Happy Saturday from Phoenix, Arizona! I am back in the Valley of the Sun and even here, you can feel the shift in temperatures in the mornings and evenings. In order to get in the fall spirit, I am hanging the autumn wreaths and adding seasonal touches to the porch too. Thank you for joining me today for Saturday Meanderings where we chat about all good things this week.

Finally pulled out my paints

I dream about painting outside in beautiful weather (plain air), but I have not taken out a paint brush in months. So on a lovely day this week, my husband sets up a table for me to finally do some painting.

Unfortunately, I am only to do so for a few hours, but here’s my rough (very rough) draft of 4 ducks. More editing to be done, but this small attempt is a reminder how much I enjoy painting. Why can’t I make more time for this??!!

Pool Cleaning

We completely re-did the original pool back in 2001, as part of the property restoration. I didn’t realize that you are supposed to drain the pool, acid wash the walls and clean the tile every 3-4 years. Oops. Here is it 22 years later and we are doing this for the first time.

You can see the difference in the calcification on the tile before and after cleaning.

Looking forward to a clean and sparkling pool to use in the late summer.

What are You Watching?

Did you see Guiding Emily last night? We recently dropped Direct TV and am now using Direct TV streaming. Unfortunately, I did not realize that Direct TV streaming doesn’t carry Hallmark Movies and Mysteries. However, after some scrambling I was able to do a free 7 day trial to Philo in order to see the movie.

Guiding Emily is really well done! Garth, the guide dog is adorable. Sarah Drew’s outstanding performance as Emily truly conveys the fear, hopelessness and frustration in suddenly losing your sight. If you love movies with a fabulous house, this one is stunning. Hallmark truly elevated their game with this movie.

But what I liked best about this movie is how much I learned about sight impairment. The author, Barbara Hinske, sheds light on the challenges of those who are blind and operating in a sighted world. I highly recommend watching this.

Two Shows on Prime Video

We just finished Pie in the Sky and I didn’t want the 6 seasons series to end. If you like detective mysteries and good food, you will love this enjoyably British mix of character comedy and murder mystery.

Starring Richard Griffiths (Mr. Dursley in Harry Potter) as DI Henry Crabbe, a good cop finally retires from the force and opens his dream restaurant. He hopes to while away his retirement serving up his favorite dishes, but his old boss puts his plans on the back burner. It’s an oldie, but we found it very enjoyable.

Just started watching All Creatures Great and Small, based on the books about James Herriot, a veterinarian in 1930s in Yorkshire Dales. The characters, scenery and situations are all so entertaining and visually beautiful. You will find this on PBS or it is free with your subscription to Prime Video, I think.

Live to 100 on Netflix

Everyone needs to see this 5 show series. Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones takes you around the world to investigate the diet and lifestyles of those living the longest lives. It’s fascinating and also sad how the United States has one of the highest rates of obesity, diabetes and heart disease. Did you also know that for the first time the longevity rate in the US is declining? A must see.

What are You Reading?

I admit that the reason I wasn’t drawn to this book is the cover. The old adage, don’t judge a book by its cover is exactly what I did. But after hearing great reviews I took the leap and loved it. Lessons in Chemistry is cleverly written, smart, and well worth the read. New York Times is calling it the best book of the year.

French Country Cottage Christmas

Even though my style is not French Country, I do like the work of Courtney Allison. I met Courtney during my visit to Patina Farm (see that post here). Courtney writes the blog, French Country Cottage and has previously published 2 books. I love her first book, but wasn’t wild about her second one.

Though I haven’t started reading her third and newest book, French Country Cottage Christmas, but the photos do look stunning. There is a section on 25 Inspiring Trees and DIYs for a handmade natural Christmas. If you love Christmas like I do and want ideas, you can find her book here. I have the hard copy vs. a Kindle version, and cannot wait to study all the gorgeous photos.

Enjoy the Weekend

If you missed any posts this week, please read about the Fall Styling Workshop we will be holding here at Bella Terra in October. We’d love for you to join us.

Thinking about wallpapering a room in your home? See how I use Peel & Stick wallpaper in a bathroom at our cabin here.

It’s homemade tomato sauce time. Today I am picking up 100 lbs. of Roma tomatoes from the Uptown Farmers Market. Since I am getting ready to head to the ocean for a few days, canning will take place next week.

Have a splendid weekend, friends!

