MISSION, KS -- (Marketwire) -- 01/17/13 -- (Family Features) The best way to get the whole family to eat better is with recipes using fresh, flavorful ingredients. These recipes use fresh Florida tomatoes, which are available nationwide, in delicious ways that even the kids won't be able to resist -- a savory tomato soup served in bread bowls; a satisfying pasta with tomato sauce; and fun, individual pita pizzas they can help make.
Get more family-friendly recipes like these at www.floridatomatoes.org. You can also sign up for The Dish, a free Florida tomato newsletter that covers all things tomato, like recipes, handling tips and trivia.
Table Talk
The more kids learn about the foods they eat, the more likely they are to eat it. Spark some dinnertime conversations with some fun and interesting facts about Florida tomatoes.
•The conquistadors encountered tomatoes when they arrived in the New World. The Aztecs called them xitomatl.
•The Italian word for tomato is pomodoro. In French, it's pomme d'amour. In Spanish, it's tomate.
•Florida ships nearly 1 billion pounds of fresh tomatoes to the rest of the United States, Canada and other countries.
•Botanically, the tomato is a fruit of the vine. In the kitchen, it's treated as a vegetable. In fact, in 1893, the United States Supreme Court ruled, for the purpose of levying a tariff, that the tomato was a vegetable.
Get more fun facts and activities featuring Florida tomatoes at the Florida Tomato Kids Corner website, www.floridatomatoes.org/Kids. Developed by an educator, it has age-appropriate activities that promote general academic skills in fun and engaging ways.
Tomato Linguini SautéYield: 4 servings 2 pounds ripe Florida tomatoes 1/2 cup olive oil 1 lemon, zested and juiced 1 pound whole-wheat linguini (or your favorite pasta) 3 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 bunch fresh basil, hand torn (or 1 tablespoon dried) Freshly grated Parmesan cheese Kosher salt to taste Fresh ground pepper to taste
Wash and rinse tomatoes. Dry tomatoes, then core and cut in half. Use a spoon to remove most of the seeds. Chop tomatoes coarsely. Add chopped tomatoes to a colander, sprinkle with a few pinches of salt and let them sit so they can release some of their water. This should only take a half an hour and can be done ahead of time.
Combine drained tomatoes, olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest and garlic into a large sauté pan. Heat tomato mixture over low heat. The idea is to warm the mixture and not cook it.
Cook and drain pasta according to package directions.
Put pasta in a bowl. Add fresh basil and Parmesan to pasta and toss. Taste for seasoning and adjust with kosher salt and fresh ground pepper.
