BROILED TOMATOES STUFFED
WITH CORNBREAD

Makes 8 servings

This is a great use for leftover cornbread. Use the ripest tomatoes you can find, but even not-so-great tomatoes benefit from this recipe. Mix it up; try different herbs such as parsley or basil, and add a bit of freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Fresh from your garden or the market, tomatoes are low-calorie, low-sodium, a good source of fiber, and high in vitamins A and C. Studies show that the antioxidant lycopene found in tomatoes blocks cancer, aging, and cellular damage.

4 large ripe tomatoes

2 cups crumbled cornbread

½ cup mayonnaise

6 slices bacon, cooked crisply and crumbled

2 scallions, chopped

2 sprigs fresh thyme, chopped

Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Halve the tomatoes horizontally with a serrated knife. Using a metal spoon, carefully scoop out the pulp and reserve.

• In a small bowl combine the reserved tomato pulp, cornbread, mayonnaise, bacon, scallions, and thyme. Season with the salt and pepper to taste.

• Spray a glass baking dish with vegetable cooking spray. Spoon the mixture into the tomato shells. Transfer the stuffed tomatoes to the prepared baking dish. Cook until heated through, about 20 minutes. Serve immediately.

[ SEE PHOTO ON PAGE 82 ]