What a summer. I think I might need a vacation from summer vacation. But then again, I was never on summer vacation, was I?
We have tomatoes, finally. Grown from 8 year old seeds, yep the same ones I found in that good ole drawer I told you about. I was told that I would not get tomatoes (ahem – I was told many things about my garden as you might recall).
But I did, yeeeehawww 😉
With several more on the way, and other vines sprouting babes as I type. So now, I have to think about what I want to do with them… Chomp chomp chomp… (that's Mister's thumb below, not mine 😉
Having a garden that produces edibles is a huge job. That is, if you want to eat everything you grow. I am obsessive compulsive about not wasting. So, I am working like a mad woman to make sure someone is eating all my treats, as we have found a few helpers to help us eat all of this. I think pleasantly plump is a gorgeous concept, don't you?
(the twins)
I have made 8 batches of pesto (walnut and pine nut – I am leaning towards the pine nut one as my fave), and saved bags of basil seeds for next year. I have delivered basil seeds to family, along with bushels of basil.
As soon as I publish this, I will be getting ready to make more pesto, so I can then escape to finish painting wee faces, without worrying about wasting the lovely herb.
Did I mention that I peach plunged?
I made a huge batch of peach jam, and gifted some to our friends.
Only, I didn't boil/sterilize the jars because I figured that, if it gets eaten within 2 weeks, I can skip that step? What do you think? ( I made sure my recipients knew this)
I had made 8 cobblers, a bunch of crisps, smoothies, etc. etc….
So, why not try jam?
Oh oh, and of course, you need homemade buttermilk biscuits if you are going to make jam, right?
(I made these, and they were the best ever)
You see, I made the decision to make jam after I had frozen 15+ bags of sliced peaches, and had about 3 lbs. of peaches still sitting in front of me.
So, here's what I did to make my jam.
ps: I did not use pectin, because I did not have any.
I took 3lbs of skinned and sliced peaches, 2 cups of sugar, the juice of one lemon, and put it all in a bowl and let it sit for 1 hour. This allows the sugar and lemon to draw oodles of peach juice out of the peaches.
Then, I poured all of that into a large glass saucepan, and brought it to a boil at med – high heat.
After it came to a boil, I continued boiling it at med heat, while stirring constantly for 25 minutes.
Then I let it cool.
I popped it in jars, put it in the fridge, c'est voila…
(for some reason, reds and dark oranges look funky in my posts, but if you click on the image, you can see it without the wobbly color weirdness)
We are really trying to be super good thankers of the fruits of nature 🙂
I should go out and make a love shrine to our well. We have glorious ice cold well water, that has been invaluable in helping my garden survive during this beyond long and hot summer.
So long, so hot….
Sooooo many hours of work.
Totally worth it, but wow, you have to be committed, especially in this desert land, where there is hardly no rain to help you out. Although we had rain last night and I was dancing in it, soaked, and ever so grateful.
I am sitting here, just staring blankly at the computer screen, all of a sudden.
It is 9:59 a.m.
I have been up tending my garden since 5, and I am sleepy. Eeeks 😉
I never nap (makes me feel rotten as heck), but I am sleepy right now friends…
I think food wold help. We get to have Sunday Lox again on a Monday, yay!
I have a confession. I am tomato weird….
I can have them super fresh, sliced-
But I don't like them fresh sliced, and warm.
And, I am finicky about tomato sauce, aka gravy. (Although, I make a pretty mean & delicious sauce. So much for being humble, eek)
But, right off the vine, yummmmm.
I have sure used that word alot this summer (yumm), haven't I?
Anyhow, lox and warm bagels and capers and onions and tomatoes from the vine, await me…
Mmmmmmmmmm…..
And we can't forget the cream cheese.
Yay.
Any suggestions for what I should plunge into making with my tomatoes?
Hmmm, must think on this one.
Anyone ever sun-dried their own tomatoes?
Okay, let's brainstorm if you will 😉
And, I will be back real real soon.
Yummm…food from the garden is the best! Especially basil, I love basil. It’s too bad you can’t share your bounty with you readers, for we would certainly help you not waste a single delicious item! I don’t know exactly where in AZ you live, but if your rainstorm was anything like ours here in Tucson…whoa. These monsoons are crazy, but I love them!!!!
Vanessa…
Your tomatoes are making my mouth water. I planted my edibles a bit late this year, so my tomatoes are just wee and green right now.
Here’s my suggestion for tomatoes:
Being a southern gal by nature, I adore Fried Green Tomatoes. I don’t eat much fried food, but I do love these. If you like tart foods…like pickles, you’ll probably like FGTs!
