Celebrate Summer’s Bounty: Join the “Tomato Love Recipe Exchange”

As summer unfolds, few ingredients capture its essence quite like the vibrant, juicy, and utterly versatile tomato. Whether nestled in a sun-drenched garden or found fresh at your local market, tomatoes are a quintessential delight. We’re thrilled to announce an exciting culinary journey designed to celebrate this beloved fruit (yes, it’s botanically a fruit!) in all its glory: the “Tomato Love Recipe Exchange.”

I’m delighted to be co-hosting this fantastic event with my wonderful friend Cassie from Bake Your Day. Together, we’re inviting home cooks, seasoned chefs, and enthusiastic food lovers from all corners to dive into a world of tomato-inspired creations.

Eight Weeks of Tomato-Filled Inspiration

Get ready for eight weeks of pure tomato bliss! Starting next Monday, July 9, Cassie and I will kick off a new themed recipe exchange every week. That’s two months packed with fresh ideas, innovative dishes, and a community united by their shared passion for tomatoes. From tantalizing appetizers that awaken the palate to comforting soups, delightful pizzas, creamy dips, and beyond—each week promises a fresh focus on showcasing the incredible versatility of this summer star.

Imagine discovering new ways to incorporate tomatoes into your meals, exploring flavors you never thought possible, and connecting with fellow food enthusiasts. This exchange is more than just sharing recipes; it’s about fostering a creative culinary community.

Prizes, Community, and a Cause Close to Our Hearts

Beyond the joy of cooking and sharing, there’s even more to look forward to! Both bloggers and passionate home cooks without blogs are wholeheartedly encouraged to participate. And yes, you read that right – there will be stellar prizes up for grabs each week! We’ve lined up some truly fantastic rewards that we know you’ll love. Make sure to check back next week for our inaugural exchange, “Tomato Appetizers,” where we’ll reveal all the exciting details about what you can win and how to claim your prize.

But while the prizes are certainly a wonderful bonus, Cassie and I deeply hope that the most significant reward this summer will be something far more impactful: fostering a greater understanding and support for tomato farmers right here in the United States. We are incredibly honored that the “Tomato Love Recipe Exchange” is held in partnership with the International Justice Mission (IJM), an organization whose profound work we have admired for many years.

“Recipe for Change”: Advocating for Fair Wages and Healthy Conditions

Through their powerful summer program, “Recipe for Change,” IJM is dedicated to providing vital education and resources, empowering us all to stand in solidarity with our nation’s tomato farmers. You might be aware that not long ago, certain tomato farms in Florida – a region responsible for growing approximately 90% of our country’s offseason tomatoes – were tragically labeled “ground zero” for modern-day slavery within the U.S. The stories emanating from these farms were utterly heartbreaking, revealing unimaginable exploitation and injustice faced by vulnerable workers.

However, thanks to the tireless dedication of IJM and several other committed organizations, remarkable strides have been made. Their unwavering advocacy has led to significant improvements in securing healthy working conditions and ensuring fair wages for countless tomato farmers. These are stories of hope, resilience, and profound change that deserve to be heard and shared widely. They serve as an inspiring testament to what can be achieved when people come together to fight for justice.

Yet, the journey towards complete justice and equitable conditions is ongoing, and more work remains. That’s why we are so excited to share actionable steps you can take to contribute to this crucial cause. We wholeheartedly encourage you to sign up for IJM’s weekly “Recipe for Change” emails. These emails offer invaluable additional resources, impactful stories directly from the field, and even more tomato-inspired recipes from renowned figures like Mark Bittman and Michael Pollan. By staying informed and engaged, you become a part of a larger movement advocating for ethical food systems and human dignity. This summer truly promises to be a great summer for both our kitchens and our consciences!

Join the Movement: Share Your Tomato Creations!

So, whether your recipe box holds a cherished family heirloom or a brand-new experimental dish, it’s time to pull out your favorite tomato recipes! Follow along with us this summer for our eight themed recipe exchanges, beginning next Monday, July 9. We are incredibly excited to have you join our community, share your culinary talents, and partake in this wonderful celebration of “Tomato Love.” Together, let’s create, connect, and contribute to a more just and delicious world.

Tomato Love Recipe Exchange Rules:

Ready to participate? Here’s how you can join the fun, whether you’re a seasoned blogger or simply love to cook!

