Tofu Vegetable Scrambled "Eggs"

For a long time, I have preferred tofu "eggs" to chicken eggs.  This is a great recipe for any time of day.  It's also a great dish to bring to a brunch.  You can use any veggies that you have in your fridge.  I used potatoes, mushrooms, onions, tomato and spinach this time, but have used zucchini and peppers in the past.

Tofu Vegetable Scrambled "Eggs"
Serves 4-6
1 medium potato, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
sprinkle of salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder
1 t oil

1 t oil
1/2 c chopped onion
8 oz pkg of mushrooms, sliced thin
2 gloves garlic, minced
1 medium tomato, seeded and chopped
2 cups spinach, roughly chopped

1 15 oz package of tofu, drained and crumbled
1 t oil

1 t onion powder
1/2 t turmeric
1/2 t garlic powder
1/4 t salt
1/4 t pepper
3 T nutritional yeast

to taste: salt, pepper, nutritional yeast

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  In a medium roasting pan, toss the potatoes, oil, sprinkle of salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic powder.

Bake for 15 minutes.  Remove from the oven, stir, and bake for 10 more minutes until potatoes are soft and slightly browned.  Remove from oven and set aside.

While the potatoes are cooking, heat 1 t oil in a large pan over medium heat.  Add the onion and mushrooms and saute for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the garlic and cook for about 2 more minutes until mushrooms are brown and onions are soft.  Remove from the pan.

Add 1 t oil and add the tofu to the pan.  Turn the heat to medium high.  Cook and stir for 5 minutes, until the tofu is hot.  Add the onion powder, turmeric, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and nutritional yeast.  Stir and cook for an additional 2 minutes.

Add the tomato and spinach and cook for a minute, stirring gently.  Add the mushrooms, onions, garlic, and potatoes.  Mix gently. Taste and add more salt, pepper, or nutritional yeast to taste.

Vegan Thanksgiving Stuffing

This year, we had a really small group for Thanksgiving and so we veganized it.  There was a turkey for the carnivores, but also a Tofurky:)  Veganizing Thanksgiving is pretty easy to do, just use non-dairy cream and butter substitutes.  The gravy recipe we used was so yummy thanks to Daphne Oz's recipe from The Chew, try it next year-you may never go back to turkey gravy again!

My favorite part is the stuffing, so here's the basic recipe that I've been making for several years.  The secret trick is to make a puree of celery and onion, and stir that in with the rest of the veggies.  I got the idea from a recipe I found somewhere years ago, but am unable to locate it to provide a link.  Also, you can cook the veggies and puree the day before, so on Thanksgiving day, you just have to mix it together and bake it.  The herbs used in this recipe were from a package of poultry mix, which usually includes sage, thyme, rosemary, and marjoram, that way you don't have to buy each one separately.  Here's a picture of our vegan dinner with the yummy stuffing:

Vegan Thanksgiving Stuffing
makes a really full 9x13 inch pan
12 cups of one inch dried bread cubes, use good artisan bread
2 T olive oil
1/3 cup water
4 c celery chopped, divided in half
2 c onion chopped
2 c chopped carrots
2 leeks, green parts removed, white parts cut into quarters, then sliced
1 8 oz package mushrooms, chopped in small pieces
1 stick earth balance (1/2 cup)
salt, pepper
3 T chopped fresh sage
2 T chopped fresh marjoram
2 T chopped fresh thyme
1 T chopped fresh rosemary
5 cups no sodium vegetable stock, divided
4 t Ener-g egg replacer

In a large covered pan, over medium heat, cook the 2 T olive oil, 2 cups of the celery, 2 cups onion, and 1/3 cup water for 10-15 minutes until really soft, but not browned.  Stir occasionally through the cooking time and keep the cover on when not stirring.  Remove from the pan and let it cool.

When cool, place into a food processor and puree until smooth, then set aside.

In the same pan you used for the puree, add the stick of earth balance, 2 cups celery, 2 cups carrots, and 2 leeks and season with salt and pepper.  Saute about 5-6 minutes over medium heat until veggies are slightly soft.

Add the mushrooms and herbs (sage, marjoram, thyme, rosemary) and continue to cook for 5 more minutes or until the mushrooms are brown.  Taste and season with more salt and pepper if needed.

In a quart sized glass jar, add 4 cups of veggie broth and 4 t egg replacer.  Cover and shake well.

