Freezing tomatoes

As the local tomatoes come into season here in New England, I'm known for buying more tomatoes than I can use before they go bad. On the recommendation of a girlfriend, I started dicing them and freezing them for later use in dishes such as black bean sloppy joe or eggplant, meat and tomato with spices. I will note I've only done this with “regular” tomatoes or the round red tomatoes with a relatively sturdy skin. 

To freeze tomatoes, you’ll need: 

Sandwich size ziploc storage bags,--I recommend one bag per medium/large tomato 

Quart or Gallon size freezer safe ziploc storage bags,--one quart size bag will hold 3 - 4 diced tomatoes

Knife 

Cutting board 

Wash and dry tomatoes. 

Dice tomatoes and place in ziploc sandwich bag. One bag per tomato recommended. Repeat as many times as needed. 

When all tomatoes have been diced and bagged, seal sandwich bags. 

Put sandwich bags into freezer safe quart or gallon size ziploc bag. You should be able to fit 3 - 4 bags of tomatoes into one quart size bag. Seal freezer safe bag and put in freezer. 

The tomatoes will keep for about 4 – 6 months and can be used in most recipes which call for cooking diced tomatoes such as black bean sloppy joe and eggplant, meat and tomato with spices. Keep in mind, the longer the tomatoes are in the freezer they more likely they are to lose flavor. 

When ready to use, remove the number of tomatoes/bags from the freezer. Let thaw on the kitchen countertop for 3 - 15 minutes or until you can break up diced tomatoes with hands while in bag on countertop. Open bag and add tomatoes to recipe.

Diced tomatoes, ready for the freezer

Whole wheat flat bread

Whole wheat flat bread (makes 4 – 6 servings) 

Several years ago I was in search of a bread recipe which didn't require me to light the oven. As much as I love homemade bread I don't love having to light the oven during a hot summer. The results of this search was this recipe which is a no knead, stove top flat bread which can be made in under an hour. Unfortunately, I don't remember which recipes I found in my search which inspired this one. The result is a rich tasting bread. Depending upon the size of your flat bread this recipe yields 4 – 6 servings. 

 

Whole wheat flat bread (makes 4 – 6 servings) 

2 cups plus ¼ cup whole wheat flour 

½ teaspoon salt or 1/8 – 3/8 teaspoon kosher salt 

3 ½ tablespoons butter, olive oil or canola oil 

¾ cup milk or vegan beverage substitute 

½ tablespoon olive or canola oil 

Place butter/oil and milk in a large microwave safe bowl. Heat until butter is melted about 45 seconds to 1 minute. Lightly stir to combine. 

 

Mix in 2 cups flour and salt to make dough. Let dough rest at room temperature for 5 to 30 minutes. 

 

Cut dough into equal size pieces. Roll each piece into a ball. Flour dough ball lightly using remaining ¼ cup flour and then roll into 1/8 inch round between two sheets of waxed paper. Carefully lift both pieces of wax paper from dough. Hang rolled flat bread over side of mixing bowl. Repeat until all pieces have been rolled flat. 

 

Heat ½ tablespoon olive or canola oil in non-stick pan over low-medium heat. 

 

Place one flatbread in pan, cook for 1 – 1 ½ minutes,--it may bubble,--flip to other side pressing down with a spatula if it puffs. Bread is cooked when there are smallish golden brown spots on both sides. 

 

Placed cook bread on cooling rack or cutting board. Repeat with all pieces of flatbread. 

 

Serve and store any leftover bread in airtight container in refrigerator for up to 1 week. 

 

Not quite round flatbread 

ready to serve

 

Chickpea flour flat bread

 On a recent shopping trip, I needed to pick up more chickpea or garbanzo bean flour as I'd used the last of what I had in the house to make buffalo cauliflower. The original recipe for this flat bread was on the back of the garbanzo bean flour bag. 

Known by several different names in Europe, Northern Africa and South America, including Socca and Farinata, this is a savory, quick and versatile recipe whose batter can be used to make crackers or pizza dough as well as a bread. It is also dairy, gluten, corn, soy and yeast free. 

Chickpea flour flat bread (makes one 10-inch flatbread) 

1 cup chickpea or garbanzo bean flour 

¼ teaspoon black pepper 

¼ teaspoon garlic powder (optional) 

1 cup warm water 

1 tablespoon olive or canola oil 

1 teaspoon italian seasoning or other fresh or dried herbs (optional) 

Non-stick cooking spray 

In a medium-size bowl, mix the garbanzo bean flour, pepper and garlic powder. Whisk the water and oil into the flour mixture until completely combined. Add italian seasoning or other herbs and lightly whisk until combined. Set aside. 

Place oven rack on middle rung. Preheat oven to 450 degrees farenheit. Place 10-inch or larger oven safe skillet in oven for 5 minutes as oven preheats. 

Remove skillet from oven and liberally spray with non-stick cooking spray. Pour batter into center of heated pan. Bake in oven for 10-15 minutes or until set and golden brown. 

If making bread, use a wide spatula to remove bread from pan. Cool 1 minute and serve. 

