Bloody Mary Salad

The Dressing

Ingredients

1-2 TBS extra virgin olive oil

2 TBS tomato juice

3 TBS lemon juice

3 TBS lime juice

2 TBS prepared horseradish

2 TBS Worcestershire Sauce

1 clove minced garlic

hot sauce, to taste

Salt & Pepper, to taste

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a jar. Shake well. Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 2 hours and up to overnight. Shake well before using.
(Disclaimer: Measurements may vary depending on your own taste preferences!)  

The Salad

Ingredients

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

1 cup pitted green olives, sliced (I used 1/2-cup Manzanilla olives with pimentos + 1/2-cup ripe green olives)

1 cup celery, sliced
4 oz. Blue Cheese, chunks or slices
Celery leaves, for garnish 

Salt & Pepper, to taste

Directions

Put all ingredients in a bowl or on a platter. Drizzle with a couple tablespoons of dressing, or more to taste. 

Refrigerator Pickled Hot Peppers

The Brine:

1-1/3 cup water
2-3/4 TBS white vinegar
1-1/3 TBS kosher salt
Bring to a boil and stir to make sure salt is completely dissolved. Keep at a low simmer until you use it. This much brine will make about 1 pint jar of pickles.

Other Ingredients: 

Garlic, 1 to 2 cloves, peeled
Hot Peppers, sliced (any kind)

Directions: 

Place 1 to 2 cloves of garlic in bottom of pint jar. Pack jar to top with sliced hot peppers. Fill jar to top with hot brine. Secure lid on jar. Allow to sit on counter for 48 hours before refrigerating. Allow them to sit in refrigerator for 2 weeks before eating. They should keep (unopened) for 3 to 4 months. 

Optional:

For Hot Carrots, add sliced carrots and sliced onions to sliced jalapenos and garlic. 

Orzo-Stuffed Tomatoes

This tomato dish was really tasty and could almost be a meal in itself. The next time I make this recipe, I'll probably create a Greek version with feta, or maybe add some sausage to the orzo mixture to make it a full meal. (FYI: The orzo-and-sauce mixture is more than enough to fill 4 large tomatoes. Three options: prepare for leftovers, half the recipe or stuff a few extra tomatoes before you bake.)

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1 red chile, finely chopped
1 (14.5-ounce) can whole tomatoes
12 sun-dried tomatoes, chopped small
1 cup dried orzo
4 basil leaves, torn
1/4 teaspoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
6 kalamata olives, finely chopped
4 large tomatoes
1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella
Parmesan cheese (optional)
 

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375°. Cook orzo until al dente; set aside. Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Sauté garlic 1 minute. Add onion and red chile; sauté 6 minutes. With clean hands, crush canned tomatoes into saucepan. Add minced sun-dried tomatoes, basil leaves, brown sugar, sea salt, and pepper to pan; bring to a simmer. Cook until most of liquid is cooked off (~ 20 minutes). Add olives to pan; remove from heat. Add orzo to sauce, mixing well. Core tomatoes; stuff with orzo-and-sauce mixture. Top each tomato with 2 tablespoons mozzarella. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.