In a large bowl, add the dry bread cubes, celery/onion puree, and vegetable/mushroom mix.  Add 4 cups of the broth/egg replacer and gently mix it all together. Place into a greased 9x13 inch pan.

Cover and cook in a  350 degree oven for 35 minutes.  Remove from the oven, uncover and check to see if you need to add more broth.  Cover and return to the oven for about 5-15 more minutes or until the stuffing is moist and heated through in the middle of the pan.

Here's for you brother.

Smoky Lentil Tempeh Sloppy Joes

I realized when taking a picture of the final product for this recipe, that it's hard to make a sloppy joe look pretty in a picture.  A sloppy joe is a sloppy joe when it comes to looks, but they aren't all equal in yum.  This recipe was inspired by Lentil Seitan Sloppy Joes from the Skinny Bitch Ultimate Everyday Cookbook by Kim Barnouin

Smoky Lentil Tempeh Sloppy Joes
Makes 6 big sloppy joes
8 oz package of tempeh
1 15 oz can lentils, rinsed and drained
2 t olive oil
1 small/medium onion, chopped
1 medium red pepper, chopped
1/2 c chopped carrot
3 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/4 c tomato sauce
2 T tomato paste
1 chili in adobo sauce, chopped and seeds removed
2 T cider vinegar
1 t vegan worcestershire sauce
1 t mustard
1 T molasses
1 1/2 T brown rice syrup
salt and pepper

6 whole wheat buns
pickles

Cut the tempeh into small pieces.  Place a steamer basket into a medium saucepan and add water until it almost reaches the steamer basket.  Add the tempeh and cover with a tight fitting lid.  Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low-steam for about 15 minutes.

While the tempeh is steaming, make the sauce.  In a medium bowl, mix the tomato sauce, chili in adobo, tomato paste, cider vinegar, worcestershire  sauce, mustard, molasses, and brown rice syrup until well combined.

In a large pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Add the onion, peppers, and carrots and cook for 5-6 minutes, until veggies are softened. 

Add the garlic and steamed tempeh, and season with salt and pepper.  Cook for another 2 minutes, stirring.  Add the lentils and sauce and reduce heat to low.  Cover and heat through for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  The tempeh and lentils will absorb the flavors from the sauce.  Serve with buns and pickles. 

Vegan Truffled Mushroom Grilled Cheese

I bought a little jar of white truffle oil to see what all the truffle buzz is about and it's pretty good stuff.  So far, I've only used it with mushroom dishes and this one is no exception.  I was debating between making a pizza and sandwich, and the sandwich won this time.  These can be made in a panini maker, in a toaster oven, or in a pan like traditional grilled cheese.  This would also make a delicious pizza, just use a pizza crust instead of bread.

Vegan Truffled Mushroom Grilled Cheese
Makes 6 sandwich rounds or 3 larger sandwiches

8 oz mushrooms sliced (I used button, but this would taste great with any variety)
3 cloves garlic, finely diced
1 small shallot, finely diced
1/2 T olive oil
2 t truffle oil
salt and pepper
6 T vegan mozzarella cheese (I used Daiya Mozzarella Style Shreds)
a big handful of spinach leaves
6 sandwich rounds (I used Rudi's Organic Whole Wheat Sandwich Flatz) or 6 large slices of bread

Make the mushrooms:

In a medium/large sized pan, over medium heat, cook the olive oil, mushrooms, and shallot for 5-6 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook 1-2 more minutes, until the mushrooms are cooked and the shallots are softened.  Remove from heat and season with salt, pepper, and truffle oil and give it a stir.

Assemble the sandwiches:
If using sandwich rounds, divide the mushroom mixture on 6 halves of the rounds or if using larger bread, on 3 pieces of the bread.  Top each of the 6 rounds with 1 T of vegan cheese, or top the 3 pieces of larger bread with 2 T each of vegan cheese.  Top each one with some spinach and put the other slice of bread on top to assemble the sandwiches.

In a pan sprayed with cooking spray, grill each side over medium/medium low heat for about 3 minutes, or until the bread is toasted and the cheese is melted and serve.

