I can hardly believe it’s been 2 years since I started Proud Italian Cook! My, how time flies when you’re having fun. I can truly say that this blog has enriched my life in so many ways but especially in having the opportunity to meet so many great people along the way. I want to say thank you to all my dear blog friends, you know who you are, thanks for all your inspiration, your comments and words of encouragement, thanks to my family for putting up with me, and a big thank you to all my subscribers and those who just look on in silence. Looking forward to year 3!
Because I still have an abundance of tomatoes, I’ve been thinking of different ways to use them up, in fact you haven’t seen the last of my tomato recipes! If you love a good caprese salad and love risotto, then this is for you. Combine fresh vine ripened tomato’s, in my case it was yellow and red heirlooms that I diced into bite size pieces along with cubed fresh mozzarella, fresh chopped basil, a little salt and pepper and a good drizzle of olive oil. Set this aside.Make your risotto by sauteing 1/2 of a chopped medium onion in in olive oil and a little butter. Add three cloves of chopped garlic and saute, then add 1 1/4 cups of arborio rice, toast it up a little then deglaze with 1/2 cup of white wine. When wine is absorbed start adding 6 cups of warmed broth one cup at a time stirring till all is absorbed. When rice is finished, stir in some grated Parmesan, and lastly fold in your caprese mixture, adding extra basil if needed. This is a great transition to fall meal, summer flavors and comfort food all in one!
I saw this recipe in a book called The Heirloom Tomato, by Amy Goldman. I thought the idea of a tomato chip sounded unique and different. I envisioned eating them with white bean dip or used as a garnish, very fancy schmancy! I had a bowl full of tomatoes that had some bruises and decided to just cut away the bad spots, slice them up and make chips! This is something you do when your going to be home all day and your oven won’t be used for anything else. Depending how juicy your tomatoes are, this process can take 3-5 hours, mine took 5.
I saw this recipe in a book called The Heirloom Tomato, by Amy Goldman. I thought the idea of a tomato chip sounded unique and different. I envisioned eating them with white bean dip or used as a garnish, very fancy schmancy! I had a bowl full of tomatoes that had some bruises and decided to just cut away the bad spots, slice them up and make chips! This is something you do when your going to be home all day and your oven won’t be used for anything else. Depending how juicy your tomatoes are, this process can take 3-5 hours, mine took 5.Warm up some olive oil in a small pan and add crushed garlic to infuse the oil, let it sit for about an hour. Preheat oven to 250F. Line baking sheets with a silpat or parchment, (I used parchment) Brush each 1/4″ sliced tomato with the infused garlic oil. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and fresh thyme. Go easy on the salt and pepper, flavors intensify more than you think. ( I found that out!) Bake single layer 1 hour, then lower the temperature to 200F and continue baking until crisp, 3-5 hours. Store in an airtight container and keep in your fridge. We loved these, the taste was intensely tomato, I even wrapped some up and gave them as a gift!
Stay tuned for a few more ideas for using up the last of your summer tomatoes!
Buon Appetiito!!
I’m Marie, a wife, mother, mother-in-law, and gramma of two beautiful girls. My passion is food, clear and simple but especially Italian food, hence the name of my blog, Proud Italian Cook. I want you to feel right at home here so grab a cup of coffee, I’ll get the pastries, take a look around and enjoy your visit! {
Tomato chips? I never heard of such a thing – but it sounds and looks excellent! Not sure I could handle the long hours waiting though…
Geez, Ihave been out the loop. Happy anniversary!
So sorry that I must have been recovering from my long vacation and missed this post, Marie.
Happy 2 year blog anniversary! You know you are my favorite food blog and blog friend!
X0X0
Happy Blogiversary!
Happy Happy Anniversary my friend!
Congrats on TWO years of your amazingly delicious blog, Marie! Best wishes for many more.
The risotto and the tomato chips look so good; bookmarking for later copycatting!
I LOVE the idea of tomato chips! I’m sure the flavor is intense and wonderful. Happy second blogiversary! Keep up the great writing, I totally enjoy reading it. 🙂
Happy 2nd Blogiversary! I am new to blogging and I am so very impressed by your blog! Everything looks ridiculously good amd I have already tried out some of your ideas! Thank you!
Happy Anniversary! Here’s to many more years [imagine the sound of glasses clicking for this toast]
Happy Due Blogiversary! Always a pleasure to stop by and see what you’re up to. The chips are fab. I’ve dries mine in a dehydrator and they do take forever, but at least you can leave them alone and not worry about them so much with a dehydrator. Ciao Bella!
