Tomato pulp with milk powder makes a wonderful facial mask that will actually help heal acne and defoliate skin.  Idea of Beauty claims vitamin C and potassium found in tomatoes help heal the skin.  We know the vitamins and minerals in tomatoes are internally good for our bodies so if you’d rather absorb  those nutrients in a pampered facial mask than eat them, so be it.  Certainly anything good to eat will not harm your skin unless you’re allergic to it.

There are dozens of varieties of tomatoes.  Beef steak tomatoes are good for salads, sandwiches, salsas, and stuffed with chicken salad, tuna salad, herbed cottage cheese, tabbouleh or couscous.

Roma tomatoes are more fleshy and make excellent Italian sauces, canned whole tomatoes, or dried tomatoes.  Even the sauce can be dehydrated for tomato paste.

Cherry tomatoes and salad tomatoes on the vine are wonderful roasted and preserved with olive oil for antipasto, meze plates, and everything in between.

There has got to be at least one new dish created everyday that uses tomatoes.  Try a few of the recipes given here.  Add your own herbs and spices, make them your own.  And while tomatoes are at their peak, preserve some for winter.

Homemade V-8 Juice:

• 2 lb tomatoes, washed, cored, and chopped
• 1 stalk of celery, washed and chopped with leaves
• 1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
• 1 small red beet, peeled and chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 medium red bell pepper, washed, seeded and chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
•  2 tsp of Old Bay Spice
• 1 Tbsp horseradish

Method:

1. In a stainless steel pan, cook vegetables about 20 minutes or until they are tender.
2. Puree in a food processor.
3. Add sea salt and sugar to taste.  Chill.
4. Follow the method for Canned Tomato Juice for larger quantities.

Here are a few ways to preserve them:

1. Frozen Tomatoes:  Wash and core, place in freezer bags whole and freeze.  They thaw out in a flash and are excellent in bolognese sauce and stews or soups.
2. Canned Tomato Juice:  Wash, core, quarter and cook (without added water) over medium heat in a stainless steel pan just until tender and juicy.  Run through a food mill or press through a fine mesh sieve (chinoise) to remove skins and seeds.  Add salt to taste and 1/2 tsp of citric acid to sterilized jars.  Pour tomato juice into hot jars up to 1/2 inch from the rims, seal and process in a pressure cooker for 35 minutes.  (see video below)
3. Canned Whole or Diced Tomatoes:  Wash and core tomatoes, slice an X into bottom of each tomato, dip into boiling water for 2 minutes then remove the skins.  Pack whole tomatoes or diced tomatoes into sterilized jars with salt to taste and 1/2 tsp citric acid.  Pour hot tomato juice into jar up to 1/2 inch from rim of jar, seal, and process in pressure cooker for 35 minutes.
4. Dried Tomatoes:  Use Roma or cherry tomatoes.  Wash and slice in half.  Place on trays in an electric dehydrator and dry per manufacturer’s instructions.  Or, place on racks over cookie sheets and dry in a 250° F. oven, turning ocassionally, until tomatoes are leathery.  Place dried tomatoes in sterile jars and store in a cool, dark pantry.  Or, add basil leaves, garlic, salt, and pour in hot olive oil up to 1/2 inch from the rims.  Seal immediately and place in a cool, dark  pantry for 1 week before using.  Refrigerate, after opening, up to 6 weeks.
5. Tomato Paste:  Use Roma or beef stake tomatoes.  Dry the tomatoes in a dehydrator until they are crisp (see video below), grind to a powder in a food processor or coffee mill and reconstitute with just enough water to make a paste.  To make a sauce, add a bit more water to the paste along with herbs, spices (salt, pepper, sugar, cinnamon, cloves etc.), onions, garlic, or mushrooms.
6. Tomato Caper Tapenade:  3/4 cup of dried tomatoes in oil, 1/4 cup drained capers, 2 cloves garlic, 1 tsp lemon zest, 1 Tbsp lemon juice, 1 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves.  Process all ingredients until smooth.  Spoon into an 8 oz hot-sterilized- jar, top with 1/4 cup hot olive oil, seal immediately.  Refrigerate, after opening, up to 6 weeks.

Dehydrating tomatoes video

Canning tomatoes video

Lemongrass with its pungent flavor is fairly common as a hot tea ingredient.  But if you add some wild flower honey and green tea leaves then ice it you’ll have a refreshing and healthy summer drink.

To make:  simply rinse 1 stock of lemongrass in cool water, fold the stock into a bundle which will bruise the stock and allow the aromatics to escape. Add the bundle to 1 quart of boiling water along with 3 bags of your favorite green tea. Stir in 1 tbsp of your local honey or a good squeeze from the “honey bear.”   Steep until tepid and pour over ice.
Nothing could be easier!

Variations:  Add a 1/2-inch knob of ginger or a couple allspice berries to the boiling water mix .

Everything you need to make your own soda pop is available in Brew Shops, Walmart, hardware stores, canning supply shops and some supermarkets even stock extracts.  The last time I bought a capper was at Coast to Coast hardware and they also sold stubby bottles.