Spaghetti Squash with Cherry Tomato Sauce

I was lucky enough to find squash and cherry tomatoes at the farmers market at the same time.  Like! This recipe was inspired by my sister, who made this as a side dish for Christmas dinner one year.  It's really simple, but very tasty.
On Cooking and Ingredients

Spaghetti Squash with Cherry Tomato Sauce
Serves 4-6 as a side dish
a 2 lb spaghetti squash
1 t olive oil
1/2 c chopped onion
4 cloves chopped garlic
3 c halved cherry tomatoes (measure after cutting)
2 t dry basil
salt and pepper

Cut the squash in half and remove the seeds.  Bake cut side down in a lightly oiled baking dish at 350.

Check it after 30 minutes.  Squash is done with it's soft enough to run a fork through and scrape up "noodles" as in the picture below.  If it's still not done after 30 minutes, bake it for 10 more and check it again.  You don't want to bake it for too long, or else it will turn into mush. Put the squash "noodles" into a serving bowl or use the squash shell to serve.

Have the tomatoes ready to go when you start the sauce:

In a pan over medium heat, heat the 2 t of olive oil.  Add the garlic and stir for 1-2 minutes until soft and fragrant.  Add the cherry tomatoes and basil and heat through for 1-2 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper and serve over the squash.

Split Pea Soup

It's the beginning of hot soup season!  I picked up some leeks, potatoes, and a beautiful bunch of fall herbs on Saturday at the farmers market from my favorite chemical free farmers and made split pea soup in the crock pot.  It will make your house smell so savory while it's cooking, mmmmm!
On Cooking and Ingredients

Split Pea Soup
Makes 12 Cups
6 cups vegetable broth
2 cups split peas rinsed
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 1/2 c diced carrots
1 c diced celery including leaves, use the inside core if possible
2 1/2 c chopped, cleaned leeks (see below)
2 c potatoes, cut into 1/4 - 1/2 inch cubes
1 T fresh thyme leaves
1 T fresh rosemary leaves, chopped
1 T fresh sage leaves, chopped
1 bay leaf
2 t celery salt
1/2 t black pepper

Cut the dark green tough ends off the leeks.  Slice the white/light green/tender part of the leek in half length wise, then chop into 1/4 inch slices:

Soak the slices in a bowl of water and separate the slices with your fingers.  Rinse and drain them several times to remove the grit.

Add the leeks, and all of the listed ingredients to a crock pot.  Cook on high for 4 hours. Soup is done when the veggies are soft, and the peas blend in to the rest of the soup.  Season with pepper to taste.

Squash Ravioli with Sage Alfredo Sauce

This dish is sweet-the squash flavor from the ravioli is the dominant flavor, and the sage alfredo is a really nice compliment to that.  These are great fall flavors.  I don't make my own pasta, so I used Rising Moon Organics Butternut Squash Ravioli: http://www.risingmoon.com/productlist.aspx?catid=Frozen+Organic+Pastas  If you make your own pasta, that's awesome!
On Cooking and Ingredients

Squash Ravioli with Sage Alfredo Sauce
serves 3-4
3 small shallots, grated
2 cloves garlic, grated
3 T earth balance spread
1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper
2 T thinly sliced sage leaves
3/4 c raw cashews soaked in water for about an hour
1 1/4 c water
2 t miso
16 oz package of squash ravioli

Soak the cashews for about an hour.  When they are done soaking, in a high speed blender, blend the cashews and 1 1/4 c water until smooth.  Set aside.

Cook the ravioli according to package instructions.

While the ravioli is cooking, grate the shallot and garlic into a medium saucepan.  Add the earth balance and melt over medium-low heat, cook for about 3 minutes, until garlic and shallot are fragrant.

Add the salt, pepper, and sage to the pan and turn it up to medium.

Cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.

Slowly pour in the cashew milk, and heat through for an additional 3-4 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in the 2 t miso.  Pour the sauce over the cooked ravioli.

Sweet Potato Burritos

Burrito or fajita night for us typically means this recipe.  They are not very spicy, so for those of you that would like to add a kick, sprinkle some cayenne pepper on the sweet potatoes or add a little chipotle pepper in adobo to the quinoa when you are cooking it.
On Cooking and Ingredients

Sweet Potato Burritos

Makes 8 burritos

8-8 inch whole wheat flour tortillas

1 large sweet potato or yam (I like it better with the orange sweet potatoes, not the light ones)

1 t organic, cold pressed canola oil

1 t chili powder

sprinkle of cayenne (optional)

