[JayGee]

I planted 6 tomato plants with DS in the spring and they are bursting with fruit! Every day we pick off another 6-8 tomatoes, more than we can possibly eat, especially considering that I'm the only one in the family who even likes raw tomatoes

.

I need some ideas on what to do with tomatoes. I currently have about 40 of them in bowls on my kitchen counter.

 

[VikingKvinna]

You can always freeze them (stewed or made into tomato sauce) or dry them for use later in the year. Or can them. Make salsa and can salsa. Make salsa and give salsa to all your friends. Will your family eat them cooked in things? You can make spaghetti sauce, use them on pizza or in a tart/savory pie, use them in casseroles, etc.

Let us know if you need recipes for cooked tomatoes, and there'll be lots of ideas forthcoming, I'm sure!

 

[2M's Mom]

Sauces and salsas and freeze then! Make stuffed tomatoes, tomato salads, sandwiches, etc. I love tomatoes, I wish I could take some off your hands.

 

[Jenn_M]

I've just been freezing mine. I dunk them in boiling water long enough to loosen up the skin and then peel, toss in a freezer bag (or jar), and I'm done!

 

[babygrant]

Salsa

What about tomato soup?

 

[JayGee]

I love the salsa idea!!! Thank you.

Now, anyone have a good recipe?????

 

[wendizbaby]

I love this tomato soup recipe (got it from allrecipes.com). I make it up, pour it into freezer bags and place it on cookie sheets to freeze flat. They stack up nicely in the freezer. By the way, instead of a food mill, i pour the soup in the blender and then put it through a spaghetti strainer:

Tomato Soup

5 cups chopped fresh tomatoes
1 slice onion
4 whole cloves
2 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (or whatever type of flour)
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons white sugar, or to taste (any other type of sweetener you prefer)
I like to add a bit of cream. I like thicker soups, though.

DIRECTIONS:
In a pot, over medium heat, combine the tomatoes, onion, cloves and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, and gently boil for about 20 minutes to blend all of the flavors. Remove from heat and run the mixture through a food mill or blender into a large bowl, or pan. Discard any stuff left over in the food mill.
In the now empty stockpot, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the flour to make a roux, cooking until the roux is a medium brown. Gradually whisk in a bit of the tomato mixture, so that no lumps form, then stir in the rest. Season with sugar and salt, and adjust to taste.

 

[RiverSky]

BAKED TOMATOES
Slice the tomatoes into wedges and arrange them on a cookie sheet. Brush or spray on extra virgin olive oil, then sprinkle oregano, basil, parsley, salt, pepper and some parmesan cheese. Then bake at 350 degrees farenheit in the oven for 30 minutes. This makes an excellent side dish at dinner.

BRUSCHETTA
Put tomatoes and onions in a food chopper and chop them together. Mix in EVOO, oregano, basil, pepper. Cut slices of french bread and toat them in the oven, then top wtih the tomato mixture. Delish.

Could you make your own tomato spaghetti sauce and freeze it in small portions, perhaps in ziploc freezer bags or glass jars, that you can later thaw to use?

Make your own salsa?

You might want to check out this website and use the Ingredient search to find recipes using tomatoes and whatever else you might have around, for inspiration. www.allrecipes.com

 

[scarlettrose]

do you have a food dehydrator? you could always make "sun" dried tomatoes if you have one....or if you don't have a dehydrator, you could actually dry them in the sun.....i believe there is an oven method of drying as well....

 

[Samjm]

To make sun dried tomatoes in the oven, set your oven to the absolute lowest it can go. Slice the tomatoes and sprinkle with salt. Put in the oven and leave them for a long time. They'll slowly dry. I tend to turn them over at some point to speed things up.

When you're done, they can be stored in ziplocks (I keep them in the freezer too since I'm paranoid about mold), or you can put them in a jar with 2 parts oil and 1 part vinegar, some garlic cloves and some basil leaves. Looks very pretty and makes a great gift.

 

[annethcz]

I can my tomatoes. I make salsa, spaghetti sauce, plain tomato sauce or stewed/diced tomatoes.

 

[PortraitPixie]

Great ideas!

....of course you could send them all to me!!

It's been my #1 craving this summer with this pregnancy.