Make Your Own

Stewed tomatoes!

I needed stewed tomatoes for a recipe today and was shocked to see I didn't have any in the pantry. This is something I usually keep stocked. Then three lonely tomatoes sitting on my counter caught my eye and I wondered, "How hard would it be to make my own stewed tomatoes?" Turns out - not hard at all. I didn't take any pictures but I highly doubt you'll miss them.

Ingredients:
12 tomatoes
1 Tbsp butter
1 tsp salt
pepper
1 tsp sugar; 2 if more sweetness is preferred
1 Tbsp cornflour dissolved in a little cold water for thickening (optional)

First of all, the easiest way to peel the tomatoes: Boil some water in a large pot. Cut small X's in the bottom of each tomato. Put the tomatoes in the water and boil them just a couple of minutes. When the skins become wrinkly, you can peel them with ease!

Cut the tomatoes into pieces. Cut off any bruises and the core. Add just enough water to cover the tomatoes (remember, they will have their own juice too), and then add the butter, salt, pepper and sugar.

Stew slowly for half an hour.

If you want to thicken it, add the cornstarch and water mixture.

Easy as pie, right!? I needed 16 ounces for my recipe and it turns out 3 tomatoes was precisely 16 ounces. So go ahead - use those tomatoes that are about to go bad! Don't let them go to waste!