How To Participate If You Have A Blog:

This is your chance to shine and share your culinary expertise with a broad audience, while also supporting an incredible cause. Follow these simple steps to enter your blog posts into the “Tomato Love Recipe Exchange”:

Create and Post Your Recipe: Develop a unique tomato recipe that aligns with that week’s specific theme (e.g., appetizers, pizzas, soups, dips, etc.). We encourage you to be creative and innovative! You are welcome to submit up to three distinct recipes per week. While we’d love to see at least one brand-new post showcasing your fresh ideas, you are absolutely welcome to link to older, archived posts if they perfectly fit the weekly theme and meet all other requirements.
Include Essential Information in Your Post: Your blog post must clearly mention the “Tomato Love Recipe Exchange” to guide your readers to the event. Furthermore, it’s crucial to include the following specific links within your post to ensure proper attribution and engagement:
- www.gimmesomeoven.com/tomato-love-recipe-exchange (Link to the main exchange page on Gimme Some Oven)
- www.bakeyourday.net/tomato-love-recipe-exchange (Link to the main exchange page on Bake Your Day)
- A direct link to that specific week’s sponsoring brand. We will provide a precise example at the beginning of each week, but a general reference might look something like this: “Come share in the tomato love at the Tomato Love Recipe Exchange, proudly hosted by Gimme Some Oven & Bake Your Day, and generously sponsored this week by [this week’s brand]. Additionally, please visit Recipe for Change to deepen your understanding of how to actively support our dedicated tomato farmers.”
Link Your Recipe: Utilize the InLinkz widget, which will be prominently displayed on both the Bake Your Day and Gimme Some Oven websites. You only need to enter your recipe photo and link once on either site, as they are interconnected. Each weekly contest will run for a full seven days, commencing precisely at 12:00 AM Eastern Time on Monday and concluding at 11:59 PM Eastern Time the following Sunday. Please note that prizes can only be shipped to addresses within the United States. Winners will be contacted directly and will have a window of three days to respond and claim their fantastic prizes.

How To Participate If You Do Not Have A Blog:

No blog? No problem! We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to share their culinary creations and be part of this vibrant community. It’s incredibly easy to participate and stand a chance to win weekly prizes:

Share Your Recipe in a Comment: Create a delicious tomato recipe that aligns with the specific theme of the week (e.g., appetizers, pizzas, etc.). Once your recipe is perfected, simply post the full recipe as a comment in the designated comments section on either the Bake Your Day or Gimme Some Oven website. We encourage you to be as detailed as possible, providing ingredient lists and clear instructions. While not strictly required, you are more than welcome to include a link to a photo of your delectable dish via platforms like Photobucket, Instagram, Flickr, or any other image-hosting service. This adds a wonderful visual element to your entry! You may submit up to three unique recipes in the comment section each week. Similar to the blog entries, each contest will be open for seven days, beginning at 12:00 AM ET on Monday and concluding at 11:59 PM ET the following Sunday. Prizes will be shipped exclusively to U.S. addresses, and winners will be notified and given three days to respond and claim their prizes.

Additional Entries For Everyone — Get Social!

Want to boost your chances of winning? You can earn up to three additional entries each week by engaging with us on social media! Just make sure to leave a comment below (on the main blog post) indicating which actions you’ve completed, so we can count your extra entries:

Twitter: Spread the word! Tweet the following message: “Join @gimmesomeoven & @bakeyourday in celebrating tomato farmers/recipes at the #r4c #TomatoLove Recipe Exchange! – https://bit.ly/LYdLaI”
Instagram: Share your visual creations! Post a captivating photo of your submitted recipe(s) on Instagram with the following text: “I just shared [Your Recipe’s Name] in the #TomatoLove Recipe Exchange.” Don’t forget to use the hashtag!
Pinterest: Inspire your followers! Create a beautiful pin on one of your Pinterest boards using the invitation graphic that will be prominently displayed at the top of each week’s announcement post. Be sure to invite your friends and followers to participate in the exchange.

Mark Your Calendars for Tomato Love!

Don’t miss a single week of this exciting event! Here’s a quick overview of what’s coming:

And let’s not forget the heart of our mission:

A huge thank you goes out to Julie of Table for Two for her incredible talent in designing our beautiful “Tomato Love” graphic featured at the top of this post. Her artistic touch truly brings our vision to life!