Roasted Tomatoes

I am a busy mom.  You all know this, right?  Right.  When it comes to cooking for my family, I'm ALL about easy, fast, healthy, delicious.  I do not have time to stand around in my kitchen prepping ingredients.  I do not have time to babysit my stove or oven.  This mama's got stuff to do and places to go!!

Except when it's tomato season.  Because, for this recipe, I break all my rules.

Roasted Tomatoes
Recipe adapted from Rachael Ray

3 lbs ripe plum tomatoes (about 15-20) 
Extra-Virgin olive oil
Fresh thyme, springs removed from stems
Garlic Powder

1.  Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 375°. Stem the tomatoes and slice them in half lengthwise. Gently squeeze out the seeds or scoop them out with a spoon or your fingers.  This process has become rather therapeutic for me actually, instead of tedious like I first thought it would be.

Yup, these beauties are from MY garden.  I love that.

2.  Lay the tomatoes, cut side up, in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Can we take a moment to talk about the parchment paper?  Do NOT think that coating the pan with a non-stick spray, or the EVOO in the recipe is enough to prevent a Baking Sheet Disaster here.  The way that these are roasted, charred bits are inevitable.  Charred bits and JUICES sticking to the pan are inevitable.  Have you ever tried to scrub juice that's been charred onto a pan?  Yeah, not pretty.  Just ask Rob. Learn from my early mistakes: get the parchment paper.

Thyme is staying fresh in a beer-tasting glass

3.  Drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle with the thyme and garlic powder.  I choose to use powder as opposed to fresh here because fresh garlic burns more easily. Roast for 40 minutes. Increase the oven temperature to 400° and roast the tomatoes until caramelized, about 20 minutes more.

Season to taste: everyone gets a little thyme and a little more garlic

4.  Turn off the oven and leave the tomatoes inside for 10 minutes, then remove to a rack and let cool completely. Peel if desired. The tomatoes will keep for up to 5 days in the refrigerator or for up to 6 months in the freezer.

Yum

Serve these as-is along side a beautiful steak.  Layer with fresh mozzarella and basil for a gorgeous salad.  Chop them up to use in a roasted tomato spaghetti sauce or salsa.  Or, as you'll see later on, use them to make a glorious roasted tomato soup.  Possibilities, I love them.