Freezing Tomatoes

I LOVE THIS RECIPE!!!

This is the most simple way to save tomatoes that I know of. When I am feeling really lazy (which is often!) I just freeze a bunch of tomatoes rather than messing with canning them. For whatever reason, most people look at me like I am crazy when I say that I do this, but it really works. This is a trick that I learned from my Mom and  it come in handy when the winter gets cold and you want to make a chili or soup. Just get out the frozen summer tomatoes and run them under really hot water. The skin peels right off in your hand. Then into the pot they go. They are way better then anything that you can get out of a can and remember- You grew them! So go ahead and feel accomplished! Sometimes, the little things make the day a little brighter!

(I admit these were hard to take pictures of! Usually I take all my pictures outside and when I took these frozen guys out in our 90 something degree heat they instantly got a little frosty. They don't look like this in the freezer, but I guess it does get the frozen point across.)

Freezing Tomatoes

This recipe is not really a recipe. Just instructions. There is not measuring or cooking required. Just a lot of gathering of tomatoes.

Wash and air dry as many tomatoes as you would like to freeze. Core the tomatoes and place them in freezer bags or boxes. Place in freezer and freeze whole tomatoes. I like to label them as to approximately how many tomatoes there are and what type they are.

When you are ready to use them, as I mentioned, just get as many as you need out of the freezer bag and run under really hot water or submerge them in boiling water for about 20 seconds. The skin will come right off by pulling it with your fingertips and you have a perfectly usable tomato.

These are great in soup, stews, chili or really anywhere you would use canned tomatoes. Enjoy!