Drying is another option for storing fruits, vegetables

If your home garden “runneth over” with produce, try drying the excess as a healthy snack or nutritional addition to winter soups and sauces. A University of Georgia food safety specialist says it only takes a dehydrator and a little effort.

Many home gardeners plant a few extra vegetable plants in case insects or diseases strike their crops. When all goes well, this can lead to harvests too large for one family to consume.

Elizabeth Andress, a UGA Cooperative Extension food safety specialist, discovered a new personal treat last season when she decided to dry some tomatoes left over from a food preservation training class.

Tastes great, makes the kitchen smell yummy

“They were Roma tomatoes so they weren’t big and juicy,” she said. “I sliced them a quarter of an inch thick and sprinkled them with a little oregano. It smelled just like a pizza kitchen while they were drying.”

Andress stored the dried tomatoes in her cupboard in zip closed freezer bags and used them as a healthy snack. Dried food doesn’t have to be refrigerated because the moisture that would cause it to spoil has been removed, she said.

Tomatoes should be dried like fruits, not like vegetables, she said. Unlike vegetables, which usually require blanching before they can be dried, fruits can be sliced and placed directly in a dehydrator.

Like vegetables, tomatoes can be blanched, but they do not need to be. “If you plan to eat them in the dried form as a snack, it is better not to blanch them,” Andress said. “Just plan on eating them within several months.”

“Tomatoes, and other fruits, can still be a little flexible after drying as long as there’s no moisture left,” she said. “It doesn’t hurt to dry them a little further. Just be careful because they can scorch and burn if you dry them too long. Just ask some of my students.”

Andress said dried tomatoes can also be stored in the freezer as long as the container is free of air and moisture. To reduce inside condensation, remove the tomatoes from the container when you are ready to thaw them.

“If you are just planning to rehydrate them in a soup or stew, it doesn’t matter,” she said.

Almost impossible in Georgia

Sun-dried tomatoes sound like a gourmet dish, and in Georgia they are not an easy task to make at home. Sun drying is a process that relies on the air around the produce being very dry, Andress said.
“Our air is very humid so it’s very difficult to sun-dry,” she said.

If you try to sun-dry, use only acidic foods like fruits and never low acid foods like jerky and vegetables, she said.

Andress’s favorite foods to dry are apples, figs and pineapple. Some fruits, like kiwi, don’t work. “The slices end up shrinking so much that it’s just a mouthful of seeds,” she said.

Follow these steps

To dry a tomato or other fruits, follow these steps:
1. Choose good quality produce. If it’s moldy, mushy or browning, throw it out.
2. Wash the fruit, and slice it evenly. (Some light-colored fruits, like apples and pears, will brown less if dipped in an ascorbic-acid solution after slicing.)
3. Place it on a tray in an electric dehydrator. If your oven can be programmed for low temperatures, you can use it. Set the dehydrator’s temperature at 140 F. Food dried at lower temperatures might never fully dry. At higher temperatures, food dries faster on the outside, which becomes hard, but leaves the inside moist and likely to rot.
4. Wait a few hours and keep a close eye on the produce as it gets nearer to the end of drying. Food close to being done will dry faster at the end than at the beginning.
5. Seal the finished pieces in freezer-weight plastic bags or in plastic storage boxes.

Follow the same steps with vegetables, except blanch them first. The only vegetables that don’t have to be blanched are onions, okra and peppers (all types).

Collard Roll-Ups?

Other foods that can be dried are meat jerky, seeds, herbs and greens like kale and collards. Foods can also be pureed and dried flat, much like Fruit Roll-Ups.

“One advantage to me of doing some of the fruits I like, like apples and pineapples, is sometimes commercially they’ve added sugars and sugar coatings to them,” Andress said. "This way, you can just have them plain.”

As a diabetic, she still has to watch how much she eats. A whole dried apple has the same amount of sugar as a fresh apple; it just has a smaller volume.

Commercially-dried banana chips often contain tropical oils and sugar, she said. “Homemade bananas will be chewier, but you can get them in their natural forms without the additives.”

Dried fruits can be mixed with nuts as a trail mix and dried vegetables make great starter for soup mix.
Drying “tends to be popular with people who do hiking and backpacking and kayaking and such,” Andress said. “A real advantage is the condensed volume, lighter weight and small storage space.”
For more information on drying food, visit www.homefoodpreservation.com.

