Homemade Foods With Organic Tomato Plants

Soup and Sandwiches

• Slice beefsteak tomatoes into thick slices for any deli-style sandwich or burger. Add fresh tomato slices to grilled cheese sandwiches or make a BLT. Vine-ripened, organic tomatoes make delicious sandwiches on their own, or add fresh basil leaves and a little feta, asiago or mozzarella cheese. Gazpacho is a simple tomato soup that is served chilled. Make simple tomato basil soup with fresh tomatoes, basil and a little salt and pepper. Add fresh or roasted tomatoes to minestrone and other soups with pasta, beans or grains.

Main Courses

• Tomatoes are key to ratatouille. This stew from Provence has variations, but usually includes tomato, eggplant, onion, garlic, zucchini and bell peppers. Roast tomatoes and combine with other vegetables in a casserole. Top homemade pizza with fresh tomato slices. Stuff tomatoes with rice, meat or other chopped vegetables and bake. Add roma tomatoes to cabbage rolls. Add homemade tomato sauce or roasted tomatoes to chili con carne or other beef stews. Can or freeze homemade tomato sauce in containers that are suitable for one meal. Add herbs or vegetables before freezing for a pre-made spaghetti or pizza sauce. Homemade tomato sauce is also ready for lasagna and other pasta dishes.

Quick Meals and Salads

• Cut fresh tomatoes into wedges and toss with pasta and a little olive oil, or add to stir-fry dishes with beef or chicken. Fold fresh tomatoes or salsa into an omelet with bell peppers and your favorite cheese. Add cherry or grape tomatoes, whole or halved, to green salads, lentil and pasta salads. Mix chopped fresh tomatoes with onion and bell peppers for a fresh salad, or add chili peppers and cilantro for salsa. Make bruschetta with tomatoes and garlic. Highlight your freshest, ripest roma tomatoes by combining with fresh mozzarella, basil and olive oil for a caprese salad.

Green Tomatoes

• Fried green tomatoes are a Southern dish that gained fame with a novel by Fannie Flagg and movie of the same name. Beat an egg with a little water. Slice unripe beefsteak or other large slicing tomatoes into ½-inch slices. Coat both sides with a mixture of flour, cornmeal, salt and pepper. Fry in olive or vegetable oil for a few minutes on each side. Serve plain or with your favorite sauce or seasonings.