1/2 c vegan mayo

2 T taco sauce

1/2 T organic taco seasoning

1 large onion, cut in half and sliced

1 large red pepper, sliced thin

1 t organic, cold pressed canola oil

1 can organic black beans rinsed and drained

1 cup organic frozen sweet corn

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups lightly packed spinach, roughly chopped

1 t organic, cold pressed canola oil

1 1/2 cups quiona, cooked following package instructions (if you'd like a kick, add a little chipolte in adobo sauce to the quiona while it cooks)

Optional: cilantro, avocado, salsa

Make the sweet potatoes:

Cut the sweet potato into 1/2 inch cubes.  Toss with oil, chili powder, and cayenne if using.  Place in a roasting pan and roast in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes, then stir, and bake for 5-15 minutes longer until potatoes are soft, but not mushy.

Make the sauce:

In a small bowl, combine the vegan mayo, taco sauce, and taco seasoning.  Mix well and refrigerate until ready to use.

Saute the veggies:

In a large frying pan, heat a teaspoon of oil over medium heat.  Add the sliced onions and peppers and saute until tender-crisp, about 5-10 minutes.  Remove from heat.

Make the bean mixture:

In a medium sauce pan, over medium/low heat, saute the oil and garlic for 3 minutes or until slightly soft.  Add the corn and black beans to the pan and heat through.  Stir in the spinach and continue cooking for 1-2 more minutes until the spinach is slightly wilted.  Remove from heat. 

Assemble the burritos: Divide the quinoa, sweet potatoes, onions/peppers, bean/spinach mixture, among each of the tortillas.  Drizzle some sauce over each one.  Serve with cilantro, salsa, and avocado.

Spring Roll Salad

Vegetarian spring rolls are so good, but I find that it takes patience to make them. Getting the roll in a good form and not breaking the wrapper are two challenges that can be avoided by making spring roll salad!
On Cooking and Ingredients

Spring Roll Salad

Makes 2 really big salads, or 4 sides

Tofu

10 oz drained tofu (see instructions: http://www.verveggie.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2012-08-27T17:38:00-05:00&max-results=5 )

1 T canola oil

1 T sweet chili sauce

1 T tamari (wheat free soy sauce)

Dressing

1/4 c brown rice vinegar

2 T brown rice syrup

1 T sweet chili sauce (or more to taste)

Salad

4 oz skinny brown rice noodles or vermicelli

2 T rough chopped mint leaves

3/4 c shredded or finely sliced carrots

2 c shredded cabbage

Garnish

3 T peanuts

green onions

gomasio (crushed seaweed, sesame seeds, sea salt)

Cook 4 oz of noodles according to package directions.  Rinse the noodles in cold water and set aside.

Make the tofu:

In a medium sized oven safe dish, mix the canola oil, chili sauce, and tamari.  Cut the drained tofu into 1/2 inch cubes and place into the dish with the sauce.  Toss the tofu until well coated.  Bake for 15 minutes in a 350 degree oven.  Give it a stir and then bake for 10 more minutes.  Cool the tofu.

Make the dressing:

In a small bowl, mix the brown rice vinegar, brown rice syrup, and chili sauce.  Whisk until well combined.  Add more chili sauce to taste if you would like more heat.

Make the salad:

In a large bowl, mix together the cabbage, carrots, cooled tofu, cooled noodles, and mint leaves.  Add the dressing and toss well.  Add peanuts, gomasio, and green onions and serve.

The Best Vegan Squash Bisque

This squash soup recipe was inspired by this Delicata Squash Bisque recipe:  http://veganyumyum.com/2008/10/delicata-squash-bisque/?vm=r&s=1  The original recipe is really yummy, and delicata squash is soooo good, however, sometimes you can't find it after the fall stock gets used up, and sometimes it's easier to bake and clean bigger squashes.  I find that the sweeter the squash you use, the better this soup tastes.  It's so good that I find myself licking out the bowl. This recipe makes a huge batch, cut it in half if you aren't making it for a lot of people. Also, it's pretty thick.  If you prefer thinner soup, use a little less squash or a less dense squash.

On Cooking and Ingredients

The Best Vegan Squash Bisque

Makes 15 cups

8 cups of mostly cooked squash (see below)

6 cups veggie broth

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup water

3/4 t cinnamon

1/4 t nutmeg

1/4 t allspice

black pepper-a lot

salt to taste

1 cup raw cashews

1 cup water

OR

2 cups vegan unsweetened cream

Soak the cashews in water.  Heat the oven to 350 and place whatever type of squash you are using into a baking dish and place into the oven.  Bake until you can stick a knife in it and cut it in half.  Time will vary depending on what type of squash you use and the size of the squash.  Scoop out the seeds and peel the squash.  

