Need ideas/recipes for tomatoes

[smoker pete]

I have a pleasant dilemma right now as my tomatoes are ripening!  What to do with all these beauties ... I'm looking for simple recipes, sauces, etc.  that I can freeze and/or refrigerate if possible.  Not wanting to invest in canning equipment right now if I don't need to.

Today's harvest ... 



My tomato crop ...

[teesquare]

Slice an dehydrate all that you can't use before they go bad...Then vacuum bag and freeze 'em. They will keep at least a year that way. And - you can re-constitute them in veggie or chicken broth and they are great!

[smoker pete]

Slice an dehydrate all that you can't use before they go bad...Then vacuum bag and freeze 'em. They will keep at least a year that way. And - you can re-constitute them in veggie or chicken broth and they are great!

Thanks Tee.  I have a Cabela's 80L Dehydrator sitting in the garage collecting dust ...

[sparky]

i could always drive down 99 or 80 and take some of those little lovelies off your hands.  those tomatoes look fantastic and way better than the stores.   

[catinatree]

"IF" you have a vacuum sealer ...... and a Vita Mix ....

In the past with my bumper crops,

For basic roasted, I've done a rough chop, put in a large roasting pan on convection roast in the oven with nothing added except garlic and simple seasonings. Roast to a good consistency ... COOL and vacuum seal flat and freeze flat.

For tomato sauce ..... (the good ol Vita Mix) blend a batch smooth, same routine, in the oven to reduce to sauce constancy, and again cool vacuum and freeze.

For paste ..... same as above only reduce carefully in the oven to the desires constancy.

I've never found a better resolution to the dilemma of the bumper crop !

[drholly]

What a great crop! Some good ideas here already. When I have a bumper crop of the cherry or grape versions, I simply freeze them on sheet pans then bag and seal. Great for sauces later in the year - no canned tomatoes for me... well sometimes.... 

[spuds]

They are great in spaghetti noodle,olive oil type salads.

[smoker pete]

They are great in spaghetti noodle,olive oil type salads.

Not complaining Spuds but we've been having some sort of tomato salad almost every night.  Looking forward to many more while the harvest lasts.  Those store bought tomaters leave a lot to be desired in the taste department.

"IF" you have a vacuum sealer ...... and a Vita Mix ....

For basic roasted, I've done a rough chop, put in a large roasting pan on convection roast in the oven with nothing added except garlic and simple seasonings. Roast to a good consistency ... COOL and vacuum seal flat and freeze flat.

I do have a vacuum sealer cat but not a Vita Mix ...  I'll give roasting a shot 

[smoker pete]

i could always drive down 99 or 80 and take some of those little lovelies off your hands.  those tomatoes look fantastic and way better than the stores.   

You're always welcome to swing by when in this neck of the woods sparky.  99 runs right through Ripon.  We're located between Manteca and Modesto 

[Pam Gould]

I'm thinking Marinara Sauce then freeze. Can be added to anything.  Pam   .☆´¯`•.¸¸. ི♥ྀ. 

[Las Vegan Cajun]

Those are great looking tomatoes, I'd take a few off your hands. 

[muebe]

Pete that is a whole lot of great looking maters!

There have been some great ideas posted.

[CDN Smoker]

My mouth would be bleeding from all the toasted tomato sandwiches

[spuds]

A good year for me is around 50 lbs so I eat em all as they come.The greenies I pull the plant,hang upside in cool area,and get some maters all winter,VERY cool. Also will put in shoe box with a few ripening ones and again tomatoes for an extra month or two.

Short growing season so sometimes i have a LOT of green maters.

[deestafford]

I fixed this the other day and it was a big hit.  So much so my wife is  going to have me make some so she can take it to my daughter and son in law when she goes visiting this Sunday them in Woodstock, GA for a few days.
 
Tomato-Mozzarella and Basil-Quinoa Salad
2 c cooked quinoa ( 1 c uncooked,  2 c water cooked according to package directions.)
1 c grape or cherry tomatoes. ( I found slicing them in half does better than leaving them whole.  I'm sure cutting whatever you have from your garden in chunks will be great.)
8 oz (about 1 c) fresh mini-mozzarella balls (Feta could be substituted)
About 10-15 torn basil leaves
3-4 T rice wine vinegar
2-3 T EVOO
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
pinch of sugar

Cook quinoa according to package directions.  Place in a large bowl.
Add remaining ingredients and toss. Taste to see if it needs more salt or sugar.
Can be served immediately or sealed in an air tight container and kept in the ice box for flavor to merry for around 24 hours.
It can stay sealed in the icebox for up to three days.  Keep in mind that the vegetables will lose some water the longer it stays in the icebox.

I reckon you could add some other vegetables if you wanted to but I like this so much as is I ain't gonna mess with it too much.

Dee