Good morning, dear ones! How was your weekend? Are you feeling rested and ready for a new week?
My weekend was just what I needed. It started with a delicious sleep-in Saturday morning, followed by cranberry orange scones and coffee with Mums, and a long walk in the country. There were so many beautiful things to see: storm clouds billowing over the mountains, leaves drifting on a lake smooth as glass, and these lovely berries. I’m delighted by the bright orange against those red leaves! 🙂
I was able to go to Seattle to meet up with a fabulous little group of food bloggers (Val, Sandy, Janelle, Sarah, and Don) for a great visit and delicious dinner at Poppy. I’ve never had a meal quite like it! They serve thalis-style, which is like a tasting menu all on one platter. You choose a list of 7 items or 10, and each item is only large enough to provide 2-3 bites, that’s it. I loved it!! I always wished that I could find a restaurant like this that would let me have a taste of everything instead of making me stick to one entree. 🙂 My favorite tastes were the Blue Cheese, Cherry and Sage Tart, exquisitely savory Pork Belly, and either the Nutter Butter bars or Salted Caramel Truffle for dessert.
While the food was great, it was the company that made the night beautiful for me. I loved our good visits and drove home that night smiling and feeling inspired and enriched.
I also cooked like a mad woman this weekend. 🙂 My fridge is now full of all sorts of yummy things, but I think my favorites are the slow-roasted garlicky tomatoes. Oh. My. The flavor of these beauties is like a soft, warm sun-dried tomato, absolutely packed with flavor. I confess I eat them like candy, popping them in my mouth right off the baking sheet.
They can be used in so many ways, but they’re so rich I like to keep my combinations simple. I add them to whole grain pasta and don’t even need sauce, or tuck them into a sandwich, layer in a tart, or toss into a salad.
What is your favorite taste from this weekend?
This is my contribution to Chaya’s Meatless Mondays.
Oven-Roasted Tomatoes
Ingredients:
8-10 Roma tomatoes, washed, hulled and halved
olive oil
1/2 to 1 bulb garlic, peeled and minced
sea salt
ground black pepper
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
- Place tomatoes in medium size bowl and add olive oil, salt and pepper. Toss gently to coat.
- Arrange on baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Sprinkle with minced garlic and drizzle with a bit more olive oil.
- Roast 2-2 1/2 hours until tomatoes are half their size and garlic is nicely browned.
- Serve warm.
Sounds like a really nice weekend, Krista. We’ve got a bunch of berries here as well and I never really took notice of them before the fall. Now it’s nothing but bright colors that are really perfect for any garden – so pretty!
Glad you got to meet some fellow foodies 🙂 Enjoy your Monday!
It really was, Tuula. 🙂 Just what I needed to get settled and rested. 🙂
I love berries too!! They are so pretty in the fall. 🙂
SO great to enjoy such a fun meal—and conversation—together! I had forgotten about those nutter butter bites. Wow. Kinda makes me want to go back… but it wouldn’t be the same without you! Love the tomatoes! (Of course!!).
It was such a pleasure to share a table with you Krista. Your smile lit up the room and I look forward to getting together with our group in May. Hope you can make it!! Keep walking in your beautiful area and snapping photos for us tp enjoy.!!!I look forward to seeing what dishes you came up with this weekend!!!!
Those tomatoes look awesome. No better way to perk up a tomato than roasting. And that restauarnt sounds awesome! What a fun way to dine! I always want to try a dozen things on a menu so it is perfect.
That is exactly how I do mine, sans pepper and I dry them almost, instead of roasting them, at 170 degrees for 12 to 24 hours, depending how many are in the pan. I then put the in canning jars to freeze (of course, using some at the time, too!!!)
there IS truly nothing better… except these, and a beautiful autumn walk and dinner with friends, of course!
🙂
Valerie
you know I love them tomatoes!
Wow, what a great way to really bring out the flavor of the tomatoes.
OMG, I wish I lived with you. But then of course, you probably would get tired of me eating all of your food. 🙂
Your photos make me escape into such a peaceful and pleasant world!
and these oven roasted tomatoes sound mighty good too!
Oh those tomatoes! I could taste them as if I was there! You do beautiful work.
Krista, I just realised that my mouth started watering as soon my eyes hit the picture of the tomatoes! 😛 I’m so glad that you had a great weekend. Mine was busy busy busy but I’m hoping for a more relaxing one next! 😀
What amazing colours in the berries, great pics Krista. So glad you had an awesome *tasting menu* to choose such yummy delights. Was this menu similar to a degustation menu, or more tasting plates…., its a great idea, I’m like you – I love lots of different tastes & its hard to just chose one dish sometimes.
Oh yummy! Definitely have to try this with my Romas!
How delicious! Now THIS is happy food. 🙂
My grandma had snowberries like those in the second picture in her garden and I hardly ever see them anywhere else. I would love a bush the same for my garden now.