I signed up for Foodbuzz’s Project Food Blog contest this weekend. It’s a large competition with multiple challenges, lots of exposure and a substantial cash prize. After each challenge, many participants will be eliminated. I’ll be honest: I’m secretly competitive and a perfectionist. Usually I avoid competing unless I believe I can win. That strategy has kept me comfortable, but entering this contest is a big departure. There’s an enormous amount of food blogging talent involved, and I have no idea where I’ll place. It’s intimidating, but I’m diving in because I want to become a better blogger for my readers. You make blogging worthwhile, so I’m giving this my all.
This post is my first entry for the challenge “Ready, Set, Blog!” The task is to capture who I am as a food blogger in one post. I tend to get sentimental when I talk about motivation—especially when food and family are involved. But that’s at the heart of why I write: food and family are deeply connected.
On September 20th Foodbuzz will open the contest to public voting. I’ll share the details when voting begins in case you’d like to support me. Thank you for joining me on this journey.
“Love is the only cure for irritability, for irritability is only another manifestation of self-centeredness. And love that takes a man outside himself and centers the focus of his attention on the well-being of others is its only cure.”
-Granville Walker
The first time I read that quote, something in my mind shifted dramatically. It was an epiphany: food and family both depend on love to thrive. I’m not talking about constant sentimentality; I mean the practical, selfless love Walker describes—the kind that comforts a frightened child in the night, steadies a wobbling bicycle ride, sets boundaries for safety, and prepares meals that nourish body and spirit.
If you’re reading this, you likely don’t see food as merely fuel. Food preparation is more than calories in and out; it’s creativity, sensory pleasure, science, math, history and culture wrapped together. The food we make reflects who we are and how we express care for others.
Like many things in life, the best food often starts with good ingredients, patience and selflessness. Sundried tomatoes are a great example. Store-bought jars can be expensive and sometimes include additives. Making them at home lets you control ingredients, improve flavor and cut costs while producing a superior result.
The secret to successful preservation is to start with the best produce you can find. There’s little to alter about tomatoes before drying, but once dried their possibilities multiply. In my house, the quickest route is to reach into the jar and pop a handful into my mouth. If you prefer, serve them in a bowl with thin slices of good cheese as finger food, rehydrate in warm water for 30 minutes (reserve that flavorful liquid for soups and stews), or toss them into pizzas, sandwiches, pasta, polenta or risotto. Use them anywhere you’d use store-bought sundried tomatoes.
Where I live, sun-drying is unreliable because our daylight hours and humidity don’t cooperate. A dehydrator is convenient, but an ordinary oven works well if you don’t have one. The process is simple and rewarding—well worth the time and care.
For a photo-free, printer-friendly version of this recipe, visit the original post on my site.
Home “Sun”dried Tomatoes with Basil and Garlic
Ingredients:
- 4 cups cherry tomatoes (a mix of varieties adds color and interest)
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, washed and very thinly sliced (chiffonaded)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt or sea salt
Wash the cherry tomatoes and remove any soft spots or stems. Halve the tomatoes; quarter any larger ones so the pieces are uniform for even drying. Arrange the tomato halves cut-side up on a cutting board and sprinkle with salt, basil and minced garlic. Press the garlic and basil gently into the tomato halves.
Choose the method below depending on whether you have a dehydrator or will use an oven.
Dehydrator Instructions
Place the tomatoes cut-side down on dehydrator trays without overcrowding. Some basil and garlic will fall off—this is fine. Distribute any remaining basil and garlic evenly over the trays. Dehydrate for 6–12 hours at around 135°F (if your dehydrator temperature is adjustable) until the tomatoes are shriveled and leathery but still slightly pliable when warm. They should not feel moist when checked with a fingernail. Let cool, then store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. Properly stored, they will keep up to one year; wrapped in foil and placed in a resealable bag, they can remain delicious up to 18 months.
Oven Dehydrating Instructions
Preheat the oven to 130–140°F (the “keep warm” setting on some ovens). If your oven doesn’t go this low, use the lowest setting, prop the door open about 4 inches to allow airflow, and place a small fan nearby to circulate air. Line one or two baking sheets with foil and arrange the tomatoes cut-side down. Sprinkle remaining basil and garlic over them. Dehydrate for 6–12 hours until they are shriveled, leathery and slightly pliable when warm, with no moisture when checked. Allow to cool, then transfer to an airtight container. Stored in a cool, dry place they will keep up to one year; wrapped in foil and then in a resealable bag, they can last up to 18 months.
This project is simple, economical and delicious—and the result is an ingredient that brings concentrated tomato flavor and a touch of homemade care to many dishes. It’s a small, satisfying way to feed the people you love.