The tomatoes should be very firm and green. Slice them about 1/4″ inch thick. Dip the slices in milk or buttermilk, then dredge them in a mixture of flour, cornmeal, salt and pepper. Fry them in about 1″ of hot oil. Turn a few times to ensure both sides get nice and brown and crunchy. They are delicious when still hot. Yummmmy!! You can bake them as well, but don’t use any flour in the mixture. I don’t like them as well when they’re baked.
Have a fantastical day:
Kim
Gerushia’s New World
Oh I love capers, that looks devine…minus the fresh tomato part, hahah. I am sooo weird, I love anything made from tomatoes but I can’t eat a fresh cut tomato itself. The jam sounds great and a flea market, oh yay! I can’t wait to see those fresh faces you are painting 😉
Jamie 🙂
A couple good things to do with tomatoes:
1. yes dry them in a food dehydarator or oven low as can be slice you tomatoes thin. a bit of olive oil on the baking sheet and let them dry. once dry take a jar, out tomatoes in and then stick in herbs what ever you like fill up with olive oil. yum your own sundryed tomatoes.
2. this salad take tomotoes, watermelon, mint and feta chop up, put olive oil and apple cidar vingear as a dressing. so good and simple. also good with cilantro and lime juice.
🙂
Kristy
you’re so inspirational….I want to garden but every seed or plant I touch turns to smoke:)
Want tomatoes now!!!
Have a happy day.
Fresh peach jam and buttermilk biscuits sounds delish. I’m always afraid to do fresh preserves because I also don’t want to boil and sterilize every single thing I use.
Tomatoes just plucked make the best sandwiches ever. If you have an excess of tomatoes, you must make salsa (the kind you cook and can, but that might mean sterilizing to keep long term :/
We live in the desert too, but won’t get tomatoes until sometime in January or so. Just way too hot for anything to survive at the moment.
Wishing you a beautiful week ahead. 🙂 Tammy
For the tomatoes:
Bunch of basil
chunk of fresh mozzarella cheese
sliced tomatoes. Toss and serve. YUM!
Or tomatoes, feta, basil, olives and cucumber, toss and serve with a little olive oil and lemon juice, mmmmmmmm.
Otherwise, make salsa! Tomato sauce! or just plain canned tomatoes 🙂
I’d sterilize the jars before you do those, but you could freeze them for a few months and they should be fine, or do the whole boiling water bath thing to properly can and seal them ‘n stuff 🙂
Have fun, it sounds like heaven (with hard work added) to be in your gardens!
How fun! Going to a flea market and finding goodies!
Your tomatoes look gorgeous, and the fresh peach jam to die for! Boo, hoo : ( I did not have time to make my plum, or apricot jam this year…I know I am going to miss it this winter. Maybe I can get some at our local farmer’s market…that will work.
Cheers to you this lovely day…
may creative juices flow and inspiration go wild!
with fairy kisses…
Miss Teresa
All I can say is Yummmm…. and also what wonderful photos!!
Your tomatoes look wonderful you are truly an artist of all. The peach jam is amazung. You can see the goodness in all of the foods. I am drooling as I type.
Have a happiness of days.
Those tomatoes look divine! I have been eating tomatoes whole since I was tiny, I love them so much 🙂 My boyfriend and I eat tons of caprese salad, I bet it would be wonderful with your homegrown tomatoes!! Ours didn’t come in this year in our little container garden 🙁 I am not a very talented gardener. Have a wonderful day! ~Lauren
Oh yum, yum, yum !!! You could make homemade salsa and you could also make a green tomato relish with tomatoes that have not fully ripened. It’s called it Chow Chow Relish. I can send you the recipe if you would like. It’s an awesome addition along side pork chops or pork tenderlion. Wow I would soooooo like to eat that Bagel in the photo !!!! I like tomatoes fresh sliced and room temp, i’ve often heard that once you refrigerate them it kills the vitamin C that makes them taste special, that’s why the fresh ones are super better than those purchased in the grocery store. Happy eating, swopemelmel@aol.com P.s. You fill my heart with so much joy, thank you for that.
I am in awe of you and your garden! I love all your food posts-so tempting looking! Peach jam is one of my favourites-along with raspberry and blackcurrant-so I wish I could taste yours! I also love bagels and smoked salmon. I have no idea what you could make with your tomatoes. I like roasting them, but I should imagine sun drying would work.
Have fun whatever you decide!
I just love that pic of the misters Matty and Lovee! Little fur boy staring so sweetly into the camera. I also love Mr. Lovee’s shirt. I found out just in the last year that purple is my hubby’s fave color. He told me so after I gave him a purple dress shirt for work.
