Caprese on Crostini

My husband and I can't get enough of this meal, probably because it's so gosh darn hot outside that eating something light and refreshing is comforting on a hot, muggy night. I love it, because it's ridiculously simple, doesn't require any cooking, and is relatively mess free. We had it one night as a snack in the middle of the day as a way to use up some of the basil growing in our garden, and before we knew it, our snack turned into one of our favorite dinners.

I'm sure there's some fancy schmancy Italian word or phrase for what this really is, but for now we're calling it Caprese on Crostini and you only need a handful of things to make it: fresh basil, ripe tomatoes, mozzarella, olive oil, balsamic vinegar (optional), and some good, crusty bread.

There's no right or wrong way to eat this. My husband and I usually put out all the ingredients out on the table and build our own in different combinations. Sometimes I drizzle vinegar over just the bread or other times I top the whole thing with vinegar, and sometimes I sprinkle pepper on the tomatoes for an added kick of heat. It's really up to you and how you want to eat this.

Choosing quality ingredients is key here, so skip the beefsteak tomatoes and pick up some plump, juicy, red tomatoes just off the vine. Don't forget to pour yourself a glass of crisp and refreshing white wine! 

Caprese on Crostini

Ingredients: 
3-4 large ripe tomatoes, sliced 1/4-inch thick
handful fresh basil
16-ounces fresh Mozzarella, sliced 1/4-inch thick
loaf good crusty bread, sliced thin
olive oil (for drizzling)
balsamic vinegar (for drizzling, optional)
pepper (to taste)
garlic (optional)

Directions:
Drizzle olive oil on bread; bake or broil in oven until golden brown on both sides. Optional, once toast is out of the oven, rub a piece of garlic over it. Another option: Grate some mozzarella on top of bread and broil it until bubbly and golden brown. Top with ingredients in any combination.

Mexican Egg Rolls

A few years ago I was handed the job of making chile rellenos for Christmas Eve. After 1 year of "stuffing" chile with cheese and attempting to bread and fry it with the breading still on, I was done. I decided I wanted to reinvent the Chile Relleno. Not that the original aren't great, because they are, I'm just not the best at making them. And so the Mexican Egg roll was born.

Mexican Egg Rolls

Ingredients:
1 pkg Egg Roll Wrappers
2 Tbsp Flour
2 Tbsp Water
Whole Seeded Green Chile
Cheddar Cheese- sliced in 1/2'' pieces
Canola or peanut oil- for frying

Directions:
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Lay out one wrapper with the corner facing you. Place a 4'' strip or 2 Tbsp of chopped chile in the center of the wrapper. Lay a piece of cheese on top of the chile. Fold the corner up over the chile and fold in the left and right corners into the center and continue to roll up. Make a paste out of flour and water and brush onto the edges and corners to seal. Make sure all the edges are sealed so that the cheese doesn't squeeze out when you fry it . Place the rolls in heated oil turning occasionally until golden brown. Remove and drain on paper towels.