By Sharon Dowdy
University of Georgia
Stephanie Schupska
University of Georgia 

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Campbell's Healthy Choice Soups... update

A while back I wrote a piece about my thoughts on Campbell's Healthy Choice Clam Chowder soup. If you read it, you know I didn't have anything good to share. I thought the can was bad, as in spoiled. I received a lot of comments from readers agreeing with my assessment.

I've been sick and have been poor-poor-pitiful me-ing it for a little over two weeks now. After I finally started feeling like eating again I craved Campbell's Tomato Soup. I love their tomato soup with saltine crackers and cheese. My second favorite is mushroom soup with added broccoli and, again, cheese. Swiss or sharp cheddar in either is mmmm-mmmm perfect.

My wonderful hubby made a surprise run to the store and brought home two cans of each for me, plus some saltines and extra-sharp cheddar cheese. I was sooo looking forward to eating something solid, something I craved, until I noticed that he'd picked up Healthy Choice soups. He saw the look of dismay on my face, which I wasn't quick enough to hide unfortunately.

I hadn't tried the Healthy Choice tomato or mushroom soup. I figured what the heck, it couldn't be that bad. It's tomato after all. And I had enough of the "bad for you" cheese to cover the taste.

Wrong. It was horrible. I tried doctoring it up a bit, but you know I was craving real Campbell's tomato soup, not the kind that has all the taste, salt, and sugar removed.

I let my husband try it before I started adding stuff. The look on his face was priceless --- major "ugghhhly". He tried it again after I added a few things to it, made another face, and asked if I was going to attempt to eat the stuff. I said I hated to waste it and so would eat it. He looked at the bowl, looked at me, then dumped it down the garbage disposal.

The next day he took the remaining cans back to the store and exchanged them for the real deal. I had to tell him where to look to find them as most stores have huge displays with all the higher priced "healthy" stuff at eye level and they hide the good stuff on the bottom shelves. I think it's because they have to keep cases of the real soups so they need heavy duty shelves... plus Campbell's and others are trying to sell the higher priced soups so they want to make them enticing. Unfortunately there's nothing enticing about the prices or the taste in my humble opinion.

The lady who exchanged the soups for my husband commented that he wasn't the first to return the soups. They both joked about how they took all the good stuff out and charged more.

Once he returned from the store I happily ate a bowl of the new real soup... new because they've switched to sea salt to lower the sodium. I'm not sure whether it's just my taste buds 'cause I'm still on the mend or whether the changes they made to the "non-healthy choice" soup modified the taste somehow, but it still didn't quite taste like the soup I've enjoyed my entire life. I'm going to wait until I'm 100% better to have another bowl. I can live with the slight difference though, if it exists. I'll let you know when I eat my next bowl in complete good health.

Yesterday he stopped by the store and picked up four more cans of REAL Campbell's soup for me. Now I'm set for a while.
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Here's the blog post from our old food blog (County Cuisine):

Campbell's Chunky Healthy Request New England Clam Chowder... m' m' bad...

I love New England Clam Chowder. Being on a perpetual low-fat, low sodium diet I was very happy to run across Campbell's Chunky Healthy Request New England Chowder. Until I got home and took a bite.

It is 97% fat free and has 45% less sodium, which is a good thing. However, either the can I purchased is getting ready to be on the recall list, or it simply tastes bad.

I tried a bite and grimaced. Knowing Campbell's soups I thought it must be MY taste buds. I sipped some water and tried again. Then I tossed the bowl down the disposal.

I can't begin to describe the taste. It was not good. I drank some soda to get the taste out of my mouth it was that horrible.

I know not to expect a taste that matches the 'real deal' which has so many calories just looking at it adds inches to my hips. But I did think it would be palatable. Especially since I've had other Healthy Request soups and thought they were great.

My suggestion if you're craving New England style clam chowder? Make it yourself and cut whatever corners you can or eat a smaller portion of the regular clam chowder.

Party-Pleasing Tomato And Pesto Tart

(NAPSI)-Easy to make and elegant to serve, tiny tomato tarts make a great party appetizer or luncheon side dish.

In addition, because they're made with freshly canned tomatoes, they're a natural source of lycopene, an antioxidant that may help reduce the risk of heart disease. According to scientists, the body absorbs more lycopene from cooked tomatoes than from raw.

