Taste Testing

My first three batches of salsa, thanks to the monster plum tomato plant I grew all by myself, in my very own kitchen compost. The two regular tomatoes are ones I grew from seeds from the best tomato I grew a few years ago. I'm a seed saver, but I don't get around to actually growing much from them. All those other fine vegetables came from my favorite produce store. I experimented with several recipes, varying the spices, the peppers, sauces and cilantro, so each one is different, but good.

I've eaten a shameful amount of chips, and I'll be eating a lot more. There is an avocado on the counter just asking to be made into guacamole.

This is my fourth colander full of tomatoes to process, and there's lots more where these came from.
I've already frozen a batch of stewed tomatoes, and I'll probably make one huge pot of marinara sauce this weekend. So far today, I'm not motivated enough to transition from gathering and arranging to chopping and squeezing and dicing and making a mess and a half. Maybe tomorrow.

My back and feet are tired of standing in the kitchen from yesterday, and I'm achier than usual in the neck and low back, and it's worse when it rains and thank goodness it rained.  I don't know how pioneer women ever managed the harvest and the canning. No cuisinart, no dishwasher, none of the conveniences. Speaking of PW, I googled salsa recipes on Pinterest and Pioneer Woman's site came up.  Well, she uses canned tomatoes and now I feel a little bit superior. I also was mystified to watch her on cable while I was on vacation. I wanted to hate her perfect life but instead I was too relaxed to care that much. I was mesmerized by her disregard for fat or calorie content, and my husband said if you work outside on a ranch roping cows all day, you can eat that way and stay skinny.  Amazing, though, to see a blogger make the tv leap. Anyway.
 
In other exciting I grew it myself news, my apple tree has maybe two dozen apples that appear edible. I'd like to make applesauce from them, or maybe dehydrate some for snacking. I'll keep you posted on those pending adventures.

Looks like I'll be living off the land in no time.

xo