Measure out the squash in a measuring bowl, try to smash it a little if you cut it into chunks.

In a large pot, add the onion and half cup of water.  Cook over medium high until onion is soft and water is evaporated.  Add the broth, cinnamon, nutmeg, all spice, pepper, and squash.   Bring to a boil and then reduce heat.  Cover and cook for about 25 minutes until the squash is the rest of the way cooked.

Using an immersion blender, blend the soup in the pot until smooth.  In a high speed blender, blend the cashews and cup of water until smooth.  Add to the blended soup and blend it again (or add the cream if not using cashew cream).  Heat through and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Spicy Veggie Stuffed Peppers with Avocado "Sour Cream"

This recipe is a slight modification of vegetarian times Quinoa-Stuffed Peppers, I just kicked it up a little: http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/quinoa-stuffed-peppers-2/   And instead of  topping them with cheese, I made a vegan avocado sour cream that would be good as a party dip too.
I try to make stuffed peppers once a year-in the fall when there's lots of peppers available at the farmer's market for a good price, otherwise, they just don't seem to be very economical.  The stuffing in this recipe is is a great combination of veggies and quiona and I'd make it any time of year to eat without stuffing it in peppers.  It definitely has a kick to it with my spicy pepper additions, so if you aren't a fan of spicy food, you can cut out the jalapeno pepper, and use less of the chipolte in adobo too, but be sure to keep some since the chipolte in adobo gives it a smoky flavor.

Veggie Stuffed Peppers 
1/2 cup quinoa
1 cup vegetable broth
1 chipolte in adobo sauce, chopped finely
(Tip: when you buy a can of chipoltes in adobo, you can freeze them individually and then take them out when you need them)

4 bell peppers, I like red the best
1 t oil
1 large clove of garlic
1/2 cup finely chopped red pepper (use half of one of the 4 peppers so you will stuff 7 halves)
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
1/2 cup finely chopped carrot
1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeds removed, finely chopped (optional)
3/4 cup packed, shredded kale
3/4 cup chopped tomato
1/2 cup black beans
3/4 cup sweet corn
1/2 t cumin
salt and pepper

Rinse and drain the quinoa.  Add it to a medium pan with the cup of veggie broth and the chipolte pepper.  Bring to a boil and cook for 15-20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.  Heat your oven to 375 degrees.

While the quiona is cooking, add the oil to a large pan, along with the garlic, red pepper, red onion, carrot, and jalapeno if using.  Saute for 5-7 minutes until veggies are slightly soft.

Add the tomato, black beans, corn, kale, and cumin and heat through for about 2 minutes, then remove from heat.  When the quiona is done, add it to the pan with the veggies.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Cut the peppers in half and remove the seeds as much as possible.  You should have 7 halves to stuff.  Lightly oil the bottom of a 9X13 inch pan so the peppers don't stick.  Place the peppers in the pan, cut side up and spoon some of the veggie/quiona mixture in to each one.

Cover with foil and bake in a 375 degree oven for 30 minutes.

Avocado "Sour Cream"
1/2 cup raw cashews soaked for an hour
1/2 cup water
2 avocados, cut in half, seeds removed, and avocado scooped out
2 T lime juice
1/2 t cider vinegar
1/2 t garlic salt
salt to taste

In a Vitamix or high speed blender, blend the water and cashews until smooth.  Add the scooped out avocado, lime juice, cider vinegar, and garlic salt and blend until mixed.  Add salt to taste.

My Favorite Vegan Substitutes

A friend of mine recently started eating a vegetarian diet.  We were talking this weekend about cheese substitutes-there are tons of animal food substitutes for vegetarians out there in grocery stores, but not all are created equal.  I sent her a list of my favorite products and decided to post them here too ( I do not currently get paid by any advertisers, this is just my personal preferences after years of not eating animal foods).  These are all foods that are cholesterol free, and animals aren't used to make them.  However, instead of going heavy on animal food substitutes in your diet, I'd strongly recommend eating lots of fruits, vegetables and other whole foods, and use these on the side.  It is sometimes fun though, to veganize things that you used to love to eat and also to veganize recipes that look awesome that aren't vegan, and these can help you out.  They can also help transition from a primarily animal foods diet to vegetarian too!