In addition to serving up lycopene, canned tomatoes make a great addition to a wide range of recipes, according to chef George Duran, host of "Ham on the Street" and author of "Take This Dish and Twist It." "I'm a huge fan of using Hunt's® diced, whole and stewed tomatoes in my recipes because they go from vine to can in mere hours and are flash-steamed to help keep their backyard garden−fresh taste," said Duran.

For an appetizing crowd-pleaser in any season, try this tomato pesto tart made with canned tomatoes:

Tomato Pesto Tart

Total Time: 30 minutes

Servings: Makes 9 servings

PAM Original No-Stick

Cooking Spray

1 frozen puff pastry sheet, thawed according to package directions (1 sheet = ½ of 17.3-oz. pkg.)

½ cup prepared basil pesto

1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese (1 cup = 4 oz.)

1 can (14.5 oz. each) Hunt's®

Whole Peeled Tomatoes, drained, cut into ¼-inch- thick slices

Thinly sliced fresh basil, optional

Preheat oven to 400ºF. Spray rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray; set aside. Unfold 1 puff pastry sheet onto lightly floured surface; roll out to 12-inch square. Crimp edges; place on prepared baking sheet. Spread pesto evenly over puff pastry. Sprinkle with ½ cup cheese, then add tomato slices in a single layer. Finish by topping evenly with remaining cheese. Bake 17-20 minutes, or until golden brown. Garnish with some fresh basil, if desired. For small bites, cut into 16 pieces. Serve immediately.

Garnishing with fresh basil serves up another layer of appealingly fresh taste and aroma.

Learn More

Visit www.Hunts.com for more tips and recipe

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Quick And Easy Salads For Busy Families

(NAPSI)-Salads can be a tasty way to add more vegetables into your family's diet and get closer to the five to seven daily servings recommended by the USDA.

Tomato and Basil Pasta Salad is a healthful and delicious recipe to serve your active family; a light, flavorful salad packed with nutritious vegetables and drizzled with a canola oil vinaigrette.

It's easy to improvise on this basic recipe. You can substitute other vegetables that your family loves and use a different vinegar or other seasonings. For a heartier meal, add chopped, cooked chicken or cubes of cheese.

Versatile canola oil is great in salads like this because it allows the flavor of other ingredients to come through. High in omega-3s yet free of cholesterol and trans fat, canola oil is the lowest of all vegetable oils in saturated fats.

Prepare this salad the night before and store undressed until dinner. Just add the vinaigrette before serving.

Tomato and Basil Pasta Salad

2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved

2 medium cucumbers, peeled, seeded and chopped

1 broccoli top, cut into bite-size pieces

1 medium red onion, thinly sliced

3 yellow squashes, blanched and sliced (or 2 small zucchini, chopped)

1 cup fresh basil, torn

1 pound penne pasta, cooked according to package directions

1/4 cup canola oil

1/4 cup good red wine vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

Toss all the ingredients with the pasta. Refrigerate 1 to 2 hours before serving.

Yield: 8 servings

For more recipes, visit www.northerncanola.com.

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Delicious Tomatoes Offer Nutritious Flavor

(NAPSI)-Tomatoes are the third-most-popular vegetable eaten by Americans, but there was a time when the delicious vegetable was not well known.

Native to Mexico and South America, this delicious vegetable has been grown and eaten there since the days of the Aztecs. They were brought to Europe by Spanish explorers in the 16th century. However, the plant was used only as an ornamental houseplant.

Not until the 19th century was the tomato widely accepted as food, and even then it was customarily cooked for hours.

Only in the second half of the century were raw or lightly cooked tomatoes consumed by Americans.

That's a good thing, because tomatoes are the leading source of vitamin C in the American diet. They also have a fair supply of vitamin A, which has been said to lower the risk of cancer.

Some medical research indicates that consuming tomatoes may dramatically decrease the risk of heart disease.

Tomatoes are versatile. Cooked or raw, tomatoes pair well with a variety of foods and can be enjoyed year-round.

The following recipe was developed by executive chef Noah Aguilar of The Chef's Table restaurant in Tubac, Ariz., for the Fresh Produce Association of the Americas.

