Cooking With Food Storage - Tomatoes

Why store tomatoes?  So storing tomatoes might not be on the long term list of storage items but having them in the pantry certainly makes dinner time more delicious so they are a canned item I try to keep in plenty of supply on my shelves.
Everyday Uses:  Used in soups, sauces, chili, the list goes on.  And if you can grow them in your garden then you've got them in plenty during the warm months which makes them a very economical addition to your mealtime.  Or inquire at your nearest farm market about purchasing a box of canning tomatoes around August for filling your mason jars with for a wonderfully fragrant product. They also come in as an economical winner when purchased in bulk sized cans at just 2.7 cents per oz.

Favorite Recipes

Heather's Pantry Pizza Sauce (Recipe can easily be halved for just one pizza)

When buying pizza sauce for our "Friday Night Pizza/Movie Night" tradition that we began in our family years ago to reduce the price of our Friday Date Nights became too expensive for us I looked around for alternatives.  I found giant cans of pizza sauce that I could open and then divide into freezer containers in amounts we could use.  But some Fridays I ended up taking extra time trying to thaw the sauce since I'd forgotten to take it out of the freezer the day before.  That wasn't so great.  Finally, during an especially difficult time we were having after an emergency that caused us to put all of our financial resources in a different direction other than groceries in order to avoid debt we ran out of pizza sauce in our pantry.  Where there's a will there's a way.  The tradition must go on and so for several weeks I experimented with what I had in my food storage and then came up with this.  It is our favorite sauce coming in at just .21 (3 pizzas) to .32 cents (2 pizzas) per pizza depending on how many pizzas you spread this on (plus a few spices).  I've never gone back to store bought sauce and I never will.  Plus the plain can of tomato on the shelf is the most versatile to keep on hand and I like that.

1 15 oz. can tomato sauce (I purchase these by the case at Sam's Club)
2 tsp. minced garlic
pepper
oregano
Parmesan cheese

Open the can of sauce and stir two tsp. garlic into the sauce.  Pour out evenly on two to three prepared/oiled pizza crusts (or freeze half if only making one pizza).  Spread evenly up to the "collar" of the pizza with the back of the spoon.  Sprinkle lightly with pepper to taste.  Sprinkle lightly with Parmesan Cheese (bought in bulk at Sam's Club makes it less expensive).  Sprinkle lightly with Oregano.  Top with cheese and toppings of choice.  Bake according to instructions.
***  Find Pizza Crust Recipe and baking instructions under "Cooking with Food Storage-Wheat-Flour".
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Spaghetti Sauce - Yields about 5 1/2 cups

This was one of the few things I came into my marriage knowing how to make well.  This sauce may be a little thinner than what you're used to but the longer you simmer it the thicker it will be.  And it is delicious regardless of its consistency.  For about $5 (using meat I've purchased for $1.99 or less and bulk canned diced tomatoes I've purchased for $2.77) I multiply the recipe by 5 except for the meat and can make about 55 1/2 c. servings of pasta sauce.  What we don't use right away I simply freeze for a quick meal another time.  Use pasta purchased when it goes on sale, usually once a year for .49 a pound, and this meal is extremely economical!    Delicious too!

3-4 mushrooms or a small can of mushrooms
1/4 c. olive oil
1 clove minced garlic
1 c. onion, chopped
1 lb. ground beef or Italian sausage
1 Tbsp. flour
3/4 c. dry red wine (or another cup of water with a cube of beef bouillon.)
1 14 1/2 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 6oz. can tomato paste (adds thickness but you can do without this)
1 c. water
1 beef bouillon cube.
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
Heat olive oil in a heavy saucepan and brown meat; saute onion with it until tender and golden.  Add garlic and heat briefly.  Toss meat mixture with flour.  Add cooking wine or beef bouillon and water.  Cook over high heat a few minutes.  Mix in chopped mushrooms, tomatoes, tomato paste, bouillon, water, salt, pepper and bay leaf.  Simmer over low heat uncovered 1 1/2 hours.  During last 1/2 hour of cooking, a few basil leaves or 1/2 tsp. of Italian seasoning may be added.

Serving Suggestion:  A loaf of homemade French bread and a garden salad.
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My Best Tomato Soup
2 Tbsp. olive oil
6 cloves minced garlic
1 small onion, chopped
2 15 oz. cans diced tomatoes or 1 qt. jar of home canned tomatoes
5 c. water
5 chicken bouillon cubes
3 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil or 1 1/2 Tbsp. dried basil
Salt and Pepper to taste
8 oz. pasta of your choice (broken spaghetti works well, orzo, bow ties, tortellini...)
1 8oz. block cream cheese, cut into cubes.
Optional; cooked and crumbled ground beef, ground turkey or Italian sausage

Heat oil in a large stockpot over medium heat.  Add garlic and onion and saute' for about 5 minutes or until translucent.  Add undrained tomatoes, water and bouillon cubes.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat.  Using an immersion blender, blend the mixture to desired consistency.  (You can blend small batches in a standard blender leaving the center off the top and covering with a folded kitchen towel).  Bring to boil again.  Reduce heat and add basil, salt, pepper and pasta to the soup.  Simmer until pasta is tender.  Add cream cheese cubes and stir.  Serve hot.

Serving Suggestion:  Grilled Cheese Sandwich and/or green salad