Tomatoes

[chessie]

I only planted 3 tomato plants but it looks like I am going to have an abundant harvest. The one plant is extremely prolific. They were grass green for some time and now they are all ripening at once. My mother in law used to make an Italian tomato salad. Anyone have a recipe. How about any other recipes that uses quite a few tomatoes. I will probably freeze a few quarts but I love fresh garden tomatoes but there are only so many tomato sandwiches one can eat.

Chessie

 

[piratesmate]

That was always a problem for me! Either I had WAY more than I could use, or they just didn't do ANYthing - depending on the weather.

My mother always made fried tomatoes - but I never really liked them. You just dredge sliced tomatoes in flour (with a bit of salt & pepper) & then fry in a pan with either butter of oil. Once they're browned, you add enough milk to cover them & serve.

It doesn't sound appetizing to me - as much as I [B}love[/B] tomatoes - but my mother & older sister both really like this.

 

[mommie2angels]

We love to make this. It's rich so we don't make it very often.

margarine
1 small onion, chopped (this is optional!)
4 - 6 slices of bacon, fried, drained and crumbled
2 medium ripe tomatoes, peeled and sliced
1 (9-inch) baked pie shell
1/2 cup mayonnaise (this needs to be regular mayo, tried it with fat free and it didn't make the topping like it was supposed to)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (I use grated cheddar for this. DH prefers sharp cheddar so I think it's what ever you have a taste for.)

Sauté onion in margarine until translucent. Arrange tomato slices in the baked pie shell; top with onions and bacon. In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, and cheese. Spread mayonnaise mixture over the tomatoes, bacon and onions. Bake at 325° for 30 minutes.

 

[chessie]

piratesmate, My mom used to make fried tomatoes with the green tomatoes left on the vine at the end of the season. She would sprinkle the tomatoes with a bit of salt and sugar before breading them. mommie2angels, The tomato pie sounds yummy. I bet it would work as a casserole too..

 

[Twigs]

I love to make this dish when I have large vine ripened tomatoes.

Baked Tomatoes Stuffed with Pasta "Barley"

1/2 lb. Orzo
6 large, firm, ripe tomatoes
sugar
1 tsp. salt
freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 cup cubed mozzarella cheese
4 T. butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 quart chicken stock
1 T. grated parmesan cheese

Remove center pulp and seeds from tomatoes, hollowing them out well. Lightly sprinkle into each tomato a little sugar, salt, pepper and oregano; place four cubes of mozzarella in each tomato.
Melt the butter in a saucepan and saute the onion until soft, stir in the orzo, stirring well so each grain of pasta is coated. Pour in 2 cups of the stock, stir well, and simmer until it is absorbed, adding more stock gradually until the orzo is about 3/4 cooked: firmer than al dente . Blend in the parmesan, stirring it in well.
Spoon the orzo mixture into each tomato and place tomatoes in a casserole or baking dish with 1/2 cup of hot stock in the bottom of the dish. Bake, covered, in a 400 degree oven for 25 min: remove the cover for the last 10 min..

 

[momemouse]

Hmmm...
I planted 6 plants in my puny garden and so far have just 3 green tomatos. So where EXACTLY is your garden located in Maryland? I figure 8-9 hours there, 8-9 back, 1 hour in a roadside reststop ( just me, my salt shaker, and a few vine ripened Maryland tomatos harvested at midnight!)
This is the time of year the waiting makes me think crazy thoughts!
Congrats on your abundance!

 

[piratesmate]

Twigs reminded me of something we used to eat almost every day during the summer. I can't believe I forgot about it!

When the tomatoes were large, we'd hollow out the center & stuff them with tuna mixed with mayo. Mmmmm We don't eat that much tuna anymore (due to the controversy about the mercury content) but maybe I'll do them today with chicken salad!

 

[piratesmate]

Oh! I can't believe I forgot about these! We ate at H&V on our last trip & I really enjoyed their marinated tomatoes. I also have a recipe that includes green beans, if you have an abundance of those as well.

