tomato and broccoli salad

nothing says summer like fresh, home-grown tomatoes.  nothing.

so when i go home to visit my parents in summer, i of course carry off as many as i think i can possibly eat.  and normally i might be content with simply slicing them onto a plate, adding a dash of salt and pepper, and either eating them with a fork or between two pieces of bread.  but i thought i'd try something different today.

ingredients:
- 1 medium tomato (in this case, i think it was a better boy)
- 2  trees of broccoli (is "tree" the technical term?)
- crumbled feta cheese (i used a garlic and herb variety)
- basil
- cracked black pepper

preparation:
cut up the broccoli and tomato (i peel the tomato, too), add a liberal amount of basil, feta, and black pepper.  stir and dig in.

verdict:
i had originally intended to use cucumber instead of broccoli, but the cucumbers at the grocery store were not very good looking.  and i wasn't near any farm stand to pick a good one.  but in the end, i'm glad...the broccoli was a nice crunch, and i think a cucumber might have made the whole thing too watery.

this can never replace a tomato sandwich, but it's definitely a worthwhile side dish.  or, you know, as the meal itself...whatever works!

parmesan roasted vegetables

ah, summer.  that time of year where it gets sticky and hot and humid.  but fortunately, the season also brings forth a bounty of fresh vegetables, which more than makes up for the perspiration.

new potatoes and zucchini mean dinner for brian.  in fact, this means two dinners for brian.

ingredients:
- potatoes (handful of small to medium)
- zucchini (1 medium)
- olive oil
- parmesan cheese
- garlic powder
- thyme
- pepper (black, ground hot, cayenne)

preparation:
quarter the zucchini lengthwise and then cut into approximately two inch lengths.  cut the potatoes into similar size chunks (quarter or half, depending on the size of the potato to begin with).  toss with olive oil, and mix in garlic powder, thyme, and pepper.

spread the vegetables onto a baking sheet (covered with parchment paper) and roast at 400°F for 20 minutes, mixing occasionally.  with about 5-8 minutes left on the timer, sprinkle the parmesan cheese on top.

verdict:
i'm not sure i like the thyme as much as the rosemary, but the vegetables were still tasty.  beyond that, i should have added carrots.  but i forgot that i had some in my fridge.  sadness.  also, i should have cut the potatoes a little smaller because some of them were still a little less than tender in the center.

and be warned: the potatoes are hot.  i mostly blame it on the melty cheese.  and the roof of my mouth doesn't like me now...