LOL! Sitting here and actually laughing at my spoiled brat of a garden!
Last night we had a freeze, and prior to that the garden had decided to become prolific!
* I discovered 4 baby proto ACORN SQUASHES...but yesterday before last night’s freeze, something had gotten to them. Oh well.
* The OKRA and LEGUMES became productive in blooms and actual pods, despite mite handicaps on the snow peas
* The TOMATOES have gone crazy in their growth and production. Last night before the freeze I harvested about 24 lovely green tomatoes. *sigh* We were all set up to have a wonderful harvest FINALLY...but the weather did not cooperate, and we just did not have the time and inclination this time to try to fight it. Next year. At least I know that tomatoes will, in fact grow in my pots, and I can see what I can do better next time. About 5 of the greenies are starting to blush, so I’m setting them aside to see if they will ripen some more.
GREEN TOMATO recipe alert:
I was talking with a friend yesterday and she told me what she does with her green tomatoes, because I did not have a clue, is she will cut them in half, remove the seeds and dividing fibrous tissues, and freeze them.
Her favorite way of using them is when she makes chili, she’ll dump some in with her regular recipe. She doesn’t worry about peeling them, nor cutting them up. The peels will detach and she can skim them off easily. The tomato itself will cook down and fragments.
I haven’t tried it yet, but sounds good!
The apple should NOT be a waxed apple.
/johnny
That’s good way to use green tomatoes. Some people also like fried green tomatoes-not me though.
I like fresh tasting tomaotoes-not that grocery store icky stuff, though sometimes the ones still on the vine are passable.
Here’s another option using newspaper or paper napkins/towels-whatever you have. If you want the tomatoes to ripen sooner rather than later: Rinse them in warm temperature water, drain and let dry. Wrap each one individually in the paper. Set them in a shallow container-I use cardboard box lid. Leave some space for air circulation and let the tomatoes ripen in the kitchen.
For longer term, wash in cold water, drain, wrap and place in box. Store in a cooler place. You might possibly have tomaotes from now till Christmas. Just check them now and again. Bring the ones with blush out into the warmer area.
Sometimes, I put a tomato and apple or banana in a paper bag together when I am in a hurry for it to ripen. I’ve read that it works. Tried it-it seemed to help(could be the placebo effect LOL).
???? Already?????? I just started wearing a shirt (still no socks)!
Green tomatoes:
My favorite is to hold upright, and cut into quarters, like an apple; then slice the quarters about 1/8 inch thick, like German or cottage fries & fry them up with butter (sometimes sliced onions are added) & chopped bacon; serve with fried egg(s) on top.
Another option to ripening green tomatoes
Take 5-8 tomatoes and place in a paper grocery bag .
Place an apple in the bag , and wait 3-5 days for tomatoes to ripen with a red blush .
The ripe apple will give of small amounts of ethylene gas, which is used commercially by packing companies to ripen green tomatoes .
The longer the tomatoes remain in the paper bag, the more red blush will be added to the tomatoes. The reason for the paper bag is that the fruit/ veggies need to breathe; a plastic bag will retain moisture and cause rot .