Canned Oregano Tomatoes

So, here is the last of the tomato series that I have to share with you. I do have a bruschetta recipe that I will be posting in the near future as well, but I wanted to get this one out before the tomatoes were all gone and before I take a little vacation by the sea! I am headed to Isle of Palms, one of my favorite places on earth to clear my head before starting into the fall semester of school. This upcoming fall semester is gonna be a tricky one because I will be teaching in 3 different locations i.e. cities.  Even though it is a lot of driving, I have been so happy to add Asheville to my regular teaching circuit! Love that town and the students are so refreshing. Also after class,  it gives me the opportunity to hang out in some places that I really love.

Well, sorry this is not a longer post but this girl has to pack! Bathing suits, flip flops and of course some good craft beer! I will also have my camera with me at all times. Hoping the sun and sea and the magnificence of the Charleston area can revitalize me to be back in the classroom in only 11 days!

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.)

Slow Roasted Tomatoes and Herbs for Freezer Sauce

Tomato salvation #2. This is one of my all time favorite ways to save or "put up" (as they say down south) tomatoes. And this one involves those prolific cherry or grape tomatoes that seem to pop up overnight. I have literally been picking 2-3 quarts of these per day but maybe that is my fault. See... I have this theory that if I make my garden just "a tad bit bigger" every year..... I have to mow less grass!! Yes, I know. What reasoning! But I think in the past 3 years, at this one house, I have cut out mowing maybe 3 extra feet on the one end of the garden. Wow!  Every inch counts for me when it comes to mowing grass. I hate mowing! In case you didn't notice, it just comes back..... And in the South Carolina heat, that just means another day dripping sweat at 7 am before the real scorching temps set in. So instead of mowing that extra little space, I prefer to can, freeze and preserve these little jewels. They are worth the sweat to plant, nurture and pick because I get to enjoy them all year!!

My backyard better watch out .... in 10 more years I won't have to mow grass.

Heirloom Tomato Feta Tart

Right now, and actually for the past month, I have been in tomato heaven. Well, some days, I don't really think of it quite like that but.... let's just say that my garden has been PLENTIFUL! There have been days when I go out and literally pick twenty or more pounds of tomatoes. Yes, really! Several days, I have come home from work dressed in my summer dress and have gone out just to look at the garden!!! Next thing you know, I am in the garden in heels and dress with a skirt full of tomatoes (uggg... yes, I have witnesses. Including a very special guy in my life who said he was gonna take a pic for me to blog! Who wants to see that??)  I do give a lot of the tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, etc. away to friends and family but I also use a lot of them myself.  And, lucky for you, I want to share how. My next several posts are going to highlight the wonderful summer tomato. I am also gonna remind you of some of the past tomato greatness I have posted (psst... remember Mom's Tomato Sauce).

Hey, I am trying to help you out!  Believe me, at times this year, I have been slightly overwhelmed at the sight of every flat surface in my little house covered in tomatoes. Are you feeling this same stress?? Or maybe you just bought a great box of homegrown tomatoes from your favorite farmer and are wondering what deliciousness you can whip up in your kitchen?  Let me lead you in the direction of  true tomato happiness. Follow my recipes and let's not waste even one!!

Rebecca's Ratatouille

 

As most of you know, this is one of my favorite times of the year- mid July is when my garden is prolific. That means good food right outside my back door. This year my garden is like a jungle. We have been blessed with rain and sun in just the right quantities to grow tomato plants almost as tall as my 5 ft 6 inch self. I am harvesting tons of vegetables every day and really I have eaten little more than veggies for most of my meals. I have been sharing with friends and neighbors and am really proud of my little plot of earth and what it has given me.

I am happy to say that I have helped these plants grow with no artificial means or chemicals. They are as organic as they come. I only use fish emulsion and compost for fertilizer and a little insecticidal soap and natural bacteria for pest control. It is possible! It is easy!! It is something that I am proud of!! These plants are made to grow and produce. Artificial chemicals are not necessary to MAKE this natural process occur. I know certain chemical companies are really promoting a lot of blogs right now that will use their product to grow their food and therefore poison their recipes, but I can't join that bandwagon. I am proud to know that I am putting healthy fresh fruits, herbs and veggies into my body. I am also relieved to know that when I leave the garden smelling like I just walked through a patch of tomatoes, that is the only thing on my skin. No decontamination shower is needed after picking in my little urban farm. If you are in my area, bring a basket. I will let you forage and then we can sit on the porch steps and eat a warm, sun ripened tomato. Nothing better!!

