"Xitomatl" is the Aztec name for tomatoes that translates wonderfully to "plump thing with a navel." And summer is the time for some serious navel gazing.
But I just can’t. We used to vacation on Pelee Island in Ontario (and hour’s boat ride from Cleveland) and had to drive through Leamington, home of Heinz ketchup, to get there. The smell from the tomato fields nearly put me over the edge.
Erin, I so sorry. I don't like the goopy seed part, so I always remove it. But the rest I do like. Do you eat tomato products, such a tomato paste, tomato sauce, etc.?
I make a gratin with tomatoes, zucchini/yellow squash, bread crumbs and cheese. Season with oregano, salt, pepper and basil for starters. Just layer it up like lasagna. It's different every time because of what toms and squashes I have on hand. It comes out all nice and bubbly. I have also added sweet onions and don't forget the garlic too. :)
I made a mistake. I don't usually put bread crumbs in the tomato gratin, but I bet that you could. I usually just top it with cheese. It's the following recipe that has the breadcrumbs in it. Sorry about that! :)
Mostly whatever we have...It's usually a mix and it's been everything from various cheddars to asiago, parmesan, provelone, etc....I have even thrown some older cream cheese or Boursin in small pieces in there. I bet you could add goat or ricotta cheese...
I bake it at 350° for 35 - 40 minutes, check it and see what's happening and thing from there. Maybe it needs a bit of foil so the breadcrumbs don't burn or a dash of some leftover pits of the grated cheese on top to melt in. Just make sure that it's bubbly and golden brown. It's my husband's favorite of the summer. You can even throw a bit of corn off the cob in there too. Imagination's the limit.
Another one of my husband's favorites is stuffed meatloaf. In a large bowl mix 1.5 to 2 lb of ground beef, 1 chub of Jimmy Dean hot sausage (mild if you don't like hot) and some crushed Pepperidge Farm Traditional stuffing and 1 egg. Put half in the bottom of a 9 x 5 pan, layer swiss, sl. toms, diced onion and bell pepper, sl. mushrooms, thinly sliced ham, sl. cheddar and top with other half of meat. It will be a good 1" or more above the edge of the pan. Press it firmly and make a moat/divot around the inside edge of the pan, top with catsup mixed with A1 sauce and bake for an hour plus until done. Occasionally pour off the liquid that comes out of the veggies and meat. I pour that into a tin can. It should be at least 150 - 165° in the middle. The first piece is always hard to get out of the pan. It makes delicious sandwiches for days afterwards.
Another great Blahg, David! I already did everything except smell my tomatoes for ripeness. Now, thanks to you, I've got another arrow in my testing quiver!
We grow our own tomatoes. Lucky us! Cherokee Purple are the best. I love to make Frankie Avalon's Chicken Cacciatore recipe with these tomatoes, so fresh, so delicious! Thank you for your post, David!
No - I live in Canada, but the texts advised they would only be shipped within the US. I read each new announcement for quite awhile, hoping for a change, but when that didn't happen, I (sorry 😕) just deleted them as they arrived.
Well, all of them are open to Canada, except Quebec. There is a legal issue that Quebec doesn’t allow for US giveaways for some reason. Canada has been back on the giveaways like for at least six or eight weeks.
I, too, am a (n?) xitomatl. Who knew! Will point out that since I discovered your tomato paste recipe here, I have planted an extra half dozen paste tomatoes every year just to make sure I have plenty to make plenty of that recipe. Highly recommend.
David- paragraph 4 is 💖
Thank you, Brian!
Hey David, I thought that you lived in Connecticut? Don't you know that July in Conn. Is stare at the green tomato month 😊?
I do! But The One has already plucked some rosy reds toms and golden cherries!
This post makes me wish I liked tomatoes.
But I just can’t. We used to vacation on Pelee Island in Ontario (and hour’s boat ride from Cleveland) and had to drive through Leamington, home of Heinz ketchup, to get there. The smell from the tomato fields nearly put me over the edge.
Erin, I so sorry. I don't like the goopy seed part, so I always remove it. But the rest I do like. Do you eat tomato products, such a tomato paste, tomato sauce, etc.?
