9.28.2009

Crepe Pan Giveaway! + My Favorite Crepe



So I have some very exciting news... The Little Kitchen is officially having a giveaway! The very kind people at Berndes cookware have given me a crepe pan to give away to one of my readers.  If you are new to the Little Kitchen, I have a minor obsession with my Berndes crepe pan.  It has brought me so much joy and now I have one to give away to one of you!  Everyone who enters, will be put into a drawing and I will randomly draw a winner.  Read below to see how to enter!

With all of the posts I have done about crepes, I have somehow skipped my favorite and probably easiest one to make... Nutella and bananas.  The creamy chocolate and slices of bananas wrapped in a warm, slightly crispy crepe is just magical.  There is really no recipe to post here because all you need is nutella and bananas.  The amount of each is totally up to your taste.  I like mine with quite a bit of chocolate so I cover the entire crepe, but you can add just a couple of dollops for a lighter chocolate taste.

To enter the giveaway:
1.  Leave a comment on this post and include two things...
  • Your idea of the perfect crepe (any combination you can think of or it can be as simple asbananas and chocolate)  The winner will not be picked based on the fanciest crepe so simply pick any crepe you would like and you will be entered.
  • Make sure you leave a way for me to contact you if you don't plan on checking back... I would hate for you to miss out.
  • If you would like to be entered twice, mention this giveaway on your own blog (sorry if you do not have one, I still want you to enter!)  and your name will go in the pot twice... just make sure and let me know you did this!
2.  Check back in on Wednesday, October 7 and I will announce the winner.  If you are the winner, email me your address and your pan will be sent immediately.  The winner will be chosen from a random drawing (and don't worry, I will be posting the proof of how one random number was chosen).

*The giveaway will be opened until Saturday October 3rd.  Until then, I will be posting a few of my new favorite crepes!
*Open to U.S. residents only

If you have trouble leaving a comment click here for a step by step on how to comment.

9.25.2009

Parmesan & Herb Crusted Chicken

I continue my week of healthy dinners with a favorite I have made many times. Not only is it quick, but healthy as well.  The crust of the chicken can be made so quickly in a mini food processor and produces so much flavor.  It is special enough to serve for company, but easy enough for any night of the week!  It is one of my favorite alternatives to plain grilled chicken, but does not pack on tons of calories. Enjoy!
Parmesan & Herb Crusted Chicken
Serves 2
Adapted from Realsimple.com
Recipe Notes
The breading mixture makes enough for two large chicken breasts (with a little extra) or it is enough for four small breasts.  If cooking for four and want to make sure you have enough bread crumbs, I would suggest making 1 1/2 times the recipe... you won't need to double it unless cooking for six.  Make sure you spread the dijon in a very thin layer.  It can get a little mustardy if you do not spread it thinly.
Ingredients
1 garlic clove, peeled
1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves
2 slices whole wheat bread
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
Step by Step
1.  Heat oven to 400 degrees.
2.  Lightly coat a glass baking dish with cooking spray.
3.  In a mini food processor,  mince garlic.  Then add parsley and pulse until combined.  Add the bread, Parmesan, oil, salt and a few dashes of pepper.  Pulse until all ingredients are well combined.
4.  Arrange chicken breasts on baking dish.  Spread mustard in a very thin layer on breasts and then pack  herb mixture on top to coat entire chicken breast.  Optional:  Sprinkle with a little extra cheese if desired.
5.  Bake until cooked through, which is about 20 to 25 minutes.
6.  Season with salt and pepper and serve.

