39.608 --> 00:01:40.599
They won't vine ripen.
00:01:40.599 --> 00:01:41.978
They'll ripen on the windowsill.
00:01:42.338 --> 00:01:45.039
But when you are looking for a tomato, what?
00:01:45.224 --> 00:01:46.153
Are you looking for?
00:01:46.364 --> 00:01:50.233
Can you just trust that it's the summer and they're good?
00:01:50.894 --> 00:02:01.123
Well, you can to a point, but when you are choosing a tomato, whether you're at your grocery store or a farm stand, it doesn't matter.
00:02:01.394 --> 00:02:02.144
We want.
00:02:02.159 --> 00:02:12.568
To pick a tomato that has really rich, rich color, no matter what it is, and I'm a big fan of using all of the funky heirloom tomatoes.
00:02:12.568 --> 00:02:14.278
I love the purple Cherokees.
00:02:14.278 --> 00:02:17.368
I love the sunrise that have the yellow and the orange.
00:02:17.579 --> 00:02:25.618
I love all sorts of neat, funky tomatoes, but they should not only have like a rich color for what they are.
00:02:25.913 --> 00:02:27.623
But they should feel heavy.
00:02:27.954 --> 00:02:30.774
Your tomatoes should feel laden, right?
00:02:30.984 --> 00:02:34.313
You don't wanna pick up a light tomato and go, yeah, that's perfect.
00:02:34.373 --> 00:02:35.003
No, no.
00:02:35.274 --> 00:02:38.213
You want that sucker to be heavy.
00:02:38.484 --> 00:02:40.794
'cause if it's heavy, it's juicy.
00:02:40.794 --> 00:02:43.433
It's gonna be so good for you.
00:02:43.433 --> 00:02:44.003
So.
00:02:44.033 --> 00:02:50.633
I definitely want a good bright color and a heavy for its size tomato, trust me.
00:02:50.693 --> 00:02:52.253
And you can pick'em all up.
00:02:52.463 --> 00:02:53.334
You can do that.
00:02:53.334 --> 00:02:56.243
You can give it a little gentle squeeze.
00:02:56.454 --> 00:02:59.334
But we are not trying to put our thumb through it, right?
00:02:59.514 --> 00:03:02.873
We want just that very gentle yield to it.
00:03:03.084 --> 00:03:05.274
The way you know an avocado is ripe.
00:03:05.424 --> 00:03:09.234
And if you can do that perfect, you are in good shape.
00:03:09.563 --> 00:03:12.234
And when you get them home, where should they go?
00:03:14.213 --> 00:03:15.834
Always on the counter.
00:03:16.074 --> 00:03:18.204
Never in the fridge.
00:03:18.653 --> 00:03:23.274
Fridge is going to give you mealy tomatoes, and those are no good.
00:03:23.304 --> 00:03:23.753
Right.
00:03:24.024 --> 00:03:30.174
You've had that sandwich with a slice of tomato on it that's been in the fridge and it's all just kind of gross.
00:03:30.743 --> 00:03:31.524
Exactly.
00:03:31.674 --> 00:03:33.503
We are not messing around with this.
00:03:34.329 --> 00:03:38.079
So we wanna keep those tomatoes out on the countertop.
00:03:38.318 --> 00:03:39.278
That's where they belong.
00:03:39.908 --> 00:03:42.068
Keep'em away from the fridge.
00:03:42.068 --> 00:03:45.639
Definitely the freezer, unless you're cooking them, do what you do.
00:03:45.968 --> 00:03:47.919
But that's how we want to go.
00:03:48.128 --> 00:03:51.818
We wanna make sure we're not putting a chill on'em.
00:03:51.818 --> 00:03:58.088
We want them just to rest in all of their meaty, juicy, goodness waiting to be used now.
00:03:59.183 --> 00:04:00.443
How are you gonna use them?
00:04:00.894 --> 00:04:02.514
Couple of ways.
00:04:02.693 --> 00:04:03.713
Really simple.
00:04:03.713 --> 00:04:12.593
I, I do think, and I'll bet you'll agree here, I do think the goal of summer cooking is to keep it as simple as possible, right?
00:04:12.894 --> 00:04:16.973
Like, just don't screw it up by trying to do too much to it.
00:04:17.663 --> 00:04:20.574
This is not where we're gonna guild the Lilly, right?
