TOMATOPALOOZA: The Search for Maine's Most Unusual Tomato Recipes

The bounty of luscious Maine tomatoes is upon us. It is time to dust off your old recipe boxes, call your garden-happy aunt, uncle or neighbor, or go wild in your own kitchen because we are searching for the most unusual tomato recipes.

See Also: Your Go To Recipe Guide For Every Occasion

We'll pick five and post them on our website in an upcoming feature as well as on our Facebook page.

To kick things off, one of our summer interns, Angelina, offered this beloved, yet slightly out of the ordinary, family recipe:
 
Green Tomato “Raspberry” Jam
 
My “Nanny” Winona used to make this jam with tomatoes that were too stubborn to ripen by fall. Hers was a “waste not want not” mentality necessary for raising twelve kids. It was the only jam I knew as a child, and as strange as it may sound, I prefer it to the real deal to this day.
 
4 cups peeled and shredded green tomatoes
4 cups white sugar
1- 3oz pkg. of raspberry Jello mix
 
Combine tomatoes and sugar in a large saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Stir and cook for 10 minutes. Stir in Jello mix and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 20 minutes. Spoon hot jam into sterilized jars and seal. Make about 4 or 5 pints.

Hopefully, Angelina's delightful offering has you already considering your next great kitchen feat.

And what about the great tomato debate: Fruit or vegetable? This is an entertaining website with an answer that may surprise you*.

We also found lots of fun facts about our favorite "fregetable" at this website* – such as which state has adopted tomato juice as its official beverage.

So much to learn... but it's time to get to work.

We are accepting recipes (and anecdotal tidbits like Angelina's) until Sept. 25 at aarpme@aarp.org. Please put in caps TOMATOPALOOZA in the subject line. We look forward to hearing from you.

*website provided for entertainment purposes only.