Asian Tomato and Cucumber Salad

Serves four

Ingredients:

¼ cup sliced Roma tomatoes

2 cucumbers (peeled, seeded and sliced into half- moons)

¼ cup sliced sweet peppers (mixed colors)

3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

½ teaspoon sesame oil

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon black sesame seeds

1 teaspoon soy sauce

½ teaspoon sugar

Mix all ingredients together and serve chilled.

For more information, contact www.freshfrommexico.com.

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General Mills Issues Voluntary Class One Recall Involving One Day’s Production of Progresso Hearty Tomato Soup

General Mills is voluntarily recalling a single day's production of Progresso Hearty Tomato soup because of a product labeling issue. Product produced on this date may have been mislabeled, and may contain allergens not listed on the ingredient label, specifically egg, milk, and soy.

There have been no reports of allergic reactions or illnesses associated with this product, however, the possibility of unlabeled allergens makes this a Class One recall.

This voluntary recall includes only 19-ounce Progresso Hearty Tomato soup with the following code date printed on the bottom of the can:

19May10 NV VN-3

A production error resulted in a limited number of cases of Progresso Light Vegetable and Noodle soup being mislabeled as Progresso Hearty Tomato soup. Mislabeled cans have the code date 19May10 NV VN-3 on the bottom of the can, but are mislabeled as Progresso Hearty Tomato soup.

The mislabeled soups contain a product that is visibly different from the soup depicted on the label. Rather than containing Progresso Hearty Tomato soup, a mislabeled can would actually contain Progresso Light Vegetable and Noodle soup. Consumers allergic to egg, milk or soy products, or who are unsure of whether they are allergic to egg, milk or soy products, should not consume product with a Progresso Hearty Tomato label bearing the code date 19May10 NV VN-3 on the bottom of the can, and should contact General Mills for replacement or a full refund.

No other varieties or production dates of Progresso soup are affected by this recall.

Consumers requesting refunds or calling with further questions should contact General Mills Consumer Services at 1-800-200-9377.

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California Avocados Act As "Nutrient Booster" For Athletes And Non-Athletes Alike

CC Note: One of our caped cuisine fanatics just loves avocados. With that said, please enjoy another recipe she tried and loved. She liked it so much she even brought samples over to our Fayetteville office for the staff. Keep it up. We just love great food!

(NAPSI)-Optimal nutrition is essential for athletes to fuel their bodies through intense workouts. However, the importance of nutrition applies to non-athletes as well. Consuming a diet rich in carbohydrates, lean proteins and beneficial fats is crucial for overall health and an integral part of a training regimen. California avocados can serve as a component of just such a diet, as they provide primary mono and polyunsaturated fats, which are essential for both athletes and non-athletes, and are a healthy substitute when eaten in place of foods rich in saturated fat.

Also, California avocados are naturally sodium-free and cholesterol-free and act as a nutrient booster, by enabling the body to absorb more fat-soluble nutrients, such as alpha- and beta-carotene and lutein, in foods that are eaten with the fruit.

An excellent example of a training meal is the following recipe for Cilantro Chicken with California Avocado and Pickled Tomato Salsa, as it combines all the performance nutrition essentials into one delicious dish.

Cilantro Chicken with California Avocado and Pickled Tomato Salsa

Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 (6 oz.) boneless chicken thighs or breasts, with skin

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice

1 bunch cilantro leaves, chopped

1 Tbsp. ground cumin

4 scallions, trimmed

Pickled Tomato Salsa (recipe below)

2 ripe, fresh California avocados, peeled, seeded and cut in ½-inch dice

2 cups cooked brown basmati rice

Instructions:

1. In a shallow, nonreactive dish, season chicken on all sides with salt and pepper. Combine olive oil, lime juice, cilantro and cumin in a small bowl. Brush mixture on scallions and pour remainder over chicken, tossing to evenly coat. Allow to marinate at room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes.

2. Preheat broiler or grill. Beginning with skin side toward the heat source, broil or grill chicken until just cooked through, about 12 minutes per side for thighs and about 9 minutes per side for breasts. Grill or broil scallions about 2 minutes per side.

3. Toss Pickled Tomato Salsa with diced avocados and reserve until chicken is cooked.

4. To serve, arrange grilled chicken over a bed of basmati rice. Mound avocado salsa mixture on top of chicken. Garnish with grilled scallions. Serve immediately.

