Fried Green Tomatoes

On October 6, 2022October 6, 2022 By Julie Laing | Twice As TastyIn Column, Ingredient, Using2 Comments

If you grow a garden, especially in a climate with a short growing season, you know that one of your last harvest decisions is what to do with green tomatoes. If you harvest them before they are damaged by frost, many green tomatoes will ripened indoors. You can also preserve tomatoes while they are still green. Some can be eaten fresh too.

I share one of my favorite ways to eat fresh tomatoes this week in my Twice as Tasty column for the Flathead Beacon: dredged in cornmeal and fried in a pan. Successfully making fried green tomatoes, with a just-soft, sweet interior and crisp outer shell that stays attached to each tomato slice, depends on the tomatoes you choose and the way you prepare them before you add them to the pan.
Learn to make Fried Green Tomatoes

Shrimp and Summer Squash Enchiladas with Homemade Enchilada Sauce

On September 15, 2022September 15, 2022 By Julie Laing | Twice As TastyIn Canning, Column, Ingredient, Using1 Comment

The enchiladas I share this week in my Twice as Tasty column for the Flathead Beacon have become household favorites. And that all started with the sauce. Before I began making my own enchilada sauce, I occasionally attempted this rich, cheesy dish when we wanted comfort food, but I never quite nailed the technique of getting the tortillas in that just-right place, ending up with ones that were mushy or crunchy. Then I found a sauce recipe I love and started putting up jars of it, which led me to track down the technique that keeps the tortillas soft and intact, making them the perfect vehicle for the homemade sauce.

The recipe I share here lets you make this delicious sauce in a smaller batch without the effort of canning it. If you fall for this sauce like I did, you can make a larger amount to process in a boiling water bath using the instructions in Tips & Tricks. The enchiladas themselves can have all sorts of fillings: as we transition from summer to fall, my favorite pairs homegrown summer squash with sautéed shrimp.
Learn to make Shrimp and Summer Squash Enchiladas with Homemade Enchilada Sauce

Tomato-Cucumber Salad with Asian-Inspired Dressing

On September 1, 2022September 1, 2022 By Julie Laing | Twice As TastyIn Column, Ingredient, UsingLeave a comment

Tomato season is on. I harvested 45 pounds of heirloom paste and slicing tomatoes in one go earlier this week, and these larger tomatoes already need to be picked again. The cherry tomatoes have been prolific too; bowls of them are currently scattered around my house, waiting to be eaten, frozen, or canned.

As I share this week in my Twice as Tasty column for the Flathead Beacon, fresh cherry tomatoes and small cucumbers make a delicious salad. Nothing beats the taste of homegrown ones, of course, but local farmers can do the work for you and even a larger tomato and cucumber can be sliced up for a similarly quick, bright dish when they’re in season. Although most people think of a balsamic-based vinaigrette for tomatoes, I love to flavor this pairing with an Asian-inspired dressing—especially if I’m eating it with the recipe I shared in last week’s Flathead Beacon column: Zucchini-Basil Pancakes, one of my favorite was to use zucchini.
Learn to make Tomato-Cucumber Salad with Asian-Inspired Dressing

30-Minute Tomato Soup

On December 9, 2021December 29, 2021 By Julie Laing | Twice As TastyIn Column, Freezing, UsingLeave a comment

In this week’s Twice as Tasty column for the Flathead Beacon, I share one of my favorite soup recipes. Even my sister, who grew up unimpressed by many tomato dishes, has gotten hooked on this soup. It’s quick, easy, and uses the homegrown produce that’s been stashed away for the winter. In the column, I share my storage methods for its main ingredients, hoping to entice you to plan ahead next growing season. I also tell you how to make it right now with whatever tomatoes and onions are in your kitchen.
Learn to make 30-Minute Tomato Soup