Roasted Tomatoes

In a large roasting pan put the following:

Tomatoes cut in half
1 ½ onion cut into quarters
5or 6 large garlic cloves
Handful of baby carrots
1/3 cup olive oil
Sprinkle of salt

Do the onion and carrots and garlic first and then fill the pan with the tomatoes. Do not stack on top of each other. Drizzle the olive oil over the cut up vegetables and then toss with your hands. Make sure that you adequately coat the veges.

Roast at 300 degrees for 3 hours or more. When the liquid is mostly gone then they are done.

Scoop them into your blender and really blend them. You don't want chunks (at least my kids don't). Pour into zip lock baggies or plastic containers.


Recipes you can make out of the Roasted Tomatoes

Tuscan Tomato Soup
1 baggie of roasted tomatoes
1 tbsp. chicken granules
1 can evaporated milk or cream
1 cup water (or less for desired thickness)
2 heaping tbsp. of Pesto (you can buy at Costco or make your own)

Heat the roasted tomatoes and then add the rest of the ingredients. Do not boil as it might curdle. Enjoy! Great with crusty bread on a cold day.

Spaghetti Sauce
Brown ½ pound Italian Sausage and ½ pound hamburger
Add the baggie of roasted tomatoes
Add a handful of fresh parsley- chopped – stems removed
Add a handful of fresh basil – chopped – stems removed
1 tbsp. of fresh oregano – chopped
Heat through and serve over spaghetti or pasta

Recipe for Pesto
¼ cup olive oil
½ cup chopped walnuts or pine nuts (I use pine nuts)
2 cups firmly packed fresh basil leaves – pulled off the stems
½ cup grated parmesan cheese or romano cheese
4 cloves garlic – peeled and quartered
¼ tsp. salt

~ Tawna

Note from Nicole: I remember Tawna roasting tomatoes from her garden each summer. It was one of her favorite ways to enjoy tomatoes - right behind a nice fresh BLT.