Tantalizing Cooking Ideas
Tomato Napoleons: Cut peeled tomatoes into four crosswise slices. Layer with marscapone spiked with fresh dill and slivered smoked salmon. Serve on greens with toasts.

Tomato Tartar: Season chopped, seeded tomatoes with olive oil, lemon juice, capers, minced fresh basil, nicoise olives and onion. Serve on endive; use as a dip, or as a topping for crostini, steamed fish or baked potatoes.

Fresh Tomato Salad Pizza: Top pizza dough with Fontina and Parmesan cheese: bake until cheese melts and crust is golden. Top with sliced tomatoes, salad greens, sliced green olives and a drizzle of dressing.

Florida Tomato Toast: Spread mayonnaise onto bread slices then place thinly sliced tomatoes on top (one or two layers). Sprinkle grated mozzarella on top. Bake in oven at 350 degrees F, about 15 minutes.

Roasted Tomatoes: Cut tomatoes in halves; squeeze to release seeds. Place on a rack on a shallow pan, cut-side down. Bake at 450 degrees F, until skin blisters, about 20 minutes.

Upside-Down Tomato Cornbread: Line greased skillet with season tomato slices; pour cornbread batter over tomatoes; cook until bread is done, then invert.

Caribbean Jerk Tomato Salad: Lightly grill tomato wedges brushed with a mixture of oil and jerk seasoning; toss with sliced avocado, hearts of palm and chunks of cool, cooked chicken or pork.

Charred Tomatoes with Garlic and Olives: Broil whole tomatoes until slightly charred, about 10 minutes. Remove skins; chop flesh roughly. Transfer to a pan; add halved garlic cloves, olive oil and salt: roast at 400 degrees F, until thickened and flecked with dark bits, about 1 hour. Serve drizzled with more olive oil and chopped ripe olives. Use as a dip with pita breads.

Thai Tomato Spring Rolls: Wrap a mixture of chopped tomatoes, mint, pork tenderloin, lemongrass and peanuts in wrappers. Serve with spicy soy dipping sauce.

Fried Pink Tomato Sandwiches: Sauté flour or cornmeal-dusted slices of pink tomatoes then place on rounds of polenta that have been seasoned with basil.

Little Tomato Goat Cheese Soufflés: Fill tomatoes with a basic soufflé mixture made with goat cheese and chives. Bake until puffy and golden brown.

Summer Salad
(serves 6)

4 large red tomatoes
2 large yellow tomatoes
1 red, 1 purple, 1 yellow, and 1 green Pepper
1 sweet onion
1 6 oz. bottle of Wishbone Italian style salad dressing

Cut tomatoes and peppers into bite sized chucks. Slice onions thin. Toss and coat with salad dressing. Let vegetables chill and marinate approx. 1 hour before serving.


Fried Green Tomatoes (Lorri Jager)

2-3 large green tomatoes, sliced thin
1/2 to 1 c milk or buttermilkCoating:
1-1/2 c flour (all-purpose wheat or gluten free)
1-1/2 t salt
1/2 t pepper
1/4 c lard (or olive oil)
1/4 c (1/2 stick) butter

Mix coating ingredients in one shallow dish, and pour milk into another. Dredge each tomato slice in milk, then coating, then set aside. Heat lard and butter in heavy skillet until near smoking point. Quickly place tomatoes in skillet, cover, and reduce heat to medium. Fry for 2-3 minutes, until coating is brown and slightly crisp, then turn and replace lid. Fry 3-5 minutes. Do not turn again. When tomatoes are tender when pricked with a fork, remove to a platter lined with paper towels.

Recipe adapted from: More Than Moonshine: Appalachian Recipes and Recollections, Country Fried Chicken

Creamy Spinach and Pasta
 Carla Kehler

16 oz. pasta, such as tortellini or spirals
2 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 c. onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
9 oz. spinach, chopped
1 large tomato, cubed
1/4 fresh basil, chopped
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 cup whipping cream
1/4 c. parmesan cheese, grated
 
Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and return to pan to keep warm.
 
Heat oil In large frying pan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté 4 minutes or until lightly browned.  Stir in spinach, tomato, basil, salt and pepper.  Cook another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Stir in whipping cream and parmesan cheese.  Cook until mixture comes to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and mix in pasta.  Cook an additional 4 minutes or until thoroughly heated.


Chop Salad (from More With Less Cookbook)
 
Combine in bowl:
1 c. finely chopped celery
1 c. chopped green pepper
1/2 c. sliced scallions or minced onions
1-2 c. diced tomatoes
1 c. chopped cucumbers
chopped chives
chopped parsley
2-3 T. vinegar or lemon juice
1 t. sugar
1/2 t. salt
dash freshly ground pepper
 
Stir thoroughly and chill.  Serve as salad or as chutney with curry and rice.

Pasta with Raw Tomato Sauce, Basil and Goat's Cheese
 Carla Kehler

10 very ripe, juicy tomatoes
1 tsp. salt
Few drops of balsamic vinegar
3 cloves garlic, chopped
4-6 tbsp. olive oil
several handfuls of fresh basil, torn coarsely
Few pinches of chili flakes (optional)
12 oz. pasta or choice
8 oz. goat's cheese crumbled (can use feta or other cheese)
 
Combine diced tomatoes salt, balsamic vinegar, garlic, most of olive oil (except 1 tbsp. for tossing the cooked pasta) and basil, chili flakes.
 
Set aside for at least 30 minutes, or preferably chill in the refrigerator for several hours.
 
When ready to serve, cook the pasta until al dente ( firm to the bite), then drain and toss with cheese and olive oil.
 
Add the sauce and serve immediately.

