Healthy Spring Recipes ~ TULIP TOMATOES
Do you need something pretty for Mothers Day Brunch, or a Garden Party? These beautiful tulip tomatoes serve as both a eye catching table decor and a yummy veggie tray at the same time. I love the colors and how fresh and healthy they look, almost to pretty to eat. To make a mixed bouquet you could use some yellow grape tomatoes too. These look great on a white serving tray.
INGREDIENTS
Yields: 15 tulips, Ready in 30 minutes
15 Large Cherry Tomatoes
16 stalks of chives
8 oz. cream cheese
1 cucumber
1 teaspoon dried basil
Salt and pepper
PREPARATION
1. With stem side down, cut a cross in the top of each cherry tomato (about 3?4 down the tomato).
2. Using a spoon (grapefruit spoon works very well) to gently scrape out the tomato seeds.
3. Take a grilling skewer or toothpick and make a hole where the stem currently is. You may need to twist the skewer in a circle a few times to make room for the chive to fit through.
4. Finely chop or grate cucumber.
5. Mix cream cheese, cucumber and basil in a bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste.
6. Add a teaspoon of cream cheese mixture into each tomato tulip (adjust depending on size of tomatoes).
7. Insert a chive into the hole at the bottom of each tomato.
8. Use a damp paper towel to clean any excess cream cheese filling from outside of tomatoes.
9. Prepare the tulip bouquet on a large plate or platter. Use the extra chive stalk to wrap around the tulip stems to complete the bouquet.