Ham Barley Soup

Who is C-O-L-D?? I am, but as a lot of you already know, I am always cold. I have the perfect solution to beat the cold and this crappy weather- my Gram H's Ham Barley Soup. This is a recipe that I have loved since I was a little girl. My Gram H. knew that my little sister and I loved this soup (as well as her fabulous spaghetti.) When we would go to my grandparent's house in the winter for a weekend sleep over, she would make this for us.  It was the best possible food to eat after spending the day outside playing in the snowy Pennsylvania weather. I can still see her standing by the stove stirring the pot of soup in between hands of our favorite card game, Kings on the Corner.

When I got older and moved so far away, I craved this soup. One day, probably 10 years ago now, I really wanted this soup. Since Gram lives so far away, the only way that I was going to get my soup is if I made it myself.  I picked up the phone and called her. She walked me through the simple recipe and I made a great pot of soup. Of course, it is always best when Gram makes her recipes,  but I thought I did a pretty good job. Now, every time I make this soup, I call Gram and tell her that I am stirring a pot of her Ham Barley Soup.  It makes her happy to know that I love her soup and that I am keeping her recipe alive. It is also a great time to fill her in on my latest doings and to just have a few good laughs. Even after all these years, this soup continues to bring us together.

 

Slow Cooker Chana Masala

I have become addicted to this dish and have been buying the pre-packaged, prepared version that is microwavable. It is one of my new go-to, easy foods that I look forward to making after a long day. The fact that makes this meal so convenient also makes me a little wary of eating it too often. The drawback- microwaving food in a plastic bag. It seems...hmmmm... not so natural. Right? We hear so much about carcinogens and PCBs, yet these options are still available, Why are they so alluring? Because we are all busy and need food fast!!! While microwave beans and rice are still more healthy than the "fast food" alternative, it still is not a prime food choice. So I decided that this would be a great recipe to make in bulk with fresh ingredients. No.. it is not as quick but, the truth is, one Sunday afternoon before I went out to work in my garden, I threw the ingredients in the crock pot and in about 6 hours it was finished. Not bad when you consider all the "yucky stuff" that you are eliminating.  Feel good about yourself and your food and serve up another bowl.

Tomato Basil Jam

My garden goodness is almost gone. The summer garden is done. I have two last recipes that I just finished this weekend from all of the last plants that I have harvested. For me this is always a hard time of the year. I now have to buy tomatoes from the store and those never have the same taste as a good, fresh garden tomato. The other thing that I will miss is the fresh basil that I use on a daily basis. I put it in mixed drinks, scrambled eggs and just about everything. In order to hold on to those flavors a little longer, I whipped up some more of this jam. I made it last year as well and it helped get through the tomatoless time of the year.

So long summer garden. Can't wait for your garden goodness next year.

Traditional Southern Tomato Pie

Some more Garden Goodness coming your way!

So I have lived in South Carolina for 14 years and for 14 years, I have heard about the elusive Southern Tomato Pie. No... let me rephrase. As the locals say- Southern Tomato Piiiiii. Yes, I have lived here for 14 years and have yet to taste the tomato piiii. A few years ago, a local friend gave me this recipe and told me I had to try it cause it was amazing. And I am guilty again, it went into the vault of recipes that I just have to try..... someday.  I finally did this weekend. After two huge pieces, I literally had to walk away from the pie!!! This thing is like crack. It is so good! It might be a little on the fattening side( a little?!?!?!)  but who cares when you get to experience all the goodness of local homegrown herbs and veggies covered with a bubbling pimento cheese like topping. I did end up sharing a few pieces of my new addiction with a few very special friends. But don't worry,  last night, I had a totally healthy meal. I ate a huge piece of tomato piiii w a tiny side salad. LOL!!!!! I guess it is all how you look at things!!

Summer Tomatoes, Slashed and Stuffed

This is one of my favorite summer recipes. Why?? Because it says my garden is plentiful, the sun is shining and I have so many tomatoes that I am just searching for ways to prepare them. This recipe has such simple, clean flavors that really define summer for me. The taste of homegrown tomatoes is really something to be treasured. There is only a few months out of the year that tomatoes are at their prime and this recipe definitely capitalizes on that flavor. Each of these little buttery tomatoes pops in your mouth and you have the instant taste of summer.

 This is a great appetizer or an amazing side dish. I have made this recipe for many different people and it has always gotten rave reviews. Give it a try!! I guarantee you will be impressed.

