Fresh Tomato Lasagna

SAUCE:

  • 2 CU chopped onion (about 2)
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 3 cups chopped seeded peeled tomato
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 (6-ounce) cans Italian-style tomato paste

FILLING:

  • 1 CU reduced-fat firm tofu, drained
  • 1 CU fat-free ricotta cheese
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried basil

Remaining ingredients:
6 cooked lasagna noodles
1 CU (4 ounces) shredded sharp provolone cheese
1/4 CU (1 ounce) grated fresh Romano or Parmesan cheese

Instructions

  1. To prepare sauce, heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat until hot.
  2. Add the onion and garlic; cover and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  3. Add the tomato and next 7 ingredients (tomato through tomato paste).
  4. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  5. Preheat oven to 350F. To prepare filling, combine basil, ricotta, and tofu in a bowl; mash ricotta mixture with a potato masher.
  6. Spread 2 cups sauce in bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange 3 noodles over sauce; top with 1 cup filling, 1/2 cup provolone cheese, 2 tablespoons Romano, and 1 1/2 cups sauce.
  7. Repeat layers twice, ending with noodles. Spread remaining sauce over noodles.
  8. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup provolone cheese and 2 tablespoons Romano. Bake at 350F for 45 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
  9. Yield: 4 servings.

Gnocci with Tomato Sauce

Serves 6

* 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
* 1 small onion, finely chopped
* 3 cloves garlic, minced
* 1/4 cup dry white wine
* 1 can (28 ounces) whole plum tomatoes with juice, crushed by hand
* 1 can (14 1/2 ounces) tomato sauce
* 2 sprigs basil
* 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
* Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
* Gnocchi
* Thinly shaved parmesan cheese, for serving

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Add wine; cook until most liquid has evaporated. Add tomatoes and juice, tomato sauce, basil, and red pepper flakes. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer until slightly thick, about 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat; cover to keep warm.

2. Bring a large pot water to a boil; add 1 tablespoon salt. Add half of the gnocchi; when they rise to the top (after about 2 minutes), continue to cook until tender, about 15 seconds more. Transfer gnocchi with a slotted spoon to pan with sauce. Repeat process with remaining gnocchi.

3. Reheat gnocchi over low heat; gently toss. Serve with cheese shavings.

These are from Martha Stewart Web Site

Roasted Tomato and Vegetable Soup

Ingredients

2 TBS olive oil
1¼ CU diced onion
16 oz fire roasted diced tomatoes, (undrained)
2 celery ribs (sliced)
¾ CU finely diced carrots
2 garlic cloves pressed or ground
6 CU low-salt chicken broth
2 CU peeled, diced butternut squash
16 oz cannelloni beans (drained)
1 zucchini, seeded & diced
1 CU broccoli florets
1 CU cauliflower florets
1 TBS chopped fresh oregano
1/8 tsp freshly ground pepper
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. In large sauce pan saute onions, celery, carrots and garlic in oil
2. Add broth, squash, tomatoes, bring to boil and cook 10 minutes
3. Reduce to simmer, covered for 20 minutes
4. Add beans, zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower, oregano, pepper
5. Cook for 5 minutes for and pour into serving bowls
6. Garnish with cheese, and sprinkle oregano over top for appearance

 

How to Can Tomatoes

A NOTE ABOUT THESE INSTRUCTIONS

canning-jarsThese step by step instructions are USDA approved.  It is very important to read up on canning before getting started, so that you don’t accidentally miss a small but very critical step.

INGREDIENTS

  • Lots of firm, ripe tomatoes from your garden or from the farmers market.
  • 12 Canning jars, lids, and screw rings – 16 oz – 1 pint
  • A BIG pot of water – Fill with enough water to just barely cover the top of your canning jar.
  • A medium pot of boiling water

