Tomato Bouquet Recipes

CHERRY TOMATO TULIPS

Steps:

• Mix cream cheese, milk and lemon juice in medium bowl until blended. Add garlic, onions and dill; mix well.
• Refrigerate 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, poke hole in stem end of each tomato with end of skewer. Place tomatoes, stem ends down, on cutting board. Use serrated knife to cut "x" in top of each tomato, making each cut halfway through tomato. Carefully remove and discard seeds from tomatoes. Insert end of 1 chive into hole in bottom of each tomato.
• Spoon cream cheese mixture into resealable plastic bag; seal bag. Cut small piece off one bottom corner of bag. Insert tip of bag into top of each tomato to pipe about 1-1/2 tsp. filling into each tomato. Arrange on plate to resemble bouquet as shown in photo.

FRUIT BOUQUET

Steps:

• You will also need a plant pot, round florists styrofoam ball to fit into the pot and garland. The recipe format would not allow me to put these in the ingredients needed.
• Cut the styrofoam so it fits into the plant pot, the top of the styro should be just even with the top of the plant pot.
• Wrap the garland around the pot, then cover the styro foam top with it.
• On med. low heat, melt the dipping chocolate in the microwave, stirring every min, being very careful that water or moisture does not get into the chocolate.
• When smooth, dip the top 1/3 of the strawberries into the melted chocolate, then place on skewers.
• Poke all the strawberry skewers into the styro, as this will store them upright until the chocolate is set.
• With a serrated knife, or a ridged hors d'ouvres tool, slice the melons into 1" wide by 3" long pieces.
• Insert the melon pieces onto the skewers, lengthwise,set aside.
• Place the pineapple chunks onto the skewers, set aside.
• Place the grapes onto the skewers long-wise; purple, then green, then purple, ending with another green.
• Remove the choc. dipped strawberry skewers from the plant pot, set aside.
• Start poking the fruited skewers into the styro filled pot.
• Fill the center first, then work towards the outside.
• I served this with White Chocolate Fruit Dip #137738.
• Note: I made this the night before our party,and of course it wouldn't fit in the fridge.
• I wrapped it loosely with saran wrap, placed it in a box not much larger than the plant pot, then set it in my car in a cool garage, it was still nice and fresh teh next day !
• BE CAREFUL when you move it, as it is top heavy !

MUSSELS WITH TOMATOES, HERBS AND GARLIC (MOULES PROVENçALE)

Steps:

• To make the sauce, heat the olive oil in a large saucepan, add the onions, celery, garlic, basil and bouquet garni, and cook over low heat for 5 minutes or until softened but not browned.
• Mix in the tomato paste and tomatoes, salt, pepper, and sugar, and simmer gently for 30 minutes.
• Put the mussels in a casserole dish with the wine, over high heat, and bring to a boil. Cook for a few minutes only, until the mussels have opened, stirring frequently to ensure they are evenly cooked.
• Pour off the cooking liquid, discard any mussels that have not opened, and return the opened mussels, in their shells, to the casserole dish.
• Pour the hot tomato sauce over the mussels and heat through. Sprinkle with chopped basil and serve at once.