Canning/freezing Tomato recipes

[country lady]

While making chili this morning and using my last jar of canned tomatoes (also reading Angie's blog about tomatoes yesterday), I am all ready thinking of preserving tomatoes this summer. A kind BYC lady recommended Annie's salsa recipe a couple of years ago when I was looking for a salsa recipe and this salsa is so good! I canned and froze salsa. I also froze spaghetti sauce and paste last year. The only down side was that the recipes called for seeded tomatoes which would require a bushel of tomatoes. I didn't have enough tomatoes because I shared with a neighbor. This year I plan to plant a lot of tomatoes! I know a lot of people complain about school lunches, but many years ago the lunches were delicious--a classmate whose mother was my teacher agrees. Their homemade chili was delicious made with whole tomatoes added. That with cornbread or a P & B sandwich puts me back to my childhood. So good and w/o additives, etc. Do any of you can/freeze tomato goodies? Have a treasured recipe to share with us?

 

[Scoop]

I don't actually use a recipe. I just skin and freeze tomatoes until I have enough to do a huge potful. Then I thaw the tomatoes out overnight in the sink. In the morning I put them all in a big black canner pot and add whatever I'm in the mood for. Chives, garlic, thyme, oregano, basil, onions, whatever. I cook it down a bit so it's not watery and then can it. So much better than anything you can buy! (I can my everything in a pressure canner)

 

[country lady]

Scoop, I also toss tomatoes in the freezer at times. Wasn't that a great idea? My 90 year old aunt who lived on a farm told us about that years ago and we thought freezing tomatoes was the best thing since sliced bread. I use a pressure cooker, too, and sterilize everything. I like to work up tomatoes promptly in the summer when I have fresh herbs. I really need to learn more about cooking and canning with herbs. I do grow a lot of basil for pesto and parsley. (Who could cook w/o onions!) My southern grandmother made the best chicken and dressing because she knew just how to season the dressing.

 

[Scoop]

Yeah, I like how the freezer seems to break them down a bit. Then on canning day so much of the work is already done! It's the only way I want to do them any more! I also do stewed tomatoes. Basically, it's just tomatoes and celery I think. Just a nice different taste.

 

[AhBee01]

I do the Annie's salsa! I just read on the forum where I got that recipe from, and they take a jar of the salsa, add a little chicken broth to it along with a can of rinsed black beans and some corn, say it makes a really yummy salsa soup!!!! I will be trying that soon!
I can tomatoes and also freeze them, I have made sauce and froze it, haven't canned sauce yet, want to though!
To be safe make sure you read up on the canning tomatoes recipes to make sure they can be canned safely, even used a pressure canner you have to use tested recipes!
I know basil gets bitter when canned, so a lot of people freeze it and add to sauce or their dishes after opening them!
You can add basil, I've seen it in the Ball blue book in a recipe, but people have said it get's bitter!
I know it is recommended that bottled lemon juice or citric acid should be added to tomatoes because of all the verities of tomatoes out there that have reduced acid!
I use Annie's salsa for a salsa chicken recipe, add it to chili, and use it as a base for my Sloppy Joes, Brown your hamb. drain it, add the salsa, and a small can of plain tomato sauce and there is the best Sloppy Joes ever!
Have fun, plant extra tomatoes!
They have updated Annie's Salsa recipe, I will post the updates if you would like!

 

[country lady]

Thanks for the offer of salsa update, AhBee01, but unless the update is very recent I believe I used an update. I have a lot of scribbling on that recipe sheet.

 

[AhBee01]

Just make sure one of the adjustments is a full cup of vinegar, or any combo of bottled lemon or lime juice to equal one cup!
It is only recommended to water bath, in pints or smaller for 15 minutes. Makes about 6 pints.
>Cannot BWB quarts!

 

[country lady]

AhBee01, my notes on Annie's salsa read: 1 cup of vinegar if water bath, 1/4 cup of sugar, and 8 oz. of tomato paste (instead of 16 oz). Are those the changes that you have? We love this salsa. It freezes well too. I like to can a little of everything just in case our electricity is out for a good while.

 

[Zanna]

Cooking right now........... Brown hamburger and onions in a large pot, pull frozen tomatoes out of freezer, run under hot water and easily remove skins, add to burger/onion, also add frozen zuccini (or other frozen squash: crookneck, etc.), frozen (pre-fried) chanterelle mushrooms (or fry fresh mushrooms with burger), add a container of tomato sauce/paste (also made in the summer and frozen), get everything thawed and mixed and add long grain rice, simmer for 40 min., add salt/pepper/spices to taste and Le Voila, Zucinni Gook

I Have also added corn and made other variations of this.

 

[country lady]

Mmmmm! Zanna, what time is supper?