Tip #2 - Tomatoes

Some recipes call for tomatoes to be peeled and seeded to remove some of the bitterness from a tomato.

I used to balk at this direction in recipes, trying to painstakingly peel the tomatoes with a paring knife. This was not only frustrating, but also very ineffective. So I began researching and much to my surprise, I discovered that peeling tomatoes can be easy. So if you are like me and you amateur sometimes shows, here are some simple directions on how to blanch and successfully peel your tomatoes!

Blanching tomatoes:

1. Using a sharp knife, cut an "X" onto the bottom of each tomato.

2. Start a pot of water boiling. Prepare a large bowl of ice water.

3. Drop tomatoes into a pot of rapidly boiling water for 30 seconds. I use a timer for this. If the tomatoes are in the water too long, they will being to cook and get mushy. If they aren't in long enough, they will be difficult to peel.

4. After 30 seconds, drop tomatoes into a bowl of ice water for 5 minutes. This will stop the cooking process.

5. Remove tomatoes from the water. The skins of the tomatoes should be easy enough to peel by hand. Use a sharp knife to remove any stubborn skins.