Anne Loy from Knoxville, Tenn., was looking for a recipe for making a baked tomato dish that used brown sugar to make it somewhat sweet. Now that the summer crop of tomatoes is here in all its glory, this seemed like an ideal time to explore some recipes for this classic Southern-style side dish.

Phyllis Taylor from Middle River sent in four versions of sweet baked tomatoes, which she said came from a cookbook her family self-published several years ago for a family reunion. She said that on the Lower Eastern Shore of Maryland and Virginia, tomatoes that are sweetened and sometimes spiced and baked are a favorite.

I substituted fresh tomatoes for canned and brown sugar in place of the white sugar that was called for in one of Taylor's simple family recipes. I also added about a quarter of a cup of fresh basil to the dish, mostly because I had a lot of it growing next to the tomatoes in my garden. The casserole I ended up with is one that I think Loy and others are bound to enjoy.

Request: Kaye White of Bloomington, Minn., would like to have the recipe for the crab imperial that was served at the Olney Inn in Olney when she lived in Maryland in the 1960s.

If you are looking for a recipe or can answer a request, write to Julie Rothman, Recipe Finder, The Baltimore Sun, 501 N. Calvert St., Baltimore 21278. Names and cities must accompany recipes for them to be published. Please list the ingredients in order of use, and note the number of servings each recipe makes.

.

Baked tomatoes

Makes: 6 servings

4-5 large tomatoes, diced

2 eggs

2 slices bread

1 heaping tablespoon flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

Pinch of salt

1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped (optional)

1-2 tablespoons butter

Beat eggs with flour, salt and sugar. Crumble bread and add to egg mixture then add cut up tomatoes. Mix well. Pour into a greased pie pan or baking dish and dot with butter.

Bake at 425 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 400 degrees and bake another 15 minutes or until firm in the middle.

Nutrition information

Per serving: 159 calories, 4 grams fat, 2 grams saturated fat, 4 grams protein, 28 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams fiber, 76 milligrams cholesterol and 116 milligrams sodium

Nutritional analysis courtesy of Jodie Shield.