tomato sauce recipes?

[emilycat]

I have a container in my fridge (about 2 cups) of crushed/pureed tomatoes. This may be a dumb question, but do any of you have any recommendations on how to use them? I don't want to make a sauce with them or anything, but something like a main or side dish that uses them as a main ingredient. Any suggestions? Or should I just freeze them until I decide to make the Eggplant Mozzarella Bake again? http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif Gosh, I know, I must be so uncreative.

[Ohioan]

emilycat - I usually wind up with a jar of crushed tomatoes in my refrigerator, too. What I usually do is dip out a few spoons at a time, over the next week, to throw into beans, soups, sautees, veggie bakes, omelets, and so on. Before the week is gone, usually, so are the tomatoes. (I just used up the last of a jar last night in a pot of curried kidney beans).

Cheers,
Phoebe

[valeriek]

Emily,

I have a great recipe that calls for 1/2 cup crushed tomatoes. It kind of like a thick cabbage stew that you serve over rice. I got the recipe from Weight Watchers Versitile Vegetarian. I know I'm not making it sound good, but it really is yummy. Let me know if your interested, and I'll bring the recipe in tomorrow to post.

[lorilei]

I don't know about you -- but right about now a big steamy pot of chili sounds awfully good. And that would use up your tomatoes in a hurry. Chicken cacciatori is also a favorite at my house http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[venus]

Chicken Cacciatore is a favorite here as well . Actually, tomatoes in general are http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif You can used crushed tomatoes in so many things but my personal favorite right now is jambalaya. There was a thread about it on here with many recipes. I made one (I think it was lorilei's) and left out the rice and it was excellent. The last time I made it I used crushed tomatoes and they worked fine.

If you want a side dish, my mom used to cook okra in pureed tomatoes with some water and salt. It's a traditional Greek recipe with a nice mild flavor, but so delicious!

[This message has been edited by venus (edited 11-29-2000).]

[Beth H]

I actually make sauce with crushed tomatoes because my husband doesn't like "chunky" tomato sauce. Here's what I do:

saute 4 -7 cloves garlic and 1/2 t crushed red pepper in several teaspoons of olive oil over medium heat for about 45 seconds

Add one big can crushed tomatoes

Add salt to taste. I also add a slight amount of brown sugar (about 1 - 2 spoonfuls), Italian seasoning, and black pepper.

I guess most cooks don't recommend using the crushed to make tomato sauce but I like the results.

[emilycat]

Thanks so much, guys, for all your great ideas! I'm thinking that Venus's okra dish sounds really yummy...I usually never eat it unless I'm at my grandmother's house, because they grow it just outside, but I may have to go pick some up. Is this a recipe, per se, or just a method of cooking the okra in the tomato sauce?

Em

[lanie]

Make a meatless spaghetti pie!

[Luiza]

Emilycat, you might want to take a look at the "Casseroled Okra" recipe on this site:
http://www.hol.gr/clubs/cookery/greece/en_index.htm

They have authentic greek recipes, and I have had good luck with all the recipes I have tried from their site. Unfortunately, authentic also means lots of olive oil, but the recipe might serve as inspiration. One of my favourite recipes is on this site: Chicken with Lemon Sauce. I use chicken breast and cut down on the oil, so it's pretty low fat and very flavourful. I usually serve it with orzo.

Anyway, hope this helps.

Luiza

[Gail]

Originally posted by Luiza:
Emilycat, you might want to take a look at the "Casseroled Okra" recipe on this site:
http://www.hol.gr/clubs/cookery/greece/en_index.htm

They have authentic greek recipes, and I have had good luck with all the recipes I have tried from their site. Unfortunately, authentic also means lots of olive oil, but the recipe might serve as inspiration. One of my favourite recipes is on this site: Chicken with Lemon Sauce. I use chicken breast and cut down on the oil, so it's pretty low fat and very flavourful. I usually serve it with orzo.

Anyway, hope this helps.

Luiza

Thanks for the site! I'm always happy to have more Greek recipes. I'll be sure to bookmark it. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[SusanL]

ValerieK-please post your recipe for the cabbage stew, if you have time. I have cabbage in the fridge that I need to cook.Thanks!

[valeriek]

It's actually called Sweet and Sour Cabbage with Peanuts, and it is yummy. Here it is:

1 onion, chopped
1 small green cabbage, chopped
2 carrots, thinly slices
1/2 cup canned crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup red-wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup dry-roasted peanuts, chopped (I usually add more)
1 cup plain nonfat yogurt

1. Spray a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray, heat. Add the onion, cook, stirring as needed, until softened, about 5 minutes.

2. Add the cabbage, carrots, and 1/2 cup water. Cook, stirring as needed, until the carrots are softened, 5-6 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper; cook, stirring as needed, until heated through, 2-3 minutes. Sprinkle evenly with the peanuts; serve topped with the yogurt.

I usually serve this over rice. I also cook the cabbage a little bit longer than required here.

Serves 4

per serving: 214 calories, 10 g total fat, 1 g saturate fat, 1 mg cholesterol, 374 mg sodium, 26 g total carbohydrates, 6 g dietary fiber, 10 g protein, 202 mg calcium.

This came for Weight Watchers Versitile Vegetarian.

[venus]

Em,

I have no idea if there is a recipe for it. My mom takes a box of frozen okra and puts it in 2-4 quart pot. She opens a can of diced/pureed tomatoes and mashes it through a sieve on top of the okra. She adds some salt and cooks it for a while over medium heat and that's it. She serves it at a side dish--I used to like it with "burned" butter pasta.

Jae

[emilycat]

I just wanted to thank everyone for their suggestions...I ended up in a creative mood last night an improvised with all of my "need-to-use" ingredients. What came out of my effort was a really yummy lasagne I made with whole wheat lasagne noodles, collard and beet greens and onions, and ricotta and gorgonzola cheeses, and of course my crushed tomatoes. I was really pleased with the results; I'll probably even make it again, but next time with some shiitakes or creminis...