What To Do With Green Tomatoes?

Lots of Green Tomatoes

Due to the unfortunate progress of the fungal wilt affecting several of the tomato plants this year, we've had plenty of tomatoes, but most of them have been green tomatoes taken off the plants Cindy has had to tear out.

According to other Master Gardeners, their tomatoes are not doing well this year, either.  One friend has already ripped out three of her plants.

We're guessing that because San Diego, unlike most of the rest of the country, had a very mild winter so the temperature never got cold enough to kill off the pathogens in the soil.  Those pathogens are now having a roaring old time destroying our tomato plants, but fortunately don't seem to be affecting the rest of the garden.

So what do you do with that many green tomatoes?

So far we've had Green Tomato Pasta, Green Tomato Soup and Green Tomato Bread.

We've had the pasta and the soup in previous years, but I was a little skeptical of the bread, at least until I tasted it.  The taste and texture were very similar to Zucchini Bread, so I guess it shouldn't have been much of a surprise that it was as good as it was.  It could have used some nuts, though, so Cindy has added them to the recipe.

So here's the recipe Cindy used:

Green Tomato Bread
Ingredients
1/2 cup canola oil
8 ounces nonfat yogurt, plain
3 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup Splenda (or use all sugar--Cindy used sugar)
2 cups green tomatoes, pureed, juice drained and discarded
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves (scant)
1/2 cup nuts  (optional)

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour two loaf pans.

Combine oil, yogurt, eggs, sugar, Splenda, nuts and green tomatoes in a large bowl and mix well.  Sift together all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and spices and add to wet ingredients along with the whole wheat flour.  Stir together just until combined.
Divide evenly between two prepared pans and bake just until a toothpick comes clean from the center of the bread, about 45 minutes.  Let cool in pans, then remove.