I recently purchased a new book, Simply Living Well by Julia Watkins. This hard cover book is a guide to creating a natural, low-waste home. The book is filled with great ideas and recipes on how to reduce what you consume and throw away. But it got me thinking about how we live. What are we currently doing that is living efficiently and reduce what we take in and what we discard?

Composting

About 30% of our kitchen waste is recycled through composting. I have written about this before (see post here) and we put every single peel, pit, skin, eggshell and other non-cooked fruits, vegetables and flowers into the composting garbage can.

Grass clippings, tree branches and other brown material is also composted here on the property. This significantly reduces our waste that goes to the City’s landfill and dump.

All the luscious rich fertilized soil goes back into the yard~the garden, the orchard and all the bedding areas. Giving back to the land is very rewarding.

If you do not compost, please consider doing so. There are many containers on the market that make composting a breeze.

Recycling

The City of Phoenix has a recycling program so we separate our garbage into separate bins for pick up once a week. Cardboard boxes, paper, plastic, glass and cans are separated from the trash. In our kitchen we have 3 cabinets with pull out garbage cans~one for composting, one for trash and the other for recyclables. Does your community have a recycling program?

Gardening and Chickens

Growing our own fruits and vegetables reduces the number of trips we take to the grocery store and farmers market. With the exception of summer, our garden is in production.

What we don’t eat, or what has grown past its prime, goes to the chickens or into the compost bin. Growing your own vegetables and fruit is immensely satisfying too.

Our chickens provide us with the most delicious eggs. In order to increase egg production, we will soon need to get some more chicks as our flock is aging out. It is joyful to have these feathered friends and they, too, help reduce our food scrap waste.

This summer we are spending more time up at our mountain cabin. If we continue to do so, then it may be time to plant a garden and set up a composting system there as well.

Preserving Food and not being wasteful

Growing up in a family of 7, my mother never wasted a thing. For example, leftover stale bread was turned into bread pudding. I am sure that philosophy is a result of living through the Great Depression and also having a limited budget.

Because I was raised with a frugal mindset, it’s hard for me to throw good food away. I just made a big batch of mole chicken and after eating it a few days in a row, I will freeze the rest in individual servings for another time. Same with the big pot of chili I just made. How nice to have a meal ready, especially on those busy days where cooking for dinner is the last thing I feel like doing!

Abundant harvests from our garden or the orchard are canned and preserved for use during another season. From fruit preserves to tomato sauce, these are either canned or frozen. Though preserving food does take a bit of work, the rewards outweigh the effort. Opening up a jar of summer tomato sauce in the middle of winter, is such a treat!

Laundry

Line drying here in Phoenix, especially in the summer, is a quick and easy energy efficient task. Not only does the sun acts as a powerful disinfectant but also has natural bleaching powers. Nothing smells better than slipping into freshly washed sheets! Even my children notice when their sheets are washed and line dried.

Our local electric rates increase significantly over the summer. Not running the dryer and other large appliances is an effective money saving strategy too.

Coffee

I recall a time when daily and sometimes more, we would drive through the local Dutch Brothers and get our coffee. The staff knew us by name and their fun, upbeat vibe was a plus to our cup of Joe. Unfortunately, that coffee location closed, but fortunately for us we removed Dutch Brothers as a line item from our monthly budget.

Now we make our coffee here at home using my favorite Nespresso machine (currently 38% off a used one on Amazon!). The coffee pods get recycled through Nespresso recycling program. Making our morning coffee at home not only saves money, but we are no longer using paper cups, plastic tops, time and gas to drive to and from Dutch Brothers.

Paperwork

As I mentioned in a blog post about my kitchen, there is an industrial shredder placed sitting in our kitchen, which some people think is odd. See that post here. Daily, the excessive amounts of junk mail is shredded and added to the composting bin. The shredder keeps the paperwork stack down on the counter and it gets recycled!

Manage our Utilities

A few years ago, I was asked to give a lecture to a group of 7th and 8th grade students about the recent utility (electric) increase and how that rate hike affected our neighborhood. Of course, I didn’t even realize we had a rate hike. So in order to provide an intelligent presentation, I did a deep dive and thorough analysis of the cost of electricity.

What I discover is that we, personally, are not on the most efficient or advantageous utility plan. Once I understand that, then I start paying attention to our electric usage. By changing our behavior slightly, we save quite a bit of money. Over time, we save even more.

