Happiness is...Green Tomatoes

Here it is, the beginning of September, and we are finally getting our summer.  It has just been downright gorgeous for the past week, low 80's, cooling breezes coming in off the Sound, spectacular sunsets...I can't believe Fall is right around the corner.

Fall's coming alright. You can see signs of it everywhere, the leaves are just a little more red or yellow everyday.  The sun is setting a little earlier each day too. You can even smell it wafting in on the misty mornings...it's there, it's real close. Though you'd barely be thinking about it on a day like today.  So nice.

The urban gardens in my neighborhood are definitely telling me summer is coming to a close.  The berries have long been picked, the corn stalks have been cut and are drying in piles along the fences, the peas and beans are disappearing rapidly, and tomato plants are heavy with Green Tomatoes. 

Green Tomatoes everywhere I look.  I'll spy a red one here or there, and there may be more to come with this hot spell, but I have had my eye on the prize of a big bushel of Green Tomatoes.

I got a pail from a friend, I was allowed to pick all I wanted from my Bank's Community Garden, my neighbor said I could take them all as long as I shared what I put up, and the rest I pilfered from some unattended plants in an alley and from an abandoned plot behind a condemned house.  Green Tomatoes Galore.

So far I have made Green Tomato Pizza, BL(G)T Soup (Bacon, Lettuce & Green Tomato Soup), Green Tomato Marmalade, Green Tomato & Grape Chutney, Fried Green Tomato Sandwiches, and Green Tomato Mincemeat (no real meat of course) to be put up for Christmas Pies.

But, by far, my favorite Green Tomato application this year has been My Green Tomato Coffeecake.  Inspired by a co-worker who made Mango Bread, I said,  "Why not?  Green Tomato could be good in a cake."  Little did I know just how good.

I love sweet & tart together, and this cake has that. It is dense but not dry, because the Green Tomatoes make it very moist. Plus it's chock full of goodies like raisins, nuts, and coconut (pretty much everything I had laying around in my pantry).  A little streusel topping and a dusting of powdered sugar and 'voila', Green Tomato Coffeecake.  Nom Nom.

I made sure I froze enough diced Green Tomatoes to make this coffeecake at least two more time this fall.  It will be so good on a crisp Autumn morning with a hot cup of coffee.

GREEN TOMATO COFFEECAKE

For Cake:
2 c. Raw Sugar
1 c. Vegetable Oil
3 Eggs
2 t. pure Vanilla Extract
1 1/2  c. all-purpose Flour
1 1/2 c. Whole Wheat Flour
1 t. Kosher Salt
1 t. Baking Powder
1 t. ground Cinnamon
1/4 t. freshly grated Nutmeg
1 cup Walnuts
1/2 c. Black Raisins
1/2 c. Golden Raisins
2 1/2 c. diced Green Tomatoes
1 c. shaved Coconut (the really big stuff)
Powdered Sugar for dusting

For Streusel Topping:
1/2 c. all-purpose Flour
1/2 c. Oatmeal
1/4 c. packed Brown Sugar
1/4 c. Raw Sugar
1/4 t. ground Cinnamon
1/4 t. freshly ground Nutmeg
3/4 c. chopped Walnuts
a pinch of Kosher Salt
3/4 stick Unsalted Butter, cubed 

Prepare the Streusel Topping:
Combine the Flour, Oatmeal, Brown Sugar, Raw Sugar, cinnamon, Nutmeg, Walnuts, and Kosher Salt in the bowl of a food processor. Add the cubed Unsalted Butter and pulse until it looks crumbly.  Set aside.

For the Cake:
 Preheat oven to 350°.
 Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan, set aside.

In mixing bowl, beat sugar, vegetable oil, eggs and vanilla until smooth and a little fluffy. Sift together the flour, salt, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg; slowly beat into egg mixture. Blend well. Stir in pecans, raisins, green tomatoes, and coconut.  Pour batter into prepared baking pan and cover evenly with the streusel topping.

Bake for one hour, or until a wooden pick or cake tester inserted in center comes out clean.

Let cool completely and dust with powdered sugar. Eat & Enjoy!

A slice I took to work for lunch.