10 Things to do with Tomatoes
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With tomatoes coming in more and more every day around my house, I thought I would share some ideas on what to do with them with you today.
I hope you planted tomatoes this year! I strongly encourage you to grow however much of your own food as you possibly can and in many parts of the country it is not too late to get a late summer garden in. You will be glad you did this fall when you see how high our food prices will be going (yes, in addition to the heights they have already reached).
Are Tomatoes Fruits or Vegetable?
Well it depends on who you ask. If you ask a botanist who knows the criteria regarding what makes a fruit a fruit, then tomatoes are actually fruits, not vegetables.
Bottom line (I guess) is fruits contain seeds, while vegetables typically don’t have seeds and consist mainly of roots, stems and leaves.
For me it really doesn’t matter much… I just want to enjoy these little beauties with a lovely meal. Now go get you some tomatoes and enjoy them in these 10 different ways…
Here are a few of my favorite things to do with tomatoes:
Freezing Tomatoes
Freezing tomatoes is an incredibly simple way to put them up. It’s fast, easy, and requires no special equipment. You will be rewarded with garden fresh taste when you use them in soups and stews this fall. There is nothing like it! Try my family’s chicken stew, my chili, this phenomenal goulash, or even add them to store bought spaghetti sauce to liven up the flavor!
I have been making tomato chips almost daily for several weeks now because we eat them just as fast as I can get them made! This simple method yields a deliciously crisp chip that can be eaten as a snack or tossed in soups and stews to rehydrate and serve like you would traditional stewed tomatoes.
This is a very common lunch for me during tomato season. I slice fresh tomatoes, add a few simple ingredients, and eat until I’m floundered! They are just that good!
Make Tomato Pie!
Tomato pie is a wonderful side dish that can also double as a meal in itself!
Make Tomato and Cucumber Salad!
This is one of my favorite salads to bring to family reunions, summer potlucks, or to eat pretty much year round.
It’s always best with garden fresh tomatoes though.
Make Slow Cooker Tacos
This is an easily customizable meal using whatever veggies your garden is currently giving you. Yesterday I made it and doubled the tomatoes, used fresh squash from a neighbor and paired it with the other simple ingredients and seasonings for a fresh and filling home cooked meal in one!
Corn relish is good on pretty much anything but I especially enjoy it on top of a bowl of pinto beans or served alongside fresh cornbread. This also makes a great Christmas gift to anyone who would enjoy a little taste of summer during the winter months. 
Tomatoes and Okra
This four-ingredient tomatoes and okra recipe with crispy bacon and tender onion will knock your socks off. I mean you did see bacon in the title, right?!
Fried Green tomatoes are as Southern as Sweet tea, and for good reason! If you have any unripened tomatoes or harder than usual red ones, use this recipe to make one Jim Dandy of a side dish!
Greek Chicken Tacos
Fresh chopped tomatoes are always wonderful served atop tacos. This recipe combines them with fresh herbs to make a delicious topping on Greek Chicken Tacos.
Share Them With Neighbors!
A tradition as old as gardens are, sharing bounty with neighbors fosters friendships and lends a helping hand as well. If you have a bountiful garden this year and know someone who doesn’t:
Here again!! I agree with Linda!! Pick ME, Pick ME!! LOL
My garden has already come and gone. Pantry shelves are lined with full mason jars of delicious veggies to enjoy later and freezer is full of wonderful cream corn,
We love tomatoes too…..but didn’t get chance to plant any this year…..guess we will have to buy at the farmer’s mkt.
Entering contest again today……hope this is the correct place as I don’t know where else to go…..
I’m making pasta sauce with tomatoes and lots of salsa. Me family enjoys them. Thanks for the extra recipes and ideas.
I wish I could eat tomatoes!~! I LOVE them, but their seeds don’t love me!!
My goodness…..if you can eat the tomato & not the seed part……just seed them. I used to do that because the seeds got under my moms dentures & they really bothered her. Works great too if you don’t want extra moisture in your dish.
So is that what you meant….that you can eat the tomato-just not the seeds ?
PICK ME! PICK ME! Oh my I did it again. So rude of me. Bless my heart. Christy, please pick me. I’ll celebrate by making tomato pie.
My garden is doing well. This year each of my 14 tomato plants has one of those circular rubber mulch rings around it, These are working very well for weed control. I also decided to put down corrugated cardboard boxes I’ve cut open down the center of rows and between the plants. I can walk bare footed and not get muddy feet. The cardboard also helps keep moisture in the soil, prevents weeds and tills in at the end of the season if it is not salvageable. Fresh veggies and my pedicure does not suffer. Win Win!
Dad keeps his tomatoes frozen and then in December they are making tomato juice for canning from them.
I like freezing extra tomatoes in quart bags. I peel, place in the bag, add 1 tsp sugar and pour in about 1/2 cup tomato juice. These are wonderful in the winter for soup and other recipes. You have convinced me to buy a dehydrator!