00:04:20.574 --> 00:04:23.814
We wanna keep it really, really easy.
00:04:23.814 --> 00:04:26.874
A lot of times I just wanna chop up tomatoes.
00:04:27.564 --> 00:04:28.764
And go with them that way.
00:04:28.913 --> 00:04:31.704
And I was never a tomato girl.
00:04:31.704 --> 00:04:44.694
Lots of, uh, daddy issues there because my dad would have a, you know, my mom would do the plate of sliced tomatoes in the middle of the summer, and my dad would always go, Chrissy, there's nothing better than a ripe tomato.
00:04:44.694 --> 00:04:48.684
And I was always like, that is disgusting, because I was a crazy picky eater.
00:04:48.894 --> 00:04:52.824
And also if my dad forced me to eat it, I then would never want to eat it.
00:04:52.884 --> 00:04:55.163
Hello to the seventies and eighties.
00:04:56.814 --> 00:04:56.843
Mm.
00:04:57.834 --> 00:05:02.274
So I'm still not a tomato on a sandwich.
00:05:02.663 --> 00:05:03.024
Girl.
00:05:03.024 --> 00:05:04.343
Can't do it.
00:05:04.793 --> 00:05:12.053
Uh, maybe if it's a caprice, I can do it, but it's just, I like'em in chunks and I think about it this way.
00:05:12.413 --> 00:05:13.494
I'll eat a salsa.
00:05:13.548 --> 00:05:24.619
Right, like you should be making a pico deo with salsa, excuse me, with tomatoes and cilantro and maybe a jalapeno if you grow it or your nice neighbor does.
00:05:24.858 --> 00:05:26.689
Little red onion if you've got it.
00:05:26.718 --> 00:05:28.759
Easy breezy lemon squeezy, right?
00:05:29.363 --> 00:05:34.103
Put a little squeeze of lime juice, so limey, squeezy on there.
00:05:34.134 --> 00:05:35.754
And salt and pepper.
00:05:35.754 --> 00:05:37.434
You are great, right?
00:05:37.434 --> 00:05:38.423
You're all set up.
00:05:39.564 --> 00:05:43.973
I also love, you know, a typical bruschetta, always.
00:05:44.303 --> 00:05:45.053
It's so good.
00:05:45.053 --> 00:05:48.444
Fresh basil, fresh onion, red onion, whatever you want.
00:05:48.983 --> 00:05:51.803
Tomatoes, little balsamic, little salt and pepper.
00:05:52.223 --> 00:05:58.283
And let me tell you, when it comes to tomatoes in the summer, I am all about that crunchy salt.
00:05:58.598 --> 00:05:58.959
Right.
00:05:58.988 --> 00:06:01.149
I am all about the crunchy stuff.
00:06:01.238 --> 00:06:02.528
That is what I want.
00:06:02.829 --> 00:06:06.459
I want my mal and salt, and you can go back and listen.
00:06:06.459 --> 00:06:09.399
One of my first episodes is all about salt.
00:06:09.668 --> 00:06:11.649
It'll tell you everything you need to know.
00:06:11.649 --> 00:06:17.048
But treat yourself to a box of Malden salt, white box, green lettering.
00:06:17.079 --> 00:06:20.139
It's in the British isle of your grocery store.
00:06:20.379 --> 00:06:21.728
Treat yourself to that.
00:06:21.728 --> 00:06:23.499
You will be really happy with it.
00:06:23.949 --> 00:06:27.338
Um, but I love a simple bruschetta.
00:06:28.269 --> 00:06:31.178
I also love a panzanella.
00:06:31.509 --> 00:06:43.538
Now if you know panzanella, you know it's basically a bread and tomato salad, and sometimes people are like, I don't like squishy bread, I don't like wet bread, and I totally respect that.
00:06:43.778 --> 00:06:46.899
So you don't have to have it be aggressively.
00:06:47.139 --> 00:06:48.038
Wet right.
00:06:48.098 --> 00:06:49.088
Here's what I do.
00:06:49.418 --> 00:07:01.749
I will make a red wine vinegarette really simple, little bit of Dijon, little bit of red wine vigor, whisk it together, some salt and pepper, and then some olive oil stream in that olive oil while you're whisking.
00:07:01.749 --> 00:07:02.379
It'll help it all.
00:07:02.379 --> 00:07:03.129
Stay together.
