Simple {Oven} Sun Dried Tomtoes

Another weekend, another trip to the Farmer's market.  I finally remembered to buy enough cherry tomatoes to make a batch of sun dried tomatoes (the darn squirrels have been eating ours!)  This isn't so much a recipe as it is a description of the process.  These delicious little flavor nuggets are definitely worth the time they take :)

Simple {Oven} Sun Dried Tomatoes


2 pints cherry tomatoes
olive oil (2 tablespoons for drizzling and up to a cup for packing the finished tomatoes)
1 teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning blend (or to taste)


1 - Preheat oven to 225 degrees and line a baking sheet with foil (totally optional, but easier cleanup)
2 - Half tomatoes and place them cut side up on the baking sheet

3 - Drizzle a bit of olive oil on the tomatoes - about 2 tablepoons
4 - Sprinkle with salt and seasoning blend (the tomatoes absorb the seasoning and intesify the flavor - if you like a stronger seasoning flavor, just add a bit more)

5 - Add tomatoes to oven for 3-4 hours.  Check every 30 minutes (after the first 2 hours) to ensure even drying.  Rotate the pan as necessary.

6 - When the tomatoes are finished, they pucker up and look all dried and pruney

 

The tomatoes are ready to eat immediately or can be packed in oil for a longer life in the fridge (up to 3 weeks).  To pack in olive oil:


1 -  add 1/4 inch oil to bottom of a glass container
2 - top with dried tomatoes to within 3/4 inch of the top of the container
3 - fill with olive oil to 1/2 inch of the top of the container (be sure to cover tomatoes with olive oil)

I ended up with 2, 1/2 pint containers packed with oil and ready for pastas, pizzas, and toasted baguettes!


I participate in the following link parties: Sumo's Sweet Stuff, Skip to My Lou, The Girl Creative, Making the World Cuter, Miss Crafty Pants, Super Stinky Boys, Mad In Crafts, Embellishing Life Everyday, Keeping It Simple, The DIY Home Sweet Home Project, Chocolate Drool & Kisses, Simply Cadence, Polly Wanna Crafter, Sew Can Do, Tip Junkie, My Frugal Family, Coastal Charm, New Nostagalia, Blessed with Grace, The Creative Itch, Funky Polka Dot Giraffe, Home Stories A to Z, The Lettered Cottage, A Bowl Full of Lemons, At Home with K, All Thingz Related, Today's Creative Blog, Not Just a Housewife, Sew Much Ado, Blue Cricket Design, My Backyard Eden, Gluesticks, Extreme Personal Measures, The Thrifty Home, The Trendy Treehouse, Someday Crafts, All Things Heart and Home, Elements Interiors, My Girlish Whims, DIY by Design, Somewhat Simple, House of Hepworths, Seven Thirty Three, Fireflies and Jellybeans, Beyond the Picket Fence, Black Kat Design, Thrifty 101, Fingerprints on the Fridge, Finding Fabulous, Poppies at Play, The Inspired Room, KoJo Designs, Whipperberry, Inspiring Creations, Romantic Home, The Speckled Dog, At the Picket Fence, Little Brick Ranch, Designer Garden, Simply Sweet Home, Simply Designing, Tatertots & Jello, Funky Junk Interiors, Be Different Act Normal, Saturday Morning Blog, It's a Crafty Life, I Heart Naptime, Under the Table and Dreaming, Creative Jewish Mom, Flamingo Toes, The DIY Showoff, Marvelously Messy, Nifty Thrifty Things, Thrifty Decor Chick, The Cottage Chick, Running with Glitter,