The moral to this story is 1) understand your utility usage; 2) investigate the best plan for you and your family; 3) by making reasonable changes you can reduce your usage and save money.

Now, during the warmer months (trust me, air-conditioning bills can be ridiculously expensive here), we monitor our large appliance and air conditioning usage from 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Water consumption

Water here in Arizona is a precious resource. Rates increase especially in June, July and August. By using flood irrigation provided locally, we are able to deep water the orchard and yard at a low annual cost. The well that we re-instituted many years ago, handles additional yard watering in a cost-effective manner (see that post here).

Room for Improvement

Like with most things in life, I can certainly improve and lessen my waste. We have too many things that need to be sorted, organized and donated. My hope is to reduce the items in each room by 50%. Lofty goal, but this is an ongoing effort.

Are you familiar with Marie Kondo’s organizational tips? I believe she has (had) a Netflix show where she shares her organizational philosophy. See where I use Maria’s tip in organizing my master closet here.

Other Ways live Simply

I’d love to live in a place that doesn’t require driving everywhere. Phoenix is more car-dependent than other cities, but during the cooler weather I do try to bike and walk more. No one wants to bike or walk when it is 116 degrees.

In addition, I need to assess my use of cleansers/detergents and investigate more eco-friendly cosmetics.

So what are you doing to live more simply and efficiently? Please share any ideas so we can all get better at this!

Happy Wednesday!

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This post shared with Between Naps on the Porch Metamorphosis Monday #614

In the past, I have canned pickles but have never made refrigerated pickles. Not only am I surprised how easy they are to make, I am equally delighted with how delicious they taste. Whether you like dill or sweet pickles, you can make your own version of refrigerated pickled cucumbers in less than an hour. A perfect recipe for all the amazing fresh cucumbers that are currently available.

I prefer a crisp, crunchy pickle vs. one that has flavor but with a soft and soggy bite. What I like about this recipe is that you can eat them the next day or they will last up to 2 months in your refrigerator. No long canning process, no sterilization of jars, no hot water baths involved. Only a quick and easy method to get those crunchy, delicious pickles.

My Pickle Inspiration

With a little research on the internet, I am able to find a recipe that I like. Suzy from The Mediterranean Dish has an easy, 40 minute recipe. What draws me to her recipe is that there are many adaptations so you can make your own pickle variety.

What Type of Cucumber

The first batch I make is using fresh pickling cucumbers from the local farmers market.

However, in later batchesI use the slender English cucumbers (easily found in the grocery store). Kirby and Persian cucumbers will work well too.

Prepping the Cucumbers

Based on Suzy’s recipe recommendation, I cut them approximately 1/2″ thick and find that the slices are a bit too thick for my liking.

Since this is my first time making refrigerated pickles, I follow her instructions and ice the pickles for 20 to 30 minutes to give them extra crunch. I skip this step next time, because we are eating them so quickly, the crunch is present without the ice bath prep.

Making the Brine

With equal parts water and vinegar (2 1/2 cups each), I add the spices, green onion, dill and garlic but eliminate the jalapeños (I’m not a fan of spicy anything really). Bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the temperature and simmer for 10 minutes. Allow the brine to cool.

Packing the Cucumbers into the Brine and Jars

Since I make enough pickles to fill a few different size Mason jars, I experiment with one jar by adding a tablespoon of sugar to the brine. It didn’t add any sweetness necessarily but took the edge off the tartness of the brine.

Enjoying these Pickles

We are flying through these pickles. Each day I am eating them with lunch, dinner or as an item on a charcuterie tray. They are so delicious even one day in the brine. Every few days, I add fresh cucumber slices to the existing brine and even those are fabulous!

The two amber colored ones are quart size Ball jars with a wide mouth. I would recommend a clear jar so you can see the pretty contents! Again, these can last up to 2 months in your refrigerator, but I guarantee they will not last that long!

