Update on The Garden

So, the garden is going great guns!  As you may recall, I overplanted the first 4 x 6 foot box the Darling Husband built for me.  So, he built me another. I am so lucky to have him!  Then he had underground sprinkling run out to it, so I wouldn't have to drag the hose out there anymore.  Seriously. How did I get so lucky to find him!?  The garden has grown and grown and now the tomatoes are comin' in like gangbusters.

Here is last weekend's harvest:

I have four different kinds of tomatoes in my garden: Better Boys, Early Girls, Sweet 100's, and grape tomatoes.  The Sweet 100's are my favorite.  They are the little round ones on the left and they are like eating CANDY!  Most of the time they don't make it into the house because I eat them while I am picking other things.  The grape tomatoes are really good too. 

We had one hilarous garden mishap as well.  When I went out to check the zucchini, there was one that was hiding underneath the huge zucchini plant leaves.  It got a little large.  Here is Tiny Dancer posing with Youngest Boy and her zucchini "baby."

I think that zucchini could be used to ward off intruders!  It is sooo heavy.  Instead, I am going to grate it and freeze it to use for zucchini bread in the winter.

I finally had enough tomatoes to make tomato sauce.  I used a recipe from one of my favorite cookbooks, The Country Gourmet Cookbook, by Sherrill & Gil Roth.  I was worried that it might be out of print, but I checked and found it is still available.  Here it is on Amazon, both new and used and also in paperback.

This is their recipe for Tomato Sauce from Fresh Tomatoes:

6 pounds ripe tomatoes
1/4 cup olive oil
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons minced, fresh basil leaves

This is my version of the instructions:
Wash, core, and seed the tomatoes.  Cut into chunks.  Heat the olive oil in a heavy saucepan.  (I use the trusty Dutch Oven - man, do I love that thing!)  Saute onion and garlic until onion is soft and just turning golden.  Do not burn!  Put the onions, garlic, and some of the tomatoes into the bowl of a food processor and puree.  Return to pan on stove.  Puree the rest of the tomatoes and add to the pan.  Season with salt and pepper.  Stir and bring to a simmer over medium heat.  Simmer, uncovered, until sauce is think, about 1 to 1/12 hours.  Near the end add the minced, fresh basil.  I think I added more than 2 tablespoons 'cause I love basil.

I served the sauce over fresh spinach ravioli with grated parm and a green salad.  The Darling Husband and I were actually home ALONE for dinner. The food was delicious and the company was excellent. :)

Happy eating!