Make Your Own Sundried Tomatoes

So this week my tomato plants have really gone crazy. I've gotten more tomatoes than I know what to do with! As I was preparing to make this week's Barefoot Bloggers recipe, I thought - hey why not make my own sundried tomatoes! It turns out they are very easy and require very minimal effort. The biggest challenge of making these is just time. They need to cook for several hours (like 7+, and from what I read up to 20), so I wouldn't suggest waiting until 4pm to start them if you want to go to bed at a reasonable hour (not that I did that). But let me tell you, they are sooo much better than storebought.... just like so many things in the world of home-cooking. Plus, think about how much money you can save. A jar costs at least $5 in my area, and I made these for pennies! Doesn't get much better than that.

These will keep for several months in the freezer. If the recipe you are using calls for them to be packed in oil, just soak them for a few hours in olive oil and any desired seasonings for a few hours before cooking.

Sundried Tomatoes

• Tomatoes
• Salt
• Pepper

Preheat oven to 150. If your oven doesn't go this low, just set it to the lowest setting. Wash and dry tomatoes well. Cut into halves or quarters, depending on the size. Discard seeds and thick flesh. Space evenly on a cake rack positioned over a baking sheet, skin side down. Sprinkle liberally with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.

Bake until the tomatoes are completely dried, but not charred, turning every few hours and checking for doneness. Allow to cool, and store in a ziploc bag. Refrigerate if you plan to use them within a week or so, otherwise freeze.