"Gentleladies, start your ovens...."

Our Amish Paste tomatoes are starting to ripen in batches...that means it's time to dry a bunch of 'em for use this winter in soups, stews and potroast. They add such a nice complexity to the flavor of meats and soups. Also great on English muffins with melted cheese for breakfast. Or in a roast beef or chicken sandwich, omlettes....I could go on.........but I do draw the line at putting them on oatmeal...

Peeled and cut in half. Easy peeling by dropping them in hot water for a couple of minutes, then into an ice-water bath to stop the cooking. The skins will split and you can just roll them off.

Squishing the guts out makes for faster drying. Just press them on the side of a bowl and the seeds and juice will come out. If you're doing lots, you may want to wear kitchen gloves...the acid can get you your hands after awhile.

All ready for the oven with herbs & lots of olive oil ( I used a lemon infused oil I had been saving for this purpose). I put them on parchment paper for easier cleanup.

After about 2-hours (this varies with the size & juiciness) at 275 degrees, you'll have a great smelling kitchen and some dark roasted tomatoes. They'll still be a bit juicy...I don't want them to turn into shoe leather...

I just put them in baggies making sure to get all the oil I can (now the oil is tomato infused). I freeze 'em up and put them into seal-a-meal type plastic bags later. Less messy that way when they are frozen. As Jack likes to say as he wanders through the kitchen, "Bodes well for good eatin' this winter!"