Rice Stuffed Tomatoes

These are fun, fairly easy to make and perfect for a cold evening.

INGREDIENTS
- for rice -
1 cup long grain white rice
2 cups water
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp olive oil

- for tomatoes -
4 large beefsteak tomatoes (as big as you can find)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup parmesan cheese

INSTRUCTIONS
You're going to start with the rice: (if you have a rice cooker go for it)
1. Place the water, salt and oil in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat.
2. Add the rice and stir once. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes.
3. Turn off heat, keep covered and let the rice rest for 5 minutes.

While the rice is cooking you can prep the tomatoes:
1. Preheat oven 400° F and drizzle 1 tbsp of olive oil into a 9x9" glass baking dish, set aside.
2. Wash the tomatoes and with a sharp paring knife carefully slice around the top of the tomatoe as if you were carving the lid for a pumpkin.
3. Set the top aside for later and then with the same knife carve around the inside of the tomato to hollow it out. (I find that going around the inner wall once, and then slicing an x in the middle, then using a spoon to scoop out the insides works best. Take care to not slice through the skin of the tomato since you are making a container for the rice.)
4. Place the hollow tomatoes in a baking dish with olive oil and set aside.
5. Save some of the tomato insides on the side and chop them into smaller pieces, approx 1 cups worth. Placing them into a larger bowl with the minced garlic and parmesan cheese.
6. Once the rice is finished cooking fluff the rice with a fork and then mix it with the tomato/garlic/cheese mixture.
7. Spoon the rice mixture into the hollow tomatoes till they overflow a bit and then put the tomato lids back ontop. If there is extra rice spoon it into the dish next to the tomatoes.
8. Place the dish in the oven and bake for 10 minutes.
9. Carefully spoon the whole tomato to the plates and enjoy!