Monday, July 30, 2012

How to Use Cherry Tomatoes: Sun Dried Tomatoes

I think the cherry tomato is the one plant that is guaranteed to provide you with a bountiful harvest. While everything else in my garden is refusing to produce because of the drought, the cherry tomatoes just keep on chugging! This year I planted Large Red Cherry Tomatoes. These things are ginormous! There was no way I could just use them for salads, so I had to come up with a way to use them up. Well, I made a batch of salsa with them because I had a packet of store bought salsa mix laying around. That used up about 6lbs of them, but they were still pouring in.

So, I decided to make "Sun" Dried Tomatoes. I admit, I cheated. They would never dry out in our Indiana sun (although they might have during the heat wave last month!) so I popped them in the oven!

These are super easy to make. They take very little prep time, five minutes hands on and the rest of the time they just sit in the oven.

Simply wash and slice the cherry tomatoes in half. I tossed them in a little bit of olive oil, Italian seasoning and sea salt.


 Spread across a baking sheet and let them sit in the oven at about 150-200 degrees F for several hours until they are dried out. If your oven can't go that low, just put it on as low as it will go. You will need to keep a close eye on it though. The second batch I made was a little crispier than I would have liked, but they are still delicious!


This post is linked to:

The Country Garden Showcase

Barn Hop #73

The Country Homemaker Hop #31

Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways #38

Little House in the Suburbs DIY Linky #10

Freaky Friday Linky

Growing Home

OffTheGridAt-30



10 comments:

  1. I've never tried this, yet, but it's a great way to preserve tomatoes. I found your blog through Tuesday's blog hop at Off the Grid At -30!

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  2. Yum!!! I love sundried tomato's! Thanks for linking this to "I Did It!" Tuesday! :)

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  3. I'm going to have to try these. We love sundried tomatoes!

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  4. You've inspired me to go ahead and grow cherry tomatoes! I always opt out because they are so prolific. But this is a great way to add a delicious condiment to the pantry from our own garden! Thanks for the idea!!!

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  5. Nichole I have to say cherry tomatoes do wonderful around here in Coastal NC and I have dried lots! I also wanted to thank you for posting my Saturday Homesteading Trading Post logo on your blog if you have a specific badge or logo I would love to place it on my side bar for you too :) Have a wonderful Saturday! You can email me it to lilsuburbanhomestead@gmail.com

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    1. It is my pleasure! I will have to send you one when I actually get around to making one! lol

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  6. These look so yummy that I selected this post as featured in this week's Homesteading Link Up! Thanks for joining and and stop by and link up this week! http://farmersdaughterct.com/2012/08/17/homesteading-link-up-and-sun-dried-cherry-tomatoes/

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    1. Thank you so much! I love looking through all of the links. :) I really appreciate it.

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  7. You've saved me! I don't know why I didn't think of doing this. Now, I'm not so afraid of that big bucket of tomatoes waiting for me. Yippee!

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