Too Many Tomatoes?

At the first signs of spring we head out to the local garden store determined to prove our stuff as farmers! First on the list…get tomato plants. Two plants seems too few, they are so small….perhaps 4 is better. And so the story goes each year. We repeat this ritual and are so surprised that come the height of summer we are overflowing with tomatoes!  You’ve made sauce, salsa, bruschetta, roasted tomatoes, and lest we for those BLTs and still they keep coming! Well here are a few simple recipes to help you make use of that bounty!

Warm Tomato Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

Salt and pepper

1 pound pasta shells

5 cups diced beefsteak tomatoes, (2 pounds)

2 cups diced fresh mozzarella, (3/4 pound)

1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 garlic clove, minced

Directions

1. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta until al dente, according to package instructions; drain.
2. In a large bowl, toss warm pasta with tomatoes, mozzarella, onion, olive oil, parsley, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Serve.

Tomato, Cucumber & Dill Salad

Ingredients:

1 large, fresh cucumber
2 Roma tomatoes
2 tbs. fresh dill, chopped
3 tbs. white vinegar
1 tsp. salt
1/4 cup sour cream

Peel the cucumber and slice into 1/4 inch slices. Seed and dice the tomatoes. Toss lightly with chopped dill. In separate bowl, mix together vinegar, salt, and sour cream. Whisk until smooth. Pour over vegetables and dill. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour, to blend the flavors. Serve cold.

Enjoy!

Feta Orzo Stuffed Tomatoes

Ingredients:

1 cup cooked orzo, cooled 
2/3 cup finely chopped bell peppers (orange, red, yellow) 
1/2 cup reduced-fat feta cheese crumbles 
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro or parsley 
1/4 tsp finely grated lemon peel 
1 1/2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 
1 1/2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice 
1/4 tsp salt 
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper 
4 whole tomatoes 

1. Combine all ingredients except tomatoes. 
2. Cut the top off each tomato and scoop out seeds and inner core. Stuff tomatoes with orzo mixture and serve. 

Enjoy!