20+ lbs of plum tomatoes

for $15.  How could I resist? (rhetorical). This is just the tip of the iceberg.  I've already made some sort of sauce and some Shakshouka - an Armenian dish Todd and Lesli raved about when they were here on Sunday evening. It was perfectly fine but I wouldn't RAVE about it. 

Of course, I threw a bunch of them into the food processor with an onion, hot pepper, garlic, lime juice, salt, and coriander.  SALSA.  I just happen to have a bag of corn chips. Do they count as a vegetable?

If I had a cucumber and a green pepper I could make gazpacho but I don't.  I have  to say, however, that when I drained the tomato juice from the salsa I realized it would make a great (albeit thin) bloody mary.  Maybe I'll try that next time instead of just drinking the delicious juice. 
This reminds me, I have 5 ears of corn from same farm I bought for Sunday night dinner (to go with the order-in pizza). All a non-event because the kids left without eating to continue their trip home to D.C
and by now I need to do something else with them. I am sure Mark Bittman will have some good ideas - corn and black bean salad?

Yesterday, while I was on the treadmill, Mark Bittman was on the Today show. (mind you, I don't watch tv but what could I do? it was right in front of me). Fresh tomato recipes - and he had the most divine looking peach and tomato soup.  Of course, I immediately bought some peaches and that's also on my make-it list for tonight. AS IF I have nothing else to do.

Still a lot of tomatoes and frankly, they are not that great to eat out of hand. It occurred to me that there must be a recipe for tomato ice cream somewhere. AHA! Great idea!  And I have a pot of basil - so I might make tomato-basil ice cream or do them separately (a better idea, maybe).  I'll let you know how this turns out.

TOMATO ICE CREAM

Read more about it at www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1613,159168-250196,00.html Content Copyright © 2011 Cooks.com - All rights reserved. 2 lg. whole ripe tomatoes 7 oz. fresh cream 2 2/3 tsp. sugar 1 tsp. orange liquor Wash tomatoes and cover with wrap individually, putting stem at the bottom. Cook on 100% power (high) for 3 minutes in microwave. Cool in water and peel. Strain in strainer, using wire whisk, make tomatoes puree. Set aside.Combine fresh cream, sugar and orange liquor. Stir the mixture into tomato puree. Pour the mixture in a metal bowl, covering with wrap. Keep in freezer. Stir 2 or 3 times before freezing completely.

All this is in the way of avoidance, of course.  I spent all afternoon yesterday paying bills and was up till 2:am reading a Ruth Rendell mystery called End in Tears.  I haven't read her before (for some reason) but if I like this book I will no doubt go on an Inspector Wexford binge. police procedural binge.

Ok - off between the large raindrops to have lunch with Judy Langille, whom I have not seen all summer. Maybe I will check back later - and maybe not.