Appetizers: Tasty Tomato Treats

Well…here it is! My first official blog post and I am bursting with enthusiam about— tomatoes? Yes, tomatoes. The siblings all congregated for dinner at Mom and Dad’s house on Saturday night and Mom insisted that if we were to be consuming large quantities of alcohol we must first get some food on our tummys. So, here are the treats I concocted! They are quick, simple and easy to grab with one hand (assuming you will be nursing a cocktail in that other hand).

Tomato Basil Mozzarella Skewers


One package of fresh basil, one package of cherry tomatoes, and a stick of mozzarella. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half, tear a piece of basil large enough to cover a small cube of mozzarella and skewer away! Drizzle with olive oil, salt & pepper, and you are all set!

Tomato Pomegranate Walnut Dip



Ingredients:
3/4 cup pomegranate juice (I like to use POM)
1/2 cup walnuts
3 tablespoons unseasoned bread crumbs
1 table spoon fresh lemon juice
1 (8-ounce) jar roasted tomatoes
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt & pepper
whole wheat pita bread for serving
Directions:
Put the pomegranate juice into a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and let simmer, uncovered, until the juice is reduced to 2-3 tablespoons. This should take about 6-7 minutes.
Toast the walnuts in a dry skilled over medium heat for about 2 minutes of until fragrant.
Put the walnuts & breadcrumbs into a food processor until finely ground. Add the pomegranate juice, lemon juice, tomatoes, cayenne pepper and cumin. Process until smooth. Add the olive oil in a thin stream. Season with salt and pepper.
Cut the pita bread into triangles and sprinkle with olive oil and parmesan cheese. Put under the broiler until cheese begins to brown.
Now go enjoy your treats, your drinks, and most importantly…your company :)

Cheers!
-Bay