Oh! And I forgot to wish you a very Happy Blog Anniversary ~ I hope you celebrate many more. 🙂
What a wonderful combination of flavors in your risotto recipe! Your photos are lovely, I hope to try this very soon.
Your blog is lovely, I’ll follow! Thank you for comenting on mine; that is how I found you ~ and I’m so pleased about that.
Have a delicious day!
The risotto looks great, like what you wold hav in a fancy restaurant.
Congratulations! Your risotto recipe looks great.
Happy two years! I love your blog and your original way with the best ingredients. Definitely making tomato chips. I have the tomatoes and I’m home writing so why not? All is luscious as ever. Caprese risotto! Luscious!
Congratulations…now get back in the kitchen and start making those other summer tomato dishes you promised.
Congrats and thanks for sharing two years of your life with us.
Cool chips. Congratulations on your second anniversary Marie. Thanks for all of your gorgeous food that you share with us.
Sam
Congratulations, Marie! Look forward to year 3 with you, also. I love these tomato chips – we make them all the time. I had to laugh because I had just made a batch this morning for pizza night tonight! We put them on everything. They are just a great snack, too.
Congratulations on your 2nd anniversary 🙂 the risotto looks so yummie, creamy…
Congrats on your blogiversary. It’s amazing how much fun it is to keep these things going.
Very clever trick with the tomatoes and I love your risotto. You combined one of my favorite things to make (risotto) with one of my favorite salds (caprese).
Caprese risotto, what a great idea!
Happy anniversary Marie. It continues to be an absolute pleasure to read your blog. I look forward to meeting you in person one day…
LL
A tomato chip is a stupendous idea Marie! Congrats on your blog and thanks for bringing your food into my universe.
Marie…Two years, wow, “happy blogiversary” darling. I LOVE your blog and your Italian style is right up my alley!!!
Keep on doing what you do…cook, blog, friendship, because you do it really well!!
Hugs…Chris
Happy blogiversary!!! Auguri!
Congratulations, Marie on your 2nd year of blogging!!!
Your risotto looks amazing and loving the flavors, especially those tomato chips… Guess what I just finished making, yep drying tomatoes as well 😉
Hugs & kisses to baby 😉
XOX’S
Lucy
Wouldn’t these tomato chips be like every colour of the sunset if we used Heirloom tomatoes. Imagine, 2 years already…congratulations!!
Happy anniversary, Marie! Time flies, doesn’t it?
I love your tomato risotto and tomato chips. Amy Goldman lives here in the Hudson Valley and I visited her garden last year during the height of tomato season – it’s truly a beautiful place.
This year, as you know, we gardeners in the Northeast had to deal with the blight; so sad. Thankfully, we have some farmers who did not have such a bad crop.
I will make the tomatoe chips today…great idea…thanks.
Risotto looks great! But I tried a caprese penne recently and the cheese was so stringy and clumpy it was hard to eat. Any secrets?
Happy Anniversary!! I discovered your blog pretty recently and am looking forward to seeing more great recipes 🙂
I just made (and had) risotto for the first time over the weekend. (good stuff) Yours looks fantastic. The tomato chip is a great idea and really “fancys” up the dish
Wow, both of these look amazing! My family loves risotto of all kinds, so I’m sure this will be a hit. I can’t wait to try the tomato chips, too – they sound really interesting!
Anonymous, I obviously need some spelling lessons! Thanks for the laugh this morning!
Happy anniversary to my friend!
Love the recipe and the tomato chips and you!
HAPPY BLOGIVERSARY!! And for all the inspiration you may acquire from others you return 10-fold.
Been following your blog for about a year and love it! Have shared it with many friends. Just have to say though that i snicker a bit when you use “frig” rather than “fridge”…being a nice Italian Nana.
A fabulous recipe to celebrate your second blogiversary. But we wouldn’t have expected less. You have a really dynamic blog with gorgeous photos and you will have many more years to go based on your talents. Love the tomato chips Marie. Congratulations.
Congratulations on your blog-anniversary. I have been lurking for some time and love the food you share. What was the verdict on the tomato chips, after all those hours were they worth it?
Congratulations on another year blogging! That is fantastic! This tomato chip is unique and different. I am definitely going to have to try that. Such a great idea. Thanks~
Susan congratulations on 2 years of blogging fun… It has been a joy to visit your blog and get so many tasty recipes… I just want you to know that I appreciate all you do. Thanks!
(((HUGS)))
Donna
Love caprese and that risotto looks delicious!