The Chili Tomato

I talked last year about our favorite tomato varieties and about growing the Sun Gold variety, and I touched on the Brandywine and Brandyboy varieties as well. I also said I would have a future blog on those varieties and here it is! I started making chili the other day in my crock pot and remembered my promise to give you some more information about tomato's and what to do with your excess, and if you are growing Brandywine/boy and Sun Gold you will have excess to the point that your neighbors may begin to avoid you if it looks like you are bringing tomatos!

 

The above picture shows Brandywine on the vine ripening up!  Brandywine is an heriloom tomato that has wonderful flavor, freezes well and is a great slicer for sandwiches, salads, and just for eating like an apple if you'd like!  Brandywine plants are an indeterminate variety that is slightly susceptible to some of the tomato blights, and to tobacco blight.  Do not let anyone smoke in your greenhouse!  Brandywine is fairly easygoing otherwise and does well in heat and dry environments as well as cooler weather.  The fruit is substantial, weighing in at 6 oz. and more on average.  

Below are Ladybug and Sun Gold tomatos that I just pulled from the freezer to use in chili!  Yes!  Those are frozen solid tomato rounds!

 

As my tomatos begin to ripen, I get a gallon or even a quart sized freezer bag (ziplock type without the "zipper" work best to protect the produce) and just throw the tomatos willy-nilly into the freezer as the season goes on.  I put all sizes together.  I don't peel them.  If you are using a recipe that requires peeled tomatos or if you just dont like the skins, once you take the tomatos that you need out of the bag, you only have to wait about 5 minutes until you can slip the skins right off! 

I just throw them into whatever recipe I am needing to use them for, I dont usually even thaw them out.  Tomatos freeze so nicely this way - they dont stick together and it makes it really easy to pick through if you only want a cetain variety as well.  They also dice up really easily if you are using your larger tomatos for a recipe.  You wont get sandwich slices from them but you will very much enjoy the fresh flavor of your summer bounty all through the winter months!

All Day Chili

1 to 2 lbs ground beef (you can use left over steak bites, roasted chicken, pork suasage, etc.) Brown the beef if you are using raw
1 diced onion
2 mashed garlic cloves
1 tsp cumin
2 cups frozen small tomatoes or diced large ones
1 12-16 oz. jar chicken stock
1 can black beans - drained
1 can Pinto or navy beans - drained
2 tsp. chili powder (sometimes we use taco seasoning)
1 tsp Oregano
1 can tomato sauce
1 small can diced green chilis
hot peppers or hot sauce to taste

Place all ingredients in a large crock pot and cook low and slow all day.  6 hours at least.  Enjoy!