 

Italian Sausage Zucchini Boats

How does your garden grow? Despite the rain mine has hung on. I am still getting tomatoes, squash and lots of cucumbers. I love it. Everyday I go out with my basket and fill it up. When I have a lot of produce, this is one of the recipes that I love to make. It takes up quite a few of my veggies. I have written this recipe, but I like to substitute anything that I have to change it up. If I have more tomatoes, I use them. Less peppers, that is OK too. Just use what you have. This recipe is not so much about being perfect as it is about celebrating fresh tastes and loving what Mother Earth has provided for you. This recipe is summer in a boat.

Mediterranean Tortellini Pasta Salad

Who does not like a picnic? Whether it be in a park or on your back porch, this is the perfect time of the year for al fresco dining. In the summer, I try to eat my dinner on my back porch every night. I just love it. Listening to the birds and taking my time with every bite; it has really become the best part of my day.

This recipe was made out of things that I had in my fridge and was supper simple. Feel free to substitute any alternative ingredients that you like. If you don't have capers, add fresh herbs. It was filling and fresh and I think quite pretty. I ate it for dinner on my back porch then took the rest to work the next day to share. Enjoy!

Spicy Taco Soup

I love soup!! As you can probably tell. I always have but now I have more of an opportunity to eat it whenever I want. I love the versatility of soup with a salad, a sandwich or alone. It is simple and one pot can feed one person for a very long time. One of my favorite thing about soup is the fact that most of them I can freeze into single serving containers and pull out as needed. With my busy work schedule of teaching and seeing patients, some days I want to come home and have no prep or cooking time. I want to plop down on my couch with a bowl of soup in my lap and watch nonsense TV. Yes, here is my confession: I will watch Real Housewives of Anywhere. Watching these tucked, coiffed and bedazzled "reality" (loosely stated) stars have cat fights and party till their wigs fall off , makes me feel grounded and amazingly intelligent. And best of all after a day of decision making and being responsible, these shows do not require me to think. These modern day "soap operas" are one of my secret obsessions, but a girl has to draw the line somewhere right??  Never, never will the Kardashians be seen on my screen. Sorry, just saying: even tacky can be taken too far!!



Veggitastic Vegetable Soup

OK, so I do not have a huge story about this recipe, other than I have fallen in love with this soup!! I have made this soup 3 times in the past 3 months. It was a recipe that I found in my Eating Well magazine a few months ago and put aside in "my vault of recipes that will never be made."  My BFF Ginny also saw this recipe and decided to make it. She brought me a bowl and it was delish so I began chopping, and chopping and chopping. Yes, this soup takes a lot of prep, but it is worth every bit of work and it makes a ton of soup. Since I have some late nights at work, I have been making this soup and freezing it in individual serving size containers. I get it out in the morning before work and it is ready to heat up for dinner. Also if I want to add a little more bulk to my bowl, I will drop in about 1/3 of a cup of organic brown rice and stir and enjoy.

Halupki (Cabbage) Casserole

This past Saturday I was prompted to take some cooking action. Here in South Carolina we rarely get snow or any kind of inclement winter weather. They threaten us multiple times throughout the winter but usually that all it is- a threat! My friends and I always say that we think the weatherman and the local grocery store chains have an agreement that when grocery sales are a little low, their buddy the weatherman calls for some snow or ice. At the first sign of these threats families run out  and stock their cabinets and fridge. Cha- ching for the weatherman- luxury car payment for the month of February! But that is just our "conspiracy theory...."

Back to my story, so this Saturday as I am pulling in to my driveway from work and the gym, it starts to snowand it was coming down fast. Being from PA originally, snow does not bother me, but I know here all things cease. At first, I was put off by that but now I have learned to appreciate the time off in my normally busy life. In my back yard, I still was nurturing some veggies that I had planted in a fall garden. I had been using these veggies kind of slowly, but here where the weather is temperate, cabbages, collard and some root veggies will overwinter and be ready to eat at any time. Snow and freezing temps will challenge the cabbage though. So, out I go with my big butcher knife and a laundry basket to cut the rest of the cabbages -five in total, some as big as basketballs. So this weekend, I have been forced to cook cabbage; which is OK since I love it (and I was slacking a little on using them quickly enough.) As you all know, any time commitment to the kitchen makes me happy. In this case, not only do I get to eat something I love, I get to enjoy the time prepping it. And the best part, the cabbage was homegrown my ME!

