Good Morning! Need Recipe Ideas?

[twopamperedchefs]

Good morning, all!

I'm doing a show this Thursday, and I was set to do the Tomato Basil Squares. With the tomato/salmonella scare all over the news, I'm thinking this may not be the best option...even if the tomatoes ARE safe, people are going to have that salmonella news in the back of their minds. :yuck: Can you think of any similar recipes that I could demo instead? The clubhouse chicken squares have tomatoes, the three cheese garden pizza has tomatoes - they're everywhere! Any suggestions?

 

[chefann]

The tomatoes on the Tomato Basil Squares are cooked, so they should be fine. Use the opportunity to talk about washing produce and cooking things to the proper temps.How about Cool Veggie Pizza instead?

 

[PampMomof3]

I wouldn't do tomatoes at all! I know it's in the back of my head! You could do the clubhouse w/out the tomatoes. That recipe is good without em. Ann's suggestion is good as well, cool veggie pizza is yumm-o!

 

[ChefBeckyD]

The news report this morning said that the following tomatoes were safe:

Cherry Tomatoes
Grape Tomatoes
Tomatoes still on the vine
Home grown tomatoes

 

[twopamperedchefs]

The tomatoes on the Tomato Basil Squares are cooked, so they should be fine. Use the opportunity to talk about washing produce and cooking things to the proper temps.

I agree with you 100%...I know they said tomatoes cooked over 145 degrees would be fine...but I can see some guests just cringing with doubt anyway. It figures that the kinds being questioned are the ones I need this week - roma/plum for the basil squares and the cherry ones for the quiche tartlets I'm making on Saturday!

 

[twopamperedchefs]

I hadn't made the clubhouse before. If you think they're fine without tomatoes, maybe I'll try those. Thanks!

 

[PampMomof3]

I've made the clubhouse MANY times and they're good with all kinds of veggies!! I would definitely recommend it!

 

[quiverfull7]

Diced avocado is an awesome addition to the clubhouse squares

 

[chefann]

The Clubhouse Squares are really just Cool Veggie Pizza with chicken and bacon added. Any veggie at all is good on them. Well, most any veggie...

 

[twopamperedchefs]

Thanks, everybody, for your suggestions! I appreciate it!

 

[crystalscookingnow]

Garden Ranch Pizza is good too. Doesn't have tomatoes. I made it just yesterday for lunch! YUM!

 

[jrstephens]

Do you know anyone personally with Home Grown ones? You could use those and you would know how they have been cared for.

I am thankful for my garden now more than ever!

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Do you know anyone personally with Home Grown ones? You could use those and you would know how they have been cared for.

I am thankful for my garden now more than ever!

LOL - here in Michigan, it's going to be at least another 2 months before I can use home grown tomatoes!

(but yes, I'm also very thankful for my garden!)

 

[twopamperedchefs]

LOL - here in Michigan, it's going to be at least another 2 months before I can use home grown tomatoes!

(but yes, I'm also very thankful for my garden!)

EXACTLY! I'm in Ohio!

 

[pampcheflisa]

UGH....a little hijack here.

This is my daily nightmare here. I work for a produce company and it is one of the largest tomato growers in the US, and my main account is a certain "discount superstore", so you can just imagine what we're dealing with here, information changes every 30 minutes. As of right now, only Mexican grown product has been named as the "source", but the FDA has halted Florida grown product until they can determine it's completely safe. Unfortunately, even though most US grown product is most likely safe, tons of retailers are pulling it, therefore it causes panic among the masses.

All that to say that even though the tomatoes used for the Basil squares would be perfectly fine, the public perception right now is toast. Sadly, on my end of things it's going to take a while to recover from this

end hijack!!!

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Just talked to my host for tonight - we are doing the Deluxe Cheeseburger Salad....we've decided to serve the tomatoes on the side for those who may not be giving in to hysteria. She couldn't find Roma tomatoes when she went to the store last night, of course, but I have a couple here that I bought Friday.

 

[pampcheflisa]

Just talked to my host for tonight - we are doing the Deluxe Cheeseburger Salad....we've decided to serve the tomatoes on the side for those who may not be giving in to hysteria. She couldn't find Roma tomatoes when she went to the store last night, of course, but I have a couple here that I bought Friday.

