I have way more tomatoes coming out of my garden than I can deal with right now. In years past, I would rinse them, cut off the stems, put a few cups into storage bags, and store in the chest freezer in the basement. This is a great way to store tomatoes if you have the freezer space. They can be thawed and used to make soups and sauces throughout the year. This year, however, being in the throes of a home sale/purchase, and facing an impending move, I had already defrosted and cleaned out the freezer, so that wasn't an option. Also, I am not motivated to process and can tomatoes right now, what with the start of a new school year and the above-mentioned move. I have shared some at work, but I am picking more and more every day - more than we can possibly consume. It occurred to me the other day that sundried tomatoes are delicious, take up small amounts of space, can be stored for long periods of time, and are probably pretty easy to make. The photo to the left shows my finished product. I started with a lot of freshly-picked Roma tomatoes. I cut them in half and placed them on a cookie sheet, insides facing up as below. I then put them in a 250 degree oven for about 4 hours. I turned the oven off and let them sit overnight. In the morning, they looked like the tomatoes in the photo below. They weren't quite dried enough, so I put them out on the deck before I left for work in the morning. (It was a hot, sunny day.) When I got home 10 hours later, they were drier, but still not completely dehydrated. I put them back into a 250 degree oven for another hour that evening, and they were perfect. This process obviously involved a lot of trial and error. I think when I do this again, I will leave them in the oven for 6-7 hours at 250 degrees and that should finish them nicely. If I were home during the day, and if the weather were right, it would be fun to try drying them in the sun only, but it seems that it would take longer, maybe even several days. Once finished, I placed them in a glass container and mixed them with some olive oil, basil, a pinch of salt, and bouquet garni. They can be stored in the fridge this way for several months. Alternatively, you can leave them dry and store in a sealed bag at room temperature.
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AuthorI'm Emily. I currently work in online education management, but I also have a Masters degree in Nutritional Sciences (my true passion). In addition, I am a mom, cook, avid reader, novice gardener, and enjoy all kinds of outdoor activities. On my blog, you will find articles on food, fitness, weight management, and eating issues. ALL recipes on my blog are gluten-free. Many are low-carbohydrate. Most are grain free. Enjoy! Categories
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June 2019
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