When you are buying animal food substitutes, be sure to read labels-sometimes there are hidden, unhealthy ingredients, like Casein, which is milk protein, or yeast extract which is sometimes covering up for MSG.  All of the products in this list are MSG free.  Also, if something has an ingredient that looks like this: sldkfjeiorrle, try to find out what it really is and what it comes from and you might just want to bypass that product.  If you buy soy products, make sure the soy is non-GMO or organic.  Here's my list of favorites that I've tasted, as well as researched ingredients, with links to the company websites-many of the websites have yummy looking recipes too:


My favorite cream substitute for savory things:
Cashew cream-soaked cashews blended with water-amounts varied depending on how thick you need the cream to be.


Here's my favorite mozzarella substitute:
http://www.followyourheart.com/products/mozzarella-cheese/

Here's my other favorite cheese substitutes, the cheddar wedge is great:
http://www.daiyafoods.com/

Here's my favorite meat substitutes:
http://www.gardein.com/products.php?t=frozen&p=47

Brats and sausage:
http://www.tofurky.com/tofurkyproducts/sausages.html
Tofurky roast is great for Thanksgiving dinner-have the carnivores eating turkey try it-most of them will say it's not that bad:)

Here's my favorite milk substitute for sweet things, but notice it's the unsweetened version still:
http://www.sodeliciousdairyfree.com/products/coconut-milk-beverages/unsweetened

Here's my favorite butter substitute:
http://www.earthbalancenatural.com/product/original-buttery-spread/

Here's my favorite vegan mayos:
http://www.followyourheart.com/products/grapeseed-vegenaise/
http://www.earthbalancenatural.com/product/original-mayo/

Tomatoes, Tomatoes, Tomatoes

If you have a garden, this time of year can be tomato overload.  Hopefully, even if you don't have a garden, you are benefiting from somebody else's tomato overload:)  I have a date planned with friends for them to show me how to can tomatoes, but in the meantime, I've been freezing and drying.

Frozen Stewed Tomatoes
This is a great way to have BPA-free stewed tomatoes from your garden to use in the winter when making any recipe that calls for tomatoes.  If you have an over abundance of zucchini, peppers, eggplant, carrots, or any other veggie, you can shred them and add them to the tomatoes while they are cooking.  For example, in past years, I've had extra zucchini, peppers, and tomatoes.  I shredded the zucchini, chopped the peppers, and cooked it with the tomatoes and used it during the winter for both pasta sauce and chili base.

Cut cherry tomatoes in half (if you are using cherry tomatoes) and put them in a crock pot.

For larger tomatoes, bring a large pot of water to a boil.  To a large bowl, add ice and water and place near the pot of water on the stove.

When the water is boiling, carefully drop 6-7 tomatoes into the pot.  Boil for about a minute or remove them right away if the skins start to crack.  

Place the boiled tomatoes into the ice water bowl. 

After the tomatoes have cooled in the ice water for a minute or two, the skins remove very easily.  Remove the skins and some of the seeds if you want, and chop the tomatoes in one inch chunks.  Place the tomatoes into a crock pot.

Cooking time and temperature depend on your plans for the day and the temperature of the crock pot. If you want the tomatoes done faster and can check on them in a few hours, cook them on high.  If you are going to be gone all day, cook them on low.  I cook them until they look like a can of stewed tomatoes:

When they are done cooking, let them cool, and place them into glass jars with lids.  Leave at least an inch of room from the top of the jar for them to expand when freezing and place into the freezer.

Dried Tomatoes
Another use for tomatoes is to dry them for later use.  Drying them condenses the flavors and they are soooo good and it's so easy! It works for cherry tomatoes or large tomatoes.

For cherry tomatoes, cut them in half and place them on a dehydrator sheet.  For large tomatoes, cut them into 1/3 inch slices.

My dehydrator setting says 135 degrees for drying fruit, so that's the temperature I used.   Drying time depends on the size of the tomato-for cherries, it takes about 24 hours.  For larger tomatoes, about a day and a half.  Check them, and if they aren't dry, let them go longer.  Here's what they look like when dry:

When they are done, place them into a covered storage container.  I keep them in the fridge.  When you want to use them in a recipe, boil some water, and rehydrate them for a few minutes.  Yum!