Lynn’s grandchildren have been at a beach house for the month and so, with Sandy and I, the three of us have been indulging in relaxing late Sunday lunches on our front porch. We eat great food, chat with neighbors and say hello to folks we don’t know who walk by the house. This lunch was built around a recipe that Sandy borrowed from Real Simple magazine. Lynn made a tossed salad with creamy goats cheese , tossed with a light raspberry vinaigrette. I took a frying pan out to the grill and cooked some sweet Italian sausage with onions and peppers. Sandy served the roasted tomatoes on toasted baguette slices topped with fresh ricotta and she also cut up some fresh fruit. This lunch was accompanied by a 2009 Saint-Damien Gigondas. Enjoy!

Slow roasted plum tomatoes with garlic and oregano

8 plum tomatoes (about 2 pounds), halved

2 sprigs fresh oregano

4 garlic cloves

1/4 cup olive oil

Kosher salt and black pepper

1. Heat oven to 300 degrees F. Place the tomatoes (cut side up), oregano, and garlic in a 3-quart baking dish. Drizzle with the oil, 1 Tsp. salt, and 1/2 Tsp. pepper.

2. Roast until the tomatoes are slightly reduced in size and the skins are puckered, 1 hour, 45 minutes to 2 hours.

3. Serve on toasted baguette slices smeared with fresh ricotta or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days.