The Health Benefits of Eating Pickles

When you make your own pickles, you know exactly what ingredients you are using. It’s important to note that not all pickles are created equal, as some commercial varieties may be high in sodium and additives. Here are some potential health benefits of consuming pickles:

1. Probiotics: Fermented pickles encourages the growth of beneficial bacteria known as probiotics. These probiotics can support a healthy gut microbiome, aiding in digestion and overall gut health.
2. Low Calorie: Most pickles are low in calories, making them a suitable option for snacking if you’re trying to manage your weight.
3. Hydration: Pickles can contribute to hydration due to their high water content, which can be especially beneficial on hot days or after physical activity.
4. Vitamins and Minerals: Pickles retain some of the vitamins and minerals present in cucumbers, such as vitamin K, vitamin A, and potassium. These nutrients play roles in bone health, immune function, and electrolyte balance.
5. Antioxidants: Cucumbers contain antioxidants like beta-carotene and flavonoids, which can help protect cells from oxidative damage and contribute to overall health.
6. Blood Sugar Regulation: Some studies suggest that vinegar may have a positive impact on blood sugar levels and insulin sensitivity, which can be beneficial for individuals with diabetes or those at risk of diabetes.
7. Controlled Appetite: The combination of vinegar and fiber in pickles may contribute to feelings of fullness, potentially helping with appetite control.
8. Electrolyte Balance: Pickles can provide a small amount of sodium, which is an electrolyte important for maintaining fluid balance in the body.

What I love about this recipe

You can experiment and make this recipe your own using different spices and herbs. Think of all the possibilities. I love the fresh dill in mine. You can make the brine tart, sweet or spicy~I even add some candied jalapeños in the jar. Not only can you use this recipe for cucumbers but other vegetables such as: green beans, carrots, onions, cauliflower, broccoli, maybe even hard boiled eggs?

Make it your own! Please let me know if you try this recipe and what you add to customize it to your tastes.

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Is it really the first Saturday in August? I cannot believe some children are already back in school. Are you wanting summer to stretch out or are you ready for fall? I am hanging onto summer, especially as we are enjoying it in the cool mountains of Arizona. It has been a very busy week so it feels like it just flew by. Well, Happy Saturday and it’s time for another Saturday Meanderings where we chat about all good things. Let’s jump in!

Local Farmers Market

A week ago, at this time, we decide to explore the farmers market up here in Pinetop. I would summarize it by saying it is small but mighty. I find pickling cucumbers, garlic and onions from the local produce lady; great Italian frozen take-and-bake food from Chef Scotty; an excellent quiche (by the slice or whole) that rivals my own; Japanese Milk buns from Cedar Hill Bake Shop (@cedarhillbakeshop); 1847 sourdough starter kit and grass fed beef from Skutel Cattle Company.

It can’t recall a time when we had such a haul from a farmers market, but this one is a winner if you get there early. If you are ever in Pinetop-Lakeside on a Saturday morning, check out the White Mountains Market, 1501 W Mountain Blvd. from 9 am to 2 pm.

What are Japanese Milk rolls?

According to King Arthur Flour, Japanese milk rolls are referred to as Hokkaido milk bread. These rolls are incredibly soft and airy thanks to a simple technique involving a roux “starter”, known as tangzhong. The roux is mixed into the final dough, producing wonderfully tender bread each and every time.

You are probably wondering why I am a bit fixated on Japanese milk rolls, especially since I have never heard of them before, nor have I tasted one. In reading Elin Hildebrand’s book, Five Star Weekend, her main fictitious character is Hollis, a food influencer. According to the story, Hollis has a website, Hungry with Hollis, and she posts a video with her “making a meatloaf sandwich with homemade refrigerator pickles on freshly baked Japanese milk bread”. The video goes viral and hence her story begins.

Well, being the food enthusiast I am, once I read that passage in the book, I just couldn’t let it go. So when I saw the Japanese milk rolls at the farmers market, guess what I did? Yes, you are right! I quickly made a meatloaf and refrigerated pickles with the meat and cucumbers I bought at the same farmers market.

Needless to say, it is all very, very good. I’ve never seen these rolls for sale anywhere so if you cannot find them, I would say a close second would be Hawaiian sweet rolls. Not as fluffy as the Japanese ones, but a good option.

BTW~Making refrigerated pickles is also simple and I hope to write a post about that soon. Also, do you have a favorite farmers market? If so, please share.

1847 Oregon Trail Sourdough Starter

As I mention above, I purchase the 1847 Sourdough Starter kit at the Farmers market. Story goes that the seller, during the pandemic got some of this semi-dry sourdough starter (you can find the entire source/story here) and is now selling activated bits of it. Since I don’t have any sourdough starter up here at the cabin, I thought, why not? Maybe it is the real deal or maybe it isn’t, but it will be fun to experiment with baking bread at 7,500 feet.

The instructions are not completely clear so I follow it as best I can. My beautiful Le Creuset pot which I use faithfully to bake my bread is also in the Valley, but I have a smaller Lodge cast iron Dutch oven that may work.

