Recipes

[Renata22]

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!

[Just Bling]

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.

[drizzellla]

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.

[Sooner]

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! 

[Kachina624]

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. 

[RedTop]

Spaghetti sauce.

[Renata22]

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.

[ECBG]

Fresh Homemade Salsa

• 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.

[Boomernichols]

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

[Just Bling]

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@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.

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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!