Stuffed Baked Balsamic Mozzarella Tomatoes

"Easy, Quick and oh so good. These can be made on the grill or in the oven. Fresh ingredients make this a great summer side dish. Now to make this easy ... a good store bought vinaigrette will work fine although you can you use your favorite, I just think a balsamic works better than just an Italian vinaigrette, but you can use want you want. Otherwise a little balsamic, olive oil, garlic, s/p and dijon mustard and you have the dressing. But either way, use what works best for you. This is an amazing side dish with anything. Great summer flavors. I did want to mention after one review, the use of FRESH mozzarella is key for this dish and a good quality beefsteak or something similar. And sometimes I do use fresh basil chopped to this but not always, but if I have it on hand I will add it. So I just added it to the recipe but it isn't necessary. Just if wanted. Optional. But the cheese is a must."
 
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Ready In:
1hr 25mins
Ingredients:
8
Serves:
4
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ingredients

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directions

  • Marinade -- Slice the mozarella into 12 slices and place in almost all the vinaigrette, just save a little (1/4 cup) for a drizzle on top of the tomatoes. Turn them over and coat well, cover with plastic wrap and let marinade at room temp for 1 hour.
  • Tomatoes -- For the tomatoes, cut the stem area out and then make 3 cuts, top to bottom, but not all the way through just so you can stuff the cheese slices into the cuts of the tomato. Salt and pepper the tomato well including in the cut areas.
  • Topping -- Mix the bread crumbs and parmesan with a little of the balsamic vinaigrette (just a tablespoon) to make a nice crumb topping.
  • Putting the tomatoes together. Stuff the each of the tomato cuts with a slice of the mozarella 3 per tomato, then drizzle the remaining vinaigrette over the tomato. Top with the bread crumb mixture and either grill for about 15 minutes or bake on a cookie sheet lined with foil for about 20-25 minutes until the cheese is melted and the bread crumbs are golden brown.

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Reviews

  1. Unfortunately, I could not get a fresh mozarella ball, so had to settle for slices. Marinating the mozarella, IMO, adds the crowning touch to this recipe. Easy and quick for a summer side. Thnx for posting your recipe, SarasotaCook. Wanted to adopt you for PAC Fall 2009, but somebody got to you first! But couldn't pass up this dish!
     
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RECIPE SUBMITTED BY

<p>Growing up in Michigan, I spent my summers at my cottage in the Northern part up by Traverscity. On a lake, big garden which had all the vegetables you could imagine. My mom taught school, so summers were our vacation time. Gramps and I fished all the time so fresh fish was always on the menu, perch, blue gill, walleye and small and large mouth bass. At age 5 I learned how to clean my own fish and by 10 I was making dinner, canning vegetables and fruits, making pies and fresh breads. Apples fresh picked every fall, strawberries in June and July, Cherries at the Cherry Festival in Traverscity. So fresh foods always were a big part. Mom worked as a teacher during the year so dinner was more traditional with pot roasts, meatloaf, etc, but it seemed we always had fresh fruits and vegetables as part of the meal. Mom also didn't use as many spices as I do, but times were different back then. <br /> <br />So ... My motto is ... There is NO Right and NO Wrong with cooking. So many people thing they have to follow a recipe. But NO ... a recipe is a method and directions to help and teach someone. Cooking is about personal tastes and flavors. I love garlic ... and another person may not. I like heat ... but you may not. Recipes are building blocks, NOT text ground in stone. Use them to make and build on. Even my recipes I don't follow most times --They are a base. That is what cooking is to me. A base of layer upon layer of flavors. <br /> <br />I still dislike using canned soups or packaged gravies/seasoning ... but I admit, I do use them. I have a few recipes that use them. But I try to strive to teach people to use fresh ingredients, they are first ... so much healthier for you ... and second, in the end less expensive. But we all have our moments including me. <br /> <br />So, lets see ... In the past, I have worked as a hostess, bartender, waitress, then a short order cook, salad girl in the kitchen, sort of assistant chef, head chef, co owner of a restaurant ... now a consultant to a catering company/restaurant, I cater myself and I'm a personal chef for a elderly lady. I work doing data entry during the day, and now and then try to have fun which is not very often due to my job(s). <br /> <br />I have a 21 year old who at times is going on 12, aren't they all. Was married and now single and just trying to enjoy life one day at a time. I'm writing a cookbook ... name is still in the works but it is dedicated to those people who never learned, to cook. Single Moms, Dads, or Just Busy Parents. Those individuals that think you can't make a great dinner for not a lot of money. You can entertain on a budget and I want people to know that gourmet tasting food doesn't have to be from a can of soup or a box, and healthy food doesn't come from a drive through. There are some really good meals that people can make which are healthy and will save money but taste amazing. So I guess that is my current goal. We all take short cuts and I have no problem with that - I do it too. I volunteer and make food for the homeless every couple of months, donating my time and money. I usually make soup for them and many times get donations from a local grocery stores, Sams Club, Walmart etc, with broth, and vegetables. It makes my cost very little and well worth every minute I spend. Like anyone, life is always trying to figure things out and do the best we can and have fun some how along the way.</p>
 
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