9.24.2009

Shrimp Tacos

These have become an instant favorite.  And I have to say I am extra excited to post this because it is a quick and easy recipe I came up with myself! I still get such a kick out of creating a dish that is delicious that I didn't follow a specific recipe.  You can easily throw this together for a weeknight dinner and it is very budget friendly.  Another great perk is that this is a very healthy dinner as well especially if you are craving Mexican food.  We loved these so much that I made them two nights in a row.  The shrimp have so much flavor and the tacos taste like they could have come from your local taqueria.  Enjoy!
Shrimp Tacos
Serves 2
Recipe Notes
This recipe calls for jarred tomatillo sauce.  This is simply a Mexican green salsa that can be found at any grocery store.  It is usually found near other salsas and dips.
Ingredients
6 corn tortillas
1 1/2- 2 cups uncooked, peeled and deveined shrimp (about 25 medium sized shrimp)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 lime
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 an avocado, sliced
3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
1/2 cup store bought tomatillo sauce (also known as mexican green sauce)
Step by Step
1.  In a medium sized bowl, toss shrimp with salt, chili powder, garlic powder and pepper.  Toss to coat shrimp.  Squeeze 3/4 of a lime over shrimp.
2.  Heat olive oil over medium heat in a  nonstick skillet.
3.  Add shrimp and cook for 5-10 minutes until shrimp are opaque and cooked through.  Toss a few times to let shrimp cook evenly.  Squeeze the last 1/4 of the lime onto the shrimp.
4.  While shrimp are cooking, heat a large skillet over medium to high heat. Place corn tortillas on dry pan one at a time until lightly browned.  Turn and brown the other side.  Keep warm in foil until all tortillas have been heated.
5.  Add 3-4 shrimp to each corn tortilla.  Top with 1-2 teaspoons of tomatillo sauce followed by avocado slices and cilantro. Serve Immediately.

9.23.2009

Simply Roasted Asparagus


Sometimes, the healthiest and tastiest sides can be achieved from very few steps. Roasted asparagus is one of my favorites because it's cheap, easy, healthy and quick (cheap if you buy it now when it is in season). I know this is a pretty lame post if you cook all the time and think this isn't even a recipe, but before my friend Allison introduced me to roasting vegetables, I thought it was way more complicated.  And during our week of healthy dinners, this will go perfectly alongside any dish.  Enjoy!


Simply Roasted Asparagus.
Ingredients
4 to 5 asparagus stalks per person
Olive Oil
Coarse Sea Salt (for the best taste, but other types of salt will work as well)
Step by Step
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Cover a shallow baking sheet with foil.
3. Cut off coarse bottoms (a.k.a. "woody ends") of the asparagus.
4. Lay out asparagus like shown above.
5. Lightly drizzle with olive oil and coarse salt.
6. Roll the asparagus around on the baking sheet to get the olive oil evenly spread.
7. Roast in oven for about 10 minutes.  *Shake the pan half way through to move asparagus around* (cooking time could be longer or shorter depending on thickness of stalks)
8. Pull out of the oven when lightly browned and asparagus is tender when pierced with a fork.
9. Serve immediately.

9.21.2009

Salmon with Tomato Avocado Salsa

So it is officially time to get more quick, easy and healthy dinner recipes on the Little Kitchen!  Sorry, I have not been ignoring your requests it's just that it is so much fun to make cupcakes and pizza!  So I thought this week I would feature a couple delicious and healthy weeknight meals. I combined a couple of recipes to come up with this one and I have to say it turned out pretty darn good.  I used a simple technique for the salmon and paired it with a tomato avocado salsa I found from Emeril Lagasse.  We really enjoyed this and salsa on top makes it a perfect dish for a hot day when you can get great corn and tomatoes at the grocery store.  You could also use grilled chicken if you are not a big salmon fan or throw this salmon on the grill instead of broiling.  Enjoy!


Salmon with Tomato Avocado Salsa
Serves 2
Adapted from Emeril Lagasse in Food Everyday
Ingredients
2 salmon fillets, skin removed (about 6 ounces each)
salt 
pepper
garlic powder
1 ear of corn, husks and silk removed
1 vine-ripened tomato, core removed and cut into small chunks
1 avocado, halved, pitted and diced
1/4 small red onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Step by Step
1.  In a large pot of boiling water, cook corn until tender, about 4 minutes.
2.  Remove from water and cut corn cob in half (see picture below).
3.  Using a sharp knife, slice downward to release corn kernels.
4.  In a medium size bowl, combine corn kernels, tomato, avocado, onion, parsley, 1 tablespoon olive oil, lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.  Toss to combine and set aside.
5.  Preheat oven to broil.
6.  Brush both sides of salmon with olive oil.  Heavily sprinkle salt, pepper and garlic powder on one side of salmon.  Place salmon fillets, seasoned side up on a heavy cookie sheet cover with foil.
7.  Broil salmon for about 10 minutes per inch of thickness (broil about 5 to 7 minutes for thinner steaks).  When salmon is golden brown on top, remove from oven.   
8.  Top each piece of salmon with half of the tomato avocado salsa and serve.
Tip for cutting corn off the cob: I don't know about your experience with corn in the kitchen, but any time I try to remove the kernels, I end up with most of them sprayed around the kitchen.  Cut the corn in half first and the kernels will not fly as far. 

