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Stuffed Baked Tomatoes

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Classic Stuffed Tomatoes - Grandma's Secret Recipe Finally Discovered

T

his classic stuffed, baked tomato recipe originated in our family with my grandmother who used to prepare it every time I visited.

She never revealed the recipe and to this day, my family still tries to duplicate Grandma's wonderful tomatoes. After many attempts with fancy ingredients and complicated instructions, I finally realized Grandma lived in a simpler time. After applying that philosophy to my latest attempt to duplicate her recipe, I think I finally did it !

These delicious stuffed, baked tomatoes can be used as the foundation of a great appetizer, side dish or main course. I've provided step by step, illustrated instructions and you can prepare the basic dish in about 10 minutes (not including cooking time). Use any one of the suggestions to customize the stuffing or toppings or add your own ingredients to suit your unique taste and turn Grandma's basic recipe into something really special.

The recipe is simple and uses only basic, inexpensive ingredients.

The result is a healthy delicious meal everyone will love.

Table of Contents

  1. Stuffed Baked Tomatoes - Ingredients
  2. Stuffed Baked Tomatoes - Prepare Shells
  3. Problems Growing Tomatoes ?
  4. Stuffed Baked Tomatoes - Fill and Bake
  5. Customize Your Stuffed Baked Tomatoes
  6. Comments? Suggestions?
  7. All About Suzy
  8. More Lenses From Suzy-T on Squidoo

Stuffed Baked Tomatoes - Ingredients

It Couldn't Be Simpler

To prepare Classic Stuffed Baked Tomatoes, you'll need :

- 4 medium, firm tomatoes
- breadcrumbs (seasoned)
- olive or vegetable oil
- grated parmesan or romano cheese
- salt
- small baking pan or Pyrex dish

Makes 4 servings.

Not too fancy, I know...but there are SO many ways this can be customized to fit the occasion or suit your own individual taste. We'll tell you about some of our favorite suggestions a little later.

Vine Ripe Tomatoes




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Stuffed Baked Tomatoes - Prepare Shells

Prepare Tomato Shells

When selecting tomatoes for this recipe, they should be round, firm and medium in size. Larger, riper tomatoes will have a thinner outer wall and tend to fall apart when cooking them, only leaving the filling and a puddle of tomato skin in the bottom of the pan.

Step 1. Preheat oven to 350 deg. F. As an alternative, you can grill these outdoors. We'll explain how later.

Step 2. Wash and de-stem tomatoes. Remove core and slice in half horizontally.(see A) There will be a hole in the bottom of half of the shells but that is OK.

Step 3. Carefully cut around the seeds and flesh with a knife. Scoop out the inside with a spoon and save for the filling. (see B) Be careful not to leave the wall of the shell too thin. It's a little like carving a pumpkin !

Step 4. Gently dry the inside of the empty shells to remove any excess moisture.

Step 5. Prepare the baking pan with non-stick cooking spray or some of the oil. Arrange the shells open-side up in the dish. (see C) Don't use a pan or dish that's too large. The closer together they are, the better they'll stay together.


SERVING SUGGESTION - Half or Whole Shells...It's Up To You

Grandma's tomatoes were always half shells. If you decide to add ingredients to the stuffing as described later, you may need more room in the shell. As an option, you can cut the top quarter of the tomato off instead of cutting them in half horizontally. It will be slightly more difficult to scoop the shells out and you'll only yield one shell per tomato, but you should have plenty of room for all the yummy stuffing.

The additional stuffing and the larger shell will also mean you'll need to add some cooking time. I would start by adding 30 minutes to the suggested 1 to 1.5 hour cooking time and check the tomatoes often to make sure they cook properly.

Problems Growing Tomatoes ?

10 Tomato Plant Problems and How To Prevent Them

10 Tomato Plant Problems and How To Prevent Or Solve ThemThere may be few things as exciting to a gardener as a fresh, juicy tomato from your own garden...

There is also nothing as discouraging, especially after the hard work, time and money you invest in your home tomato garden, than finding out the plants are being eaten by pests or they have contracted a disease that is incurable.

Unfortunately, it's a common occurrence for many home gardeners and most problems aren't discovered in time to save the plant..

10 Tomato Plant Problems has information on how to diagnose the most common problems growing tomatoes and provides suggestions on how to prevent and/or solve many of them.


...and make sure you look out for the "Tiny Tomato Tips" sprinkled throughout the page for more great information about how to make your home tomato garden even better.

Tomato Sauce




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Stuffed Baked Tomatoes - Fill and Bake

Fill shells with basic filling. We'll get creative later.

Step 1. Chop tomato flesh that was removed from shells. You can also place the flesh in a food processor (see A). Don't chop too fine. You want a thick consistency with some chunks in the mixture.

Step 2. Add 4 tablespoons of breadcrumbs, 2 tablespoons of grated cheese and 1 teaspoon of oil to the mixture and combine. Add additional breadcrumbs as needed to obtain a thick, not wet, consistency.

