Tomato Review

After growing my first garden in 2008 I really wanted to explore different varieties of heirloom tomatoes. After traveling to Baker Creek on vacation in 2009 my sister began selling Baker Creek Seeds for a 4-H fundraiser and began growing Cherokee Purple tomatoes. She told me I need to try them out.

                                                         Cherokee Purple

The Cherokee Purple started off with huge yields. One plant producing 2 1/2 to 5 gallons worth of tomatoes in one picking. The tomato is meaty with little waste or core. Salsa, tomato sauce, and juice taste amazing and are more colorful to boot. These tomatoes are also great for slicing. The only down side I am finding is the tomato is not a steady producer like Better Boy. The taste alone is worth waiting for another large crop. Large crops at one time are definitely handy for canning. This is a great tomato that I suggest anyone in the South try out.

Spaghetti Sauce

I live in a rural area without the conveniences of fast food or even a gas station. I have to depend on what I have in my pantry for supper. One of my favorite quick fix dinners is spaghetti. I decided this summer with our surplus of tomatoes that I really wanted to try making my own spaghetti sauce. I read through several recipes that either required tomato paste or items that I normally do not have on hand. Then I came across the National Center of Home Food Preservation that I previously posted about. I liked the simplicity of the spaghetti sauce recipe but I'm a little lazy. I am not a believer in peeling tomatoes. I'm of the opinion that seeds and skin add lots of flavor and should never be wasted and who wants to take the time to peel 30 lbs of tomatoes anyway? Not this gal. Instead of peeling the tomatoes and running through a food mill I trimmed, quartered, and pureed the tomatoes with a food processor. I decided to avoid draining off excess liquid because I wanted the water to be boiled out and leave the tomato flavor behind. I followed the rest of the recipe as suggested. I waited several days before trying the sauce in order to give the flavors time to blend.

I used Cherokee Purple heirloom tomatoes. They are so beautiful with their dusky purple red hues. The tomatoes turn to a very deep red through processing.

I was very pleased with the final product. I will be sure to boil more of the water out next time because the sauce still had too much liquid. I prefer the slightly chunky tomatoes in the sauce. I always add hamburger, onions, brown sugar, and Italian seasoning to taste when I am heating the sauce before serving. Follow the link below for the simple spaghetti sauce recipe.

Spaghetti Sauce without Meat

Canning Tools

Welcome to my blog! This is my first of what I hope to be many posts. I am a part-time gardener who loves preserving the harvest. I have attached a link to what has become quite the new canning tool for me. The National Center of Home Food Preservation is shaping up to be my companion for turning vine ripe tomatoes into winter treats. Posts on the spaghetti sauce & salsa to come soon.