Fried Green Tomatoes

I'm very excited because last night was the first time that I ate some of my tomatoes. Yes, they are green. I've been very open with the fact that the only reason I chose beefsteak tomatoes is because I think they make the best fried green tomatoes. They get nice and big before they turn red and they have a great tart flavor that goes great with the seasonings in the batter.

My tomatoes turned out great! They were so tasty and perfect. I think that next time I will wait for the tomatoes to get a little bigger before i fry them up, but just because then I will have more tomato to eat! Yum!

The napkin says fresh fit, and while these were as fresh as it gets, they are definitely not fit!

Sun Dried Tomatoes

I got this recipe from TipNut.com, which is a great site to get all kind of useful tips for home, garden, and crafts as well. I love sun dried tomatoes, but man are they pricey! Now I'm not going to have to pay for them, and I can enjoy them in my salads this Summer!

Traditionally sun dried tomatoes were made by laying out freshly cut pieces of tomatoes in the sun to bake in the natural heat for days (the tomato pieces were first covered in cheesecloth). Nowadays, we use the oven. In just a few hours, you can have bags to freeze or jars of homemade sun dried tomatoes covered in olive oil. Use in pastas, on top of pizzas, in sauces, etc. If you have a bumper crop of fresh tomatoes from the garden, drying them in the oven is a great way to preserve them for future use.

Homemade Sun Dried Tomatoes

• Preheat oven to 200° F.


• Gently wash & dry the tomatoes, cut into pieces then scoop out the seeds.


• Place the tomato pieces cut side up on a rack or cookie sheet, do not allow the tomato pieces to touch each other, drizzle or brush a bit of olive oil over them then lightly sprinkle with salt.


• Place in oven and cook 6 to 8 hours or when done–they will be shrunken, leathery looking yet still flexible.

Storage Tips:
Pack the dried tomato pieces in sterilized jars, cover with extra virgin olive oil (make sure each piece of tomato is fully covered in oil) and seal. For extra flavor, add herbs such as basil. The flavored oil can be used in cooking and on vegetables or salad. Keep the jars of tomatoes refrigerated bringing them to room temperature before using.
Pack tomato pieces in freezer bags, remove as much air as possible, then freeze.

Pasta Salad From My Garden

Here is a dish that I am excited to make once I start harvesting my garden. Thinking about the fresh produce that I am going to have on hand has me excited to prepare new foods highlighting my vegetables.

Italian Inspired Pasta Salad

• 1 (8 oz) package Angel Hair pasta


• 2 chopped tomatoes fresh from my garden


• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese


• 1/2 cup Italian dressing

1. Boil pasta 8 - 10 minutes, drain and place in service bowl


2. Toss pasta with dressing and tomatoes, top with Parmesan cheese and serve

I don't know about you, but I think this sounds like it would be great served chilled and with some feta cheese. I think I will try it that way and let you know how it goes.

As I am looking into which recipes I plan to create, I get more ideas for new plants that I want to grow as well! My list of most wanted vegetables now include a jalapeno, zucchini, cucumber, and carrots. I also think I would benefit from some herbs as well, which previously I had not considered. Basil and cilantro are soon to come, I'm sure!