Provincial Tomatoes

Delicious fresh tomatoes broiled with a tasty cheese topping.

Ingredients

• 2 large tomatoes, cut into 1/4 inch slices

• salt and pepper to taste

• 1 tablespoon olive oil, or as needed

• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

• 1/4 cup grated Asiago cheese

• 1/4 cup dry bread crumbs

• 2 tablespoons dried parsley

Directions

1. Preheat your oven's broiler.

2. Place tomato slices in a single layer on a baking sheet or in a baking dish, season with a little salt and pepper, and drizzle with olive oil. Mix together the Parmesan cheese, Asiago cheese, bread crumbs and parsley; sprinkle over the tomato slices. Drizzle a little bit more olive oil over the top.

3. Broil for 5 minutes, or until the top is golden and toasty.

English Tea Cucumber Sandwiches

A refreshing and delicious sandwich. Depending on the way you cut the bread, these can be made as appetizers or a simple lunch time sandwich.

Ingredients

• 1 cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon onion salt
• 1 dash Worcestershire sauce
• 1 (1 pound) loaf sliced bread, crusts removed
• 1 pinch lemon pepper (optional)

Directions

1. Place cucumber slices between 2 paper towels set in a colander. Allow liquid to drain, about 10 minutes.
2. Mix cream cheese, mayonnaise, garlic powder, onion salt, and Worcestershire sauce in a bowl until smooth.
3. Spread cream cheese mixture evenly on one side of each bread slice.
4. Divide cucumber slices over half of the bread slices; sprinkle lemon pepper on cucumber.
5. Stack the other half of the bread slices with spread sides down over the cucumber slices to make sandwiches.

Rumaki with Pineapple

With summer here, it's time to start grilling.  These easy appetizers are a quick addition to any cookout.

Ingredients

• cooking spray
• 24 (1 inch) cubes fresh pineapple
• 24 water chestnut slices
• 8 thick-cut bacon slices, cut crosswise into 3 pieces
• 24 toothpicks
• 1/2 cup low-fat sesame-ginger salad dressing
• 1 tablespoon chopped green onion, or to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line the bottom section of a broiler pan with aluminum foil, top with the broiler rack, and spray rack with cooking spray.
2. Place a water chestnut slice atop each pineapple cube; wrap each with 1 bacon slice, securing with a toothpick. Arrange wrapped pineapple on the prepared broiler rack.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 7 minutes; turn and continue baking until bacon is almost crisp, about 8 more minutes. Brush rumaki with sesame-ginger dressing and continue baking until bacon is crisp, about 5 more minutes. Garnish rumaki with green onion.