Fried Green Tomatoes

I have always been intrigued by the dish Fried Green Tomatoes (where exactly do you find green tomatoes... are they unripe ones, or are they a special variety, and why on earth would you mess up a perfectly good tomato by frying it). And little scared of it (after eating Green Tomato Pie once as a child). On Saturday at the vegetable market I found Green Tomatoes (they are unripe, and they sell them down here as Green Tomatoes). Since Mark and I are now living in the southern states, I thought it was appropriate to try this dish. I followed the recipe pretty much to the letter, but sliced my tomatoes about 1/4" thick. I served them with a side of Ranch dressing. Oh, my... very tasty! Mark and I give Fried Green Tomatoes a "thumbs up"!

Vegetarian Pleasures

Over 20 years ago when I decided to delve into the vegetarian lifestyle the first cookbook I got was Vegetarian Pleasures by Jeanne Lemlin. It is a menu cookbook and is a great first cookbook for someone new into the vegetarian scene. I have several favorite dishes that I have made from that book. With tomatoes and basil being in the height of the season now, I opted to make a delicious summer pasta dish.

Pasta with Uncooked Tomato and Fresh Basil Sauce
1 lb ripe tomatoes, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup fresh basil leaves, shredded
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt
fresh ground pepper to taste
10 oz whole wheat angel hair pasta
2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Combine the tomatoes, garlic, basil, olive oil, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Toss well. Let marinate at room temperature for at least 2 hours.

Cook the pasta until al dente and drain very well in a colander and return to the pot.

Toss the pasta with the Parmesan cheese. Pour on the sauce. Toss well and serve immediately.