By now, our tomato plants are thriving. We have carefully chosen, planted, pruned, staked, watered and fertilized them.

Now, we harvest.

The USDA reports that each of us consumes an average of 20 pound of tomatoes a year. Isn’t it handy that I have 20 pounds ready to be picked right now in my garden? I really don’t want to eat my entire 20 pounds right now and most of the people I know have at least one tomato plant, so we cook.

The following are a few simple recipes, some to be consumed now and others will allow you to savor the fruits of your labor when there is cauliflower planted where your tomato plants once were.

Sun-dried tomatoes (Oven-dried)

Ingredients

2 pounds tomatoes, preferably Roma

Kosher salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 200˚F. Line cookie sheet with Parchment paper. Wash and halve tomatoes and gently squeeze out seeds. Sprinkle both sides with salt.

Place tomatoes, cut-side down and bake in oven, turning occasionally, until tomatoes take on a leathery feel. Times will vary based on type of tomato and water content.

Roma tomatoes have a low water content and are smaller so they take less time, beefsteaks can take up to 12 hours. Start checking and flip as necessary at 4 hours and then periodically until done.

Tomatoes can be stored in the freezer, removing as much air as possible from the bag for up to 6 months. They can also be packed in to small jars, covered with olive oil and stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 weeks. You can add garlic, basil, capers, or rosemary to the oil to kick up the flavor.

Cherry tomato vinaigrette

Ingredients

1 pint cherry tomatoes

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 shallot, minced (or onion)

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

2 tablespoons fresh chives or basil

Directions

Cut half of the cherry tomatoes in half. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add shallot and cook, stirring often until softened, about 4 minutes.

Add halved and whole tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes begin to release their juices, approximately 4-6 minutes. Mash some of the tomatoes with the back of a spoon. Add 1 tablespoon vinegar and the remaining 2 tablespoons oil; season with salt and pepper. Stir in herbs just before serving. Serve warm.

Serving suggestions:

• Marinate flank steak in a mixture of olive oil, black pepper and chopped garlic. Sprinkle with kosher salt and grill. Slice and serve with vinaigrette.

• Toss vinaigrette, crumbled feta and Kalamata olives with cooked pasta.

• Serve over a ricotta or goat cheese omelette.

Indian meatballs with jasmine rice

Directions for the meatballs

Ingredients

1 pound ground turkey

2 slices whole wheat bread

¼ cup milk

2 tablespoons minced onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons minced parsley

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 tablespoon garam Marsala

1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan

1 egg

A pinch of salt and pepper

For the Marinara

Ingredients

2 pounds tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped

1 cup tomato sauce

4 cloves garlic, sliced thin

1 medium onion, cut in quarters

4 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons dried oregano

½ teaspoon turmeric

½ teaspoon curry powder

¼ teaspoon chili powder

Directions

Pulse bread in food processor until it is crumbly. Place in a small bowl, pour in milk and mix until bread is moist. In a large bowl, combine bread and remaining meatball ingredients. Form 1-inch balls. Place on plate and refrigerate until ready to cook.

Put all Mariana ingredients in a pot; simmer for 45 minutes.

Heat a little oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add meatballs and sear on all sides until you get some good browning. Once browned, transfer meatballs to sauce to finish cooking, approximately 25 minutes.

Serve over jasmine rice. Garnish with chopped parsley.

Removing Skins from Tomatoes

Cut a small “x” in the bottom of the tomato. Drop in to boiling water for 30 seconds and remove to a bowl with a slotted spoon. Skins will slip right off the tomato.

I hope you enjoyed our tomato series. Happy gardening and bon appetite!

— Irland, a member of the Limestone County Master Gardeners, can be reached at kippirland@hotmail.com. For more information on the Limestone County Master Gardeners, visit http://mg.aces.edu/limestone.