My Favorite Tomato Recipes

We are right in the middle of tomato season here in Phoenix. My garden isn’t producing as many tomatoes as the very successful season I had last year, but homegrown is the best. However, the ones that are growing are absolutely delicious freshly picked from the vine, warmed by the sun and eaten with just a sprinkle of salt. Here are a few of my favorite tomato recipes. Warning: Lots of red photos ahead!

Appetizer

Just writing this makes me drool over this flavorful recipe. I tend to love easy recipes with fabulous results and this is certainly one of them.

With only 4 ingredients that toss together ~cherry tomatoes, garlic, fresh mint and olive oil (Salt and pepper), this appetizer dish comes together in a few minutes.

Bake in a square casserole dish for 45-50 minutes and you will thank me for the smell in your kitchen. For some reason the combination of tomatoes and mint roasted is just plain magnificent.

On lightly toasted French bread slices, spread goat cheese and dollop these roasted tomatoes on top. Pretty phenomenal. To see the full recipe, click here. To get a similar spreading knife with the cute tomato handle, click here.

Salad

If you need a refreshing and tasty salad this summer, you must try my Tomato, Peach and Corn Salad. Using the fresh seasonal ingredients, this salad will enhance anything you pull off the grill.

It takes 20 minutes to make this and I promise you will love it. Tomatoes, peaches, corn, feta cheese and a homemade honey vinaigrette is all it takes. I add fresh cilantro to mine to enhance the flavor and add a touch of green.

Doesn’t this look like the most refreshing salad ever? Perfect for a hot summer day.

To get the recipe and see more detailed instructions, click here.

Tomato Sauce

Last year I made many jars of tomato sauce from those tomatoes grown in our garden. In late July, I also purchased 50 pounds of tomatoes from a farmer to make even more sauce. Those jars did last until April of this year so it is time to make another big batch of sauce. Honestly, having fresh tomato sauce in the middle of the winter is such a treat.

You do need some equipment if you are canning. Also, it is important to understand the food safety issues around preserving food. But anyone can do it~the first time is always a bit scary.

But people have been doing it for centuries and after living through the weird last year, there is something comforting about having jars of your food in your home pantry.

My philosophy about canning is that it does take time, so why not do a lot of it at once? It also helps to have another set of hands.

If you haven’t canned or preserved food, I strongly suggest you give it a try. The work is worth it and the results can provide you with homemade goodness for many months. To get the recipe and to see more on how to process Tomatoes, click here.

Whether you grow your own tomatoes or have a local fresh resource for them, enjoy this delicious botanically defined fruit. At no time should we settle for a tomato that looks like a tomato but is tasteless. Take avantage of the summer season and get all the tomatoes you can!

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