9.20.2009

Happy Birthday Cupcakes

So I wanted to say Happy Birthday to one of my dear friends, Lindsey whose birthday is today! I made these cupcakes for her and wanted to share them with you in case you would like to jazz up a birthday treat with something other than candles.  I made the triple lemon cupcakes that I made a few weeks back and decided these little homemade signs would make them extra special.  I printed these on my computer and glued them to toothpicks.  I have made Congratulations/ Happy Birthday flags in the past and thought these circles were a cute twist.  No matter what phrase or type of flag your use as a topper, I think they are a darling touch.   Happy Birthday Lins!

9.18.2009

Are you a bread freezer?

Confessions from the Little Kitchen:  Anytime I went over to someone's house growing up and found bread in the freezer, I thought they were a little bizarre.   Call me crazy, but it really weirded me out.  Until now, I have thought that was kind of a pack rat thing to do and the only thing freezing bread was good for was to save it to feed the birds at the park.  And I would probably think I was absolutely crazy and never admit this to anyone, but I found out Mr. Hungry felt the same way. Ha!
However, I have totally changed my mind. Thanks to my sister-in-law (ya know, the one I call the "magical chef") I not only think it is not weird, but I consider it another essential for cutting costs in the kitchen and not wasting food when you only cook for one or two. 
This revelation all came about when my very pregnant sister in law was telling me she was craving grilled cheeses and how that was oh so convenient because she always had bread and cheese on hand.  I was lamenting to her how (although not pregnant) I often crave fresh grilled cheese, but we just rarely have a fresh loaf of bread sitting around.  I mean, some loafs can be up to $5 or $6 a loaf and if you don't eat a sandwich everyday, it usually is a huge waste.  When I was explaining this to her, she told me how she keeps bread in the freezer!  I thought hmmm... okay, I love absolutely everything she does in the kitchen so maybe there is something to this bread in the freezer.  She says she does it with every kind of bread and will sometimes keep a loaf up to a month or two.  This was enough convincing for me to experiment!
So I picked up my favorite bread, Orowheat's Health Nut, and threw it in the freezer since we were on our way out of town.  I tested the frozen bread three ways that I would use a loaf of fresh bread to see if this was really such a good idea.

First, I turned it into bread crumbs for a chicken dish I was making.  Absolutely no difference here! This was my first experiment taking it out of the fridge and it literally was almost room temperature in less than ten minutes.  Passed the test!
Second, the most important test... the grilled cheese.  I took the bread out of the freezer and put it in the toaster for about a minute and then continued with my usual method of making the grilled cheese in a nonstick skillet.  I could not tell the difference at all! Passed the most important test!
Lastly, I tried it for breakfast with some jelly.  Simply took straight out of the freezer and put in the toaster.  Again, no difference!
So I am officially a bread freezer. The only way I did not test it was to let it thaw and eat like regular fresh bread.  We just don't really eat bread like that at our house (always better toasted!), but if this is a staple in your house, let me know if the frozen bread works.

So what about you? Do you freeze bread?  Do you think it is weird? Are you willing to try it?

9.17.2009

Toasted Almond Cheese Ball

Following up on my last post, this is another great football watching snack.   My mom made this growing up for all types of crowds occasions and it was always a hit!  I have to say the toasted almonds definitely make it extra special.  No, this is no calorie saving dish and if you are one of those people that would rather not know all of the ingredients that make dips like this so delicious (yes, I'm talking about mayo),  skip on past this one.  However, it's definitely worth the splurge!  I promise to come back soon with a few of my favorite healthy recipes as well.  Enjoy!
Toasted Almond Cheese Ball
Ingredients

1 pkg. Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing
½ cup milk
½ cup mayo
Mix together
 8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese
8 ounces cream cheese
3 ounces sliced almonds – browned (see below)
 Step by Step
1.  Mix dressing & cream cheese – beat with mixer
2.  Add & blend cheddar cheese
3.  Cover & put in freezer for 30 minutes
4.  Shape in ball and roll in almonds
To brown almonds:
1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2.  Spread almonds in a thin layer on a baking sheet.
3.  Brown in oven for about 10 minutes until almonds are slightly darker.  Watch closely so they do not burn!
4.  Serve with your favorite crackers.  My favorites are Wheat Thins and Sociables.