I do! I love tomato sauce etc., and while I’m not much of a ketchup user, I do eat it on fries, so it’s just the raw tomato I can’t handle. 🍅🙅🏼♀️
A lot of people are like that, I think.
I think you’re right.
I make a gratin with tomatoes, zucchini/yellow squash, bread crumbs and cheese. Season with oregano, salt, pepper and basil for starters. Just layer it up like lasagna. It's different every time because of what toms and squashes I have on hand. It comes out all nice and bubbly. I have also added sweet onions and don't forget the garlic too. :)
Lisa, that sounds wonderful! What kind of cheese?
I made a mistake. I don't usually put bread crumbs in the tomato gratin, but I bet that you could. I usually just top it with cheese. It's the following recipe that has the breadcrumbs in it. Sorry about that! :)
Mostly whatever we have...It's usually a mix and it's been everything from various cheddars to asiago, parmesan, provelone, etc....I have even thrown some older cream cheese or Boursin in small pieces in there. I bet you could add goat or ricotta cheese...
I bake it at 350° for 35 - 40 minutes, check it and see what's happening and thing from there. Maybe it needs a bit of foil so the breadcrumbs don't burn or a dash of some leftover pits of the grated cheese on top to melt in. Just make sure that it's bubbly and golden brown. It's my husband's favorite of the summer. You can even throw a bit of corn off the cob in there too. Imagination's the limit.
Another one of my husband's favorites is stuffed meatloaf. In a large bowl mix 1.5 to 2 lb of ground beef, 1 chub of Jimmy Dean hot sausage (mild if you don't like hot) and some crushed Pepperidge Farm Traditional stuffing and 1 egg. Put half in the bottom of a 9 x 5 pan, layer swiss, sl. toms, diced onion and bell pepper, sl. mushrooms, thinly sliced ham, sl. cheddar and top with other half of meat. It will be a good 1" or more above the edge of the pan. Press it firmly and make a moat/divot around the inside edge of the pan, top with catsup mixed with A1 sauce and bake for an hour plus until done. Occasionally pour off the liquid that comes out of the veggies and meat. I pour that into a tin can. It should be at least 150 - 165° in the middle. The first piece is always hard to get out of the pan. It makes delicious sandwiches for days afterwards.
Sounds great!!
Another great Blahg, David! I already did everything except smell my tomatoes for ripeness. Now, thanks to you, I've got another arrow in my testing quiver!
Terry, just doing my job. Just doing my job!
And a great one you do!
Thank you!
We grow our own tomatoes. Lucky us! Cherokee Purple are the best. I love to make Frankie Avalon's Chicken Cacciatore recipe with these tomatoes, so fresh, so delicious! Thank you for your post, David!
Christine, you are more than welcome! Frankie Avalon put out a cookbook??!
Yes, he did! It's called Frankie Avalon's Italian Family Cookbook
2015- Amazon has it! I picked it up years ago at a yard sale! $1.00 is all I paid and I love this book!
Gotta check it out!
I, too, am a Xitomatl! But I'm working on it. Slowly. Very, very slowly. 😕
Ha!!!!! I love that. We should T-shirts that read, "I'm a Xitomatl"!
If you could ship outside the United States, I'd say "Sign me up!" but seeing as that is a no bueno for the cookbook draws...😕 😪
Terry, the cookbook giveaways are open to Canada. Do you live somewhere else?
No - I live in Canada, but the texts advised they would only be shipped within the US. I read each new announcement for quite awhile, hoping for a change, but when that didn't happen, I (sorry 😕) just deleted them as they arrived.
Well, all of them are open to Canada, except Quebec. There is a legal issue that Quebec doesn’t allow for US giveaways for some reason. Canada has been back on the giveaways like for at least six or eight weeks.
My tomatoes are already growing, they are 2 feet tall in baskets. I am going to have to mill at least 50 tomatoes by the end of the season.
Wonderful, Christine!
I, too, am a (n?) xitomatl. Who knew! Will point out that since I discovered your tomato paste recipe here, I have planted an extra half dozen paste tomatoes every year just to make sure I have plenty to make plenty of that recipe. Highly recommend.
Anne, I'm delighted you enjoy the paste recipe so much. It's work, but it's a winner!!