Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes and Gorgonzola

Stuart was going to Costco while I had to work so I asked him to pick up some cherry tomatoes.  He came home with my usual 2 pound package of cherry tomatoes AND a 2 pound package of Campari tomatoes.  I love Campari tomatoes but I wasn't sure what I was going to do with them since I already had all those cherry tomatoes.  I ended up making a great pasta dish that is sure to be one of our regulars from now on.

The first thing I did was cut all the tomatoes in half and then scooped out the insides.  I put each tomato face down on a paper towel just to dry them out a little.  Then I put the tomatoes in a big bowl and added:

About 1/2 cup olive oil
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and pepper
1 t. oregano
2-3 T. balsamic vinegar

I mixed it all up and let the tomatoes marinate for about a half hour, stirring once in a while.  Then I removed the tomatoes and put them on a foil-lined baking sheet.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, I mixed together:

About 3/4 cup Panko breadcrumbs
4 oz. crumbled Gorgonzola
About half the marinade from the tomatoes

I stuffed each tomato with the Gorgonzola mixture and then drizzled the remaining marinade over the top.

Baked at 375 degrees for about 20-30 minutes.  I baked mine until they were really roasted because I used them on pasta.  If I was going to serve the tomatoes as an appetizer or something, I would bake them less so they would still be firm and easier to hold.  But, for pasta they were delicious!  Here they are fresh out of the oven:

I used spinach tagliatelle and finished the dish with fresh grated Parmesan and fresh basil.

Honey Mustard Chicken Nuggets

These are old fashioned chicken nuggets (baked, not fried, of course) that I coated with a Honey Mustard sauce before breading them.  I reserved some of the sauce and used it for a salad dressing to go with the nuggets.  The sauce is also great for nugget dipping!

The Sauce:
5 T. Dijon mustard
3 T. honey
2 T. Rice vinegar

Whisk together until well mixed.  Set aside at least half to use for dipping or dressing.

The Nuggets:
2 boneless chicken breast halves, sliced vertically into 1/2" pieces
Honey mustard sauce
1 cup cornflakes (I use organic honey sweetened cornflakes)
1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan

Be just a little heavy handed with your breading ingredients and you'll have the perfect amount for two boneless breasts.  Put the cornflakes, Panko, and Parmesan in a food processor and pulse until broken down, but not completely smooth.  You can also use a blender or just crush everything together.  Put crumbs in a bowl.

Put a little of the mustard sauce in another bowl (you can always add more from the sauce you set aside, but make sure you don't contaminate!).  Dip each piece of chicken into the sauce and then press into the crumb mixture.  Use one hand for dipping and the other for coating.  Place the chicken pieces on a rack that has been sprayed with cooking spray.  Place the rack on a foil-lined baking sheet.

Refrigerate the nuggets for about 30 minutes, if you have time.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Remove nuggets from refrigerator and spray the top of each nugget with cooking spray.  Bake for 12-15 minutes, depending on the size of your nuggets.  Use an instant-read thermometer and get the nuggets to 160 degrees.  Then let them rest for about 5 minutes.

Asian Marinated Shrimp and Salad

The marinade for these grilled shrimp was so good, and I've used it for chicken too.  I served the grilled shrimp with my Sesame Pasta Salad, but used the following veggies:  Napa cabbage (so good!), spinach, sugar snap peas, and red peppers.  Use any combination you have on hand.  Here's the recipe for the marinade:

1 shallot, finely chopped
1 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 T. honey
2 green onions, chopped (if you have them on hand)
1/8 cup peanut or other vegetable oil
Pepper

Mix everything together and marinate the shrimp for about 10-15 minutes per side.  Skewer the shrimp and grill for a minute or two on each side.  Chicken can be marinated much longer.  Don't worry too much about exact measurements!