9.15.2009

Sweet & Spicy Bacon Chicken Wraps

bacon wrapped chicken

It's football season and that means one thing... hungry boys sitting on my couch all Saturday afternoon. And occasionally, Mr. Hungry will inquire about what I could whip up for a quick snack for him and his pals.    If you find yourself in the same position, you should definitely try this easy and delicious snack.  I recently took these to a football watch party and judging by the fact that they were all gone, I am guessing they were a hit!  These wraps also work great as finger food for any type of party.  Serve them as an appetizer or as part of a light meal.  Another reason these are so easy is because you can prepare them up to a day before and refrigerate until ready to bake.

Sweet & Spicy Bacon Chicken Wraps
Recipe Notes
I like to give credit to where a recipe came from or even the inspiration if I did not follow it correctly.  However, I was given this recipe in college and do not know the source so forgive me!
Ingredients
1 1/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 4 breasts)
1 package sliced bacon (about 1 pound)
2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 tablespoon chili powder
Step by Step
1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2.  Cut chicken breasts into 1-inch cubes.  Cut each bacon slice into thirds.
3.  Wrap each chicken cube with bacon and secure them with a wooden toothpick.
4.  Stir together brown sugar and chili powder.  Dredge each chicken/bacon wrap through the chili powder/ brown sugar mixture until evenly coated.
5.  Coat a rack and broiler pan with nonstick cooking spray.
6.  Place chicken wraps on rack and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until bacon is crisp.

9.14.2009

Pesto Pea Spinach Salad

So I probably did not fool any of you with this picture.  I couldn't stand the idea of posting my same dinner party picture one more time so I cropped this so you could just see the salad.  And yes, this is the official last recipe from the dinner party.  My friend's mom gave me this Barefoot Contessa recipe a couple years ago and it has become a staple salad recipe for me.  I have served it for dinner parties and also made smaller versions when I am just cooking for two.  It is a unique salad and goes with anything from grilled meats to casseroles.  I touched on this when I posted on how to blanch peas, but do not pass this recipe by because you do not like peas. Trust me! I am a pea hater and I love this salad.  They are a perfect crunch in the salad and their flavor is transformed with the pesto.  Enjoy!
Pesto Pea Spinach Salad
Serves 4
Adapted from Barefoot Contessa
Recipe Notes
Depending on what kind of pesto you use, you might want to add kosher salt and pepper at the end.  If you make fresh pesto, this will probably not be necessary, but some store bought pestos could use a little extra seasoning.  Simply prepare the salad and taste before serving.  Add salt and pepper if it needs an extra kick.
Ingredients
2 cups of frozen peas
2 tablespoons of toasted pine nuts or pignolis (see toasting instructions below)
2 1/2 cups baby spinach leaves
4 tablespoons of pesto (click here for recipe or use store bought)
Step by Step
1.  Blanch peas in a pot of salted water (click here for blanching instructions)
2.  To assemble the salad, place spinach leaves in a bowl.
3.  Sprinkle spinach with peas and pine nuts.  Toss with pesto.

To toast pine nuts...
1.  Place nuts in a dry saute pan over medium high heat for about 4 minutes.
2.  Toss frequently until evenly browned.  Watch closely so they do not burn!



