Michigan

[Brethren49619]

Thank you chicken grandma. Sooooooooo looking forward to having my own little fuzzy butts running around! Looking at all of the information on the site is helpful.

 

[chicken grandma]

Or remind me RaZ and I'll give you the recipes again. I leave the skin on while roasting and it is not a problem.

I add garlic and peppers also by either sauteing them in olive oil and adding them to the blender or baking them also in the oven at 300 degrees. The onions and garlic and peppers roast so much faster than the tomatoes and dry out faster also so it is almost easier to saute them and then combine them with the roasted tomatoes in the blender. I add fresh basil to the blender also.

I got those recipes from Oprah.com and the reason I roast the tomatoes is to bring up the flavor and dehydrate them a bit before freezing. It also allows me to use the skin whether I am freezing them in layers on tin foil or I am blending them in a blender and freezing the sauce.

For chili sauce - I add garlic and onion to the blender.
For Italian pasta sauce - I add garlic and fresh basil.
Then i put them in jars in the freezer and mark them as Pasta or Chili sauce.
I think this year I will roast and blend some tomatoes with nothing added and then mark it 'tomato sauce'.

 

[Olive Hill]

I'm one of those odd people that doesn't really like tomatoes. One plant gives me way more than I can stand.
But I did can a bushel of tomatoes last year and I still have several pints and quarts left. A few jars I added a garlic clove to and a few more a half of a habanero pepper. A couple I added both to. I'm sure someone will tell me that I shouldn't do that.

I've also frozen tomatoes whole just after picking. When you thaw them later, the skin peels right off. A lazy man's way to do it.

I do want to try the roasting and blender sauce recipes. They both sound good. (Just have to backtrack through the thread to the post).

This portion of the post brought to you by the USDA / NCFHP:

You shouldn't do that.

Both peppers and garlic are low acid foods. Garlic, in particular, because of how it's grown increases the risk of botulism in your jars.



This portion of the post brought to you by me:

That said, I regularly ... eh, hem... play with fire in the kitchen. Use fresh squeezed lemon juice, make up my own recipes, etc...

I think, it's kind of like raising chickens, you should know the rules, understand why they are what they are, and then decide how much you can stand to bend them for your purposes. Some people can't handle the risk associated with free-ranging, others feel it's tolerable. Same thing with canning, some people are more comfortable with a little risk than others. Nothing wrong with that.

 

[RaZ]

I find recipes to be merely guidelines, I rarely follow them to the letter. It drives my Mom crazy. When I lived at home she would always yell at me when I cooked or baked, "You can't do that! You're not following the directions!".

I guess I've always been contrary.

 

[sarah92480]

Wow this forum doesn't like me lately. I posted something last night before bed - or I thought I did - and it's not there today. Also, I just quoted like 15 things that I was going to respond to, and when I hit reply, NOTHING. Oh well.

I love that sauce idea also, grandma...I am so going to try that.

I have some cherry tomato plants I started from seed back in February, I just put them in a big pot this weekend. Last year I planted them in my garden and they became weird mutants and I didn't like it so hopefully if I just keep them potted they will be normal cherry tomatoes. I'm like you Raz, I'm not a fan of tomatoes unless they are cooked (and petitely diced, not huge hunks) or in a sauce. But I do like putting them in stuff I make, and sometimes I dont mind the little ones. We'll see how these turn out.

I am so exhausted today for some reason, and I really just want to go home and sleep. However, Im supposed to work until 7! I dont know if I'll be able to make it....oh yea, I went to see my doctor today about the heart thing...she said that it's just a harmless sinus arrhythmia and nothing to really worry about. It will probably lessen or go away if I drink less caffeine (I only have 2 cups in the morning, so no), get more sleep (I wish), and have less stress (please let me get that new job!!). So here's hoping that'll go away. I really haven't had much of a problem since last Tuesday though, so I'm pretty it's from how busy my life is right now.

Chickens have spent 4 nights in their coop now, seem to be ok with it. I was letting them run around then putting them in it at night but they still don't get how to actually go into the coop on their own, I have to actually place them in there. I try putting them on the ramp and scooting them up it, but they still dont' get it. I'm keeping them locked inside it for the new few days hoping that they will recognize it as a safe home and go in there instead of huddling in the corner when they are scared/cold/sleepy. Any tips on how to get them to go in there on their own, or will it just take time and teaching?

Alright I guess I'll go back to work now. Or maybe I'll just keep reading forums, lol.

 

[sarah92480]

I find recipes to be merely guidelines, I rarely follow them to the letter. It drives my Mom crazy. When I lived at home she would always yell at me when I cooked or baked, "You can't do that! You're not following the directions!".

I guess I've always been contrary.

I agree with you on the cooking, but baking is a different story. I've always heard that cooking is an art & baking is a science; this is because the measurements for baking are more crucial (sp?) to get the results you want. That being said, I sometimes (albeit rarely) change things when baking, and it's usually minor things. When I cook though, I try all kinds of stuff. When I try a new recipe, I tend to make it as it says the first time, and then tweak it the next time I make it (if it was good enough to warrant cooking again, haha). I really love cooking and trying new foods, I just wish I had more time for that right now.

 

[RaZ]

This portion of the post brought to you by the USDA / NCFHP:
You shouldn't do that.

Both peppers and garlic are low acid foods. Garlic, in particular, because of how it's grown increases the risk of botulism in your jars.

I grew the garlic in a pot on the front porch. Should I have grown it on the back porch?

 

[sarah92480]

I grew the garlic in a pot on the front porch. Should I have grown it on the back porch?

 

[EeyoreD]

I grew the garlic in a pot on the front porch. Should I have grown it on the back porch?

Probably. On the front porch your neighbor can sneak over and rub mayonnaise on your cloves.

 

[Olive Hill]

Recipes are for sissies!!!

Sarah -- I always just lock them in for a while and then let them find their own way out once the door is opened. Usually, if they are homed and they find their way out, they can find their way back.

Raz --