I literally just pulled the bread out of the oven and I’m so pleased with how it looks. Unfortunately I need to wait a bit before I slice into it, but so far, so good!

Pavlova

It is definitely a week for cooking and new recipes. After making two Apricot Almond tarts last time at the cabin, I had 10 egg whites leftover from that recipe. Since I don’t like to toss or waste, I freeze the egg whites in a Ziplock bag and use them for a pavlova.

What is a pavlova? According to Wikipedia, a pavlova is a meringue-based dessert. Originating in either Australia or New Zealand in the early 20th century, it was named after the Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova. Taking the form of a cake-like circular block of baked meringue, pavlova has a crisp crust and is soft and light inside.

A typical pavlova uses 4-6 egg whites, but with 10 I just assume I can make a bigger one…which I did but still had pavlova mixture left over. I use that for 6 more individual pavlovas. In summary, way too many pavlovas. Other ingredients include sugar, lemon juice and cornstarch. Here is a very easy recipe from allrecipe.

The fun part is the filling which can be fresh whipped cream, lemon curd or really what ever you’d like. I use whipped cream and fresh fruit for both the gigantic and mini ones. Thankfully friends agree to come and share the large one, with plenty left over to take home with them.

If you are looking for a light summer dessert, try making a pavlova. It’s simple and your friends will be impressed!

Gardening in the Mountains

Most of our property here is natural forest and not structured landscaping or gardens. However, we do have an existing pear and apple tree that came with the property. Recently, we add a watering system and now will do more planting.

To date, we have two new cherry trees~a Bing and Montmorency and one new apple tree~a Fuji. I am excited to see how they grow, as this hardiness zone (6b) is so different than the one in Phoenix.

New foundation plants should be going in soon and hopefully then I will have hydrangeas, lilacs, peonies and hostas. Yippee!

Do You Use Dryer Balls?

We use dryer balls but I never understood the benefits of something so simple. Dryer balls bring forth fluffier towels, softer sheets, and less-wrinkly shirts while also reducing drying time by 25%. This is an eco-friendly alternative to traditional fabric softeners and dryer sheets. The main purpose of using dryer balls is to reduce drying time, soften fabrics, and decrease static cling in your laundry.

Benefits of Dryer Balls

1. Drying time reduction: Dryer balls work by creating space between clothes in the dryer, allowing air to circulate more efficiently. This improved airflow helps to dry your laundry faster, potentially cutting down on drying time by up to 25-50%. This can lead to energy savings and lower utility bills.
2. Fabric softening: The tumbling action of the dryer balls against the clothes helps to soften fabrics naturally without the use of chemical-based fabric softeners. This is especially beneficial for people with sensitive skin or those looking to avoid synthetic additives in their laundry routine.
3. Reduced static cling: Dryer balls can also help reduce static electricity in fabrics, which is a common issue when using the dryer. The gentle agitation of the balls against the clothes helps prevent static buildup, leaving your clothes less prone to sticking together or clinging to your body.
4. Environmentally friendly: One of the main advantages of dryer balls is their eco-friendly nature. Unlike single-use dryer sheets, which are typically discarded after each use, dryer balls can be reused for hundreds of drying cycles before needing replacement. This reduces waste and is more sustainable in the long run.
5. Hypoallergenic: Wool dryer balls, in particular, are often preferred by those with allergies or sensitivities because they are free from synthetic fragrances and chemicals commonly found in fabric softeners and dryer sheets.
6. Scent options: While dryer balls don’t add artificial fragrances like dryer sheets do, you can add a few drops of essential oils to the dryer balls if you prefer a scented effect. This allows you to customize the scent of your laundry without using potentially harmful chemicals.

Overall, dryer balls are a practical, cost-effective, and eco-conscious addition to your laundry routine, providing a more sustainable way to dry and soften your clothes. Apparently wool balls are the best and you can find them here.

That’s it for this week’s Saturday Meanderings. If you missed my Tuesday post, you can see all the organizing and cleaning I did in my kitchen here. Next week I hope to share my Spice cabinet redo.

As always, thank you so much for joining me today. I so appreciate your continued support! Enjoy your weekend and stay cool out there.

This tomato sauce recipe is so yummy~simple ingredients with fabulous results. You can make this using 3 pounds of tomatoes (as the recipe indicates), or more. Recently, I purchased 60 pounds of Roma tomatoes from McClendon’s Select, a local farm here in Phoenix. And I did experiment with ways to alter the recipe to make the project go a bit faster.

