Plump Tomato Ideas
After months of using store
bought tomatoes, I am again
amazed by the juicy goodness of
plump, well formed tomatoes. The
flavor of a vine-ripened tomato
bears little resemblance to their
shipped or greenhouse
counterparts.
Too bad we can’t find a way to
preserve vine-ripened tomatoes
for year-around enjoyment.
But why complain. There are
endless ways to enjoy them baked,
broiled, cooked, and in sauces.
Did you know that one medium
tomato provides 40 percent of the
recommended allowance of vita
min C; 20 percent of vitamin A? In
addition, tomatoes are an excellent
source of potassium and fiber.
And, a medium-size tomato has
only 35 calories.
Tomatoes do not ripen in the
refrigerator, and they lose their
natural goodness if refrigerated.
Enjoy them in a variety of ways
by trying these recipes.
DUTCH BEANS
2 16-ounce cans string beans,
drained
1 16-ounce can whole tomatoes
Vi cup onions, diced
'A teaspoon salt, optional
Drain tomatoes, placing juice in
saucepan. Cut up tomatoes and add
to juice. Bring to boil and add
onions. Cook for 2 minutes.
Add string beans and salt and
bring to a boil. Reduce heat to
medium and boil for 5 minutes.
Serve.
Variation; add 1 tablespoon of
real bacon bits to tomatoes before
adding beans.
Betty Light
Lebanon
GRILLED CHEESE AND
TOMATO SANDWICH
2 slices bread
2 tablespoons butter
2 slices tomato
2 slices American cheese
Butter bread and place buttered
side down in skillet
Layer 1 slice of cheese on bread,
2 slices tomato, and another slice
of cheese. Top with another slice
of bread, unbuttered side down.
Cover and grill over low
medium heat until both sides are
toasty brown.
Variations: On top of tomato
slices, place: 3 slices crisp bacon
or 1 slice of ham or 3 tablespoons
drained tuna fish.
Recipe Topics
If you have recipes for the topics listed below, please share
them with us. We welcome your recipes, but ask that you
include accurate measurements, a complete list of ingre
dients and clear instructions with each recipe you submit.
Send your recipes to Lou Ann Good, Lancaster Farming, P.O.
Box 609, Ephrata, PA 17522. Recipes should reach our office
one week before publishing date
August
10- New Ways With Vegetables
17- Low-Fat, Low-Sugar Recipes
24- Favorite Summer Recipes
Bone On The Range
SUMMER PASTA SAUCE
4 or 5 large tomatoes
1 large zucchini, sliced thin
1 large yellow squash, sliced
thin
1 large onion, sliced thin
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large carrot, grated
2 tablespoons tomato paste
4 or 5 large fresh basil leaves
Salt and pepper to taste
Grated parmesan cheese
Blanch tomatoes in boiling
water, remove skins, core and
quarter. Reserve in large bowl. In a
large sauce pan, saute onions in oil
until soft, but not brown. Add
tomatoes, grated carrot, tomato
paste and basil leaves; cook uncov
ered over medium heat about 15
minutes or until tomatoes are soft
and sauce is thick. Adjust season
ing. Add both squashes and over
cook. Swirl butter into sauce
before serving on cooked fettuc
cine or linguine. Top with cheese.
PA Marketing
BLENDER KETCHUP
Use electric blender and eliminate
need for pressing or sieving.
24 pounds ripe tomatoes
2 pounds onions
1 pound sweet red peppers
1 pound sweet green peppers
9 cups vinegar
9 cups sugar
/% cup canning or pickling salt
3 tablespoons dry mustard
l'/i tablespoon ground red
pepper
114 teaspoon whole allspice
114 tablespoon whole cloves
3 sticks cinnamon
Wash tomatoes and dip in hol
ing water for 30 to 60 seconds or
until skins split. Then dip in cold
water, slip off skins, core, and
quarter. Remove seeds from pep
pers and slice into strips. Peel and
quarter onions. Blend tomatoes,
peppers, and onions at high speed
for 5 seconds in electric blender.
