The Dishes of Late Summer

If the end of August had a signature color, it would be red. Tomato red. It seeps from the outdoors in: to the counters, the freezer, the pans, the plates. Yes, most definitely the plates. This week our plates have been full and our palate has been red, taking our cues from the garden. We tried our hand at planting carrots this year. I couldn't help but unearth a handful to see if they were ready for the table. A fistful of carrots and countertop of tomatoes led to Carrot-Tomato Soup. (A bit of warning: if you're hoping for a soup that tastes more like tomatoes and less like carrots, slim down the number of carrots you throw in the stockpot).

Yesterday, I found a home for a teacup and a half of cherry tomatoes when I adapted Cooking Light's Pasta with Fresh Tomato-Basil Sauce. Those tomatoes got cozy with a tablespoon of olive oil, some garlic, and salt on medium heat. A few bubbly minutes later, they were tossed with fettuccine noodles AND chicken and prosciutto tortelloni (well, because, why not?), fresh basil, pepper, and Parmesan cheese. It was good. Down to the leftovers, so I'm told.

Tonight, it's risotto. I might just have to toss in the half a dozen Roma tomatoes sitting on our counter. Those little scarlet wonders are just begging me to.