STEP BY STEP

  1. Time the entire wash cycle of your dishwasher WITH the dry cycle.
  2. Your tomatoes should be firm, red and ripe and have no soft spots.
  3. Wash your canning jars in the dishwasher making sure they finish the rinse and dry cycles.
    The rinse cycle will rinse off most bacteria, and the heat of the drying cycle will kill any remaining bacteria.
  4. Start your big pot to a boil on medium high heat
  5. Make a small X on the tip of the tomato
  6. Plunge them in boiling water in the medium pot for 60 seconds, then into cold water for another 60 seconds,
    The skin should easily peel off
  7. Discard the peels, and quarter your tomatoes and discard the hard stem end
  8. Using a slotted strainer or a spider strainer or a strainer basket, lower your tomatoes into the medium pot with boiling water
  9. Let them heat for 30-60 seconds
  10. Pack the fruit directly into the canning jar, leaving 1/2 inch clear space at the top.
  11. Add 1 TBL lemon juice to the tomatoes
  12. Add a bit of your boiling water to cover the tomatoes
  13. Wipe jar rim with a damp cloth, and secure tops with the metal rings.
  14. Add your jars to your BIG pot of water.
  15. When the last jar is in place, verify that your water level has risen to about two inches above the tops of the containers.
    Add more water if you need to raise the water level.
  16. Increase heat to bring your big pot to a boil
    Reduce heat to a simmer, cover and start timing
  17. Let your pint canning jars simmer for 35 minutes.
    If you are using the larger quart jars, let them simmer for 45 minutes
  18. If water level starts to drop substantially, heat water to boiling in the microwave, and add to the pot to raise the water level.
  19. Remove jars right on time and place on a cooling rack.  DO NOT TIP THE JAR.
  20. Let cook and store in a cool dark place until they are ready for use.
  21. Store opened cans in the refrigerator for up to a week.
  22. DISCARD a can if the lid seal seems to have broken, or if the lid is puffed up.

 

Tips: Tomatoes

PRINTABLE GREEN TOMATOES GARDEN CLUB HANDOUT

  • Do not use over-processed tomatoes for tomato sauce.
  • Use whole tomatoes or diced tomatoes in sauce, but never stewed or crushed.  Texture is nice.
  • Remove seeds to reduce bitter taste
  • Use canned tomatoes out of season, and fresh within season
    Tomatoes are in season during the summer: April through August
    September until March use canned.  San Marzano is a good choice.
  • To peel a tomato, cut the top and bottom, then quarter.  Cut out seeds.  Slide your knife right along the skin of each quarter.
  • Tomatoes with cracks in them have had uneven watering.  Flavor could be compromised.
  • Tomatoes with a green shoulder got burnt by the sun.  Just cut it off, and it will taste fine.
  • A wrinkly tomato has been in the fridge too long.
  • Oh… and don’t refrigerate your tomatoes.  Use them though before they go bad.

 

Tomato Juice

Tomato Drink from Fresh Tomatos

Some tomatoes are sweeter than others, depending on their ripeness and the variety of tomato. Use the ripest tomatoes you can. Added sugar will balance the natural acidity of the tomatoes, use more or less to taste. Tabasco hot sauce is also to taste, depending on your desired level of spiciness.  This is similar to V8 drink.

Ingredients

  • 3 pounds very ripe garden tomatoes, cored, roughly chopped
  • 1 1/4 C chopped celery with leaves
  • 1/3 C chopped onion
  • 2 TBL sugar (to taste)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • Pinch black pepper
  • A couple shakes of Tabasco sauce, about 6-8 drops (to taste)

Method

  1. Put all ingredients into a large non-reactive pot (use stainless steel, not aluminum).
  2. Bring to a simmer and cook, uncovered, until mixture is completely soupy, about 25 minutes.
  3. Run mixture through a food mill (or force through a sieve or chinoise strainer)
  4. Cool completely.
  5. Store covered and chilled.  Stir before serving.
    If you pour into emptied water bottles, you can shake before drinking.
  6. Keep for up to 1 week in the refrigerator

From Tomato Paste

  • 1 can 6 oz tomato paste
  • 3 cans (18 oz) cold water – used to rinse can
  • 1/2 tsp Worcestershire
  • 1/2 tsp ± lime juice
  • scant cayenne
  • scant celery salt
  • scant salt
  • scant olive oil
  • scant liquid smoke

See my copy-cat recipe for Mr. & Mrs. T – Rich & Spicy Bloody Mary Mix for a bolder drink


From Tomato Sauce

  • 16 oz can tomato sauce
  • 16 oz water from rinsed can
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire
  • 1 tsp ± lime juice
  • 1/2 tsp ± cayenne
  • 1/2 tsp ± celery salt
  • 1/2 tsp ± salt
  • 1/2 tsp olive oil
  • 1/4 tsp liquid smoke

Tomato Chutney

Ingredients

Tomatoes
2 tbl shallots
Cherry and BBQ sauce
2 tbl brown sugar

Instructions

1. Smoke tomatoes over wood chips for 20 minutes.
2. Cut into ½” pieces.
3. Cook 2 tbl shallots add tomatoes, cook and add cherry & BBQ sauce, 2 tbl brown sugar.
4. Cook for about 5-10 minutes.

