If there is one thing that is in abundance during the summertime it is tomatoes, and if your elderly care routine this summer is going to feature entertaining a crowd, attending a party, or just trying to find more ways to introduce better nutrition into your aging loved ones’ diets, taking advantage of these
\nbright and delicious fruits is a fantastic way to create a huge range of flavorful and nutritious recipes. One of the simplest, yet most impressive and delicious, recipes you can create to use up some of that bountiful harvest from your own tomato plants or the sweet, plump offerings of the farmer’s market is bruschetta.<\/p>\n
Bruschetta is a rustic Italian dish perfect as an appetizer, snack, or even light lunch. Requiring only a few ingredients and less than half an hour of cooking, you can create enough to feed a crowd or just a few for your seniors. You can even prepare the topping in advance and store it in the refrigerator so your aging loved ones and their elderly health care services provider can just pop some bread in the oven to toast and enjoy a fresh and flavorful snack.<\/p>\n
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What You’ll Need<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n \u2022 1 1\/2 pounds ripe tomatoes<\/p>\n \u2022 2 cloves garlic<\/p>\n \u2022 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil<\/p>\n \u2022 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar<\/p>\n \u2022 6 to 8 fresh basil leaves<\/p>\n \u2022 1 teaspoon kosher salt<\/p>\n \u2022 1\/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper<\/p>\n \u2022 1 loaf Italian bread<\/p>\n \u2022 1\/4 cup robust olive oil<\/p>\n \u2022 2 quarts water<\/p>\n \u2022 Large pot<\/p>\n \u2022 Sharp knife<\/p>\n \u2022 Mixing bowl<\/p>\n \u2022 Pastry brush<\/p>\n \u2022 Baking pan<\/p>\n \u2022 Spoon<\/p>\n <\/p>\n What to Do<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n \u2022 Bring the water to a boil in the large pot<\/p>\n \u2022 Use the sharp knife to make a shallow “X” shaped cut in the skin at the bottom of the tomato<\/p>\n \u2022 Once the water comes to a boil, remove the pot from the heat and put the tomatoes in<\/p>\n \u2022 Allow the tomatoes to blanche for one minute<\/p>\n \u2022 Remove the tomatoes from the water and allow to cool until you can handle them<\/p>\n \u2022 Remove the skins and discard<\/p>\n \u2022 Use the sharp knife to remove the stem and the core<\/p>\n \u2022 Cut the tomatoes in half or quarters depending on their size and squeeze out most of the juice and seeds<\/p>\n \u2022 Preheat the oven to 450 degrees and put the rack in the top position<\/p>\n \u2022 Finely chop the tomatoes and put them in the mixing bowl<\/p>\n \u2022 Mince the garlic and add into the tomatoes<\/p>\n \u2022 Drizzle in the extra virgin olive oil and the balsamic vinegar and mix with the spoon<\/p>\n \u2022 Stack the basil leaves together and roll them into a tight cigar shape. Use the sharp knife to make narrow slices along the roll, creating thin ribbons of basil<\/p>\n \u2022 Add the basil, salt, and pepper to the mixture and stir to combine<\/p>\n \u2022 Slice the bread on the diagonal to create 1\/2-inch slices<\/p>\n \u2022 Arrange the bread on the baking pan and use the pastry brush to brush the robust olive oil along all of the slices<\/p>\n \u2022 Flip the slices over so that the olive oil is down<\/p>\n \u2022 Toast for 5 to 6 minutes until the bread is crusty and lightly browned<\/p>\n \u2022 Remove the toast from the oven and top each with a spoonful of the tomato mixture before serving<\/p>\n