Saving your summer harvest

I've got a ton of tomatoes, a Foodsaver, and an extra freezer, so what's a girl to do? Freeze them, of course!
Many traditional gardeners may say canning is the only way to go, but I came up with the idea of freezing the tomatoes last year. I usually make a large pot of sauce and freeze those off in smaller portions, so why can't I do the same thing with just the tomatoes? So that's exactly what I did (and do).

Warning: I will tell you in advance that this is a messy process. Make sure you have on an old t-shirt and be prepared to wipe down your cabinets and counters when you're done.

I grow mainly plum tomatoes and they're really the best kind to use for my freezing method.

First, you want to bring a large stock pot of water to a boil. In a second large stock pot, put in cold water with a tray of ice cubes. When the water comes to a boil, add your tomatoes and turn off the heat. You only want them in there for about 30 seconds to a minute. We're not cooking the tomatoes, we just want to loosen their skin. Then you want to move the tomatoes from the hot to the cold water.

From there, I set up my Cuisinart and a large pitcher to squeeze the seeds and skin into. Then it's just an assembly line. Take a tomato, pinch off the top, slide the skin off, and squeeze the seeds out. I've got it down to where I know just how many tomatoes it takes to fill the stock pot and subsequently, the Cuisinart.

When the Cuisinart is full, pulse the tomatoes a few times, but not too much! Dump the contents into a Foodsaver and then the freezer. You'll be able to enjoy your harvest in the middle of the winter! Click here for Tomato and Bean Soup recipe.