With fresh produce season nearly upon us, maybe, just maybe, you have a green tomato growing in your backyard.  If you want to try something really delicious that’s not your ordinary (but wonderful) Fried Green Tomato side, let me make a suggestion!  This Green Tomato and Vidalia Onion Gratin really, really good!!  It has a few pieces of bacon and some seasoned bread crumbs over top of the green tomatoes and caramelized sweet onions, pushing this little side dish right over the top!

Let’s take a look at the finished product, shall we?

Layer the tomatoes, then the onions.

Top with Parmesan and cheddar Cheese and bacon. Then bread crumbs. Bake @350 for 30 minutes.

Golden and delicious!

Green Tomato and Vidalia Onion Gratin
Ingredients
1/4 pound bacon
1 cup fresh bread crumbs
2 large Vidalia onions, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch thick rounds
4 large green tomatoes, sliced 1/4-inch thick
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
6 ounces sharp white Cheddar, grated, about 1 1/2 cups – I used regular Cheddar

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Render bacon in a large skillet over medium heat. Transfer the cooked bacon to a paper towel lined plate. Add the bread crumbs to a small bowl. Remove 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat from the skillet and stir into the bread crumbs. Add the onion rounds to the skillet in batches and cook, without breaking the round slices apart, until there is some golden color, about 5 to 6 minutes per side.

To assemble the gratin, overlap the green tomato slices in 1 row in a large baking dish, about 9 by 11 inches. Next, make a row slightly overlapping of the partially cooked onion rounds, being careful to keep the slices intact. Repeat steps until all tomatoes and onions are used. Season tomatoes and onions lightly with salt and heavily with pepper. Crumble the bacon over the vegetables; sprinkle the grated Cheddar over the top followed by the bread crumbs. Bake until the cheese is bubbly, about 30 to 45 minutes. If the top is getting too brown, loosely cover with foil.

You really need to get your hands on some green tomatoes before they ripen into a red, slicing tomato and make this dish!

How do you fix green tomatoes?

With love from my country kitchen,

I hate clutter in my house. I like everything to be put away, however, I have a hard time keeping the hidden places in my house straightened up.  Places like drawers and closets are just hard for me!  I stepped into my pantry and my bedroom closet this week and decided I didn’t like they way they looked.  I’ve never had a walk-in pantry or walk-in closet before, and I am determined to make these spaces not only function well, but also be pretty!

I have a set of stackable drawers in my closet for belts, sock, etc.  Because they drawers are clear, it looked messy.  So, I took scrapbook paper and lined the front of each drawer with coordinating patterns and colors to give it a neater look.

I have a small table in my closet to hold my jewelry organizers.  I have two necklace trees to keep chains from getting tangled.  I love my earring picture holder my dad made me.  It keeps the fish hook earrings in perfect view!

Now on to the pantry ~  I had one little area that needed attention.  I have quite a collection of aprons and just had them hooked through one of my pantry shelves.  They hung on the floor and looked messy.  Soooo, I found a cute little hook at TJ Maxx for $8.  It is perfect to keep the aprons within reach and looking lovely!

Do you have some hidden spaces that need some organization?  Attack one or two spaces this weekend.  If you’re like me, you’ll be happy about walking into or opening that space after you’ve done some straightening!

Stay refreshed,

Some days here on my blog I give you a peek from my porch or a front row seat in my kitchen.  Today, I’m opening up my heart.

My heart as a pastor’s wife is a normal heart; it’s just like yours.  Oh, there may be more people crowded in there, but that’s to be expected.  You see those folks jumped in one by one as they entered the doors of our church.  Some came as a result of coming to Christ.  What a joy! Some came because they moved into the area.  Others came because they were looking for a church that took a stand on the fundamentals on the Word of God.  I’m sure some came because they were unhappy with something that happened in their former church.  No matter, my husband and I opened our hearts and loved each one. They came into the church doors and entered our heart doors all at the same time.

We’ve spent more time with some than others.  There were family hurts that needed biblical counsel.  We cried with them over the trial and difficulties. We rejoiced when things were made right.   There were physical issues, like surgeries and long recuperation that drew us to others’ hospital rooms or homes so that we might pray and encourage with Scripture.  We’ve had sweet fellowship with many – either at church as we worked on projects together, at a restaurant after a service or in our home.  We’ve prayed for revival, for their particular ministry, and their families’ needs.  Our hearts were knit with theirs.  You see, we have a heart, like yours, that loves those that we minister with and for.

A heart for the Church is what the Lord has given me in these 30 some years as a pastor’s wife.  Though I entered this role scared half to death and unsure of what to do, the Lord has taught me…”Just love people.”  Those are the words of encouragement He’s given time and again when I didn’t know what to do for them.  However, there’s a risk in that.  The risk lies in being misunderstood, or of being misjudged.  There’s the risk of those that we love being misled and turning away from the Church and from us as a couple.  Our hearts are at risk, and when folks walk out, it is painful.  Some leave without ever coming and talking to us face to face.  They “hear something” that is spread.  They believe it. They never question it.  They’re gone – like a tumbleweed in a desert dust storm.

How painful that is.  Today that pain led me to the cross (always the best place to take hurts).  I was reminded that ALL forsook the Lord when He went to Calvary.  We haven’t been forsaken by all.  Hardly.  We have a wonderful group of people that are standing beside us, praying and interceding on our behalf.  I am blessed.

This pain runs me to my Savior (always the best person with whom to share hurts).  He understands being misjudged.  He understands words being twisted.  He understands friends forsaking friends.  I am loved.

I nestle up close to Him and He reminds me of His steadfast love with the words of this song:

So, welcome to my heart today, but before you got here the Lord has been here, comforting and encouraging.  I’m okay.  I’m really okay… because I’m remembering His promise, His love!

To each of you, near and far, if you’re a church member, please take special note to give your pastor and his wife the benefit of the doubt that you would want, if someone were talking about you.  Go to your pastor – whoever he is and speak with him before you decide to leave.  We don’t deserve anything, but why not at least share what’s on your heart to make sure it’s accurate?  They are FAR FROM PERFECT, but your pastor and his wife love you.  You entered their hearts when you came.  They’d love the chance to speak with you about whatever is on your heart.

With a bandaged, but healing heart,

Last week I was privileged to attend yet another decorating class at Gracious Designs, a lovely design store in Johnson City.  I’ve attended many other classes, and each one inspires me and teaches me how to make my home inviting and lovely, and also tastefully Southern.

Signs like these are scattered about Gracious Designs Store.

Last Saturday the class was on bringing summer into your home.  It piqued my interest since summer is my favorite season!  Bring summer inside?  How do I do that?  Here were some of their suggestions:

Here are a few touches I’ve added:

Click on picture to enlarge.

I am looking for time to change the drawing on my chalkboard hanging over the fireplace to something summery.  But it’s always a work in progress!

Look around to see what you could you bring in that would add some summery touches.  Perhaps a birdhouse or an iron bench or chair would be the perfect addition to a bedroom or your living room.  Let me know if you find something to add!

Thanks for stopping by for a peek!

With love from my country porch,