9.13.2009

How To: Blanch Peas

STOP! Before you go scrolling right on past this post because you can't stand peas, I beg of you to reconsider and hear me out.  I am not a pea fan...ugh. I would never serve them as a side or anything like that, but I have a recipe for a wonderful salad that has blanched peas in it.  I almost did not make it because I have no interest in peas, but the sweet lady that shared this recipe with me, assured me even pea-haters love it! So, for now I am just sharing the process of how to blanch peas so that you will know how to do this step when I share the salad.  And if you happen to love peas, you could really knock yourself out and use this method for all sorts of dishes. 
This is the same process as blanching tomatoes that I shared earlier, but I thought I would demonstrate with one more vegetable.  If you are new to blanching, the purpose is to bring whatever vegetable  you are making "to life" so to speak.  Blanching makes vegetables extra crunchy without completely cooking them.    Use the same method for carrot sticks and other veggies that you would like to serve with dips.
How To: Blanch Peas
Ingredients
1 bag of frozen petite peas (or whatever your recipe calls for)
Large bowl of Ice Water
Step by Step
1.  Bring water to a boil.
2.  Add frozen peas and allow to boil for about 1 minute.
3.  Drain peas and immediately immerse them in a bowl of ice water. 
4.  Allow peas to completely cool.
5.  Remove from water and allow to dry on a paper towel.

9.11.2009

Katie's Old Fashioned Hot Fudge Sauce

It doesn't get much better than a warm chocolate sauce over cold vanilla ice cream.  My dear friend Katie shared a great recipe for fudge sauce with me in college and it has become a favorite.  I served this as dessert at the dinner party I cooked for (and yes, I am almost done talking about the dinner party!).  I just have to tell you that because the people I cook for actually request this hot fudge sauce  they like it so much... thanks, Kads! It is just the perfect consistency and is not overly sweet.  There is not much more to say than the fact that you should definitely make a batch of this as soon as possible.  Enjoy!
Katie's Old Fashioned Hot Fudge Sauce
Ingredients
1 stick butter
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup whole milk
1 cup sugar
(you can also add 2-4 tablespoons of peanut butter for a twist!)
Step by Step
1.  Melt butter on the stove and add all ingredients.
2.  Whisking constantly until boiling and keep at boil for about 8 minutes.  Do not let it burn, and watch for a change in thickness.  The sauce will get slightly thicker.
3. Serve over Blue Bell vanilla ice cream or add to a milkshake.

9.09.2009

Jazzed Up Couscous


I must apologize for posting the same picture for the third time.  If you have read the last posts about this pic, I was cooking for a dinner party and didn't quite get pictures of all the food separately.  When cooking for eight, I had a few other things to worry about then getting great pictures.  If you look closely, you can see the couscous peaking out from under the kabobs.

 If you have never made couscous before, you should.  There is probably no simpler thing to cook.  For weeknight dinners, I simply grab a box of flavored couscous (roasted garlic is my favorite) and you have a great side made for almost any meal.  But for a special occasion, it is worth taking a few extra steps to jazz it up a little bit.  I served this with the wine marinated beef kabobs and it went perfectly.  Another reason this is a great side for a dinner party is because it can be made beforehand and heated up before serving.  I prepared this couscous a couple of hours before serving and simply heated it in a glass bowl before serving.  Enjoy!
Jazzed Up Couscous
Recipe Notes
Couscous can be found near other boxed pastas in most grocery stores.  Simply buy a box of plain couscous for this dish, and pick up a flavored one for another night.  Also, make sure and salt the water for the couscous to add extra flavor.
Ingredients

2 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups couscous
Kosher salt
1 tablespoon chopped chives
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1/4 cup finely chopped red pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped yellow pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
Step by Step
1.  Bring the water to a boil. Heavily salt the water.
2.  Add the couscous and immediately remove from the heat. 
3.  Cover and let sit for 15 minutes, or until the water is absorbed. 
4.  Fluff with a fork and add the remaining ingredients. Season, to taste.

9.07.2009

Wine Marinated Beef Kabobs

Okay, so I promised I would share the recipes of the dinner party I cooked for and I thought I would start with the best one... marinated beef kabobs.  These are definitely going to become a staple in the Little Kitchen.  They were so easy to make and full of so much flavor.  I can see myself making them for my own dinner parties or just for a weeknight meal if I wanted to make it a little extra special.  Another perk is they are pretty inexpensive because using sirloin does not cost much.  I found this recipe from Emeril Lagasse on Foodnetwork.com, but I changed it up a little bit to make it even easier.  The vegetable couscous I served with it is the perfect compliment.  Enjoy!
Wine Marinated Beef Kabobs
Adapted from Emeril Lagasse
Serves 6 (two kabobs each)
Recipe Notes
When buying the beef, tell the butcher that you are planning on making kabobs and ask for a piece of meat that you can easily cut into chunks and also ask him to trim the meat of any fat.  Top sirloin is an inexpensive meat that tastes great once marinated.  You can substitute other kinds of steak, but sirloin is perfect for this dish.  Also, the one vegetable we didn't love on the kabobs was tomatoes so I omitted them from the recipe.  Feel free to add any vegetable you really like.  To cook these kabobs, I broiled them, which I found to be quick and easy.  However, you can always grill the kabobs for the same amount of time if you prefer.  
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds beef sirloin, fat trimmed and cubed
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup dry red wine
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
8 ounces button mushrooms, wiped clean, stems trimmed
2 medium yellow onions, cut into chunks
2 large green or red bell peppers, cut into 1-inch pieces
Kosher salt
Olive oil
12 wooden skewers
Step by Step


