On multiple occasions this summer, I have found myself in a very unique situation.
Tomato Recipe Round Up: a plethora of fun and fabulous recipes for your bevy of beautiful tomatoes.
I’ve started hoarding; food, that is. Kiss My Broccoli might call it collecting, although my self-diagnosed OCD won’t let me call it anything other than hoarding.
To be clear, I’ve got nothing against hoarders (everybody has “issues,” myself included), but I’m the furthest possible thing from a hoarder. The very idea of clutter offends me, and in my world and most certainly my home, every single item has its own and very appropriate place. There is organization, there is structure, and there is a plan for every single thing which comes through my door, mail included. My spices and DVD’s are alphabetized and as far as junk drawers go, well you can bet I clean and reorganize mine at least twice a year. I also know exactly what’s in there at any given moment.
Hell hath no fury like a woman who finds something which isn’t in its proper place. When that happens, my mind usually says, “What the hell is the cheese grater doing with the other random kitchen utensils, when it clearly belongs in the more commonly used kitchen utensil drawer? Dammit. How am I suppose to find anything in this house. This is ridiculous.” What usually comes out of my mouth, in my most professional of voices, goes something like this: “Now honey, you know this doesn’t belong here. Where do you think it should go?” Taps foot impatiently, while staring pointedly at my victim, with arms folded across my chest.
Oh yeah, I’m a real peach to live with. Now before you go feeling all sorry for the Hubby, keep in mind, I give him copious amounts of food and that other thing (wink, wink) so he’s making out just fine.
Despite my very clear neurosis and my decluttering ways, I have found myself hoarding food; tomatoes to be exact. Sure, I usually get a bunch in the food share every week, but I also have a few tomato plants of my own that are really kicking into high gear. Normally that would be more than enough for most folks, but as we’ve all learned in today’s intro, I’m not like most folks. So I’ve been buying tomatoes in bulk at the farmers market, and I’m gracefully accepting tomatoes from the in-laws. For every one tomato plant I put in, they grew ten so they’re more than willing to share, and I’m happy to be the dutiful daughter-in-law, doing my part.
Just a typical weekend with me and my tomatoes.
If you were to walk into my home, you’d find a plethora of tomatoes adorning my counters. Of course, they’re in a very neat and orderly fashion; I wouldn’t have it any other way. I suspect if you receive a food share or if your in-laws grew too many tomato plants, you might find yourself in a similar predicament, although maybe you’d allow your tomatoes to run rampant across whatever surface they’re on; shudder.
In any event, if you’ve got tomatoes, I’ve got plenty of great ideas for you.
Cold Green Bean Salad with Cucumbers, Red Onions and Grape Tomatoes.
Greek Salad: romaine lettuce topped with Feta, cucumbers, homemade croutons, diced tomatoes, green onions, artichoke hearts and Kalamata olives.
Tomato Basil Soup
Tomato Basil Salad with Cucumber and Kalamata Olives
Easy Breeze Beautiful Caprese Salad.
Tomato Pesto. Aside from straight up pesto dipping, this makes a great pizza or pasta sauce. It freezes amazingly well too.
Fattoush Dip with Hummus.
Tomato Sauce. I make my own pasta sauce all the time in the fall, so I plan on making notes and getting you an actual recipe this season. Stay tuned.
Spaghetti with Garlic, Tomatoes, Olives and Feta.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a farmers market to get ready for so I can buy some more lovely and local tomatoes. It’s not too late to get your hands on some either.
Are you still getting late summer tomatoes? What’s you favorite thing to do with them?
Today’s post is shared on the Wednesday’s Fresh Food Link Up, What’s In The Box, and Together Tuesday’s.
Meghan,
Your photos are amazing.
Aw, thanks Kirsten. That really means a lot, and I’m certainly still learning.
Yaaaaay thanks for linking up love! And I SO feel ya. Clutter offends me too, yet I food hoard all the time.
No problem. I will see you on Tuesday my dear.