Title Tomato Chutney

Ingredients

Instructions Handwritten notes to this recipe are scanned in PDF document at

http://www.xml3.com/family/Recipes/04.pdf

http://www.xml3.com/family/Recipes/Salmon_with_Tomato_Chutney.pdf

Tomato Salad

This simple garden salad is easy enough for a beginner, but complex enough that it could be served at a high-end restaurant.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  •  TBL red wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 sprinkle garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp teaspoon salt
  • a pinch of teaspoon black pepper
  • 4 roma tomatoes, chunked
  • 1/2 green bell pepper, chunked
  • 1-2 scallions (green onions), sliced
  • several sprigs chopped fresh basil

STEP BY STEP

  1. In a large bowl, combine olive oil, vinegar, sugar, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper
  2. Whisk well
  3. Add remaining ingredients and gently toss until evenly coated.
  4. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

NOTES

  • Tomatoes are at their tastiest when eaten at room temperature.
  • If you’re assembling this salad in advance and refrigerating, just let it sit out on the counter for 30 minutes or so before serving.
  • Serve with French bread. Sop up oil from the bottom of the bowl.

Tomato Soup – COLLECTION

see also recipe for Bags of Gold

Basic Tomato Soup

Ingredients

  • 2 TBL butter
  • 2 TBL flour
  • 1/4 C sliced onion
  • 1 C chicken broth
  • 2 C crushed tomatoes
  • ¼ tsp celery salt
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 cup milk

Step by Step

  1. Cook butter and flour until flour starts to brown
  2. Add onion and cook until softened
  3. Add chicken broth, tomatoes, salt and bay leaf
  4. Simmer uncovered 15 min
  5. Remove from heat
  6. Remove bay leaf
  7. Blend (carefully and vented) in blender or food processor
  8. Press thru sieve
  9. Reheat if desired, then add milk and serve

Just a Little Bit Fancier

Ingredients

  • 1 TBL butter
  • 1/2 onion or leek- caramelized
  • 1/2 carrot (minced)
  • 1/2 stalk celery (minced)
  • 1 TBL tomato paste
  • 3 cloves of garlic – chopped – lightly caramelized
  • Small handful of basil
  • 1 TBL ketchup
  • 1 C white wine
  • 1 large can peeled San Marzano tomatoes
    Note:  This actually is better than using fresh for this recipe.
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 whole orange (cut into 4 pieces)
  • 1/4 English cucumber
  • 1/4 C whole milk yogurt

Step by Step

  1. Turn stovetop to medium heat
  2. Caramelize onions in 1 TBL COLD butter
  3. Add carrots and celery after butter has melted
  4. Add tomato paste when onions start to brown
  5. Add garlic when tomato paste has been incorporated
  6. Add basil when garlic becomes fragrant
  7. Add ketchup when basil starts to wilt
  8. Add white wine and let simmer while you chop your tomatoes
  9. Add the canned tomatoes and orange sections
  10. Bring the mixture to a low boil, then reduce heat
  11. Simmer for 30 minutes
  12. Add water as necessary to achieve desired soup texture
  13. Remove the orange sections
  14. Add cucumber and yogurt, and pulse in a blender
  15. Run the mixture through a strainer or food mill
  16. Put into bowl and decorate the top with cream or a mixture of yogurt thinned with a splash of buttermilk
  17. Alternately you can use a spiralizer and cut cucumber ribbons with a sprig of basil or cilantro

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Grandpa’s Tomato Harvest Soup

TomatoesSo this year we planted tomatoes. We figured that half of the plants would die, so we planted a dozen of them. ONE DIED. This leaves us with an abundance of tomatoes.

We made TOMATO SAUCE, TOMATO PASTE, and Tomato Soup. Here is our recipe for tomato soup.

Ingredients

As it turns out, Roma tomatoes are the best for all of the above recipes. Keep your Beefsteak tomatoes for sandwiches and dessert. They are great for slicing but use Romas for your blended tomato recipes.

  • 1 TBL EVOO
  • 1/2 onion – diced
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 2 C diced tomato
  • 2 C chicken broth
  • 1 C Bread – torn into pieces
  • Parsley to taste
  • Basil to taste
  • 1/2 C Mozzarella – shredded
  • Juice and zest from one lemon

Step by Step

  1. Misc types of tomatoes – chopped – set aside
  2. Sautee onion in EVOO – sweat them, don’t brown them
  3. When softened, add in garlic
  4. Add tomatoes and chicken broth
  5. Simmer 12-15 minutes
  6. Run through strainer or food mill and return to pot
  7. Add salt, chopped parsley and basil
  8. Add chunks of bread to thicken soup and give it body.
  9. Garnish with chunks of mozzarella and lemon on top

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Hearty Tomato Soup

Ingredients

  • 1 C thinly sliced carrot
  • 1/2 C thinly chopped celery
  • 1 small onion, chopped/diced
  • 1/4 C chopped green bell pepper
  • 4 TBL salted butter
  • 2 C chicken or vegetable broth
    (CLICK HERE if you want to make your own broth or stock)
  • 2 medium tomatoes, peeled and chopped
  • 1/4 C apple juice
  • 1/4 tsp curry powder (optional)
  • 1/4 tsp salt (optional)
  • scant black pepper
  • EVOO for cooking

