Fab Frugal Friday: Slow Roasted Tomatoes

September 18, 2009 in Frugal Tips

I love to buy those jars of sun-dried tomatoes in oil – they are so incredibly handy to have in the pantry.  But they are spendy.

Thanks to the fact that my garden is exploding right now with  huge delicious tomatoes, I decided to see if I could make my own version of sun-dried tomatoes by slow roasting them in a warm oven.

I cut them in half, sprayed them with a little oil and put them in the oven. I set my oven on Convection Bake at 225 degrees. I checked them every hour or so, and turned them over once. Now I’m going to throw them in a zip lock bag, and in February when it’s icy outside, open them up, soften them in some olive oil and let my taste buds remember the summer bounty!!!

– posted by Donna

Fried Green Tomatoes – Gluten-free!

September 9, 2009 in Appetizers, Gluten Free, Side Dishes, Vegan Recipes

This is a guest post from a Fab Frugal Friend, Kimberly, which I think befits the female friendship symbolism of the fried green tomato – well, ever since the movie at least. (If you haven’t seen it, go rent this classic ASAP!) Read the rest of this entry →

Fab Frugal Friday: It's All about the Presentation

July 24, 2009 in Appetizers, Frugal Tips, Side Dishes

Tomato Mozzarella Fans

Tomato Mozzarella Fans

Sometimes it’s all about the presentation. You can make a frugal dish look fabulous by trying something a little different.

Tomatoes and mozzarella can look pretty blah and ho-hum on a plate. I bought some very nice ripe medium sized tomatoes and was going to try serving them with spinach and not basil, because spinach is frugal.

I got the idea of serving them fan style to jazz up the look, and they turned out so pretty – don’t you agree?

Just slice them into thin slices from the top but DON’T cut all the way through the bottom. Cut mozzarella and spinach in half-moon shapes and insert into the slices. Drizzle a vinaigrette on top and VOILA! fancy tomato fans!

– posted by Donna

Gazpacho Revisited: Creamy Gazpacho with a Southwest Kick

July 13, 2009 in Appetizers, Healthy Fare, Vegan Recipes, Vegetarian Entrees

Creamy Southwest Gazpacho

Creamy Southwest Gazpacho

Anne’s gazpacho looked so yummy I decided to try making it with a southwest twist. Anne called her gazpacho “liquid salad,” and  likewise mine could be labeled “liquid salsa.”

I decided to throw in an avocado to try for a creamy texture. It worked great and tasted smooth and delicious, but the color was very muddy. I added a small can of tomato paste for color. Result: creaminess with a deep red color! Perfecto!

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Cherry Tomato Crisp – Hey, why should apples have all the fun?

July 9, 2009 in Side Dishes

Cherry Tomato Crisp

Cherry Tomato Crisp

Dessert “crisps” are so fabulous, I decided to try making a savory side dish the same way – Hey! Tomatoes are a fruit, right? – You could probably use diced regular tomatoes, too, if you squeeze out the seeds and gel before dicing.

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