In partnership with
This summer has been an interesting one for my small garden along the fence in my backyard. The tomatoes started strong, but haven't ripened until now. Finally, after what seems like months of tending to them and watching them grow, I have more than I can eat! Excited to finally have a harvest, I decided to come up with a fun way to use them. I'm sharing two delicious recipes inspired by sun-ripened tomatoes. I'm hoping you can share them with your loved ones or use any of the recipes to bless a friend or family member in need of a meal!
If you have a bounty of tomatoes from the garden and don't know what to do with them, here is an easy way to store them. First, blanch them to soften the skin, and then soak them in cold water until the skin comes off easily. Second, slice them in half and squeeze out the seeds and watery pulp, leaving only the flesh. Third, cut the tomatoes into cubes and add them to a pan to simmer until the water gently boils off. (This will give you a thicker, chunkier "sauce." ) Once cooled, you can move them to quart-size freezer bags and store them in your freezer until ready to use. For more information on how to blanch, peel, and store tomatoes, click here! Use as you would for any recipe that calls for diced tomatoes.
I enjoy making this spaghetti sauce because it's easy to double, allowing me to create a large batch for freezing and storing.
This recipe serves twelve people. It calls for one 28-ounce can of diced tomatoes. You could substitute roughly one of the quart-sized bags of reduced tomatoes from the process I shared above, or use store-bought cans.
Zucchini is another vegetable I had a bountiful supply of! A few weekends ago, we spent the weekend at the Chesapeake Bay, only to return home to find my zucchini had grown exponentially large! Not wanting to waste it, I decided to give a friend's post on Facebook about turning zucchini slices into personal pizzas a try! You could easily use the spaghetti sauce I shared above as the pizza sauce, or simply use sliced tomato and roast it on top of the zucchini.
Click here for the full instructions on how to make your own Zucchini Pizza Bites! I love the addition of pepperoni or prosciutto! They make a delicious, gluten-free meal!
*Be sure to cut your slices to the size specified in the recipe and continue roasting them until they begin to crisp and brown. I made the mistake of pulling them out too soon, and the zucchini was a bit undercooked. They still tasted great, though!
Do you have a bounty of tomatoes or zucchini from your end-of-summer garden? Even if you don't, making these recipes with store-bought vegetables is equally delicious! I hope I've inspired you to use the bounty of the garden to share a nourishing meal with a loved one!
Are you taking advantage of your Amazon Prime perks? Whether you’re already a Prime member or considering signing up, here are 9 Prime member benefits you should be using!
For many of us, free shipping and access to exclusive shows and movies is enough reason to fork over the $14.99 per month to get Prime. But if that hasn't been enough to entice you to join Prime, maybe some lesser-known incentives like free music/podcasts, access to lightning deals, and Whole Foods discounts will tempt you to sign up.
Make sure you're not missing out, and get the most out of your Prime membership!
In Case You Missed It
1. See how our send them a meal option helped a sweet family who just welcomed their first baby enjoy a stress-free dinner delivered right to their door!
2. These Fall recipes are cozy, hearty, and perfect for the season. They’re made with simple ingredients, easy to transport, and totally meal-taking approved.
3. The next time you are taking a meal and feel like adding a thoughtful extra, consider a bouquet of flowers! Nadia found these adorable paper gift bags on Amazon, which are a great option, so your receipt doesn’t have to return a vase!
Don’t have Instagram? Click here for the product link!
4. An inexpensive way to dress up a meal is to use baskets or tea towels to carry items. Kelli recently made four loaves of sourdough bread and took three of them to my family and neighbors. See how she packaged them using a kitchen towel!
5. Salads can be a meal by themselves or a wonderful side to another main dish. We've compiled some of the best salads and side dish recipes on our Pinterest!
Easily Organize Meal Schedules for Friends
Take Them A Meal is an easy (and free!) online tool for coordinating the delivery of meals to loved ones. If a friend is ill, elderly, or welcoming a child, you can rally their community to take them meals. We also offer delicious, fully-prepared meals that can be shipped directly to their door!
Send Love in a Box - Freshly Prepared Meals Shipped Nationwide!
Surprise your loved ones with a delicious, chef-made meal delivered straight to their door. Explore Shipped Meals
Tested Recipes that Transport Well
Our culinary team has tested each of these recipes to make sure we can heartily recommend them. Explore Our Recipes
Gifts & Such
Check out these thoughtful and practical gifts including engraved spoons, meal carriers and more!
We’ve included a few affiliate links in this post. If you buy something, we might earn a small commission. We only recommend things we genuinely love!