On this page at the NCHFP you'll see two recipes for sweet pickled green tomatoes. Just scan down the list. They're near the bottom.

I'd skip the really hard small green ones. But the ones that are near yellow should be fine. Both these recipes call for sugar and 100% vinegar and with green tomatoes at any stage there're no safety issues.

You could also try using green tomatoes in a green salsa in lieu of tomatillos. That, of course, depends on your family's taste. It can be quite zingy.

Carol

Here is a link that might be useful: NCHFP Pickled Green Tomatoes

thanks - I didn't know if the later-season tomatoes, while still green, were less acidic than the early ones or something and the recipes might not turn out the same.

I found a recipe for Green Tomato Cake and may try it tomorrow with the larger ones. Then later can try green salsa for DH. I hope the hornworms don't do too much damage while we're gone. My relatives are going to take turns looking in on the garden and watering, harvesting, but I don't know if they'll hunt hornworms.

The same thing happened to us last year, and we made this green tomato salsa from Ball. It was not too zingy and is wonderful on quesadillas, tacos, carne asada, and with grilled chicken/pork.

Here is a link that might be useful: Ball green tomato salsa

ajsmama, I'm also from the North, I'm in Michigan, the frozen tundra where we have 9 months of winter and 3 months of bad sledding, LOL.

I love fried green tomatoes, though, lovely crunchy ones, with that slightly sour tang.

I did make the green tomato salsa a couple of times, and it's good too, and Grandma used to make green tomato mincemeat. I don't like that as well as I like pear mincemeat, though.

Like you, I'm not so keen on chowchow either, and I much prefer sweet pickles to sour ones.

Oh, if those "just starting to turn" tomatoes are far enough along, you may be able to set them in a windowsill and let them ripen.

Annie

I discarded the small ones that hadn't started to turn shiny yet, kept the others (some quite large), though none of them are anywhere near turning. They're not rock-hard, but still hard.

All of our tomatoes are still green, even though we've had record heat and only a couple of inches of rain all July. Even the very large heirlooms I picked last week so they wouldn't rot (sprawled over the ground) are still green - one is starting to turn yellow but is also getting wrinkled in that spot, so I'm thinking of cutting that part out and using the 2 of them in the cake.

I'm not much for fried food - can you grill green tomatoes? Picked a rather large (for me, I like to catch them about 8" long, this was 12") zuke last night, poured olive oil in pan and coated both sides, added garlic salt, oregano and basil then DH grilled - yummy!

You can grind up some of the green tomatoes and make Dill Relish. They can be pickled (even the hard ones) sweet or dill. Try just spraying 1/2" thick slices with olive oil, salt/pepper, sprinkle with whatever herbs you like and grill.
It's a unique taste, but one you won't know if you like until you try it! If the tomatoes are going to waste, no harm in trying something new!

Dice them up fine (1/4") and saute with onions, leeks, mushrooms, ham, bacon, etc. Toss in a couple of beaten eggs for a breakfast scramble. You can load it all into a tortilla, wrap and freeze for on the go breakfasts!

Deanna

ajsmama, you were talking about hornworms and I read your latest post and you said 8 to 12 inch.....I was thinking those were the biggest danged hornworms ever....then I realized you were talking about the zucchini, LOL.

I shouldn't assume before I ready completely, because I'm definitely laughing at myself. I must have hornworms in mind because I picked several this weekend myself. My hens love 'em, so I just toss 'em to the ladies!

Annie

annie, I'm impressed ... thought fried green tomatoes were strictly a southern thing. I love 'em and you're right -- must be totally green, no hint of color.

kay

Well, I was going to make the tomato cake tomorrow to bring for cookout at my parents'. But while I was walking out of HW store with paint chips (darn, forgot to look for pickling salt!) I stepped off the edge of the curb, sprained my ankle. Another customer eventually helped me up, I drove across the street (back road) to "walkin" clinic that I couldn't make it down the stairs to, another patient went back in and asked if they could send someone out with ice they said no, so I went in first floor looking for elevator down, no such luck but the chiropractor in that office gave me an ice pack and insisted on electrically "stimulating" the area to improve the circulation/swelling, let me call DH, lent me crutches and wants to see me in the AM.

So now I can't walk, not supposed to stand, and I don't know how I'm going to help my mom handle my niece and nephew tomorrow (if ex-SIL even brings them over after driving 100+ miles back from vacation with her parents). My parents haven't seen them since Tgiving. Much less pack for our own vacation - though Friday was going to be my packing day.

Oh, BTW, the hornworms are pretty big (4" long, 1" circumfrence?) but not that big!

... and I thought my day was bad!!!

Kay

ajsmama, I hope you're feeling better. I think it's a "rule" that these things happen at the least convenient time.

Someone's going to hate me. I don't think I've ever seen a hornworm. (I should probably knock on wood.)

But then we have slugs.

Carol

oh carol; slugs...grooosssss....we have them here too...
kids love watching them with salt lol...what can I say..I have sick kiddos! LOL

http://www.duke.edu/~jspippen/naturephotos/tomato-hornworm-braconids050916-6227durhamz.jpg

You're lucky! Ugly things, I can't decide which is worse, slugs or hornworms!

Did too much (not on my feet, but sitting w/o my foot elevated) with my mom yesterday, now the swelling has spread to the other side of the ankle that was fine yesterday AM. Spent another night on the couch, will ice it all day today and maybe pack tonight, or tomorrow AM. Doesn't hurt and isn't bruised much, just swollen (now all the way around) to about 2x normal size. I am a klutz with incredibly bad timing.