In last year’s garden, I planted way too many tomatoes. This year, my plan for the garden was to plant two heirlooms and one red cherry.
Well, mother nature didn’t like my plan. She decided that I only needed one heirloom tomato and that my garden should be filled with cherry tomatoes. Rogue cherry tomatoes sprouted up everywhere. I pulled some but left others to grow.
After the heat of July and August, our garden is producing more tomatoes than I can count on a daily basis.
I’m still trying to figure out what to do with the red, orange, and yellow cherry tomatoes coming in but I’ve found all sorts of creative ways to sneak the heirloom tomatoes into our meals.
So, I figured I would share some of the meals I’ve made so that if anyone out there has tomatoes-a-plenty they will be able to use them instead of wasting.
Garden Fresh Tomato Recipes
Vegetarian Chili – Cut up a variety of veggies, throw in crockpot with a bottle of Guinness, a cup or so of water, and whatever seasonings you want. Put it on low and let it fill up the house with delicious fumes while it cooks. A perfect pairing with the chili is this Skillet Cornbread (I add diced peppers to the cornbread for some spice).
Vegetable Stuffed Eggplant - This dish was good with eggplant and tomato from the garden although next time I wouldn’t put it in an eggplant. Instead I would put it over a toasted slice of sourdough bread.
Vodka Sauce over Pasta – My first time making vodka sauce and I really liked it with the fresh tomatoes. It was a bit runny so I recommend squeezing some of the juice out of the tomatoes before adding to sauce.
Roasted Salsa – Roast tomatoes, jalapenos, onion, and garlic in a skillet. Peel tomatoes, put in blender with the other ingredients, add seasonings from my regular salsa recipe and cilantro. Blend, pour into tupperware and put in fridge until chilled. Spicy and delicious.
Grilled Sandwiches – I’m usually not a fan of tomatoes on my sandwiches or hamburgers but this year I’ve been working on making myself like them. I’ve found the best sandwich with fresh tomatoes also contain bacon and cheese. They also are best when grilled all together so the tomato is the same temp as the sandwich. Add more bacon if needed.
Fried Green Tomatoes – When it gets close to the end of the gardening season and you still have green tomatoes on the vine, pull them off and make some fried green tomatoes. I look forward to these all year.
Tomato Basil Cocktail – This is the only recipe with cherry tomatoes but I couldn’t resist the chance to make a tomato cocktail for One Martini at a Time.
I’ve also had to freeze a bunch of the tomatoes for use during the winter months. They won’t be the same as using vine ripened tomatoes but they will work for soups, stews, and sauces.
Note, I’ve also been using tomatoes for photography practice. They are so much easier to control than kids.
Tell me, what are your favorite dishes to make with fresh tomatoes?
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There is certainly a lot of tomatoes going on in your home! Send some my way!
Alison recently posted..Home Is Where All The Children’s Stuff Is
I wish I could!
Ha! Yes, tomatoes are easier to take pics of than kids. Your recipes sound delicious. I love homemade salsa and spaghetti sauce. Eggplant? Not so much
Runnermom-jen recently posted..Diggin’ Deep
Yeah, my husband is getting really tired of eggplant. Not sure how many more dishes I can sneak it into without him refusing to eat at home anymore.
Twitter: KimberlyAMuro
says:
I love tomatoes! That vodka sauce sounds yummy. I should try that.
Kimberly recently posted..Lesson Learned
How can vodka anything not be good?
I’m just amazed that you can place your tomatoes on the grass like that.
My dog leaves “road apples” so big that you don’t want any part of your body touching the grass let alone food.
My dog is a dill hole.
Kimberly recently posted..When You Fall In Love With A Blogger
The dogs only do their business in certain areas of the yard. We just avoid those parts.
Twitter: fromtracie
says:
Your tomato pictures are so cute. They almost make me want to eat a tomato. Almost.
Tracie recently posted..School Memories – Fall Back Into Blogging
I wouldn’t eat a tomato plain but in these dishes they are yummy.
I am so jealous! I don’t get enough sun for tomatoes, and they’re my favorite. Yum.
angela recently posted..Giving Hemingway a Second Chance
Come visit. I’ll make sure your tummy is full on tomatoes.
Twitter: applesndroses
says:
DUDE, those tomatoes are huge!! Just today my son complained that we are eating way too much vegetables ever since I started planting them..
Mirjam recently posted..Picnic in the park
Ha! That’s the problem with gardens.
Twitter: corp2domestic
says:
Holy cow I had no idea you could have so many different recipes for tomatoes
my cherry tomatoes went crazy this year too!
I’ve had to be very creative this year with tomatoes.
Yum. Great recipes! I love tomatoes.
Nicole recently posted..Tony Romo and his huge boner
Thanks! I’m learning to love tomatoes.
Twitter: elainea
says:
I believe I have already expressed my jealousy about your tomato crop…
Elaine recently posted..I used to be kinda fun(ny)
I believe if you were closer I would share with you.
Hey Jessica I found your blog through the traffic view on my blog. These are some great recipes!
Now Following your great blog.
Alma recently posted..The Making of a Home
Thanks, Alma!
You have such a green thumb! Those tomatoes look absolutely amazing! And I love your recipe ideas! Thanks for sharing.
You’re welcome. I’m hoping that this post will help me next year when my tomatoes attack again.
Twitter: gfunkified
says:
I don’t like tomatoes either. Only if they don’t taste like tomatoes, you know? I have a feeling that we may have to try to figure out some sort of gluten free fried green tomato, because we’ve got a ton of green ones still out there, and it’s getting chilly.
Greta recently posted..Project 365: Week 38
Maybe this recipe will work? http://www.recipetips.com/recipe-cards/t–1943/fried-green-tomatoes-gluten-free.asp
Twitter: babspinfrance
says:
I was excited with the 5 tomatoes I got from my plant! Yours are awesome! I agree that tomatoes are easier to handle than kids!
Barbara recently posted..Homecoming
I hope you put those 5 tomatoes to good use.
Twitter: galitbreen
says:
I’m so jealous of your bounty and lovelovelove the recipes! Yum!
Galit Breen recently posted..Back to the Old, Front to the New
I’ve had to get creative with the tomatoes this year.
I LOVE tomatoes and they photograph so beautifully.
#luckyduck
Tonya recently posted..Dear Bobo
I wish I could share some with you.
Twitter: elenawollborg
says:
Those recipes all sound awesome! I want to try that chili. Now that it’s getting colder, I’m so craving soups in the crock pot. I’ll have to for sure go and check out the tomato drink. Right up my alley!
I love the crockpot in the fall/winter. So much easier for cooking.