Tomato Recipes

We’ve been enjoying a bounty of fresh veg from the garden. I find I am currently overwhelmed with bowls of tomatoes, tomatillos, zucchini, green beans, and cucumbers. Hubby’s hard work shows not just on the sweat of his brow but in bowls and bowls, and did I say bowls? Of vegetables. I’ve shared so many recipes with you over the years. You can see all my veggie recipes HERE. Tomato recipes are on the to-do list for today.

I’ve been enjoying my favorite cucumber sandwiches and hubby and I eat garden-fresh vegetables in our dinner salads nearly every night. Bliss in a bowl. Okay, back to the tomatoes…

I realize not everyone has the luxury of a garden in the backyard, please go to your local farm or farmers market to get your fresh ingredients.

Take a bite out of summer with some great tomato recipes and I’m adding a new recipe to the mix this year, chili starter. Put it in the freezer and until you are ready. for a hot bowl of chili when the snow is flying.

I’ve already made several batches of salsa, sometimes I think we need a separate freezer just for all of the salsa and marinara I make this time of year. Fresh tomato salsa, my hybrid salsa, and my hubby’s favorite, marinara, will all be cooking on this already warm ( it’s 630 am (MST) Saturday.

• Hybrid Salsa
• Salsa Verde
• Marinara

What You Need
2-3 lbs. Fresh tomatoes (peeled, please see below)
½ Cup Fresh carrots (peeled and chopped)
1 Cup Fresh Green bell pepper (chopped)
2 Fresh garlic cloves (minced)
2 Tbsp. chili powder
½ tsp. Cayenne pepper powder
2 tsp. Garlic powder (not salt)
1 1/2 tsp. My Italian Seasoning Mix HERE
2 Bay leaves
3 Tbsp. Splenda brown sugar*
½ Cup water
Salt and pepper to taste or 1 tsp salt 1 ½ tsp. ground black pepper
Food processor or blender
Colander
Large pot
Freezer bags or freezer containers with lids

Before You Start- bring a large pot of water to boil (large enough to hold all your tomatoes with about 3 inches of water above). Using a slotted spoon add tomatoes one at a time to the boiling water wait about 8 minutes or until all the tomatoes are floating on the top. Carefully remove tomatoes from the water and place in bowl wait for tomatoes to cool and peel off the skins.

Let’s Make It!
In a food processor combine all ingredients and pulse until well combined, puree for 30 seconds. Spoon into freezer bags or 1-quart size freezer containers. Makes approximately 3 quarts. Write the date and chili starter on the lid and freeze for up to 6 months.

Katies Tid Bits*
When you are ready to make chili empty one-quart container into a pot and add all your favorite chili recipe ingredients, ground beef, cubed steak, ground chicken, beans (1 can black beans, drained and rinsed 1 can chili beans, undrained) etc. You can see my Chili recipe HERE You will use this starter in place of tomato sauce.
If you are not on a restricted diet also include 1 cup minced onion and 2 Tbsp. brown sugar instead of Splenda brown sugar.

What tomato recipes are your favorite to freeze?

You can still add your blog posts to the Thursday party HERE.

Have a great weekend everyone xo

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