Pioneer Woman at Heart

One Flourishing, Frugal and Fun Family!

One family learning to live off the land, cut back on expenses, and to live a simpler and a more self-sufficient lifestyle.

Adopted Motto

"Eat it up,
Wear it out,
Make it do,
Or go without."
~A Pioneer Sampler, by Barbara Greenwood~

Saturday, September 3, 2016

More Tomatoes ~ Oh my!

Ketchup requires 10 pounds of tomatoes - 3 batches made.  More to make later I hope.


I've been successful at getting the tomatoes cut and cooked down before the sun rises, but not through the sauce maker.  Early is best when canning with sauce anything.  This was a double batch of tomato paste (20 pounds).  That is one of my smaller sauce pans - 8 inches tall, and 10 inches in diameter.  That is what it looks like before it becomes.....



 .....12 - 4 oz. jars of paste.



I'm happy to try a new recipe this year, which only required 10 pounds  - Lemony-Basil Tomato Soup.  One batch makes 5 pints.  I canned 10 pints.   Actually 9, as only 9 will fit in my canner, so the 10th pint was the taste test.  We love it!  I want to make another double batch, but leave the basil out, and freeze the 10th pint.  Snipping 2 cups of basil was time consuming (for a double batch), and we leave a plant in the house to snip fresh.


I'm not out of ideas for the next picking of tomatoes either.  I want to double up on some items I only made once, and then maybe another new soup recipe, tomato jam recipes, and/or marinara, spaghetti.....you just can't have enough tomatoes.
 

I need to start labeling stuff or I won't be able to tell pizza sauce from soup, and taco sauce from ketchup.


I got to the Farmer's Market for enough peaches for jam, but froze them.  When the garden is pulled completely, and the house is cooler, I'll can the jam.
 

I actually got 5 minutes of crochet work done before my eyes closed on their own.  Literally, I was that tired.  I think my brother and his wife may be getting the blanket late.  That's Jasper looking at my nightstand to see if he can "will" those cat treats out on his own.  Oh, and the toes are the work of my "nail tech" in training daughter.  I let her use chemical free nail polish on them.  She has yet to do my fingernails (too busy with garden work), but now has the knowledge of a safer nail polish (so she can stock her nail salon with it for people like me).  Some safer nail polish can even be taken off with rubbing alcohol or vodka.  

The tomato tally, so far, is 196 1/2 pounds.  They are slowing down I think, as the days and nights here are much cooler. 

I tried to get a campsite this holiday weekend, but waited too late.  I'm guessing I need to be in the kitchen anyway, ha ha! 

6 comments:

Mama Pea said...

I admire all the products you're making from your garden's tomato bounty. There really are endless products one can make from tomatoes.

You may have a hard time explaining to some people that you're just removing the nail polish from your toes when they come upon you with a half bottle of vodka in hand. ;o}

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Mama Pea, ha ha ha! Thanks for the laugh. Oh, and I wouldn't want to waste that vodka on my toes either. I would chose the rubbing alcohol and make the extracts and tinctures with the vodka, ha ha!

Kim said...

I am so happy that the Good Lord has blessed you with all the tomatoes this year. It is hard work but so heartwarming to know it is in the pantry waiting to become family meals. We love tomato basil soup and when I can it I lay the leaves on a cutting board and use my pizza cutter to chop it!

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Kim, thank you so much for that tip on cutting up the basil! That would make it so much easier. I am so thankful for the tomatoes and everything else we are getting this season. I can't believe it, but I hope we get many more tomatoes.

Sam I Am...... said...

I'm playing "catchup" with you not "ketchup". LOL! I can't believe I have missed so much! I would love the name of a safe nail polish. It must be such a wonderful feeling to see all you've accomplished in all those jars! Congratulations to you!

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Sam I Am, it's Mineral Fusion, and Pacifica. There are many more brands out there that have no harsh chemicals.