Yes, today is Monday. The day we dread. The day that makes us just a tad bit blue around 5:30 p.m. every Sunday. But I think if we plan for some luxurious, leisurely down time for the upcoming weekend we might be able to stave off some of those crummy, useless feelings. I look at it as a plan to reward myself for being the best I can be during the week. At least I start off that way. Unfortunately by the time Thursday rolls around I’ve had a plethora of, shall we say, unchristian thoughts…and possibly words. It’s not pretty. And I’m tired, oh am I tired! Thursdays try my patience and before I know it I’m questioning my very existence. Or, at the very least, if my current path in life centers around taking Dad the NYTimes, brown rice, grilled chicken, sweet potato salad, stamps for his letters, bandages, Neosporin and hydrogen peroxide for post-fall cleanups, batteries for his walkman, a ride to the market or simply a visit from daughter #2, me. I tell myself I am one lucky girl that I can honor my father this way, however, I must admit there are some days, (usually right about Thursday), when I just want my own time…time to read, write or rattle around the kitchen. Therefore, on this Monday, I mixed up a batch of homemade Spicy Roasted Bloody Marys to show y’all that Sunday Drinkday is merely a snap of the fingers away. Plum tomatoes are always going on sale; pick them up when they do and allow them to ripen to an intense, vibrant red on your counter. When you’re ready, roast them off. At that point the roasted tomatoes may be refrigerated until the time they’re put in the blender with the rest of the ingredients. I’m not a fan of putting a boatload of meats, cheeses and vegetables in my Bloody Marys. No okra, bacon, pickles, roasted peppers, carrots, cheese chunks or chicken wings are going to be hanging off the rim of my glass or, worse yet, swimming about the tomato and vodka. Oh, hell no. And I have to tell you I’m of the old school in that we only drink Bloodies in the morning, absolutely no later than 2:00 in the afternoon. In my world drinking Bloodies later than that is just not good form. So we’ll just keep it between us that this batch, (at 5:51 p.m.) is really, really good. I feel better and when YOU begin to plan your next batch, well, you will, too. Sunday is just a batch of cocktails away.
Spicy Roasted Tomato Bloody Marys
- 2 tablespoons celery seed or celery flakes
- 2 tablespoons coarse sea salt
- 2 pounds ripe plum/Roma tomatoes
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- freshly ground salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
- 3 good dashes Worcestershire sauce
- the juice of 2 lemons
- 3 tablespoons Sriracha Sauce
- 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
- Preheat oven to 425°.
- Place celery seed/flakes and sea salt in small food processor or spice/coffee grinder. Pulse only until the ingredients are the texture of granular sugar. Set aside.
- Cut the stem end off of the tomatoes and slice each in half horizontally. Using your fingers swipe off any seeds. You don’t have to be exact. Place in a large bowl.
- Drizzle olive oil over tomatoes, scatter salt and pepper over them and, using your hands, toss well until tomatoes are completely covered.
- Place on a foil lined, rimmed baking sheet and roast for 20-25 minutes.
- When tomatoes are finished roasting and cool enough to handle, put in your blender with the following: Old Bay, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice and Sriracha sauce. Blend until smooth.
- At this point, the Bloody Mary mix can be covered and stored in the refrigerator until the weekend.
- If serving immediately, (and I don’t blame you), run a cut wedge of lime around the rims of your glasses.
- Pour the celery seed/flake and salt mixture into a bowl which is a bit larger than the diameter of your glasses. Dip the damp rim of each glass into the mixture.
- Taking care not to disturb the celery salt, pack each glass with ice and pour in 2-3 ounces, (or more and I’m not judging), of vodka.
- Follow with the Spicy Bloody Mary mix.
- Garnish with a pretty stalk of celery and lime wedge. Maybe some green olives on the side. Maybe.
The Irreverent Kitchen 
These sound DELISH! (I see a tailgating beverage in my future on Saturday) Thanks for sharing…And hang in there…the weekend is right around the corner! 🙂
Enjoy, enjoy! The mixture’s quite thick. The added vodka, a bit of lime juice and the ice will thin it out nicely. Take the bottle of Sriracha with you on the tailgate for those who want more of a kick.