It's that time of year when we are enjoying the last harvest of tomatoes from our garden.  We didn't have a great harvest this year, but we did get to enjoy several yummy tomatoes.  There is nothing quite like a sweet, ripe tomato fresh off the vine, is there?

Mr. Diy is known as the Tomato-King in our family. For some strange reason, he is passionate about growing tomatoes. No matter where we have lived, he is like a little boy in a candy shop when it's time to go shopping for tomato plants for the garden.  He has grown some really cool varieties too - purple ones, little yellow pear-shaped ones. His favorite variety is called Sunburst; they're orange cherry tomatoes.

I have a couple of very funny tomato stories but I'll share just one with you today.  Very early in our marriage, like maybe the second year, back when Mr. Diy was first getting into gardening (and I knew nothing about it), he planted several tomato bushes.  They were just small and getting started and Mr. Diy had to go out town for a few days. I was given very clear instructions on how to water the tomato plants - ground only, no wet leaves...

The tomato plants were just starting to produce flowers. And I remembered hearing somewhere that if you wanted your tomato plant to produce better quality tomatoes, you should pick the flowers off (yeah, you can see where this is heading, right?) My misinformation led me to pluck ALL those precious flowers from Mr. Diy's plants.

Guess what he came home to?? A completely clueless wife who innocently thought she was doing him, and his plants, a HUGE favor! And completely bare plants. Yup, I think I recall a pretty heated argument!!  Don't think we had too many tomatoes that year either, lol.

So from that point on, Mr. Diy tends the plants, and I do the cooking :) See, we really are a great pair!

This recipe uses tomatoes, obviously best if fresh from the garden and plenty of fresh basil and parsley.  I love herbs and always have some growing as close to my kitchen as possible. Those I can grow :)

I have to credit my mother-in-law Joan with this recipe.  She's been making it as long as I can remember and it is SO easy and SO good!!

Measurements are approximate because no two tomatoes are the same size. You can't really go wrong with this recipe though. Just taste your mixture and adjust accordingly.  As you can see from my pictures, I had just a few cherry tomatoes and about 1/3 of a french loaf, but I was craving this and I managed to make it anyway :) Where there's a will...

Here's what you need:
A loaf of french bread, cut into sections
olive oil
grated parmesiano/regiano cheese blend (or fresh of course, if you have it)
2-3 tomatoes, chopped
handful of fresh basil and parsley, chopped fine
salt and pepper to taste
balsamic vinegar (optional)

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

While the oven is heating, chop tomatoes and herbs and combine in bowl.  Add salt and pepper to taste and mix. Drizzle with a little olive oil and a splash of balsamic if you wish.



Lay your french bread sections on a cookie sheet and lightly drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with the cheese. Bake until bread is lightly browned. Watch closely, it just takes a couple minutes.




Take out, let cool for a few minutes, top with fresh tomato mixture and eat.

I'll bet you can't eat just one...or two!!