Pour into a 3- to 4-gallon stock pot
or large kettle and heat. Boil gently
60 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add vinegar, sugar, salt, and a
spice bag containing dry mustard,
red pepper, and other spices. Con
tinue boiling and stirring until vol
ume is reduced one-half and ketch
up rounds up on a spoon with no
separation of liquid and solids.
Remmove spice bag and rill pint
jars, leaving % -inch headspace.
Adjust lids and process IS minutes
in boiling-water canner. Yield:
about 9 pints.
Betty Light
Lebanon
Use an abundance of cherry or
NEAPOLITAN TOMATO
PARMESAN
6 firm medium-sized tomatoes
4 eggs
'A cup parmesan cheese
IVi teaspoons garlic powder
'/< cup parsley flakes
'A cup fresh basil
Salt and pepper to taste
Flavored bread crumbs
Oil
8 ounces Mozzarella cheese,
shredded
Slice tomatoes '/ -inch thick.
Coat tomatoes with bread crumbs;
dip into egg mixture made from
eggs, parmesan cheese, garlic
powder, parsley flakes, basil, salt
and pepper. Fry in hot oil until
lightly browned. Drain on white
paper towel. Place in shallow dish,
single layer. Sprinkle with shred
ded cheese. Heat in hot oven or
microwave until cheese melts.
Serves 4 to 6.
Norma DelSordi
Florham Park
CANNED SPAGHETTI
SAUCE
30 pounds tomatoes
I cup chopped onions
S cloves garlic, minced
1 cup chopped celery or green
pepper
1 pound fresh mushrooms,
sliced
4Vi teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon oregano
4 tablespoons minced parsley
2 teaspoons black pepper
'/ cup brown sugar
A cup vegetable oil
Caution: Do not increase the
proportion of onions, peppers or
mushrooms. Wash tomatoes and
dip in boiling water for 30 to 60
seconds or until skins split. Dip in
cold water and slip off skins.
Remove cores and quarter toma
toes. Boil 20 minutes, uncovered,
in large saucepan. Put through
food mill or sieve. Saute onions,
garlic, celery or peppers, and
mushrooms (if desired) in veget
able oil until tender. Combine
sauteed vegetables and tomatoes
and add remainder of spices, salt,
and sugar. Bring to a boil. Simmer,
uncovered, until thick enough for
serving. At this time the initial vol
ume will have been reduced by
nearly one half. Stir frequently to
avoid burning. Fill jars, leaving
1-inch headspace. Adjust lids and
process 25 minutes at 10 pounds
pressure.
Featured Recipe
Let’s look at a fun and tasty recipe that is high in the fruit and veget
able group. Here is a recipe that tastes great, looks good, and is fun to
make.
Information on cutting fat and eating healthy was taught at the
Bridge to Excellence, a conference offered to home economists and
nutritionists at University Park on June 29. Look for an article on the
conference in this issue.
If you would like more information about Dietary Guidelines, write
to U.S. Department of Agriculture, Human Nutrition Information Ser
vice, 6505 Belcrest Road, Hyattsville, MD 20782.
HERDED VEGETABLE COMBO
2 tablespoons water
1 cup zucchini squash, thinly sliced
VA cups yellow squash, thinly sliced
'A cup green pepper, cut into 2-inch slices
'A cup celery, cut into 2-inch strips
'/ cup onion, chopped
'A teaspoon caraway seed
'A teaspoon garlic powder
1 medium tomato, cut into 8 wedges
Heat water in large frypan. Add squash, green pepper, celery, and
onion. Cover and cook over moderate heat until vegetables are tender
crisp, about 4 minutes.
Sprinkle seasonings over vegetables. Top with tomato wedges.
Cover and cook over low heat until tomato wedges are just heated,
about 2 minutes.
toes wl
FRIED TOMATOES
4 medium-sized tomatoes
'A cup flour
14 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons fat
'/»teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons brown sugar
Use ripe but firm tomatoes. Do
not remove skins. Cut in slices
'A -inch thick. Roll in flour and fry
in hot fat When browned on both
sides, sprinkle with salt, pepper,
and brown sugar. Place tomatoes
on platter and serve.
Mary Zimmerman
♦ Carlisle
(Turn to Pag* B 8)
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