This ginger beer (ale)  is super easy to make and delicious over ice.  It carbonates itself so there’s no need to buy soda water.   Here in the islands, where its summertime year round, I make this several times a year.    Give this recipe a try and be sure to let the kids help.

Ingredients for a 2-litre bottle:

• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 tsp yeast (brew’s yeast or bread yeast will do)
• 1/2 cup fresh ginger root, grated (about 2 big knobs 4 inches long)
• juice of 1/2 lime
• 2 litres filtered water

 Method:

1. Place grated ginger in a stainless steel sauce pan.   Add 2 cups water and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and let simmer for 20 minutes.
2. Strain liquid into a bowl, discard ginger or save for a stir-fry.  Add sugar to make a syrup.  Stir until sugar dissolves.  Pour 1/2 cup syrup into a cup.
3. Sprinkle yeast over reserved 1/2 cup of ginger syrup.  When frothy, pour into the bowl and stir gently to mix.  
4. Using a funnel, pour the yeasty syrup into a 2 litre PET bottle.  Add water up to 1/2-inch from top of the bottle.  Cap tightly and let set in a warm area until bottle feels hard when squeezed around the middle and the bottle looks like its ballooned beyond normal.   This could take 2 days or 5 days depending upon temperature of fermenting room.
5. Refrigerate over night before drinking.  Refrigeration stops the carbonation process.

Note that frozen flavors are not as pronounced on the tongue so always taste your sorbet mixture for flavor intensity.  Kick up the flavor if needed before churning.

Basic Banana Sorbet with Spirit

Ingredients:

• 2 cups mashed ripe banana
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• pinch of salt
• 3/4 cup simple syrup  (Dissolve 1 cup sugar in 1 cup boiling water then cool.)
• 1/4 cup liqueur or spirit of choice  (optional – substitute simple syrup for liqueur)

Method:

1. Puree all ingredients in a blender or food processor.
2. Chill thoroughly in the refrigerator.
3. Process in an ice-cream machine according to manufacturer’s instructions.
4. Transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze at least 2 hours more before serving.

Makes about 3 servings.

Homemade Banana Liqueur

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 ripe bananas, peeled and mashed
• 3 cups vodka

Method:

1. Make a simple syrup by bringing sugar and water to a boil over medium-high heat.  Remove from heat and add vanilla.  Let stand until just warm. 
2. Place mashed bananas in clean 1-quart, wide-mouthed jar.  Add syrup and vodka.  Cover and let stand in a cool, dark place for 3 to 4 days, shaking once or twice a day to prevent clumping of fruit.
3. Use a fine-mesh strainer to strain out solids.  A metal coffee filter works great.  Discard the pulp.  The liqueur will still be cloudy.  Cover and let stand undisturbed until it clears. 
4. Rack into a clean container;  that is, syphon off the clear liqueur.  I like to use a turkey baster for this.  Cover and age for 1 month.  If more sediment settles to the bottom, rack again before serving.

Makes 1 quart.

Coco Lopez Coconut Cream is condensed sweetened coconut cream invented by Ramon Lopez Irizarry, a Puerto Rican.  It’s readily available in grocery and liquor stores.   To the Coconut Cream,  just add some coconut milk, Puerto Rican rum, a few spices and voila… Coquito.  This recipe is a no brainer and quick to make.   It is typically made for the holidays but I love it for a late-nite nip just about any time of the year.  You’ll find plenty of creative ways to use this Coco Lopez Coquito besides this Banana Colada Sorbet.  Check out my Koala Bear Sundae and substitute Coco Lopez Coquito for the Bailey’s.

Banana Colada Sorbet

Ingredients:

• 4 cups over-ripe banana (4-6 medium bananas, peeled and mashed)
• pinch of sea salt
• 1/2 cup Coquito (recipe below)
• 1-1/2 cups Coco Lopez Coconut Cream

Method:

1. Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor, whirl until smooth.
2. Taste and adjust flavors if needed.   Add 1/2 tsp of  Banana or Coconut Extract if needed.
3. Chill thoroughly in the refrigerator, at least 3 hours.
4. Freeze in an ice-cream machine according to manufacturer’s instructions.
5. Transfer to a freezer safe container and freeze for at least 2 hours more before serving.

Makes 6-8 servings

Coquito (egg and dairy free)

Ingredients:

• 15 oz can of Coco Lopez – Coconut Cream
• 30 oz (2 cans) Coco Lopez Coconut Milk
• 2 cups Puerto Rican Rum of choice (Bacardi or Don Q are great)
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• pinch of sea salt

Method:

1. Whisk or blend all ingredients together in a non-reactive container.  A gallon glass jar works great.
2. Taste and add more rum if needed.  Refrigerate overnight for flavors to develop.
3. If the viscosity is too heavy, add 1/2 cup ice water and stir to blend. 
4. Transfer to bottles or decanters and keep chilled.

Makes a little more than 2 quarts.