There was a terrific storm the other night-rain, hail, wind. . . the kind of storm where you have to run around the house shutting all the windows because water is splashing inside from all directions.
When the fury was done I headed outside to see the damage. Plenty of small branches down, leaves plastered to the side of the house (I see a power washer in our future. Again.) and debris all over my driveway.
When I headed back to the vegetable garden (aka my pride and joy) every single one of my tomato cages were lying on their sides. So I pulled them upright and drove large wooden stakes down through the rings to help hold the cages up. Then I noticed that one nice, large bunch of green tomatoes was broken off. So here is a new “Frugal Living In Action” (FLIA) for you to help out with:
These are my “Orange Amana” tomatoes-nice and large as you can see, but not even a blush of pink or orange on them yet. So what can I do with green tomatoes?
The first two ideas that come to mind for using them up are Fried Green Tomatoes or Green tomato bread.
What ideas or recipes do you have for using up green tomatoes?
Heather says
Last summer was not a good one for tomatoes here in WI. Mine were green when the frost was headed in so I picked them and made a really good green tomato salsa that I froze and used as a salsa verde when making chicken enchiladas and as salsa with chips as well. I was happy to not waste them and we loved having a new type of sauce to use with enchiladas!
Heather
Nancy says
Those tomatoes are so pretty! Here’s a link to a blog by a chef who works on a CSA farm. It’s a blog that’s a regular read for me. She makes amazing recipes that are healthy and delicious! I have found myself trying some new and different veggies thanks to her. The link will take you to her healthier recipe for fried green tomatoes. Other than that, I am not sure what else you do with green tomatoes. I’ll be interested to see what people come up with.
http://www.thefrontburnerblog.com/2010/07/healthy-versions-of-southern-classics.html
Barbara says
Mock apple pie. But, Fried Green Tomatoes are yummy. How about a Fried Green Tomato, bacon, lettuce sandwich?
Rachel says
I have a recipe for green tomato relish, but I haven’t tried it yet.
Jenn @ Frugal Upstate says
Rachel-I’d love to hear what you think of the green tomato relish once you try it-here in the great north east we are almost always guaranteed to hit frost while there are still green tomatoes on the vine.
Barbara-Mock apple pie? Tell me more! Also-I had the same thought about the BLT and included a link to a great looking recipe on my Fried Green Tomato recipe post 😉
Nancy-Wow, that CSA blog is fantastic! I love her idea for healthier “fried” green tomatoes-but she didn’t include her oven temp, which makes it a bit difficult to replicate. i’m going to have to email her.
Ashly @ The Crunchy Conscience says
Someone just told me a couple days ago that if you wrap green tomatoes in newspaper and let them sit a couple days they’ll ripen.
Judy says
I let mine sit on an outside shelf in the sun to ripen. When it gets cooler out I will sit them in my windows in the sun.