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Farm Kitchen:  Oodles of Little Green Tomatoes... What To Do?  |
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Ninibini
True Blue Farmgirl
7577 Posts
Nini
Pennsylvania
USA
7577 Posts |
 Posted - Sep 25 2012 : 8:33:25 PM
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Hi girls -
The night before last we had a frost warning, so my husband and I went out and picked all the little green tomatoes off the already dying vines. I've got about 2 very full gallons of a mix of green cherry, little green roma and little green beefsteak tomatoes, and haven't a clue what to do with them. Any ideas? Will they ripen to red? Are they worth saving? Is there anything special I can make with them? I just hate wasting anything... So, any suggestions will be much appreciated!
Thanks so much in advance!
Nini
Farmgirl Sister #1974
God gave us two hands... one to help ourselves, and one to help others!
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Okie Farm Girl
True Blue Farmgirl
1674 Posts
Mary Beth
McLoud
Oklahoma
USA
1674 Posts |
Posted - Sep 25 2012 : 9:04:14 PM
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We love green tomato relish made with the green tomatoes and onions. There are many recipes online. But also, if you want them to ripen, wrap them in squares of newspaper and put them into a box or boxes in a single layer and then close the boxes and wait a few weeks. Voila! You will have red tomatoes! :-)
Mary Beth
www.OklahomaPastryCloth.com
www.Oklahomapastrycloth.com/blog
The Sovereign Lord is my strength - Habakkuk 3:19 |
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rough start farmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
3331 Posts
marianne
The Beautiful Pacific NW
Washington State
USA
3331 Posts |
Posted - Sep 26 2012 : 03:39:06 AM
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I have had great luck keeping green tomatoes on a wire shelf in our garage until I want to bring them into the house,set them near bananas or other ripe fruit and let them ripen over about two days. good luck
Marianne
I have also had good luck stimulating plants to ripen tomatoes before you pick them. Once you know the frost is coming, you stip the leaves off the plant and disturb the roots by using a shovel to cut a circle around the base of the plant about eight inches or so away from the stem. Next year you might try that first? |
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FieldsofThyme
Farmgirl Guide & Schoolmarm / Chapter Leader
4928 Posts
USA
4928 Posts |
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mickib
True Blue Farmgirl
267 Posts
Michele
Coeur d'Alene
Idaho
267 Posts |
Posted - Sep 26 2012 : 09:53:52 AM
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| Green tomato salsa is also very good. It tastes really similar to salsa made with tomatillos. |
Edited by - mickib on Sep 27 2012 3:12:32 PM |
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N@n
True Blue Farmgirl
223 Posts
Hackett
Arkansas
USA
223 Posts |
Posted - Sep 26 2012 : 09:58:29 AM
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I just made a batch of green tomato mince meat with all my little romas. My family (well some of them)love this on Thanksgiving.
Here is the recipe I used.
2 pounds green tomatoes
3/4 cup distilled white vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 cups water
3 pounds tart apples - peeled, cored and chopped
1 1/2 pounds raisins
3 3/4 cups packed brown sugar
3 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup butter flavored shortening
Directions
Chop the tomatoes very coarsely. Place tomatoes in a colander and drain, by pressing with your hand, all the tomato juice possible. Put the tomatoes in a large sauce pan with 1 cup of water, heat to boil, drain well.
Put the tomatoes back in the sauce pan with 1 cup of water, heat to boil, drain again.
Now, put the tomatoes back in the sauce pan with one cup of water, apples, raisins, brown sugar, 3 1/2 teaspoons salt, vinegar and 1/2 cup shortening. cook slowly until transparent.(30 min.)Stir often.
In the last 5 minutes of cooking, add cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, lemon rind and juice.
keep searchin'-it's out there somewhere. |
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Ninibini
True Blue Farmgirl
7577 Posts
Nini
Pennsylvania
USA
7577 Posts |
Posted - Sep 26 2012 : 10:08:58 AM
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Thank you SO much, girls! Great ideas! I've never tried green tomato relish or green salsa.. I may just check them out today! And Nan - my Dad LOVES mincemeat! You recipe sounds like something right up his alley! I'm going to have to try that and maybe send him a jar for Christmas! Thank you!!!!
Marianne - I've never even heard of doing that before! I will definitely keep that in my notebook for next year! Awesome! Thank you!!!
I knew you girls would know what to do! Thank you! Kristina - I'm going to check out that link as soon as we're done with homeschool! Thank you!!!
Hugs -
Nini
Farmgirl Sister #1974
God gave us two hands... one to help ourselves, and one to help others!