00:07:03.548 --> 00:07:15.608
Then I'll throw in tomatoes, maybe a little mint, garlic torn, or basil that's in a chiffonade, which is when we stack up the leaves and then we slice them.
00:07:15.608 --> 00:07:17.619
Because you never wanna chop basil.
00:07:17.619 --> 00:07:18.999
It makes it turn all black.
00:07:19.298 --> 00:07:20.199
It's kind of gross.
00:07:20.348 --> 00:07:26.949
So either tear it into big pieces, which I love because it looks kind of rustic and cool.
00:07:27.639 --> 00:07:30.249
Or do that shiff a nod if you're feeling chefy.
00:07:30.459 --> 00:07:31.689
We call it a shiff.
00:07:31.899 --> 00:07:32.918
All right, now.
00:07:34.269 --> 00:07:39.009
I throw that in and I let those tomatoes give up some of their juices.
00:07:39.519 --> 00:07:42.338
I also always throw in a cucumber.
00:07:42.699 --> 00:07:46.178
I hated cucumbers my whole life and now I can't get enough of them.
00:07:46.238 --> 00:07:56.798
And I really like the hot house cucumbers, the English cucumbers, they come into plastic, uh, wrapping and you always feel a little naughty when you're unwrapping it.
00:07:57.038 --> 00:08:00.338
I had to learn in classes, unwrap it before the class.
00:08:00.338 --> 00:08:01.418
Otherwise you just.
00:08:02.093 --> 00:08:04.343
It just gets giggles from everywhere.
00:08:04.553 --> 00:08:16.764
But I'll take half of one of those, or if I'm feeling feisty, the whole thing, but again, I'm trying to make only what I'm going to eat because I don't really want to put those tomatoes in the fridge.
00:08:16.913 --> 00:08:22.999
This is never gonna be as good the second day if you've put in the fridge and we gotta do the fridge for food safety stuff, right?
00:08:23.499 --> 00:08:28.314
So only as much as I'm going to eat maybe half a cucumber in there and then.
00:08:28.718 --> 00:08:29.978
I grab some bread.
00:08:30.338 --> 00:08:35.048
Now, my big trick as an Empty nester, I deserve good bread.
00:08:35.408 --> 00:08:36.609
I deserve good food.
00:08:36.818 --> 00:08:47.078
Just because I can't eat an entire loaf of bread, well, I could, but just because I'm not going to eat an entire loaf of bread doesn't mean I shouldn't get the good stuff.
00:08:49.734 --> 00:09:02.033
I also don't wanna waste it, so typically I will either have them slice it at the bakery of a wonderful sourdough bakery here in town that's been open about six months.
00:09:02.274 --> 00:09:04.163
Holy banana or bread is incredible.
00:09:04.489 --> 00:09:06.739
But it's$12 for a loaf.
00:09:07.129 --> 00:09:13.578
I don't want to eat three slices and then have to chuck the thing, so I'll slice it or I'll have them slice it.
00:09:13.788 --> 00:09:26.119
If I slice it, I'll slice it into thicker pieces and put it into the freezer the same day that I buy it, I eat what I want, and then it goes in the freezer, and then I've got that good crusty.
00:09:26.489 --> 00:09:30.208
Yummy bread ready for my tomatoes, right?
00:09:30.269 --> 00:09:39.119
So I take that bread, I will cube it, and then I'll toast it either in the air fryer or in the oven.
00:09:39.538 --> 00:09:49.678
Now an air fryer is the secret summer weapon in my mind, and I am not, um, an appliance freak right at all.
00:09:49.678 --> 00:09:55.168
I steer clear of lots of them, but I do love a pressure cooker and I do love an air fryer.
00:09:56.693 --> 00:10:03.354
An air fryer solely because it's tiny and it will not heat up your entire kitchen.
00:10:03.803 --> 00:10:05.274
I have a regular size oven.
00:10:05.333 --> 00:10:07.283
I heat that up to 400 degrees.
00:10:07.494 --> 00:10:09.144
I'm in a super old house.
00:10:09.504 --> 00:10:13.313
It is going to heat up the kitchen, it's going to heat up the dining room, all of those things.
00:10:13.524 --> 00:10:18.443
So I love to use my air fryer and I think an air fryer, which doesn't fry at all.
