It's time! The heirlooms are finally arriving in in groups rather than being lonely and anti-social! Heirloom tomato sauce is such a luxury come winter, I was rather afraid I wouldn't have enough to sauce thanks to the bad tomato year I have been having but it looks like we'll be okay as long as the hurricanes stay away for a few more weeks.
After squeezing out the excess juice and seeds, started cooking down the yumminess. Sauteed some shallots, garlic, red wine and bell peppers with basil & oregano. (I use whatever I have on hand, so this part changes sometimes)
Added to the sauce and started cooking down. I love the crock pot for this, I am able to leave the house and it also keeps the house cooler.
Ran the stick blender through and continued to cook down. (My $6 W@lmart stick blender is probably my most valuable kitchen tool this time of year!)
This will be used for pizza sauce so I cooked it down for 8-9 hours so it is nice and thick and tangy, I was left with 5 pints ready for canning or freezing!
Ended the day on a high note: my favorite garden dinner of all - STIR FRY! I don't know why I can't seem to cook a more sensible portion than this. The single dad next door received a large plate to share with his kids, they are always in shock to not be eating hot dogs or frozen dinners I think LOL. My kids amazed me by not only trying every vegetable, but devouring most of the dinner. I kept them extra hungry today thinking I was going to have to fight the vegetable war with them tonight. I am just slap-happy over these yard long/Chinese Long beans, they really add a lot to the dish and they grew faster than any pole bean I've ever tried, and they are the prettiest things out in the garden!
Things are looking good for another batch of sauce soon...
I hope Pizza Boy/hubby is happy, I know he was probably scared seeing all my container tomatoes die, then the others in the storm... but the UFO's were my contingency plan I guess, they are the most gorgeous and healthy looking tomatoes I have ever seen, and I tell them how much I love them every time I walk by, they are pretty much my Jake Gyllenhaals of the tomato world, hmmm, I still need to name this mystery seed!
