TOMATOES APLENTY

Despite having terrible blight, my tomatoes are doing very well this year.  For the first time ever the plants tower over me, they must be at least seven feet tall and filled with both green and ripe red tomatoes.

First real harvest....

waiting on the windowsill to be 'dealt' with...

There was enough quantity to make my first batch of roasted tomato sauce:  Chopped up tomatoes, skins, seeds and all;  chopped up onions;  chopped up garlic;  chopped up basil;  salt/pepper and olive oil.  No measuring, just lots of each.  Mix and roast for a few hours on 375, until as thick as desired.  

I freeze sauce for winter use.  I like it chunky, but for those who like it smooth, puree it either before freezing or when wanting to use.

Out of the oven, cooled and ready to freeze or use.


...by adding oregano you have a really great roasted pizza sauce...

Sunday night pizza with fresh roasted sauce.

As there is an abundance of tomatoes, and we so much love them, I make this simple, utterly delicious dish.

Cut up into small 'bites' plenty of tomatoes, small dice onions and garlic, lots of chopped basil, salt/pepper and olive oil (the same ingredients as for roasting) early in the day.  Let sit for several hours.  Prepare your favorite spaghetti, here I used Linguini, and while the pasta is still hot, right out of the kettle,  place in dish, cover with the uncooked tomato sauce, add grated Romano Cheese, a basil leaf, 

serve with a fresh green salad.  No taste quite like this, fresh and bright and oh so easy.

GIVING BACK WHILE HAVING FUN

Iris, Elsa and I have been volunteering at the Vernon County Humane Society, and would like to do so once per week, although with such busy lives that is not always possible.

 

This past Thursday we were asked to do the task of walking three adorable new puppies that had just arrived.  As you can imagine both girls were over the top delighted.

 

I thought we'd have to walk them within some kind of enclosure, but Jenni, the manager said, no, walk them anywhere you want.  So leashes tightly grasped we went outdoors.

 



 

Puppies pause to get their bearings....

 

 

 

Iris and Elsa pause to untangle the three.

 

After about 15-20 minutes of 'walking' we went indoors and within a closed room, simply played and socialized with the puppies.

 

 

 

 

Then the girls were ready for some real work, which they did with such eagerness it astounded me.

 

 

 

 

Weeding the flower bed just in front of the building, this task took us about 45  minutes as the media was going to arrive the next day and we wanted it to look beautiful.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Despite the fun the girls take this 'job' seriously and are always eager to do the next task, asking to sweep, to wash windows, and to help out in ways that have no hands on animals at all.

 

Quite honestly, I love spending my time with these girls in this way.