Stuffed Cabbage (Halupki)

Halupki, Stuffed cabbage, Pigs in a blanket, Golabki ... however you say it....YUM!

Every year I  look forward to my parents Labor Day visit and this year we were really laid back; seeing some sights in Greenville, eating some great homemade food and just really being with each other. Of course we also did a lot of work. When my parents come, and especially my Dad, work will be done! This year, and as always, I was happy to have the help. We totally cleaned my garden out and replanted my fall garden (pics to come soon!) My mom and I redecorated my back porch in bright new hues that just make me happy, and best of all my mom and I combined efforts in the kitchen to cook one of our family's favorite meals. As a family, we always called these Halupki or Pigs in a Blanket but every time I explain them to someone they have a different name for them- stuffed cabbage, golabki, dolma etc. So of course I had to look up the origin of this simple comfort food. See the history and heritage of this food here.  I thought that this was really an amazing story of something I have eaten since I was a tiny girl.
It was interesting, while making these with my mom this year, I asked how my little northern Italian Grandmother learned how  to make this Slovak/ Polish recipe. She explained that when my Italian Gram married my Pap who was Slovak, this was one of his favorite meals.  Since my Pap was the baby and all his big sisters looked out for him, they took my Gram under their wing and showed her how to make Halupki. And over the generations this has become one of our winter, comfort food staples.

When my mom and I both spotted this huge cabbage at the farmer's market we knew that it was destined for one thing...

Southwest Black Bean Stuffed Peppers

Southwest Black Bean Stuffed Peppers- A little messy but a lot of YUM!

At the office, we have been trying to bring healthful things to lunch in order to save calories and be more mindful of what we are putting in our bodies. We decided to each bring lunch one day per week for the whole office. This way each person only had to cook one day but got to enjoy healthy food and snacks 3 days per week. Then on Friday, we eat the leftovers from the week. This has been a huge success and we have kept it up for 4 months now. We have specific rules that we follow: no bread, no red meat, no preservatives, and include as many veggies as possible. We also really eat very little if any meat. We have succeeded in being very inventive and have found some new favorite recipes along the way. This is one that got rave reviews the first time so I decided to revisit it. The recipe just really come from what I found in my fridge one day. I always bake with a recipe but a lot of times I cook with what I have on hand and what I am craving. No instructions has resulted in some great dinners. This is one...

Southwest Quinoa Salad

This is a recipe that I have come up with after our 21 day cleanse that we did about a month ago. It is great as a side dish or as a meatless lunch entree. I had not really experimented with quinoa much  but now I am hooked. As my garden comes in this summer, I see many ways that I can change this recipe using the vegetable that is ripe at the time, and that makes me very happy! There is nothing better than eating local and in season both for taste and the environment. Stay tuned for some upcoming variations...

Mom's Tomato Sauce

Mom's Tomato Sauce

Since we are just putting tomatoes in the ground this week,  I know that this is not the typical time to make tomato sauce from homegrown tomatoes, but I kind of have a trick here. As I have said before, my garden is not huge and to make this sauce you need a 1/2 bushel of tomatoes for Step 1 and then you need 3 dozen Paste or Roma tomatoes for Step 2. That is a lot of tomatoes to produce in a few days just for this sauce (and have enough to eat daily. I don't know about you but when my tomatoes come in, I am tomato obsessed! I eat them at every meal.)

As per my mom's suggestion, I have always frozen whole tomatoes. I just cut out the stem and then freeze them whole in Ziploc bags. Then when a recipe called for canned tomatoes for soup or chili in the winter, I just pull out some of my frozen and run them under really hot tap water. The skin peels right off in your hand (this is a great tip.)  I was freezing tomatoes as they were harvested and I began to wonder if I could use the frozen tomatoes after I had the specified 1/2 a bushel and make this sauce?? So here begins my experiment! 

Before starting, I thought I would ask my resources, my parents both thought it would work and unfortunately Grandma Ethel was no longer with us but I knew that she was cheering for me. I began freezing Ziploc bags of tomatoes as I picked them.  I would weigh the bags and write the weight on the outside of the bag. Then I would put them in the bottom shelf of my deep freeze freezer. I would bag the paste tomatoes separately in 1 dozen bags. When I got the designated amount of tomatoes, I was ready to go. So at this point, I proceeded with the recipe that is below and it was a huge success. I have been making it this way for years. So if this method works for you, Great!  Another alternative would be to visit your local farmer and buy tomatoes from him/her. They will be happy to have your business and you will know exactly where your tomatoes came from.