Waving Goodbye: Wave Hill, A Scalloped Tomatoes Post and Departures

"Times they are a-changin'..."  

Summer is coming to an end and fall is in the air.  

We are leaving Brooklyn after 7 years and relocating to Colorado (see previous post for more). We have packed up the contents of our apartment and all of our earthly belongings are on a truck heading west. My second son is now 5 1/2 weeks old and the first one is turning 2 later this month. And in addition to motherly duties, I have published 121 posts since I started this blog, one year ago.  

I may not be in the big leagues of the blogging world, but that was never the point. I started this blog as a means of documenting our journey as a family. I also wanted (needed) to have something that was mine (something I could nurture) that didn't involve children. A hobby of sorts. And here it is... 

So let me say thank you to my family and friends who have encouraged me to pursue blogging while I juggle motherhood.

I have appreciated the comments and the emails more than you know. Be well and I'll be back in this little corner of the internet soon- posting from our new home in the city of Denver, in the great state of Colorado.

Here are a few photos I took from our favorite spot in New York City-- Wave Hill--during our last week in our hometown. 

{Wave Hill is where I got married and only a few blocks away from where I grew up. You can find more about the gardens here.}

Enjoy!

Wave Hill, September, 2011:

* * *

We no longer live in our Brooklyn apartment, so I'm staying with my parents until my flight to Colorado on Sunday night. Lucky for me my mother is in a CSA this summer (did I inspire her? I'll take some credit here...) and we have great vegetables for the weekend.  There's arugula, golden beets, summer squash, butter lettuce and 6 pounds of tomatoes. We've got a lot of tomatoes.  

I decided to look back at some of the recipes I made around this time last year.  This one, for scalloped tomatoes, was a real hit when I made it last season, so I'm going to make it again.   

This is my repost:

This recipe for Scalloped Tomatoes is fantastic.  It pops with flavor and color. I have made this dish twice and my only caveat is that you should make it on the day you want to serve and eat it. Subjecting the delicate boule bread to a cycle of refrigeration and re-heating makes it a little mushy. Also, the parmesan crust on top of the dish doesn't reheat well. So, make this dish a few hours before you want to consume it and all your guests will rave about how delicious it is! Promise.

SCALLOPED TOMATOES (Adapted from Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa)

Serves 6

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 
• 2 cups (1/2-inch diced) bread from a French boule, crusts removed (Remove the crust from the entire loaf before you start slicing) 
• 2 1/2 pounds of tomatoes, cut 1/2-inch dice 
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup julienned basil leaves, lightly packed
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large (12 inch) saute pan over medium heat. Add the bread cubes and stir to coat with the oil. Cook over medium to medium-high heat for 5 minutes, stirring often, until the cubes are evenly browned.

Meanwhile, combine the tomatoes, garlic, sugar, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. When the bread cubes are done, add the tomato mixture and continue to cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the basil.

Pour the tomato mixture into a shallow (6 to 8 cup) baking dish. Sprinkle evenly with the Parmesan cheese and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the top is browned and the tomatoes are bubbly. Serve hot or warm.