The first garden in 2009 was a disaster of weeds and clay. Thanks to the internet and the many gardening books my research lead me to raised bed gardening and it's been a joy since. My family growing up always had a garden so when I married and moved to this home it was the natural thing to do. It's become a place of healing and better therapy then I ever imagined. It's constantly evolving and spreading and may soon include more of the front yard. Watch out neighbors!
instructions
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Saturday, July 28, 2012
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
And they said it couldn't be done! EASY PEASY TOMATO PASTE
Sometimes LAZINESS is the mother of invention... I didn't invent this recipe though, I'm just that lazy. Seemed the tomatoes were coming too fast and I hadn't decided what to make with what yet. I purposely grew all of these Osaka (Roma type) tomatoes to make paste then became disheartened by the stories on the internet of paste disasters and working all day only to have bland watery results.
Then I found a recipe for just drying them in oven and making paste from that. No blanching, shocking, peeling, just cutting and baking. WOWZA someone after my own heart. I printed part of the instructions but then when I stared at it and napped on it noticed I had copied maybe just part of the instructions. In other words doubt set in. Really is this it? Then I couldn't find the original blog it came from to save my life. I swear it's my punishment for teasing the author(s) of Knitspot about having yarn projects, garden pictures, recipes and the progress of one pregnant yarner (no idea if real word) in one post. I know who am I? I am as ADHD as the best of them. But alas went back through all of her summer time posts for 2 or 3 years and couldn't find it. www.knitspot.com ? Was it a fig newton of my imagination?
I finally found it again!!!
http://deniseskitchen.wordpress.com/2009/10/04/the-lazy-girls-guide-to-preserving-tomatoes/
Napped again. Sunday almost over. Oh what the heck what can it hurt but to try, I'd only be sacrificing 40 or so of my lovely's.
Napped one more time. Ok let's do this! And since I don't have enough Osaka's alone we'll throw in the disturbing shaped Cherokee Purples. And forget the seasoning how do I know if I want it sweet or salty or vinegar or lemon juice or olive oil. I'm going for pure tomato substrate! We have a plant, oops I mean plan, maybe I've over slept!
First batch all Osakas |
Cherokee Purple |
Cherokee Purple |
Cherokee purple, hmm, more seeds tougher top, eh? What the heck? |
1st batch of 2 trays dry |
Sun ripening by back window since I have so little counterspace in my yet to be remodeled kitchen. Don't you love our wallpaper. It's called CertainTeed. Rylie thinks its permanent now. |
Chopping with the Beechler knife (better known as Alaskan Ulu) into quarters. Only injury was grazed by bee when dumped tomato juice on compost pile. They love the smell too apparently. |
Start off 400 degrees for 30 min then 2 hours at 250 then shut off went to bed or work. |
Throw in processor and pureed. |
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