This summer the garden has done an outstanding job blessing us with a lot of produce. I have been busy every day preserving what is ready, and the canner has been going daily. Are you having a tough time keeping up with your garden like I am.
I planted too many tomato plants this year, and I will certainly do less next year. I have been picking approximately this many every three days. I've made pizza sauce, tomato soup, spaghetti sauce, diced tomatoes, BBQ sauce, and still have a counter full to process.
BBQ Sauce
Adding garlic powder, spices, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and more to the tomato base to make BBQ sauce. I made it last year and was so happy with it that I will make it every year from now on. It is so easy and tastes like Kansas City styled sauce. It is wonderful not having to buy it anymore, plus being #homemade, I don't get an upset stomach.
Spaghetti Sauce
Roasting tomatoes for the spaghetti-basil sauce for pasta dishes.
Once roasted and the tomatoes have cooled the skins slip right off.
Then they get pureed in the blender and returned to the stove to cook down to my desired thickness for the sauce. I add fresh basil, sauteed onions, and Italian seasonings to the sauce as it cooks.
I put the sauce into pint and quart sized jars for the pantry shelf.
Diced Tomatoes
Boiling the cored tomatoes to remove the skins, then I dice them and fill up quart jars. These will be used to make chili, goulash, and stews over the winter months. It is wonderful having all types of organic tomato products on the #pantry shelves.
Pizza Sauce
First, I sauté onions, garlic, and diced peppers before adding roasted tomatoes to the pot. I do add an Italian seasoning mix to the sauce and cook this down until it is very thick, then I put it into pint-sized jars. This is the perfect size to use for pizzas for the two of us. I didn't take photos of them done but it is basically the same as making spaghetti sauce.
Cherry Tomatoes
Next year, one plant will suffice! I planted three different varieties this year and oh my goodness, one would have been plenty.
We've ate them daily all summer long, and here I have cut them in half, an placed them on a tray to freeze them.
They are frozen overnight and the following morning I vacuum seal them.
It will be nice having these in the freezer to use in different recipes. With all the tomatoes that are still on the vine, I'm going to have to find different recipes to can. Any suggestions would be welcomed greatly.
