I have two tomato plants in my backyard. Sadly, they are turning brown and dying. But before they go, they are delivering a bounty of tomatoes. I have about 20 sitting on my counter. So help me out - give me some great recipes to use them up!
I always plant way too many tomatoes! This is what I do with the extras…chop them up, stew lightly in some olive oil, heated garlic & then add fresh basil. Put them in freezer bags & use during the winter for marinara sauce, stews, etc.
I also make lots of pasta with fresh tomatoes…good with cheese ravioli. Or make a big tomato salad with cucumbers, red onions & garbanzo beans.
Carina’s right…make sauce and freeze it. You’ll be glad you did, come January.
(I am GREEN with envy…the cool, wet spring we had means the Jersey tomatoes are STILL not appearing in the NYC greengrocers…)
Make a good spaghetti sauce, or just puree them. Pour into ziplock baggies and toss in the freezer for later. Even frozen, it will be better than what you’ll buy in the store.
Save a few, dice them up and mix with a little basil, garlic, oil and parmesan and put on some toasted, crusty bread or on some Cappelini which some chicken or shrimp.
Chunk a few up, mix with some cucumber and toss with a simple vinegarette.
Half them, scoop them out, use what you scooped out and mix with tuna or chicken salad, or some hamburger and rice, stuff the halves and eat as is or stick them under the broiler for a bit.
Coat in oil, wrap in foil and roast them or grill them until soft as a simple side dish.
Slice thick and sprinkle with sugar for a side dish or snack.
There’s not much you can’t do with some good fresh tomatoes 
Two slices of whole wheat toast, (even better if its homemade bread) spread on a little mayo, a few slices of tomato, salt and pepper and enjoy!
or try Avocado Salsa
Amount Ingredient Preparation Method
1 avocado, peeled and diced
4 sm tomato, diced
1 sm Red onion, diced
1 green pepper, seeded and diced
1 jalapeno, seeded and finely diced
1 green chile, finely diced
1 garlic clove, minced
salt to taste
2 tbls tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tbls tablespoon olive oil
4 drps drops tabasco sauce
Combine the vegetables in a medium bowl.
Mash the garlic with salt in a cup or small bowl.
Add the vinegar, oil and Tabasco sauce.
A friend had a card recently and asked everyone to bring a favorite salsa. I had never made salsa before but in the spirit of the party I found this recipe on the internet. (I no longer remember where, sorry.) I didn’t win, (because it wasn’t the hottest I think) but received lots of compliments!
Abby
Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss to combine the ingredients.
Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Light Tomato Sauce
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced (I use the garlic press)
4 fresh tomatoes peel then chop.
1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes, put in blender till smooth
1/2 cup white wine or chicken stock, since I don’t drink wine, I use the chicken broth
1/4 tsp dried rosemary, crushed
1/4 tsp marjoram
1/2 tsp salt
pepper to taste
1/2 tbsp fresh chopped parsley
Sauté garlic and onion in olive oil until onion softens. Add tomatoes, blenderized tomatoes, wine or broth, rosemary, marjoram, salt and pepper. Bring to boil, reduce heat to low. Cook uncovered for 25 minutes, take from heat and add parsley.
If you have a pasta maker, try this with a whole wheat, lemon-pepper linguine. Use lemon pepper, regular pepper and lemon juice as part of the process. If you’re feeling brave add in some fresh garlic to the pasta.
I usually mess around with the herbs and in the summer time; I like to use fresh herbs.
Of course, I always sprinkle some grated (not the can kind) Parmesan on top.
About 4 servings
I have about 4-5 tomatoes a week. I sometimes just eat them with plain ole Italian dressing. Other times I combine some cucumber and red onion with some vinegrette.
You can also cut them about 3/4 from the top, scoop out the pulp and put some tuna salad in there, a pretty dish.
Slice them about 1/2 inch thick, put some Parmesan cheese on top (the real stuff not that canned crap) and put in a toaster oven till the tomato slices are hot and the Parmesan melts. I usually set it on the broiler setting.
Now I am hungry for some tomatoes, I don’t have any in the house < insert whine here. >
I don’t have a recipe in front of me, but I know you can dig a good one up on the internet. There’s a great dish using fresh mozzarella (the kind that comes in balls), fresh basil, sliced tomatoes, and balsamic vinegar. Nothing’s cooked; you just sort of marinate it together. You cannot make this dish with store-bought tomatoes–they gotta be fresh from a garden. Lord, it’s good.
Thanks for all the great ideas!
BLT’s