Marinated Tomatoes
Hollywood & Vine - MGM

1 lb vine ripe red tomatoes
6 oz vine ripe yellow tomatoes
8 oz Buffalo mozzarella cheese
2 Tbl fresh basil chiffonade
2 cloves fresh chopped garlic
¼ tsp Kosher salt
1/8 tsp fresh ground black pepper
2 oz olive oil
2 oz Balsamic vinegar
1 oz roasted red peppers, diced

Wedge or slice tomatoes and mozzarella. Toss all ingredients and blend with tomatoes.

Green Beans with Tomatoes
Hollywood & Vine - MGM

1 Tbl canola oil
1 tsp chopped garlic
½ c diced fresh Beefsteak tomatoes
1 tsp Kosher salt
½ tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 lb green beans (fresh or frozen)

Heat skillet on low heat. Add oil and garlic, do not brown garlic. Add tomatoes, saute two minutes, add beans and seasoning. Toss very well and serve.

 

[chessie]

momemouse, This is the first time I have planed anything in years. The only thing I have done to the plants is to water with Miracle Grow. The one plant is so full of tomatoes that it pulled the tomato cage out of the ground. The best tomatoes in all the world are Maryland eastern shore tomatoes. It's something about crossing that bridge that brings out the best in them. I always have to pick up a few on my way to and from the Ocean. You don't have to wait till midnight to make your raid, but as long as you have made the trip you may as well go another couple of hours and cross the bridge. While you are at it take a dip in the ocean.

 

[TN Traveler]

Chessie---Like you I have more tomatoes than I can eat. We have about 15 plants which is really more than we need considering the fact that my DD(8) and I are the only ones that really like them in our family. Last Sunday I picked a 5 gallon bucket full of tomatoes ranging in size from ping pong balls all the way up to large soft balls. Then Wednesday my cousin came over and we picked a 5 gallon bucket full plus 2 Wal-Mart bags full. They are soooooo good! But I agree, one can eat only so many BLTs, salads w/tomatoes, tuna salad w/tomatoes etc.!! I have given friends at church, neighbors and anyone else I can think of bags of tomatoes. Cuz is making salsa so at least I know they're going to good use. I probably should try to can them for spaghetti sauce but really don't want to tackle that job. Prefer fresh out of the garden.....along w/the corn on the cob & green beans!! Summer is WONDERFUL!! I may take some to the local Sr Citizen Center and retirement home when I get the next bunch.

 

[pas2]

I too only planted 4 plants and they are producing like hot cakes. I just prepared a bucketful for canning this week. I am the only one who eats them in this household and I agree there are only so many tomatoe sandwiches a person can eat.

My mom used to make fried tomatoes with medium ripe fruit dredged in flour, s&p then when almost done she topped them with brown sugar which would melt somewhat on top. This must have been to make them more appealing for us kids. My grandma used to make green tomatoe pie at the end of the season. I swear it tastes like apple pie.

Well I am going to enjoy my tomatoes as much as I can this year since with all the rain last year they developed tomato blight and I lost almost every one.

 

[piratesmate]

I always used to plant Roma (paste) tomatoes just so I could can them. The year DD was born, though, I couldn't do the canning. The poor thing had terrible colic all summer. I couldn't take the screaming, so I just made it & froze it....not quite as convenient as opening a jar, but still wonderful!

Here's the recipe I use if you get to the point where you can't eat them or give them away!

Spaghetti Sauce

1 basket paste tomatoes
1 onion
1 celery plant
2 Tbl garlic powder or 1 whole garlic root
10 bays leaves
3 Tbl sugar
¼ c oregano
1 Tbl marjoram
1 Tbl thyme
48 oz tomato paste
½ c Worcestershire sauce
3 Tbl salt
1 Tbl black pepper

Cook 4 hours or until thick.

If you are canning this, use tomatoes without spots & process 20 min. Also, you don’t really need to use paste tomatoes – they just take less time to cook down. The opposite is true for the tomato paste – you don’t really need it, but it will take much longer to get thick enough.