Pickled Tomato Salsa

Ingredients:

1 lb. tomatoes, peeled, seeded and cut in quarters

½ bunch scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced

2 Serrano chiles, with seeds, thinly sliced in rounds

½ cup white vinegar

2 ½ Tbsp. brown sugar

2 tsp. salt

4 tsp. freshly grated ginger

1 Tbsp. minced garlic

2 tsp. yellow mustard seeds

2 tsp. cracked black peppercorns

2 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. cayenne

½ tsp. turmeric

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl, toss tomatoes with scallions and chiles.

2. In a medium saucepan, bring vinegar to a boil. Add brown sugar and salt and cook until dissolved, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and reserve.

3. Measure ginger, garlic, mustard seeds, cracked peppercorns, cumin, cayenne and turmeric onto a plate and place near stove. In another medium saucepan, heat oil over moderate heat until just smoking. Add spices and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until aromas are released, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vinegar mixture. Immediately pour over reserved tomato mixture. Stir to combine, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate 3 to 4 hours or several days.

4. Before serving, remove tomatoes from juices, roughly chop, and return to pickling liquid.

Note: To peel tomatoes, remove the cores and score an X on the underside. Blanch for 15 seconds in boiling water and immediately plunge into iced water to prevent continued cooking. Peel with a paring knife.

For other recipe ideas featuring California avocados, visit CaliforniaAvocado.com.

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Tomato Pie is in High Season

CC Note:There's something about summer and home grown tomatoes that gets the lips smacking. There's something even better about combining summer home grown tomatoes and Vidalia onions in one dish.

Try this recipe out tonight. There won't be any leftovers!

There are several versions of tomato pies available. Since I'm from the low country, I happen to really like this one. Try it and see.....

Low Country Tomato Pie

6 slices bacon, cooked and diced
6-10 tomatoes, either sliced or diced
1 Vidalia onion, sliced
Salt & pepper to taste

Layer in a pre-cooked deep dish pie crust which has been cooled.

Combine 1 cup mayo (I use light) and 1 cup grated cheese (parmesan or sharp, according to taste preference). Spread over tomato/onion layers.

Bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

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Nutritious, Easy And Affordable Meals

(NAPSI)-To help keep rising food prices from taking a bigger bite out of your grocery budget, consider stocking up on inexpensive and nutritious staples. Foods like canned tomatoes, pasta sauces, paste, juice and salsa are not only versatile but offer important nutrients like vitamins A and C, potassium and fiber.

In addition to being a vegetable that even the pickiest of eaters like, tomato products are good partners with other healthy foods because they offer great flavor and texture. Right after being picked from the vine at peak ripeness, the tomatoes are cooked and sealed in containers. This heat processing seals in their full sun-ripened flavor and keeps them safe from salmonella and other food-borne pathogens. Plus the heating process provides an enhanced value of lycopene, an antioxidant that helps fight disease.

For families looking to get the most from their food dollars, the Tomato Products Wellness Council offers some recipes for quick-and-easy family favorites. Each recipe can be prepared in three easy steps and costs less than $1.00 per serving.

Penny-Pinching Gazpacho

(serves 4)

This recipe uses canned diced tomatoes instead of fresh ones, which can cost more. Per serving, this recipe costs only $0.97, is just 132 calories and has more than 100 percent of your daily vitamin C needs.

Ingredients

1 14-oz. can of diced tomatoes

2 cups of tomato juice, low sodium

½ medium cucumber, diced

½ medium green pepper, diced

½ cup medium onion, finely diced

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons olive oil Black pepper or hot sauce to taste

3-Step Prep

1. Combine all ingredients; mix thoroughly.

2. Refrigerate; serve cold.

3. If desired, top with croutons.

Cost-Conscious Chili Con Carne

(serves 8)

Using turkey instead of beef gives you a great, meaty taste for less cost. Per serving, this recipe costs only $0.95, is just 308 calories and has 45 percent of your daily dietary fiber needs.

Ingredients

1½ lbs. 93 percent lean ground turkey

1 40½-oz. can of kidney beans (1 large can)

1 18-oz. can of tomato paste

1 chopped onion

2 teaspoons chili powder

¾ cup water

3-Step Prep

1. Brown turkey in pot over medium heat until meat is no longer pink.

2. Stir in remaining ingredients and bring to a boil.

3. Reduce heat, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes, then serve.

For more information and recipes, visit www.tomatowellness.com.