topic Re: Many Tomatoes in Recipes

Many Tomatoes

Renata22 — Fri, 18 Jun 2021 17:52:04 GMT

Hi Everyone. We just bought a big box of tomatoes from the farmer's market. Some have a few spots and most are partially ripe. Does anyone here make salsa or something else when you have an excess of tomatoes? Any recipes or ideas would be appreciated.

Thanks. Have a great day!

Re: Many Tomatoes

Mistreatedbycs — Fri, 18 Jun 2021 18:12:00 GMT

I love home made salsa but I use the "cheat" package method.

I chop tomatoes fine, add a package of Concord Farms Salsa Mix, chopped red onion and maybe a fresh jalepeno.

I trird Penzey's salsa jar mix and don't care for it so I'll stick with Concord Farms.

Concord Farms are those mixes that are ususally found in the produce section on their own display stand.

BTW, the colesaw mix is very very good, much better than the jar mix ins.

Good luck with all those tomatoes, I remember days upon days canning stewed tomatoes with my mom for use in Chili and soups later.

Re: Many Tomatoes

drizzellla — Fri, 18 Jun 2021 18:13:44 GMT

I used to can my extra tomatoes. Tomatoes only need a hot water bath when you can them. So it is quick and easy. And then I would enjoy fresh tasting tomatos all year round.

Re: Many Tomatoes

Sooner — Fri, 18 Jun 2021 18:20:28 GMT

I make veggie lasagnas with real tomatoes and freeze leftovers.

I use tomatoes, zucchini, onions, eggplant, yellow squash, spinach (fresh and sauteed or frozen thawed and squeezed), mushrooms and whatever.

I slice them thinly in long strips or slices and layer them with jarred sauce, cottage cheese or ricotta, no-cook lasagna noodles and cheeses (mozz, parm, or whatever I have) like any lasagna and bake.

I put is as many veggies as I like, put sauce on top and maybe breadcrumbs and bake until bubbly, add more cheese and bake until it melts, take out of the oven and let it cool until juices are absorbed.

We just love it as a main dish or a side, and the leftovers can be frozen. No recipe--just put in what you like! Or what is a little on the down side from the crisper!

Re: Many Tomatoes

Kachina624 — Fri, 18 Jun 2021 18:57:38 GMT

I came home from a trip to visit my parents one year to find that my husband had made a trip to Arkansas and bough crates and crates of tomatoes. Although I never canned anything before and had no supplies, we canned jar after jar of chili sauce using a recipe from the Better Homes & Garden Cookbook. It was delicious. Wish I had some more.

Re: Many Tomatoes

RedTop — Fri, 18 Jun 2021 19:29:41 GMT

Spaghetti sauce.

Re: Many Tomatoes

Renata22 — Fri, 18 Jun 2021 21:53:46 GMT

Great ideas. I will try that salsa mix, I think I've seen it. Also love coleslaw. That lasagna sounds delicious! I'm not great with canning so probably won't take that on. My spaghetti is very simple with help from the store, so making sauce maybe not right for me. The thing is with these tomatoes, some are still not ripe but they have spots on them. I wanted to try to save the good part and keep the spots from progressing. I put some in the oven with onions and celery and garlic. Seasoned it well. Will put in the vitamix and add some homemade stock. Makes a great soup with grilled cheese or any sandwich.

Re: Many Tomatoes

ECBG — Sun, 20 Jun 2021 12:44:39 GMT

2 cans chopped tomatoes
¼ cup chopped red onion
¼ cup chopped yellow onion
2 tablespoons chopped jalapeno
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice or vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (we like more)
2 cloves garlic, peeled
¼ teaspoon salt

Combine tomatoes, red onion, yellow onion, jalapeños, lime juice, cilantro, garlic, cumin, and salt in a food processor. Pulse processor until mixture is combined, yet remains chunky. Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 1 hour.

Do NOT store in a plastic bowl.

Re: Many Tomatoes

Boomernichols — Fri, 18 Jun 2021 22:36:05 GMT

Make some salsa or chow chow with the tomatoes and do friend green tomatoes with those less ripe .

Re: Many Tomatoes

Mistreatedbycs — Sat, 19 Jun 2021 00:59:53 GMT

@Renata22 wrote:
Great ideas. I will try that salsa mix, I think I've seen it. Also love coleslaw. That lasagna sounds delicious! I'm not great with canning so probably won't take that on. My spaghetti is very simple with help from the store, so making sauce maybe not right for me. The thing is with these tomatoes, some are still not ripe but they have spots on them. I wanted to try to save the good part and keep the spots from progressing. I put some in the oven with onions and celery and garlic. Seasoned it well. Will put in the vitamix and add some homemade stock. Makes a great soup with grilled cheese or any sandwich.

The Concord Farm Coleslaw mix is very good, I believe you combine 3/4 cup of mayo (i use Hellmanns') and the mix.....stir real good then add in the bag of coleslaw mix. He doesn't look like anything when you mix it but cover and refrigerate for at least an hour and you'll be surprised that you have a coleslaw and it's still a little crunchy. Good the next day too but the cabbage softens up but still good.

I tried their oven potato seasoning and didn't get excited over that. They have smoothie mixes too, haven't tried those either.

