[Belle]

We have been given three big boxes of chillis and a enormous box of tomatoes. We will make chilli chutney with the chillies so that is no problem. Don't know what to do with the tomatoes though. Whenever we have a lot of tomatoes, I just cook tomato and onion together with some herbs, bit of sugar and paprika and then freeze. I would like to try something different. Any ideas ladies?

[Smoky]

We make salsa and tomato sauce, then can or freeze. Sometimes we just blanch and peel them, then freeze whole or chopped (sometimes cooked first, sometimes not). Those I just use in everyday cooking. I have dried them and was pleased with that, too. Last year, the spider mites got most of our vines, so it wasn't a problem I had to worry about. Lucky you!

[Ro]

I always bottle my tomatoes in quarts with a tiny bit of salt. Then I can use them at will in any recipes thar call for them. So much better than canned tomatoes, but you do have to have the correct supplies to do it. I remember my mother making homemade spaghetti sauce and freezing it. It worked very well, except for the year that I was helping her and misread the recipe. I put in 3 times too much black pepper!

Oops.

[Sara Arell]

I make homemade spaghetti sauce and a huge pot or two of chili, Belle - I freeze it all and we love it! I have never canned anything in my life but my Mom canned all summer long - I just never had any interest in it but I do love cooking large quantites and freezing those wonderful garden tomatoes. I've even chopped tomatoes when we had an overabundance of them and put them in zip-lock freezer bags and frozen them for later cooking. They do great and I do it almost every year.

[LaLo1103]

I also was going to say salsa or sauce. My current addiction is pineapple salsa which is a nice alternative if you're not into the hot version. I like it on fish (tilapia) but it's great just on a corn chip as well!

[AggieB]

When I was making tomato sauce, I'd add oregano & thyme or an Italian spice mix along with the onions, salt & pepper. Here's a few more ideas: http://www.tomatovil...ead.php?t=19356

[jode2771]

You are headed into winter like us so why not home made tomato soup? I don't make it but i have made one with roasted capsicum and roast tomato once and that was yum! The aussie website taste.com.au has heaps of yummy recipes too if you are looking for new ideas... they come from a range of food magazines ranging from family friendly budget to more upmarket so they are all easy and have readily accessible ingredients... good luck!

[tiza126]

If I was closer, I'd come take a bunch of those tomatoes from you I LOVE tomatoes!

[elibar]

Pack some away, but eat some now! Have you ever had roasted tomatoes? YUMMY!

Here's how I like them: Cut the tomatoes in half and squeeze out some of the juice and seeds. Then slice them nice and thick. If you have parchment paper in the house, this is a good time to use it on your baking sheet, otherwise I use a spray oil. Put them on a baking sheet in a single layer. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle garlic, salt, and pepper over the tomatoes. I sometimes add some Parmesan or Romano cheese. Roast at 450 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes, until the tomatoes are concentrated and beginning to caramelize. Keep an eye on them.

[Belle]

Thanks ladies for all the suggestions. I'm going to try to roast some using Elisha's recipe. I'm also going to freeze some, thanks Aggie for the link. I have also found a tomato salsa recipe that I want to try. Jode, your soup sounds lovely. Sara, spaghetti sauce sounds lovely. Thanks for the idea. This weekend we will be making 6 batches of chillie chutney. It takes 4 hours for a batch. Just think of me when I peel all the onions. That's usually my job.

[Sherry Lynn]

Belle how about making Jam? I posted a recipe for Red Tomato Jam - you would be amazed at how good this is AND tastes just like strawberry jam!

[LindaT]

Belle, if you still have any tomatoes left, here is one of my favorite recipes. Select tomatoes with a relatively flat bottom. Wash fresh tomato, lightly core stem end & cut in half horizontally, not top to bottom. Place tomato halves on cookie sheet, cut sides up. Scoop a generous dollop of thawed Stouffer's Spinach Souffle on each one, sprinkle with Parmesan & place in 350 degree oven until fork-tender; about 15 minutes.
Very colorful - especially with beef - & really scrumptious!

[Belle]

Thanks Linda, this sounds lovely. We don't get Stouffer's Spinach Souffle here but what about creamed spinach. The Parmesan sounds great though. Thanks.

[Sara Arell]

elibar, on 30 March 2012 - 10:00 AM, said:

Pack some away, but eat some now! Have you ever had roasted tomatoes? YUMMY!

