Fresh, Cool Summer Recipes: Tomato Tart and Lemonade Pie

by Sara Crooks

With the long, hot days of summer just around the corner, so are the deliciously ripe and juicy home-grown tomatoes that can turn an ordinary summer day into something spectacular. When you finally tire of the simplicity of sliced tomatoes sprinkled with salt and want to do something a bit more with your bounty, consider the tomato tart. Not only is a tart a beautiful way to showcase the tomato, but it also can be served hot or at room temperature, perfect for pool parties and family reunions. With a few grocery store ingredients that are easy to keep on hand, make the tomato tart and its endless variations your go-to this summer.

Tomato Tart

1 refrigerated pie crust

1-2 home-grown tomatoes, heirloom if you can find them (you can also use Romas from the grocery store in a pinch), sliced, drained on paper towels

2 cups of shredded Italian blend cheese

Handful of Fresh Basil, chiffonade*

Olive Oil

Kosher Salt

Fresh Ground Pepper

Press refrigerated crust into a 9 or 10 tart pan. (You can also use a pie plate.) Place cheese on top of crust. Add layer of basil leaves on top of cheese. Arrange sliced tomatoes decoratively on top of the basil. Drizzle olive oil over tomatoes and sprinkle heavily with salt and pepper.

Bake at 400F for 35-45 minutes or until cheese is golden and the tomatoes are wrinkled.

Cool and remove tart ring and bottom.

*To chiffonade basil, stack the leaves and roll lengthwise into a tight log. Cut across the leaves, creating ribbons.

Lemonade Pie

Cool, light, and fresh fit the bill this time of year. Want a quick, easy, make-ahead summer dessert that matches that description? Here it is.

Frozen Lemonade Pie:

1 graham cracker crust, purchased or homemade

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 can Eagle Brand

1 small can of frozen lemonade concentrate

1 carton Cool Whip

With a mixer, blend cream cheese together with Eagle Brand and lemonade concentrate. Gently fold in Cool Whip. Don’t let mixture get soupy.

Pour into graham cracker crust and freeze. Garnish with lemon slices and fresh mint.

{Sara Crooks is a native Oklahoman who is passionate about cooking, baking and design. She teaches the Cooking Skill Session in the updated Called to be a Keeper DVDs. Sara has been married to Michael for eleven years and has a son (7) and twin daughters (4).}