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soapmommy60543
True Blue Farmgirl
2197 Posts
Ann
Oswego
IL
USA
2197 Posts |
Posted - Sep 26 2012 : 11:09:10 AM
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Don't forget the classic - fried green tomatoes! We had a bunch of greenies lately, and I canned several pints of tomato relish.
Wife of terrific hubby and mom to 2 teenagers, 2 bunnies, 2 geriatric goldfish, and the best dog in the world!
Check out my blog: http://www.suburbanprairiehomemaker.com
and follow me on Facebook (Suburban Prairie Homemaker), Twitter (@sphomemaker), and Pinterest (Suburban Prairie Homemaker)
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Annab
True Blue Farmgirl
2900 Posts
Anna
Seagrove
NC
USA
2900 Posts |
Posted - Sep 27 2012 : 10:02:05 AM
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| green salsa- of course! |
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queenmushroom
True Blue Farmgirl
985 Posts
Lorena
Centerville
Me
USA
985 Posts |
Posted - Sep 27 2012 : 10:13:08 AM
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Green tomato pickles
Patience is worth a bushel of brains...from a chinese fortune cookie |
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Ninibini
True Blue Farmgirl
7577 Posts
Nini
Pennsylvania
USA
7577 Posts |
Posted - Sep 27 2012 : 10:14:55 AM
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Oh my - all of this sounds good, but I've never tried some of these things - do you have recipes you're willing to share, girls? I'd so appreciate it! Thanks so much for your input!
Hugs -
Nini
Farmgirl Sister #1974
God gave us two hands... one to help ourselves, and one to help others!
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westfork woman
True Blue Farmgirl
554 Posts
Kennie Lyn
Emmett
Idaho
USA
554 Posts |
Posted - Sep 27 2012 : 10:24:57 AM
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Hi Nini, look at the bottom of the green tomatoes, if there is a white star shape, they will ripen. I've never wrapped them, seemed too much work. I just keep them in a box in a cool room. About every day I look at them, and pick out the ripe ones. Some years they keep better than other years. You just never know. I have never tried cherry or Roma, just big eating ones. Kennie Lyn
Greetings from the morning side of the hill. |
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queenmushroom
True Blue Farmgirl
985 Posts
Lorena
Centerville
Me
USA
985 Posts |
Posted - Sep 27 2012 : 11:33:18 AM
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Ok this is a vintage recipe as it is my late great grandmothers...green tomato pickles...
2 pecks green tomatoes
1 Peck onions
Slice thin and sprinkle with 1 teacup (probably 1 cup) salt and sit over night. Drain well then soak in weak vinegar solution for 10 to. 15 min. Drain again and scald with 2 qts vinegar. Add 1 lb sugar and 2 taps of each.cinnamon, cloves, all spice, dry mustard. Simmer until tender and can.
You can also use them in mustard pickles.
Patience is worth a bushel of brains...from a chinese fortune cookie |
Edited by - queenmushroom on Sep 27 2012 11:47:18 AM |
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gramax18
True Blue Farmgirl
106 Posts
Elinor
meeker
Colorado
USA
106 Posts |
Posted - Sep 27 2012 : 9:27:04 PM
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I made green tomato preserves this year. They are different but very good on toast. I make a dill pickle with the green tomatoes that I got the recipe off of the internet. Also relish.
Have fun with them.
Elinoe |
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Marigold
Farmgirl in Training
38 Posts
Marigold
Chicago
IL
USA
38 Posts |
Posted - Sep 27 2012 : 9:40:20 PM
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| You can put them in a card board box and layer them between newspaper. Some of them will ripen. Go through them every couple days to dig out the ripe ones. You'll probably have to clean out some moldy ones at the same time too. You can have tomatoes for weeks more this way. |
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texdane
Farmgirl Legend Chapter Leader Chapter Guru
4658 Posts
Nicole
Sandy Hook
CT
USA
4658 Posts |
Posted - Oct 02 2012 : 1:42:41 PM
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If it were me, Fried Green tomatoes, (I've got a great recipe posted on my blog titled "September Salutations", or the yummy sounding Green Tomato Chow Chow recipe on the October issue of the Cluck.
Hugs!
Nicole
Farmgirl Sister #1155
KNITTER, JAM-MAKER AND MOM EXTRAORDINAIRE
Chapter Leader, Connecticut Simpler Life Sisters
Suburban Farmgirl Blogger
http://sfgblog.maryjanesfarm.org/ |
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Farm Kitchen: Oodles of Little Green Tomatoes... What To Do? |
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Oodles of Little Green Tomatoes... What To Do?
