If not canning, what else can I do with a ton of garden tomatoes!

[Mummandherboys]

My kids all enjoy eating them as they are (the cherry/grape tomato ones) but now we have larger ones and medium sized ones as well as the small ones, from our garden. We do have a vitamix and so I know I can do things with them...but I am lost to start! What can I do with them before they all go bad on me??
Thanks so much for any ideas!!

[MeCo7707]

My kids love them dried, I dry them out then vacuum seal them and put them in the freezer, use them in soups/chili/smoothies and for snacks.

[vjbakke]

Blanch and freeze them, then in the future you can plan and make sauces and more. Also dehydrating is a good thing to if you have a dehydrator.

[Mummandherboys]

Originally Posted by vjbakke Blanch and freeze them, then in the future you can plan and make sauces and more. Also dehydrating is a good thing to if you have a dehydrator.

This was the other idea...blanching them... heard of this...but don't know what that means... I would love more instructions!

[jbug_4]

soup, salsa- I love fresh salsa, spaghetti sauce, pizza sauce, tomato juice, V-8 style juice . Dh loves V8, I think its one of most disgusting things ever made. home made ketchup, chili, bruschetta, tomato and cucumber salad, thats all I can think of right now. I love tomatoes- hate tomato soup, juice and v8 but LOVE pretty much all other tomato products.

[Only]

Mmm, homemade salsa!

[MeCo7707]

you should be able to dehydrate in your oven right? I do it to onions and peppers all the time...although I don't know if you want your oven on all day in this kind of heat

[Mummandherboys]

Originally Posted by MeCo7707 you should be able to dehydrate in your oven right? I do it to onions and peppers all the time...although I don't know if you want your oven on all day in this kind of heat

I have heard of doing this...but don't have the first clue on how to... tell me more please

Thanks for all the ideas ladies! I love the idea of somehow freezing them for later use for spagetti and pizza sauces...but am not sure how to do this?? This is our first time growing them ourselves. Thank you again!

[li'l skeeter]

Our new favorite: rough chop 'em, place on baking sheet, drizzle with a little olive oil, and bake in oven on low (250 F) until all the juices are mostly evaporated, turn off oven and leave sit over night. Puree 'em up in the food processor with some fresh basil, garlic, etc. and use as a pizza sauce, campfire puggie pies, or mix in with spag. sauce

[CMamma]

I made a bunch of different pickled items today & put some toms in with them. Something a little different