Just as an FYI for those of you, the tomatoes that are "of concern" are the large slicing tomatoes, roma tomatoes and the ones that come packaged (like in 3pks, 4pks, 6pks). The other varieties are fine.....the vine ripened, hot house, cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, etc., although it probably still won't take away from people's perception. The slicer tomatoes and romas have pretty much all been pulled off of shelves. HTH!!!

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Just as an FYI for those of you, the tomatoes that are "of concern" are the large slicing tomatoes, roma tomatoes and the ones that come packaged (like in 3pks, 4pks, 6pks). The other varieties are fine.....the vine ripened, hot house, cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, etc., although it probably still won't take away from people's perception. The slicer tomatoes and romas have pretty much all been pulled off of shelves. HTH!!!

Yep! And I never buy produce from Mexico, so I'm confident mine are okay!

 

[pampcheflisa]

Yep! And I never buy produce from Mexico, so I'm confident mine are okay!

I do know for a fact that the tomatoes that are sold in the "large discount supercenters"-type stores in your state are grown in FL. The large produce company that handles this same business in TX gets most of their product from Mexico. Not entirely sure about the grocery chain stores, they may be able to get locally grown product. But, the super huge discount retail stores get everything in huge bulk quantities.

But, if you have your own garden, be blessed!!
I know my parents do, and they are happy to be eating their home grown 'maters!!!

 

[Christ Follower]

I am doing the tomato basil squares at my show Thursday. I better call the host to see if she is still good with that.

 

[Chef Kearns]

Okay, I'm going to say 3 little letters and Lisa all you need to say is Yes (yes the tomatoes are safe ie US grown) or No (run away).

H E B

 

[MissChef]

When it comes to the tomato basil squares, have you ever thought of anything different in place of the tomatoes? I have done this recipe at home for my DH and I use fresh sliced Mushrooms and olives. He can't stand tomatoes and was giving me grief last night about the tomato I was about to put on our DD and my salad and the news said to just boil them for 15 seconds so I did and I peeled the skin and we had our "maters" are are just fine! Plus I got the hot house type anyway. Anyway....back to the origin of my post.... this recipe works well with other veggies too.... and the mushrooms and olives are wonderful with it! Just an idea!

 

[pampcheflisa]

Okay, I'm going to say 3 little letters and Lisa all you need to say is Yes (yes the tomatoes are safe ie US grown) or No (run away).

H E B

I can't say for sure if they are safe or not, but those letters are a TX based company. It really depends on the brand of tomatoes in the store. I don't know where they are sourced from. I'd be skeptical about it since that store is a TX based company though, so there is a possibility that Mexico grown product is sourced. With you being in TX though, the product will not be on the shelves. I do know for a fact that the "large supercenter" stores in TX are sourced from another company that used the Mexican product. My company does manage the distribution center that is near Houston, and we use FL product and they have our product on hold.

The major problem with the stores right now is that there are only two MAJOR growing areas right now, FL and Mexico, and my company owns a major portion of the FL fields, but about 1/2 the country (especially the SW) and West is sourced from Mexico product.

But, some individual grocery stores will use local farmers markets, so without a brand or label, it's hard to know where it's grown.

It's easier to tell with the "large supercenter", b/c they don't actually manage their inventory or have any control over what is sold in their stores. They have their vendors manage everything for them. Which is a nice deal for them, huh? They don't have to pay people to do the job and then if anything goes wrong, they blame the vendors!!

Which is why I refuse to shop there and why I call "that place" the evil empire!!!!

 

[merego]

Shows you what I know... I made the cool veggie pizza the other night and used store bought tomatoes since mine haven't grown yet. I was at the store then saw they were all pulled because of ecoli and I have been eating them for the past week, I eat BLT's for lunch almost every day~ yikes. I haven't gotten sick, so hopefully I am ok and I threw the rest away. My mom bought me one of those Topsy Turvys for my tomatoes and that is the best invention and cool to watch as your tomatoes grow, anyone have those?? don't mean to hijack, just curious??

 

[merego]

forgot to mention, I don't watch the news, too depressing or read the paper, maybe I should huh??

 

[pampcheflisa]

forgot to mention, I don't watch the news, too depressing or read the paper, maybe I should huh??

I think sometimes "Ignorance is Bliss", especially when there is so much unsettling news out there every day. Sometimes I wonder if our "society" is really so much worse than it was 20-30 years ago or is it the media coverage? I don't know, but I like to just live in my "happy place"!!

Back on topic, right now, the product being pulled off the shelves is mostly cautionary. Even if you didn't read papers or saw the news, you would've known when you tried to buy them!!