146 is the number of my homegrown tomatoes that I blanched and peeled tonight, in preparation for canning. Oh….and that doesn’t include the 25-30 that aren’t yet ripe, or the 8 billion (or so it seems) still in the garden. My fingers feel like the outside of the driest.raisin.evah.
My Roma tomatoes are getting ripe now, which is exciting. I’m planning on canning spaghetti sauce out of them. We eat a lot of pasta in the winter, and I can’t think of anything better than homemade sauce fresh from the garden!
/garden geek
Heh.
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If I remember, I'll forward you my dad's "secret" spaghetti sauce, which is the best there is. (Seriously.) My tomatoes are a little slow this year....but I'm sure in a week my fingers will be looking like yours!
How I wish I'd known about your love for tomatoes while you were in town.
My dad grew the most fabulous Heirloom tomatoes this year! I would have brought you a couple dozen. Heirloom tomatoes are a BIG deal here in TN. The news stations all announce their pending arrival to the local Farmers Market days in advance so everyone can bring down their "bushels" and buy as many as they can carry (or afford).
By the way, it was really great meeting you this weekend. You are hilarious! And I had such a good time goofin' with you and Vinnie. We MUST do this again sometime!
One last request, Nancy mentioned something about a "secret" spaghetti sauce recipe. Just how "secret" is it? Like too secret for me (well, Mr. Smantix, since I can't cook....)
Mrs. Smantix, she's good on the 'maters, trust me.
Mrs. Smantix.....yep....very good on the 'maters....but heirlooms....YUM....I'll bet they are a big deal in TN....there are so many varieties, colors, shapes......fabulous! I have a couple of heirloom plants, too. Oh, and my beefsteaks are about as big as my daughter's head....they are HUGE!
Speaking of 'maters....I have to go pick more! Ha!
NANCY? I'll be looking for that recipe if you are willing to share with us! 
Oh....and meeting ya'll this weekend was great....I was disappointed I didn't get to see you at brunch the next day! We will most definitely have to have another "convention" of the most conservative kind. 
My grandama would be proud. She canned everything. Vinnie, you lucky bastage.....
Oh, I'm just looking around. I had a referral and was just looking to see why? to
Ahh, I see. Blogroll. Thanks, Added to mine.
I've been sweating over my stove all day, making tomato juice. Life is good.
Tonight it is hot sauce. Thank God for rubber gloves!!!
You might try sun-drying a few of your Romas. If they are nice and ripe and not too juicy, just slice them thin and lay them out on pieces of stainless steel screen. Make a stack of these screens (be sure to put a screen on top to keep flies off) and put them out to dry. If it is too humid, try putting the screen stack on top of the outside air conditioner unit.