00:10:18.443 --> 00:10:20.333
It's just a convection oven, right?
00:10:20.693 --> 00:10:23.724
But an air fryer is so good for an Empty nester.
00:10:23.724 --> 00:10:24.384
I really.
00:10:24.908 --> 00:10:27.129
Cannot recommend one strongly enough.
00:10:27.129 --> 00:10:29.558
If you need a recommendation, let me know.
00:10:29.589 --> 00:10:31.899
You can just come to me through social media.
00:10:32.139 --> 00:10:33.308
Um, on Facebook.
00:10:33.339 --> 00:10:38.259
I'm Empty Nest Kitchen and on Instagram, I'm the Empty Nest Kitchen.
00:10:38.469 --> 00:10:47.708
But you can drop me a message or a comment and I will get back to you with one I love because it's got racks in it and holy cow, it's so good.
00:10:47.708 --> 00:10:53.048
I can make a whole dinner for two of us without heating up the whole kitchen, and I love that.
00:10:53.964 --> 00:10:56.183
So back to my panzanella.
00:10:56.333 --> 00:11:03.774
I've got that tomato salad mixture right going, and then I've got toasted bread cubes.
00:11:03.774 --> 00:11:04.823
I've cubed that bread.
00:11:05.004 --> 00:11:11.214
I might have tossed it with a little olive oil and then I throw those in right before serving.
00:11:11.634 --> 00:11:14.933
Now, this is not a salad you can save, right?
00:11:14.933 --> 00:11:19.254
Because that bread is going to absorb all of.
00:11:19.869 --> 00:11:21.099
All of the liquid.
00:11:21.308 --> 00:11:27.999
So I like to, you can even serve the salad and then put the croutons, crouton ish.
00:11:27.999 --> 00:11:28.269
Right?
00:11:28.269 --> 00:11:30.068
We don't want'em totally crunchy.
00:11:30.369 --> 00:11:35.619
I want'em to still have a little give, um, but I'll toss that together.
00:11:35.828 --> 00:11:38.168
Really, really good stuff.
00:11:38.198 --> 00:11:38.708
Okay.
00:11:39.129 --> 00:11:42.788
So you can see our vibe here is don't do too much.
00:11:43.058 --> 00:11:47.109
Now, speaking of doing too much last night, I may have taken.
00:11:47.538 --> 00:11:50.928
Some grape tomatoes I had and roasted them in the oven.
00:11:51.288 --> 00:11:54.589
Uh, I roast them until they burst at 400 degrees.
00:11:54.769 --> 00:11:57.979
I put a couple of garlic cloves in the paper on there.
00:11:58.278 --> 00:12:03.589
Nice gug of olive oil, salt, pepper, about 20, 25 minutes.
00:12:03.828 --> 00:12:10.303
Threw those into a mini food processor, which is perfect again for your Empty nesters.
00:12:10.399 --> 00:12:12.259
'cause it all goes right in the dishwasher.
00:12:12.599 --> 00:12:15.119
I used a little, um, pasta water.
00:12:15.119 --> 00:12:16.349
I made some pasta here.
00:12:16.619 --> 00:12:18.899
I squeezed the garlic cloves in a little bit.
00:12:18.899 --> 00:12:20.339
Pasta water to thin it out.
00:12:21.479 --> 00:12:22.499
Perfection per.
00:12:23.663 --> 00:12:31.494
Affection and if you roast tomatoes, roast as may as you can, store'em in the fridge and some olive oil, they will be so yummy.
00:12:31.494 --> 00:12:40.313
They'll last you a couple of days, add some fresh thyme if you're feeling Frenchy, add some basil, add whatever makes you feel good.
00:12:40.344 --> 00:12:45.744
But those make a whole bunch, and once they've cooked, you can pop'em in the fridge.
00:12:45.803 --> 00:12:45.984
So.
00:12:46.629 --> 00:12:48.249
Got tomato questions.
00:12:48.249 --> 00:12:55.208
Wanna know what to do with your tomatoes, or do you have a favorite way that you make tomatoes in the summer?
00:12:55.538 --> 00:12:56.948
I'd love it if you'd let me know.
00:12:57.308 --> 00:13:05.798
Now, tune back next week because every week till the end of summer, you're gonna have a small bite just for you.
00:13:06.009 --> 00:13:09.639
All right, until next time, I'll see you in the kitchen.
