The Tomatoes Are In!!

I take my extra cherry tomatoes and "sun dry" them. Slice in half, toss in olive oil, you can spice with salt & pepper and herbs, put them on a cookie sheet at the lowest possible heat (if you have a gas oven, the pilot light generates enough heat). It takes about 1 day or so to completely dry. Put in a plastic bag and freeze or you can put in jars of oil in the fridge. Delicious in pasta, salads, salad dressing, however you use dried tomatoes.

I have been making marinara with my tomatoes. The cherry tomatoes you can puree and make it into the base. The larger tomatoes you chop up and add into the pot. Add green peppers, onion, garlic, sugar, spices, and salt to taste. I freeze mine, but you can can it as well.

Hi I have been using the website www.pickyourown.com. They tell you how to can and also give you different recipes.

Have fun!

Checkout pickyourown.org
You have to look around the site a bit to find the canning recipes, but we used this site for applesauce, pizza sauce and pasta sauce. I like the step by step directions for canning, etc. Good luck!

Whatever recipes you end up trying, I would definitely can/bottle some of them. That way you have the good homegrown tomatoes ready in the middle of winter for sauces, salsas, and stews and soups. They are VERY easy to do. you just need a canning pot (you can get them cheap at Walmart) and they usually come with instructions for doing a variety of things. Plus, its automatic food storage. I didn't have very many tomatoes on my plants this year, so I'm waiting for a good price at the fruit stands so I can bottle a bunch more. So definitely take advantage of the practically free food storage option. Congrats on your success in you garden!

Cherry tomatoes - halve them, throw them in a skillet with some olive oil and chopped garlic over medium heat, add in whatever Italian herbs and spices you like (I do mine with fresh basil), salt and pepper to taste, add balsamic vinegar, cook until tomatoes are soft but still sort of holding their shape. Serve over pasta, or grilled slices of Italian bread, or polenta. Top with parmesan, romano, or something similar.