TOMATOES - today's pick

Here are the tomatoes just picked this morning

from my small backyard garden.

pics by Trish

I get to eat these small, sweet and juicy tomatoes throughout the day (cherry, grape, and sunburst), grabbing a few to munch as I pass the bowl sitting on my kitchen counter.

Every single one holds the big taste of summer sunshine!

Plates of sliced, marinated tomatoes make for a delicious lunch or dinner side-dish.

Take a freshly sliced medium to large tomato, add a splash of oil and vinegar, fresh basil, and sliced mozzarella for a timeless flavorful treat any time of day.

I've used the many different types of vinegar - balsamic, champagne, apple cider, rice, and white wine to name a few.  There are so many simple marinade recipes available but it's really more fun to just experiment on your own.

Thyme, garlic, crushed pepper flakes, dill, etc all can be role players in this game. 

And every day a different flavor fest!

Huge side benefit:  Research clearly shows why the tomato is considered one of the world's healthiest foods!

They contain over 80 beneficial nutrients (some in numbers off the charts), are loaded with antioxidants, and there are only 32 calories in one medium sized tomato.

Improved cardiovascular health, anti-cancer benefits, protecting bone tissue, and a reduced risk of some neurological diseases (including Alzheimer's) make tomatoes a smart addition to any diet.

The August tomato bounty allows me to enjoy this garden fresh flavor all winter by freezing batches of sauce.

Blanch tomatoes so peels slide off, roughly chop, cook with salt, pepper, garlic, and sometimes I add in onion and a hot pepper.  Every batch is different depending on what's on hand and how many tomatoes I have available to use. After tomatoes have been simmered about an hour (breaking them down), I use my blender to puree in batches (I refuse to strain out seeds and this takes care of them with the added bonus of more real tomato flavor). This is when I add a little EVOO and fresh basil. (some add basil sprigs at the end to infuse more flavor).

I then simmer the blended sauce again for another hour or two until I reach a thicker consistency and deeper color/flavor.  This allows the extra water content of the tomatoes to evaporate, leaving behind the rich, slightly tart, fresh garden flavored tomato sauce I like with pasta, topped with cheese and pieces of fresh basil. I allow it to cool to lukewarm then freeze in separate meal portions.

Now back to the kitchen, where today's green beans need some attention... onto that task