Here's how I like them: Cut the tomatoes in half and squeeze out some of the juice and seeds. Then slice them nice and thick. If you have parchment paper in the house, this is a good time to use it on your baking sheet, otherwise I use a spray oil. Put them on a baking sheet in a single layer. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle garlic, salt, and pepper over the tomatoes. I sometimes add some Parmesan or Romano cheese. Roast at 450 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes, until the tomatoes are concentrated and beginning to caramelize. Keep an eye on them.

Elisha, this is one of my favorite things to do with tomatoes! I use the parchment paper too but hadn't thought of the cheese and I'll have to try it! It's such an easy veggie to add to supper! Thanks for suggesting it - I can't wait for our tomatoes this year!

[Syndee]

Red Tomato Jam, that sure sound interesting!

[jenrou]

One year I had a lot of tomatoes, and I dried them. They are so easy to use and I don't have a lot of freezer space. I also make homemade vegetable soup and use tomatoes in that. I can the soup.

I "temporarily" planted an elderberry tree in my tiny garden and it has taken over. Now I have to move it before I plant tomatoes! It spreads by roots so little elderberry trees are coming up all over my baby garden. DH looks at me funny when I talk about plowing up the front yard for a garden.....

[tinkerbell11]

I just wash them and freeze them whole, when you are ready to add tomatoes to a sauce the skin just falls right off as they thaw! I have all so slow roasted slices in the oven, very yummy on fresh pizza!

[Belle]

Shannon, that's what I did with my tomatoes in the end. We did not still have time to do anything else with them because we had all the chillies to deal with. Thanks everybody for some great tips.

[Belle]

jenrou, on 02 May 2012 - 06:55 PM, said:

One year I had a lot of tomatoes, and I dried them. They are so easy to use and I don't have a lot of freezer space. I also make homemade vegetable soup and use tomatoes in that. I can the soup.

I "temporarily" planted an elderberry tree in my tiny garden and it has taken over. Now I have to move it before I plant tomatoes! It spreads by roots so little elderberry trees are coming up all over my baby garden. DH looks at me funny when I talk about plowing up the front yard for a garden.....

Jean, I would love to know how you dried your tomatoes and how you 'Can' tomato soup.

[Sara Arell]

I've frozen whole tomatoes in the past too and they are great for cooking in the wintertime! I can't wait for our tomato crop this year! I have big cooking plans this year!

[BarbaraC1977]

We buy a half-bushel of roasted green chilies in the fall periodically. When we open the heavy-duty bag hours later, they're still steaming hot from the roaster. I slide/rinse the skins off, and pull out the seeds from the center. Then freeze them flat on layers of waxed paper. After they're frozen, stack some and store in heavy duty freezer bags. It's easy to pull out just a few at a time, even if they stick together a little, chop while still nearly solid-frozen (easier than thawed and slithery) and add to chili, salsa, etc. They taste so good that way.

[Belle]

We always make bottled peppadews or chilli chutney with our chillies. Henry said we have a few chillies in the garden at the moment and we are going to try and roast them. Thanks for this tip Barbara.

[lomiller]

I like to stew mine, use different seasonings in several different batches and freeze them. Durning the winter I always use all of what I put up in soups, stews, spaghetti, pizza, and the list goes on forever. They are so good in the middle of the winter.

[jenrou]

Belle, on 03 May 2012 - 02:36 AM, said:

jenrou, on 02 May 2012 - 06:55 PM, said:

One year I had a lot of tomatoes, and I dried them. They are so easy to use and I don't have a lot of freezer space. I also make homemade vegetable soup and use tomatoes in that. I can the soup.

I "temporarily" planted an elderberry tree in my tiny garden and it has taken over. Now I have to move it before I plant tomatoes! It spreads by roots so little elderberry trees are coming up all over my baby garden. DH looks at me funny when I talk about plowing up the front yard for a garden.....

Jean, I would love to know how you dried your tomatoes and how you 'Can' tomato soup.

LOL. Sorry, Belle. Being from Texas, I say "can" anytime I am putting things up in mason jars. I usually just fill the jars with hot tomatoes (a little salt) and do a hot water bath with the jars in it. If I have a freezer I just freeze them as you did.
To dry them, I either cut them up, and use a dehydrator, or oven to dry them until they are not drispy but chewy dry. Then you can just keep them in a tightly closed jar. I generally go by a Blue Ball or other canning and processing booklet.

Thank goodness, soon I will again have a freezer!

[Belle]

Thanks Jean, I would love instructions for canning. I don't have those canning machines or gadgets and would love to do beans and tomatoes. What else can you can using this method? At the moment DH and I make chili chutney and marmalade. He cans beets and onions and makes his own peppadews. When I look up on the internet they all describe the method with an canning device. I'm also looking for a dehydrator but have not found one yet.