Recipe(tried): Stuffed Tomatoes

Stuffed Tomatoes
Yield: 3 servings

Thought you tomato lovers (as I am) would like to try this version that I developed over time and is always a big hit when those home grown tomatoes come in - they have a pizza taste.

3 red ripe, firm tomatoes
salt and freshly ground pepper
1 Tbsp. butter
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 clove garlic, finely minced
1/4 tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp dried basil leaves
4 sausage patties (ie. Bob Evans,Jimmy Dean, etc.), crumbled and cooked
2 Tbsp. finely chopped parsley
5 Tbsp. dry bread crumbs
1 Tbsp. peanut or corn oil

Preheat oven to 400 deg. Cut out and discard the core of each tomato. Using a sharp knife, cut off a thin slice from the bottom; reserve. Starting at the bottom and using a melon ball cutter, scoop out the center pulp of each tomato. Sprinkle the insides with salt and pepper and set aside. Heat butter in a skillet and add the onion. Finely chop the garlic and add. Add to the skillet the chopped tomato pulp and chopped tomato bottom slices and cook about 10 min. Spoon about half the resulting tomato sauce over the bottom of a baking dish just large enough to hold the tomatoes in one layer. To the remaining sauce add the thyme, basil, crumbled sausage, 1 Tbsp. cheese, parsley and 4 Tbsp of bread crumbs. Stuff the hollowed out tomatoes with equal portions of the filling, mounding up. Arrange the tomatoes, stuffed side up in the baking dish. Sprinkle tomatoes with remaining 1 Tbsp cheese blended with remaining 1 Tbsp crumbs. Sprinkle with oil. Sprinkle any remaining meat mixture in dish around tomatoes. Bake 30-35 min.

"Think you'll love 'em"