Please don’t think you need to know how to can or preserve to make this recipe. It certainly depends on the quantity of sauce you make, but you can certainly just refrigerate it if you are consuming it quickly, or freeze it.

My friend, Rick, who is a very good cook is responsible for this recipe. Like most recipes, I am always looking for a short-cut or a different way to tweak it to make it my own. Always start with good quality ingredients. Personally, I prefer to make sauce from my own tomatoes, but my crop this year wasn’t a good one. So it is time to find an alternative.

Where to Find Good Tomatoes

McClendon’s Select is family-run, certified organic farm located on 25 acres in Peoria, Arizona and an additional 68-acres in Goodyear, Arizona. How does one get 60 pounds of Roma tomatoes? Since this farm is always at our local farmers markets, you can order produce directly from them. All it took was an email asking the question. Since they do sell to restaurants, I am able to buy 20 lb. flats of tomatoes at $20.00 per flat. And as they do sell custom boxes of produce each week, I went to their drive through location and picked up the merchandise.

Here are the four ingredients: olive oil, garlic, Roma or plum tomatoes and salt. Making the sauce does involve cutting the tomatoes.

In Rick’s recipe, he suggests cutting the tomato in half, and then into a total of 16 pieces. Remove the core and seeds, saving the rest of the tomato. (Note: In order to eliminate this step, read the section on using a food mill).

Sauté the minced garlic in oil until fragrant (do not brown) and add the tomatoes and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer vigorously, stirring frequently, until sauce has thickened slightly and tomato skins are starting to separate from the flesh, 15 to 20 minutes.

Other processing options

Rick’s recipe suggests using a food mill. Not everyone has a food mill and if you do not, here is an option. After cooking the tomatoes, put everything in a food processor. My Cuisinart pulvarizes the tomatoes, skins and all. The first time I made this recipe I did not own a food mill and I actually like the sauce with tiny bits of skin.

Using a Food Mill

My friend, Gwen shares her favorite food mill by Roots & Branches. This large funnel sauce maker really reduces the time on making 60 lbs. of sauce. All you need to do is cut the tomatoes into a size that will fit down the throat of the funnel. Turn the hand crank and the seeds, core and skin are removed. No need to cut the tomatoes into 16 pieces. See food mill here.

What’s left is tomato pureé which you will reduce in half for a thicker sauce. In Rick’s recipe, he recommends using a food mill after cooking the tomatoes the first time. The food mill I own suggests using the food mill before cooking.

What is interesting is that regardless of when you use the food mill, the sauce is equally delicious. Note: Using such large quantities of tomatoes, I prefer not having to remove the core, skins and seeds and cutting the tomatoes into 16 pieces when the food mill does all that work for me. A real time saver.

Quantity

The recipe below, using 3 lbs. of tomatoes, produces approximately 2 cups of sauce. After using the food mill, you will get 4 cups of pureé. With a vigorous simmer, you will reduce it by half.

Preserving and Storing

Again, depending on the quantity of tomatoes, you can either refrigerate, freeze in Ziploc bags or preserve your sauce in jars for long term storage.

To learn more about canning your sauce for year round use, see my post on Processing Tomatoes here.

Other Recipe Adjustments

Another change I did make to Rick’s recipe is allowing the sauce to sit overnight. I did not do that, nor did I skim the floating olive oil off the sauce. I went straight to preserving and using a water bath to can the 20 jars.

My recommendation would be to follow Rick’s recipe the first time and then make any adjustments based on the quantity of your tomatoes. Needless to say, I do love this recipe because it focuses on the simple, fresh ingredients and makes a fabulous tomato sauce.

All Parts of the Tomato Used

The discarded parts of the tomato are put to good use. Happily, the chickens did receive a large tray of scraps, which they quickly consumed.

The rest of the tomato scraps are sent to the compost tumbler where their water content will help the dry yard material convert to gorgeous soil.

Even the tomato boxes are put into good use…..a place for Donovan, our Maine coon cat, to play.

All in all, the entire cutting, cooking, reducing and canning 60 lbs. of tomatoes did consume a weekend. But in the middle of winter when I can open a jar of fresh tomato sauce, it will be all worth it.

Happy Tuesday! As I write this it is dark and gloomy and we are praying for more rain. Have a lovely day.

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