Tomato Basil Bread

 

About ten years ago, I tried the Atkins diet.  For ten minutes.  It was miserable.  I am a complete and utter carbohydrate enthusiast, and I think no meal is complete without them.  Being married into an Italian family means we make a good amount of pasta, and I tend to get sick of plain old garlic bread as an accompaniment.  In an effort to mix it up a bit, I made this bruschetta inspired delicious bread that is baked in the oven until crispy and warm and full of melted goodness.

 

• 1 baguette, sliced in half lengthwise
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 2 Tb olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tb fresh Italian parsley, chopped
• 1 Tb fresh basil, chopped
• 1/4 C. grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

 

Preheat the oven to 400.


Slice the baguette in half lengthwise.  Scoop out some of the bread from the inside of the baguette to make room for the filling.


Mix all of the remaining ingredients together.  Spoon the mixture onto the bottom half of the bread, then place the othe half on top.


Wrap the filled baguette in foil.  Bake for 30 minutes.


Slice and serve.

Garlic and Herb Infused Mashed Potatoes

 

These potatoes are everything mashed potatoes should be- creamy, buttery, and full of flavor.  The addition of garlic and herb infused cream gives the potatoes a delicious punch of flavor while allowing the potatoes to keep there uniform, creamy consistency in every single bite.  Be sure to make extra, because you this will disappear in minutes.

 

• 3 lbs Yukon Gold Potatoes
• 5 Tb butter at room temperature
• 1 C heavy cream
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed and peeled
• 5 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 1 Tb whole black peppercorns
• 1 tsp salt, plus more for the boiling water

 

Peel and quarter the potatoes.  Put them in a large pot and cover with cold water.


Bring the water to a boil.  Once it's boiling, add a generous amount of salt to the water.  (Note- it's important to start with cold water so the potatoes cook evenly).


While the potatoes are boiling, put the cream, garlic, thyme, and peppercorns in a small saucepan.  Bring to a simmer and simmer this on low for about 15 minutes.  Make sure to stir it in order to prevent a film from forming on the cream.


When the potatoes are fork tender (15-20 minutes depending on their size), drain them, then return them to the pot.  Add the butter.


Slowly strain the flavored cream into the pot.  You can use a sieve or a cheesecloth.  If you have neither of these, just fish out all the garlic, thyme, and cream with a slotted spoon.  Add the tsp of salt.


Use a hand mixer to gently whip the potatoes.  At this point, you can make them as chunky or creamy as you want- they're delicious either way.


Garnish with fresh thyme leaves.