Step by Step

  1. Halve the tomatoes and put in oven at 350 degrees
  2. In a large pot over high heat, sauté the carrots, celery, and onion in EVOO until tender.
  3. Add the green pepper and cook till softened
  4. When the tomatoes start to “color” add them to the cook pot
  5. Add the broth, tomatoes, apple juice, curry, salt, and black pepper.
  6. Bring the mixture to a boil and then decrease the heat to low
  7. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes
  8. Uncover and let cool for 5 minutes
  9. Put into blender, AND WITH LID VENTED, puree
  10. OPTION: For smooth soup, press it through a strainer. for a heartier soup leave the pieces alone and serve.
  11. Top with a dollop of sour cream and some chives

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Tomato Vegetable Soup

Ingredients

  • ½ onion, finely chopped
  • 1 stalk celery, finely sliced
  • 1 TBS olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • ½ cup dried zucchini
  • ½ can whole kernel corn
  • 3 cups chicken or vegetable stock
  • ½ cup dry white wine
  • 2 cups diced fresh tomatoes
  • 1 can tomato paste
  • ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • ½ tsp each – basil, oregano, thyme, cayenne pepper sauce, ground clove,
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Step by Step

1. In large stockpot, sauté onions and celery in the oil – 3 min
2. Add garlic, zucchini and corn – 2 min
3. Add stock and bring to simmer
4. Add pasta, tomatoes and seasonings
5. Simmer about 30 minutes
6. Top with cheese

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Creamy Tomato Soup

Ingredients

  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons minced onion
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 3 tablespoons non-alcoholic white wine
  • 3/4 cup tomato juice
  • 5 medium tomatoes, chopped
  • 2 1/2 cups Vegetable stock
  • 1 teaspoon Mrs. Dash seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon ground basil
  • Pinch salt
  • Dash Tabasco Sauce
  • 11/2 teaspoon cornstarch
  • Pinch black pepper
    Garnish:
  • 6 teaspoons chopped chives
  • 6 tablespoons croutons

Step by Step

1. Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan. Add onions and garlic and cook over medium heat until
golden brown.
2. Add tomato paste and saute until it has a rusty color and sweet aroma. Add wine and cook until it is slightly reduced, about 10 to 15 minutes.
3. Add remaining ingredients and cook for 30 minutes.
4. Remove saucepan from heat and transfer contents into a blender – Blend until smooth or run through a food mill.
5. Pour 1/2 cup into each bowl and garnish with 1 teaspoon chopped chives, and 1 tablespoon
croutons.

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Smooth Tomato Soup

Ingredients

  • 1 TBL EVOO
  • 1/2 onion – chopped
  • 1 TBL flour
  • 1 can tomato pieces – drained or two peeled tomatoes
  • 1 sm can tomato paste
  • 2 C chicken broth
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 TBL butter

Step by Step

  1. Sautee onion in EVOO
  2. Add 1 TBL flour and stir 1-2 minutes
  3. Add tomato pieces, paste and chicken broth
  4. Simmer 12-15 minutes
  5. Add sugar and stir a few minutes
  6. Pass everything through a food mill (or blender and then a strainer)
  7. Put in 1 TBL cold butter and stir until it completely melts
  8. Put into soup bowl and top with 1 TBL creme fresh and cilantro

Frontier Tomato Soup

  • Sautee diced onions in 1 stick butter
  • 1 large can San Marzano tomatoes
  • 1 large can Campbells Tomato juice
  • 2-3 TBL sugar
  • Black pepper
  • Three chicken bullion cubes
    • Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a low simmer
    • Simmer for 30 minutes
  • 1 C cooking sherry
  • 1 1/2 heavy cream
  • Add fresh herbs:  chopped parsley, chives, basil chiffonade
    • Ready to serve

Baked Tomato Soup

  1. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper
  2. Open a large can of San Marzano tomatoes – Drain and reserve juice for later use – Additionally you will use tomatoes fresh from your garden
  3. Prepare tomato and other vegetables by cutting into pieces and tossing in EVOO and a little bit of salt :: Tomatoes, carrots, celery, shallots, garlic, peppers
  4. Bake for one hour at 350º
  5. Put basil and baked veggies into a blender. 
  6. Add 2 TBL sherry wine vinegar- Alternately balsamic or rice wine vinegar
  7. Add 1/4 C cream
  8. Thin as necessary with the tomato juice (from Step 2) only enough to blend
  9. Run the soup through a food mill or wide screen strainer
  10. Garnish with basil leaf chiffonade
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