on too much wine and tuesday afternoons. (also a new recipe!)

And love your people.

I'm just finishing up the leftovers from the roasted caprese salad I made for two of my close girlfriends yesterday afternoon.  I wish I aged as well as this salad.  It was wonderful yesterday but today, well, it's almost ridiculous in its scrumptiousness.  I dare say, it's the best thing I've eaten in a long time.  I think the sweet carameliness (<----yes, that's a word) of the tomatoes was overshadowed by the copious amount of wine we deemed necessary to consume.  I blame that same wine on the reason I didn't take any (real) photos yesterday, why I ate a drumstick--the ice cream variety not the turkey variety--right before bed last night, and why I woke with a slight ringing in my head this morning.  Oh well.  It was worth it.  I love my friends.  (And this salad too!)

Roasted Tomato Caprese Salad from Ina Garten's Back to Basics

Fair Warning--you need two hours to roast the tomatoes, plus cool time!  

Ingredients

• 12 plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise, seeds (not cores) removed
• 1/4 cup good olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced (I used garlic powder because I was feeling lazy.)
• 2 teaspoons sugar (I used 2 TABLESPOONS because apparently I can't read very well.)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 16 ounces fresh salted mozzarella
• 12 fresh basil leaves, julienned

Directions:    

This is where I stopped in my first reading of the recipe which is why when I began cooking, I was not so pleasantly surprised to find out that it takes two freakin hours to roast the tomatoes!  Just saying--READ ALL THE WAY THROUGH.  Unless you enjoy these sorts of surprises, then do whatever you want.)

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F. 

Arrange the tomatoes on a sheet pan, cut sides up, in a single layer. Drizzle with 1/4 cup of olive oil and the balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle with the garlic, sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Roast for 2 hours until the tomatoes are concentrated and begin to caramelize. Allow the tomatoes to cool to room temperature.

Cut the mozzarella into slices slightly less than 1/2-inch thick. If the slices of mozzarella are larger than the tomatoes, cut the mozzarella slices in half. Layer the tomatoes alternately with the mozzarella on a platter and scatter the basil on top. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper and drizzle lightly with olive oil. Serve at room temperature.

Now go see Torrie's tried and true recipe for an iced cinnamon latte full of glorious caffeinated espresso.  Looks delicious.  I really could have used one this morning. ;o)