tomatoes

{my favorite garden meal}

This morning, I went for a run, albeit, not a very easy run, in our lower pasture.  Our neighbors horses were down in their adjacent pasture and I scared the bajeebers out of them when I came running through our field.  We talked for a bit.  I tried to coax them over to the fence but they would have nothing to do with me.  Hrumpf! After I ran our pasture perimeter 3 times, I started up the sled hill.  We have a big sled hill that goes from our house yard down to the pasture and I walked that up and down and up and down...just trying to get my heart pumping and calories burning so I can button my jeans which have gotten, um, a little snug lately.

At the top of the sled hill is our garden.  When I named our company, Two Peas in a Pod HOMEGROWN designs - the homegrown referred to not only our two peas but also our garden which we depend on to feed us fabulous goodies.  Our tomatoes are coming on so fast that I found a bunch starting to rot on the vine!  UGH!

So, I picked all that I could and will wash them and freeze most of them for soups and chili and sauces this winter.  You can freeze the tomatoes whole with the skins on and then when you need them, as they defrost, the skins come right off and then you can crush them into whatever dish you need them for.  It's making my mouth water just thinking about it.

My kids all time favorite tomato dish (after just plain ol' slice of tomato and cottage cheese) is bruschetta.  I don't measure anything but do it all to taste.  A BUNCH of tomatoes, grape, cherry or regular tomatoes, about 4 cloves of minced garlic, fresh basil minced, salt, pepper, olive oil and balsamic vinegar.  Heap that on some crusty french bread.  OHHH, my!  So, so, so, good!

Another tomato favorite of ours is open face cheese tomato sandwiches.  Just like a grilled cheese but open.  Butter your bread for grilling, lay a slice of cheese and then a layer of tomato slices and grill until your bread is toasted and cheese melts.

What is coming out of your garden these days?  What yummy things are you making with them?

{Don't forget to come and see me at the Country Living Fair this Friday and Saturday in Columbus, OH.  I'll be working at the Modern June booth as an honorary "Junie" for the weekend!}