Garden Salsa
(Lorri Jager)
Note: On my mother's August birthday I make my way to Carter's Red Wagon to pick up a box of No. 2 tomatoes, then meet with three friends for our annual "Salsa Making Party." We make a quadruple batch of this delicious fresh salsa, then divide and take home to our families.

6 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
3/4 c green pepper, finely chopped (for our 4X batch we use red and orange peppers, also)
1/2 c red or yellow onion, finely chopped
1/2 c green onions, thinly sliced
6 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1/4 c fresh parsley or cilantro, snipped fine with scissors
2 t cider vinegar
2 t lemon juice
2 t olive oil
1-2 t jalapeno pepper, minced (optional, and wear gloves to protect your hands)
1-2 t ground cumin
1/2 t salt
1/4-1/2 t cayenne pepper
tortilla chipsIn a large bowl, combine the first 12 ingredients. Cover and refrigerate until serving. Serve with chips.

Yield: 5 cups.
Recipe from: Taste of Home, August/September 2000


My Grandma's Thunder Cake
(Lorri Jager)
Note: My kids like to check Patricia Polacco's book, Thundercake, out from the library during thunderstorm season. When we know a storm is coming we try to read the book and bake the cake before the storm arrives...

Dry ingredients:
2-1/2 c cake flour
1/2 c dry cocoa
1-1/2 t baking soda
1 t salt

Creamed ingredients:
1 c shortening
1-3/4 c sugar
1 t vanilla
3 eggs, separated
(Blend yolks in. Beat whites until stiff, then fold in.)
1 c cold water
1/3 c fresh pureed tomatoes

chocolate frosting
strawberries

Preheat oven to 350F and grease and flour two 8-1/2-inch round pans. Mix dry ingredients and set aside. Combine creamed ingredients one at a time. Mix dry ingredients into creamed ingredients. Divide into prepared pans and bake for 35-40 minutes. Frost with chocolate frosting and top with strawberries.

Recipe from: Thundercake by Patricia Polacco


Mixed Pepper and Tomato Salad
Rita Blake
A friend liked this and said it looked pretty, kind of like flames, so you could call it by some picturesque name.  It's supposed to be from Bulgaria.
 
1 yellow bell pepper
1green (or orange, if you want the flame look) bell pepper
1 red bell pepper
1 red onion
3 tomatoes, chopped in large dice
2 Tbsp. parsley, chopped
salt and ground black pepper
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup virgin olive oil
pinch of sugar
 
Mix all together and let stand one hour.  Serve at room temperature.

Tomato Soup
LaMae James
14 qts tomato
7 med. sized onions
1 stock celery
14 sprigs parsley
1 red pepper
1 bay leaf
6 whole cloves
1/4 cup salt

chop all veggies, cook fpor 45 min. or until celery is done, put all through seive, put back on burner.  Mix 2/3 cup of flour with 1/2 lb. of butter and 1/2 cup sugar and some of the juice, just so juice isn't too hot, add to  the juice also add pepper to taste, bring to boil put into jars, Process in  water bath 15 min.


Fresh Asparagus and Mint Salsa
Chef Kelly Andreas, Blaze Bistro

12 fresh asparagus, diced
6 fresh mint leaves, chopped
6 oz white wine vinegar
8 oz extra virgin olive oil
1 red onion, diced
2 ripe tomatoes, diced
1 yellow pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large shallot, minced
salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and chill overnight.

Serve with pita or baguettes

Serves 4


Sweet Baked Tomatoes

4 medium tomatoes
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup currants
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped
salt
1/2 cup apple juice

Slice tops off tomatoes; seed, scoop out pulp and reserve. Invert tomato shells on paper towels to drain for at least 15 minutes.
In a bowl; coarsely mash tomato pulp; stir in raisins, currants, honey, lemon juice, cinnamon and ginger. Refrigerate for 1 hour to allow flavours to blend. Stir in nuts.
Sprinkle inside of each tomato shell lightly with salt; evenly spoon in raisin mixture. Place in small baking dish; drizzle juice over and around tomatoes. Bake in preheated 325 F (160 C) oven for 15 to 20 minutes or just until soft.
With slotted spoon; transfer tomatoes to serving dish, reserving juice. Tomatoes can be served at room temperature or chilled thoroughly in the refrigerator.
When serving; drizzle some juice over each tomato.
Serves 4

Mediterranean Cod
Virginia Cassel

1 pound cod or haddock fillets
2 cups fresh tomatoes, chopped
2 cups sweet onions, chopped
1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 lemon, halved
1 tsp sea salt
1 tbsp butter or olive oil

Preheat oven to 450 F (230 C). Rinse fish fillets; pat dry. Lay flat in baking dish. Squeeze juice of one lemon over fillets. Sprinkle with sea salt. In a skillet, saute onion with butter until JUST tender, not browned. Combine onion, tomatoes, cilantro and juice from remaining lemon half, spoon over fish filets. Bake for 4 to 6 minutes per 1/2 inch (1 cm) thickness of fish; until fish is opaque. Remove from oven and let sit 5 minutes. Serve with basmati rice spiced with caraway.
Serves 4.


Carrot Pepper Salad
Barb Cavers

1 cup carrots, shredded
1/2 cup celery, diced
1/2 cup red peppers, diced
1 cup tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup yellow peppers, diced
1/2 cup feta cheese, finely chopped


Mix all vegetables in a large bowl; gently toss with your favourite dressing. Try some of the new flavours like Roasted Red Pepper, Sun Dried Tomato and Oregano or Greek with Feta.
This is a very easy recipe to make and tastes wonderful. You can adjust the quantites based on what vegetables you have on hand.
Serves 2 to 3