Mixes should be 99 cents but it varies from store to store, last time I paid 1.09 for the mix.

Oh the salsa mix comes medium and hot need to read the front of the package so you grab the right one, hot is hot. Don't forget a red onion too, using a white onion is not the same.

Enjoy!

Re: Many Tomatoes

Yahooey — Sat, 19 Jun 2021 13:56:57 GMT

@Renata22

tomato galette. - u can buy ready made pie or puff pastry

and the roasting of the tomatoes will bring out the flavors of those underripe

i usually salt them - wait 20 minutes to draw out the liquid - pat them dry and roast - so dough will not be soggy

Re: Many Tomatoes

sabatini — Sat, 19 Jun 2021 18:22:44 GMT

Hi @Renata22. I'm sure those tomatoes are long gone by now, but...

You can't beat having a gallon Ziploc baggie (or 2) of roasted tomatoes in your freezer!

They're amazing on pizza, or tossed w/ angel hair pasta, or added to just about anything.

Top a cracker w/ one, & add cheese & herbs for an easy appetizer.

Lay foil over cookie sheets & rub with olive oil.

Slice tomatoes thickly, lay on foil, drizzle w/ olive oil, sprinkle w/ salt.

*Add any herbs you'd like; basil, thyme, etc.

I choose to leave them plain in order to use them in any variety of ways.*

Bake at 325, and start watching them at about an hour. Rotate the sheet halfway through cooking time. Don't let the tomatoes burn.

Turn the oven off and leave them in there for about 30 minutes.

Let cool & put the whole cookie sheet into the freezer. When they're frozen, gently peel them off foil & pop into a waiting Ziploc baggie.

*If your oven runs hot, roast at 300 degrees.

Re: Many Tomatoes

Renata22 — Sat, 19 Jun 2021 23:51:20 GMT

@Mistreatedbycs That sounds delicious. I will look for that mix. We just had some coleslaw in a dinner from Cane's. It was very good, as usual.

@Yahooey I've never tried that. I've read about it & been curious. Sounds really good.

@sabatini We still have many tomatoes. I love roasting them, will probably do that and freeze for later. I love your little character under your name.

Just love all your ideas. Thanks to everyone and have a lovely evening.

Re: Many Tomatoes

Still Raining — Sun, 20 Jun 2021 01:51:54 GMT

It takes a bit of work, but canning your own sauce is wonderful. The flavor is so so so much better than anything you can buy.

Re: Many Tomatoes

vabreeze — Tue, 22 Jun 2021 06:32:07 GMT

You might like tomato pie. Do a search on You Tube for 'Phyllis Stokes' Tomato Pie'. She was a very popular You Tuber who was an excellent home cook with so many wonderful recipes. Following her and her husband's passing, her son has taken over her channel, per Mrs. Stokes' wish, in order to continue to help financially support a small chridtian school with the channel's YT income.

Re: Many Tomatoes

Susan in California — Mon, 28 Jun 2021 22:06:17 GMT

Salsa:

In the same saucepan cook in water:

(about 20 minutes on medium)

tomatoes

chiles*

Once they are softened , let them get to room temp.

Then:

in food processor, chop up about 5 garlic cloves

then add cooked chiles, then tomatoes.

add cilantro and process more.

salt to taste

* We use spicy chiles like serrano, jalapenos, yellow wax,

and red jalapenos, or red Fresno

I usually use about 5 tomatoes and about 8 chiles, but we like our sala spicy...

I never use canned tomatoes.

For tomatoes that you want to preserve:

cook them down

process them

freeze in zip-lock freezer bags.

(I process them with fresh garlic, and label them that way)

You can then use these cooked tomatoes for all sorts

of recipes throughout the year.

Re: Many Tomatoes

walker — Tue, 29 Jun 2021 11:52:28 GMT

I am enjoying this thread for tomato ideas this summer.

@Kachina624 ....your message brought back fond memories. My mother used to can chili sauce. It was delicious! We would have it with meat dishes. I never got her recipe but I bet it came from her Better Homes and Gardens cookbook! I will have to try and look it up.

Re: Many Tomatoes

Kachina624 — Tue, 29 Jun 2021 18:55:54 GMT

@walker I wish you'd make it and send me a jar. My canning career was a one-shot deal.

Re: Many Tomatoes

chickenbutt — Tue, 29 Jun 2021 19:46:37 GMT

One thing I did the last time somebody gave me a large amount of tomatoes (large for me, anyway) was to blanche and peel them. Then I cooled them and froze them. After freezing I vacuum-sealed them and the next time I was making a sauce or chili or something like that I could just take them out and use them. I may have smashed them up a bit before freezing - can't remember for sure.

Re: Many Tomatoes

Susan in California — Tue, 29 Jun 2021 22:51:13 GMT

@chickenbutt

I have done that too with an abundance of chiles. We had quite a

garden last year, and I like to let several jalapeno chiles turn red.

Then I blanch them, let them cool and freeze. Along with the

preserved tomatoes in the freezer, i have made salsa all year

without having to run to the store. I prefer fresh cilantro, but I

also have some dehydrated in case I need it.

The freezing of tomatoes is so easy, and I believe they taste

great after freezing.