Parmesan Baked Tomatoes

Are you familiar with the Frog and Toad series?

They are early chapter books with well loved stories of high interest for children. The first chapter in the book Frog and Toad Are Friends is called 'Spring'.  

In this chapter Frog hurries over to Toad's house one fine Spring morning in April, but Toad isn't eager to get up. Frog eventually gets Toad up out of bed and no sooner does he explain about the whole new year they'll have together, than Toad decides to go back to bed. Since Toad has slept since November, he asks Frog to come back to wake him up when it's half past May. Not wanting to be lonely until that time, Frog takes advantage of the fact that Toad hasn't changed his calendar since November and tears off the month pages till he gets to April, but tears off the April page as well and manages to get Toad out of bed to admire the beauty of spring.

Well I could relate to Frog's impatience getting Toad up to watch spring unfold. We had a nightmare winter that would never end. 

I tried to admire the beauty of spring as we slogged our way through rainy May and June. I planted and remained ever hopeful through July and into August. I kept a close eye on calendar realizing the window of opportunity for tomatoes to reap is getting smaller and smaller with Fall on the horizon. So I rejoiced when finally 4 rosy red tomatoes made an appearance. 

Just enough to make Parmesan Baked Tomatoes. I will have to admit though it was difficult to cut into them. I just wanted to look at them nestled in a dish. 

Parmesan Baked Tomatoes

serves 2-4

Ingredients:

• 4-5 tomatoes cut in thick slices
• 1-2 TB. good quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil or Extra Virgin Olive Oil Tuscan Infused
• 1/3 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
• 1-2 TB. balsamic vinegar or Dark Chocolate Balsamic
• 1 TB. fresh finely chopped oregano or 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 Tb. fresh finely chopped parsley or 1 tsp. dried parsley flakes  
• 2 TB. fresh finely chopped basil  or 2 tsp. dried basil

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Slice tomatoes and pat dry on a paper towel.
• Arrange in a baking dish and drizzle with olive oil and balsamic.
• Sprinkle spices and grated Parmesan cheese on top of tomatoes.
• Bake 10 minutes uncovered and serve warm.

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun?

Bella was caught digging trying to make her hole deeper.

It was hot she wanted to be cool and have a little fun.