After planting tomatoes in the spring, every gardener waits with anticipation for the first little yellow flower. The first small green globe appears and slowly transitions from a glorious green tomato to a red ripe glorious garden tomato. With visions of tomato sandwiches dancing in my head, I watch and wait.

However, by late August and early September, I am overwhelmed with tomatoes, thankfully. Overwhelmed is an understatement. So what to do? How to save the summer goodness for the rest of the year?

I stew the tomatoes, lots and lots of tomatoes. The reason I stew the tomatoes is that you can really do anything with the tomatoes at that point, chili, tomato sauce, ketchup, and tomato paste or spaghetti sauce.

The process is very easy.

• Harvest your beauties.

• Clean and quarter your tomatoes removing the center.
• Some people seed their tomatoes at this point; I don’t mind the seeds so I don’t.

• Put in pot over very low heat and stir occasionally. You can season the tomatoes but I do not as I want a blank slate to start with when I use the tomatoes.

• Once the tomatoes have broken down, turn off the heat and allow to cool.
  

• At this point, I look for tomato skins but again, they don’t bother me so I do not look hard.

• Once cooled, ladle into freezer bags and freeze.

You will have a bounty of summer goodness when the winter rolls in. Enjoy!

Cynthia

http://www.accomplishedwoman.blogspot.com/