Step 3. Sprinkle salt to taste in the bottom of the shells. Spoon equal amounts of filling into each shell. Top with additional breadcrumbs for a crusty texture on the top of the tomato.(see B)

Step 4. Bake in 350 deg. F oven for 90 minutes. The breadcrumbs on the top should be dark brown, the sides of the tomatoes should start to shrink and shrivel and the filling should be cooked all the way through. If necessary, bake for an additional 30 to 60 minutes, checking every 10 minutes. (see C).

The important thing to remember is that you really can't overcook them. Grandma used to make them with Thanksgiving dinner all the time and I'm sure they were in the oven as long as the turkey. Her tomatoes were charred on the bottom but the filling was still moist and delicious.


SERVING SUGGESTION - Cooking Tomatoes on the Grill

If you are making the tomatoes during the heat of the summer and would rather not turn on the oven, you can cook them outside on your grill.

Use a pan specifically designed for grill cooking and cook on medium-high heat for 60 minutes. Depending on your grill, the tomatoes might need additional cooking time.

Grill Pans

Cook your stuffed baked tomatoes on the grill.

If you're having a party and grilling outside, or you just don't want to heat up the house by turning on the oven in the middle of the summer, use of these multi-purpose grill-safe pans from Amazon to cook your tomatoes outdoors.

They are an invaluable tool for any outdoor cook and can be used for many different dishes.
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Customize Your Stuffed Baked Tomatoes

Grandma's basic recipe is delicious, no doubt, but there are hundreds of ways it can be customized to suit your individual taste or occasion.

Change the filling...Add something on top...Make it a cold recipe instead of baking it...


Have you made your own stuffed tomatoes?

Do you have a favorite topping or filling that might be yummy in a stuffed tomato?

Cold or hot filling?
 
 
I've started the list with 10 suggestions.
Share your thoughts or favorite recipes here...

1

Vote Up

stuffed cherry tomatoesStuffed Cherry Tomatoes
A popular and trendy appetizer.
Use 2 pints of cherry tomatoes and fill with mixture of 1 diced avocado, 1 tsp lemon juice, 1/4 cup mayo and 8 slices of cooked, crumbled bacon and 1 chopped small green onion. Chill 1 hour before serving.2 points

2

Vote Up

wedge of cheeseSlice of pepperjack cheese on top.
Simple, but so delicious.
About 10 minutes before removing from the oven, place a slice of pepperjack or your favorite cheese on top of each tomato and let it melt until bubbly and brown...a mouthwatering treat.1 point

3

Vote Up

nacho tomatoesNacho Stuffed Baked Tomatoes.
Spice it up !.
Substitute the breadcrumbs with crushed nacho cheese chips, add browned ground beef and chopped jalapenos to the stuffing and top with melted nacho cheese after removing from the oven. Serve with guacamole and more nacho cheese chips.1 point

4

Vote Up

Sausage, peppers and onionsSausage, Pepper and Onion Stuffed Tomatoes.
A boardwalk favorite in New Jersey.
Prepare crumbled sausage, peppers and onions first and fill whole tomato shells with mixture. Top with heated tomato sauce and oregano and serve with a crusty slice of french bread or small sandwich roll.1 point

5

Vote Up

tuna salad tomatoesTuna Salad Stuffed Tomatoes.
Cool it down.
Use the full shell method and fill with tuna salad. Top with chopped celery and paprika. Chill in refrigerator before serving for 1 hour. Serve on a bed of shredded lettuce.1 point

6

Vote Up

rice and beansRice and Beans-Filled Tomatoes.
Great if you have leftovers from the day before.
Great if you have leftover rice and beans from the day before and extra tomatoes from your garden. Replace the recommended stuffing with prepared rice and beans and bake for 60 minutes. Top with chilled sour cream.1 point

7

Vote Up

tuscan tomatoesTuscan Stuffed Tomatoes
A wonderful recipe from companyscoming.com
You can almost feel the warmth of the Tuscan sun when you feast your eyes on these golden-topped, stuffed tomatoes. Add a salad and a glass of wine-Buon Appetito! See the whole recipe by visiting Tuscan Stuffed Tomatoes1 point

8

Vote Up

Leftover meatloafLeftover Meatloaf Stuffed Tomatoes
Use "fine" meatloaf that has allowed to "age" for a day.
Crumble the leftover meatloaf and mix it with the original recipe filling ingredients of tomato pulp and breadcrumbs. Follow cooking instructions for Grandma's classic recipe provided earlier.1 point

9

Vote Up

Mushroom TomatoesMushroom and Zuchini Stuffed Tomatoes
A vegetarian's treat.
Although Grandma's original recipe was suitable for vegetarians, how about stepping it up a notch. Prepare diced zuchini and mushrooms separately in a skillet. Fill full tomato shells with mixtures and bake per original recipe instructions. Sprinkle grated parmesan on top of cooked tomatoes.1 point

10

Vote Up

risotto tomatoRisotto-stuffed Tomatoes
A hearty lunch or light supper recipe from bbcgoodfood.com
A classic dish in a tomato. Healthful and filling. You can learn how to make this wonderful dish by visiting bbcgoodfood.com's Risotto-stuffed Tomatoes recipe.1 point

Pyrex Baking Dishes

To Cook Your Culinary Marvels

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Hi everyone. I'm a mom of three (five if you count the dogs !) We live in New Jersey but I'm originally from Yonkers, NY.

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