My Mom used to say, “If you have fresh tomatoes in your garden by the Fourth of July, it’s a good garden!” Mom must have always had a good one then because she always had tomatoes at her barbecues. And, there’s nothing better than biting into a red, plump, juicy tomato or eating tomato slices on a BLT sandwich in early summer! The tomatoes we buy at the store the rest of the year are tasteless compared to those sun-ripened beefsteaks you pick right out of the garden. Independence Day picnics and barbecues would never be the same without fresh tomatoes!
I have a great recipe for Greek Spaghetti to use when your tomato plants produce more than you can eat. The heat of summer can put a damper on your appetite, but this light pasta and tomato dish may be just what you’re looking for. It also goes great with an all-American hot dog wrapped in a slice of bacon and grilled over coals or broiled in your oven and then wrapped in a slice of American cheese and sandwiched in a soft toasty bun.
I also like to make a special July Fourth treat for the kids – pretzel sparklers. All you need are 8 squares (1-ounce each) of white baking chocolate, a 10-ounce bag of pretzel rods and a bottle of colored candy stars or sprinkles. Just microwave the chocolate until it melts; then dip each pretzel rod about halfway into the chocolate and sprinkle with stars or colored sprinkles. Let them dry on waxed paper and after the chocolate dries, stand them in a large mug or storage jar. The recipe makes about 2 dozen “sparklers,” but those sweet and salty treats will disappear in no time!
GREEK SPAGHETTI WITH TOMATOES AND FETA CHEESE
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 large garlic clove, minced
3 cups diced fresh tomatoes
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup sliced green onions
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, divided
2 tablespoons lemon juice
4 cups cooked thin spaghetti (about 8 ounces uncooked), cooked without salt or fat
1 cup (4 ounces) crumbled feta cheese, divided
1/2 cup black olives, sliced
Freshly ground black pepper (optional)
Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add oregano and garlic and sauté 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, sugar, green onions, 2 tablespoons parsley and lemon juice; cook 2 minutes or until heated.
Combine tomato mixture, spaghetti, 3/4 cup cheese and black olives; toss gently. Top with remaining 1/4 cheese and 2 tablespoons parsley and sprinkle with pepper, if desired. Makes 4 large servings.
Brotherton offers website readers one stellar recipe a week in the “My Leader Yummy” feature.
Looking for a recipe you can’t find? Email me at kbrotherton42@gmail.com and I’ll see if I have it.