1.  Place the meat in a medium size bowl.  Toss with the salt, pepper and garlic powder.
2. Add the red wine, vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, Worcestershire, rosemary and toss to coat.
3.  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 12 and up to 24 hours.  Soak wooden skewers in a bowl of water for 30 minutes
4.  Remove the meat from the refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature.  Preheat the oven to broil.
5.  Put all vegetable chunks in a large bowl.  Coat with olive oil and sprinkle lightly with garlic powder, salt and pepper. 
5.  Thread 1 meat cube onto a skewer followed by the remaining ingredients.  Continue until each skewer is full.  Lightly drizzle skewers with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. (Skewers can be made beforehand and refrigerated up to a day before.)
5.  Cover a baking sheet with foil.  Place skewers on baking sheet and broil for about 6 minutes, turning once. 




9.04.2009

Cooking for a Crowd

Last weekend, I cooked for a dinner party of 8.  I was not hosting the dinner party, but just cooking.  I wanted to share the menu because I think it would be great for your dinner party as well or a special dinner for two.  I was only cooking so I could be behind the scenes the whole time, but this menu also allows you to do a lot beforehand so you would not be stuck in the kitchen when your guests arrive.  Everyone's favorite part of the meal was the beef and I have to say I was pretty excited the way it turned out.  And the best part is... it is super easy! I will share all of the recipes in the next couple of days, but just wanted to show the entire meal together.  The appetizers are two recipes I have already shared and the rest will be here soon!
Dinner Party Menu
Rosemary, Olive Oil & Vinegar Dipping Sauce with Italian Bread
Caprese Skewers
Wine Marinated Beef Skewers
Vegetable Couscous
Spinach Pesto Pea Salad
Katie's Old Fashioned Fudge Sauce with Vanilla Ice Cream

Appetizers
Main Course 
Dessert

9.03.2009

Marinated Tomatoes

Okay folks, this is another one of those this-is-so-easy-it's-really-not-recipe recipes... I just love those.  Not only is this so easy, but I have to admit when my coworkers told me about this, I was pretty skeptical myself until I tried it! Okay, so enough with the introduction... these marinated tomatoes have become a favorite of mine for anything from a brunch to a holiday appetizer.  They are perfect to serve with a cheese tray and just set them out with toothpicks for people to grab or they work great at a brunch as a little side.  This will complete the recipes I share from my sister-in-law's shower.   The trick is finding this marinade.  I really hate promoting things that I am not sure where everyone can buy, but the trick is Jane's Krazy Mixed Up Seasonings.  In Houston, you can buy it at Kroger and click here for their website to find out where else it is carried.  Below I have listed the very few steps of making these tomatoes and trust me, some people will think you have done something magical to them!
Marinated Tomatoes
Recipe Note
Below, you will see this calls for grape tomatoes.  I would not suggest trying this with any other kind.  Cherry tomatoes are close to the same, but grape tomatoes are a little smaller and seem to hold the seasoning better.
Ingredients
1 pint grape tomatoes
Jane's Crazy Mixed Up Seasoning
Step by Step
1.  Rinse tomatoes and put in a medium sized bowl.
2.  Sprinkle with water so that the tomatoes are slightly damp.
3.  Heavily season with Jane's Krazy Salt and toss tomatoes to coat.
4.  Season the top of the tomatoes one more time with seasoning and then cover with plastic wrap.
5.  Allow to marinate overnight in the refrigerator.
6.  Serve at room temperature or slightly cold.