If making pizza, top flatbread with your favorite pizza toppings and return to oven for an additional 5 to 15 minutes watching carefully to ensure toppings don't burn. Remove from pan using a wide spatula. 

Cool 1 minute and serve. Serve and store any leftover bread in airtight container in refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Chickpea flour flatbread cooling before serving

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies (makes about 18 – 24 cookies)

This is a quick drop cookie recipe which is a variation of a Cowboy Cookie (a basic oatmeal chocolate chip cookie in this case) recipe which appeared in the September 16, 1992 edition of the Boston Globe. The smaller you make the cookies, the higher the yield. 

Oatmeal raisin cookies 

¼ cup (1 stick) butter or margarine 

½ cup white sugar 

½ cup brown sugar 

1 egg 

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract  

1 ½ cups quick cook oats 

1 cup all-purpose flour 

1/4 teaspoon baking soda 

¼ teaspoon baking powder 

1 cup raisins 

1) Place oven rack on middle rung and pre-heat oven to 350 degrees farneheit. 

2) In a large mixing bowl cream butter, sugars. If using electric mixer, cream for 1 minute. 

3) Beat in egg, and vanilla extract. 

4) Stir in oats, flour, baking soda and baking powder.  

5) Drop dough by rounded tablespoons onto non-stick cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake in oven for 10 – 15 minutes or until lightly golden. Remove from own and cool cookies on wire rack. 

6) Repeat step 5 as many times as needed. Serve or store cooled cookies in airtight container.

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

This is a variation of my Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe which I created after developing an intolerance for chocolate. Loving sweets as I do, this is one of my favorites quick cookie recipes. 

This makes about 24 - 36 cookies depending upon how big your rounded teaspoons are. If the butter is melted, not softened, the cookies will spread and flatten during baking resulting in a thinner, crispier cookie. 

½ cup butter

½ cup sugar 

¼ cup brown sugar 

1 large egg 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

1 cup flour 

½ teaspoon baking powder 

1 cup (6 ounces) white chocolate chips 

½ cup chopped macadamia nuts 

Place oven rack on middle run setting.  

Preheat oven to 375 degrees farenheit. 

In medium to large microwave safe bowl melt butter. 

Stir in sugars, eggs and vanilla extract by hand lightly until combined. 

Stir in flour and baking powder until well blended. 

Add white chocolate chips and gently mix until incorporated in batter (about 10 – 25 strokes if mixing by hand).  Add macadamia nuts and once again gently mix until incorporated in batter (about 10 – 25 strokes if mixing by hand). 

Drop dough by rounded teaspoons onto non-stick cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. 

Bake 10 – 12 minutes or until edges of cookies start to brown. 

Remove from pan immediately to cooling rack. 

Cool completely before serving. Store any leftovers in air tight container.

Chocolate Chippers (or Chocolate Chip Cookies)

Chocolate Chippers is the name of the Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe in my mother's 7th edition Better Homes and Garden Cookbook. This is the first recipe I learned to make from scratch and is the basis for my Chocolate Chip Pan Cookies.  

This makes about 24 - 36 cookies depending upon how big your rounded teaspoons are.   If the butter is melted, not softened, the cookies will spread and flatten during baking resulting in a thinner, crispier cookie. 

½ cup butter 

½ cup sugar 

¼ cup brown sugar 

1 large egg 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

1 cup flour 

½ teaspoon baking powder 

1 cup (6 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional) 

½ cup chopped walnuts or chopped pecans 

Place oven rack on middle run setting. 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees farenheit. 

In medium to large microwave safe bowl soften butter to make batter easier to mix. 

Stir in sugars, egg and vanilla extract by hand lightly until combined. 

Stir in flour and baking powder until well blended. 

Add chocolate chips and nuts (if using) and gently mix until incorporated in batter (about 10 – 25 strokes if mixing by hand). 

Drop dough by rounded teaspoons onto non-stick cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. 

Bake 10 – 12 minutes or until edges of cookies start to brown. 

Remove from pan immediately to cooling rack. 

Cool completely before serving. Store any leftovers in air tight container.

M&M Cookies

Loving sweets as I do, this is one of my favorites quick cookie recipes. 

½ cup butter 

½ cup sugar 

¼ cup brown sugar 

1 large egg 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

1 cup flour 

½ teaspoon baking powder 

1 cup (6 ounces) M&M original semi-sweet candies 

1) Place oven rack on middle run setting. Preheat oven to 375 degrees farenheit. 

2) In medium to large microwave safe bowl melt butter. 

3) Stir in sugars, egg and vanilla extract by hand lightly until combined. 

4) Stir in flour and baking powder until well blended. 

5) Add M&M candies and gently mix until incorporated in batter (about 10 – 25 strokes if mixing by hand). 

6) Drop dough by rounded teaspoons onto non-stick cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. 

7) Bake 10 – 12 minutes or until edges of cookies start to brown. 

8) Remove from pan immediately to cooling rack. 

9) Cool completely before serving. Store any leftovers in air tight container.