Ours always go into Tomato and cheese sandwiches or salad. We’re pretty boring! I’m going to have to make that hummus dip, looks fantastic!
I like a good old tomato and cheese sandwich. Nothing boring about that.
Love these ideas. I know what is for dinner tonight, the spaghetti. I even have capers and black olives, but my parsley is curly this week from the CSA.
I’ve made it with the curly parsley before and it’s not quite the same, although definitely still delicious.
Agreed, your pictures are stunning!!! They looks so amazing. As do all the tomatoes! I am so with you, NO CLUTTER please..I will shank anyone that clutters my life! I need all this food..now.
Thanks Britt. I’ve even say about half of these recipes are vegan too. Bonus points for you or more food anyway.
I’ve never heard of fattoush before (but I like the name!). I now have this picture of you in my head, waving a cheese grater at hubby and it’s making me giggle in the most uncontrollable way 🙂
We are not hoarding tomatoes this year sadly, no house =no garden and no neighbor’s garden either. We’ve been eating our fill from the farmstand but its not the same as having them all over everywhere waiting to be used 🙁
Oh I’m sad about your lack of tomato hoarding. If you were my neighbor, I’d share my tomatoes with you. Although I might be waving the cheese grater at you wildly as well.
For awhile there I was a banana hoarder. My great grandma made banana nut bread multiple times a week when she was alive so she always had a lot of bananas too. When she died, I acquired all of her frozen brown bananas. A little creepy/sad, yes, but also very awesome. She had collected and filled about 10 empty Cool Whip containers full of ripe banana puree. Hello frozen banana ice cream heaven! Those puppies lasted a long time and so the banana addiction began 😉
Usually hoarding is passed down from parents to children, however I can happily say that in my family it has worked the opposite and now my parents are proud banana “collecters.” I would imagine that they have at least a dozen on their counters right now and about a gazillion bags of banana slices frozen in the freezer.
Banana hoarding. That’s the kind I can get on board with. I’m probably a little bit of a banana hoarder as well, especially since I have six overripe bananas on my counter at the point. I have grand muffin plans though!
I’m glad to see you’ve rubbed off on your parents in such a positive way.
I tend be a hoarder with eggs….when they get down to 12 its off to by another 18 or 30 pack…opps.
That caprese salad- its easy breezey and beautiful…is it also a cover girl? Thats the next step to amazement 😉
Good luck on your new hoard of tomatoes!
Holy cow; that’s a lot of eggs. I have just under three dozen in the fridge right now and I’m trying to chip away at them because I thought it was way too many. You have me beat though. What do you do with all those eggs?
The Caprese Salad might as well be a cover girl. 🙂
I throw them at my sister.
Actually, here in Australia cartoned egg whites are more expensive than the actual eggs intact! So I usually have 2-3 egg whites for breakfast with 2-3 whole eggs so they add up fast! If I make protein pancakes there goes another 5 egg whites so they fly by!
Wow, I could see how you’d go through a ton with that schedule.
I’m officially down to 1 and 1/2 dozen now, although I’ll be getting another dozen on Thursday so I need to get cracking….eggs, that is.
This makes me even more sad that tomato season is long gone here. But happy that you got some beauties off your potted plants.
And can I admit that I actually really like moving, because its so much fun to streamline and organize my stuff and put it all into neatly labeled boxes? Moving=this organizer’s dream come true. I could make this a habit…
Well then you should add Cleveland to your list of places to move to, since it obviously rocks.
Moving is also a great way to declutter which is a success in and of itself.
I thought I was the only person who had a ‘more commonly used kitchen utensils’ drawer. (Not to be confused with ‘super random kitchen utensils my mom gave me’ or ‘spoons’—as I only have two forks and no table knives…but lots and lots of spoons.)
I would expect no less coming from you, although I might mail you a table knife. They’re pretty handy when it comes to smearing your biscuits in butter.
looks like you have those tomatoes on lock girlfriend 🙂
Thanks for sharing and linking up!
ps: i alphabetize everything as well…what about color coordinating?
Oh yes, especially when it comes to food.