You are so generous to share your garden fruits with others. I don’t have any experience with dealing with a bountiful garden, so I can’t offer any suggestions unfortunately. I bet you will be doling out a bunch of scrumptious Christmas gifts–if you save back a bit of your bounty!
The peach jam and biscuits look sooo yum.
It’s good that you remind us of the hard work that comes with having your garden. Although Miss V and her posts are so magical, we must remember that there is more than just magic when it comes to growing a garden!
I have a hard time using all my harvests too, so I end up taking them to work alot. I was wondering…would you be willing to sell some of those packets of basil seeds if you have any left? I’d love to have some from you that have grown so well in your magical garden. 🙂
give Matty a kiss from me too! I can’t kiss my own boy anymore. 🙁
blessings
~*~
That peach jam looks pretty good! Everything looks delicious~bagels..I could eat those everyday with creme cheese and tomatoes..maybe avocado instead of the c.c.When we were in Michiocan and stayed at a friends house and he had orange, lime and avocado trees and I swore one day I’d live somewhere I could grow them ~that would be heavenly~
Sounds like you have your own farmers market in your backyard~enjoy!
*Michoacán
p.s. speaking of emails..no, I haven’t heard back 🙂
Oh oh oh, we had avocados too, I forgot. OH it was YUMMMMM!!
So – that picture of your hands and the tomato. Kind of Garden of Eden looking isn’t it? You know, some folks say it was a tomato and not an apple…. Except, Mister is handing it off to you…OR did he just take it FROM you… either way it’s a great pic!! Love it! Love all your pictures. I know most everyone is ready for fall. Not me. Summer goes out with me kicking and screaming, “WAIT FOR ME!” running along behind it. Have a great day! – Kathy
You’re so lucky, my poor little garden in Colorado is really struggling with the weather we have had this year.
I am kind of weird about tomatos too, I don’t like them cooked, and I have to remove the seeds.
Kelly
Bushels of basil….you know all of us are dying to be your neighbor! A dehydrator works fabulous for excess tomatoes….sprinkle w/a combination spice & thats it. Good on salads in the winter or to eat like potato chips. I’m a tomato junkie! You can also puree them into freezer bags & make fresh salsa later…..your food looks as beautiful as your artwork…
We use PECANS in our pesto (instead of pine nuts or walnuts) Way yum.
Ohhh you should do a shrine. Baby pumpkins, pinks and aquas. You do the best shrines. Love your Mary lady one so! I have to write these down (well copy paste with pics would be more practical) for these recipe ideas are rocking my late night world… grumble tummy… anyway, be back soon to get these into my recipe book. Thanks dear one! Blessings.
I have just watched the lemonade video. I am stunned-in a good way! Thanks for showing it!
hi! well, you can make stuffed tomatoes with the greek recipe i adore!!! fry 1/2 kilo chopped meat(beef) with chopped onions, parsley, some tomato juice and 1 cup of rise. pour a little water into the mixture and boil it for a few minutes. then stuff with this mixture your delicious tomatoes! on top of them you can add some feta cheese!!!
nothing, absolutely nothing is as good as a home-grown tomato!
the smell and everything is so special!
You are inspiring me to start growing again.
ok now I’m hungry! What a delicious post! I love the smell of tomato leaves, so fresh and summery 🙂
It’s been a while since I visited blog-land and I must tell you I MISSED YOUR BLOG MOST! I noticed on a quick back-blog flick-through that you painted your wagon blue – LOVE IT! I look forward to seeing your future adventures 🙂 merry part
Your garden is amazing. Oh fresh tomatoes with bagels and lox, I am drooling. Must go find some. My tomatoes are almost ripe and I must go to the store to add the bagels and lox. Your posts always entertain me and I leave smiling.
Hi Vanessa,
Yum, your post just made me hungry. My sister Susan lives in Pennsylvania, and she is shipping me some of her amazing tomatoes. Can’t wait for the tomato sandwiches, my favorite.
Lots of great ideas, love bagels and lox.
Wanted to also tell you, I know how busy you are, and etsy just changed the look of our shops. Much nicer. Now we can feature four items instead of just three with the wide format.
I love when those surprises happen.
Happy night.
Karen
My latest craze for fresh tomatoes is a grilled cheese and tomato sandwich with lots of freshly ground black pepper. Delish!
Vanessa, you simply have to try this deliciously simple and unbelievably tasty treat…so good to serve with pre-dinner drinks. All you do is take a sheet of puff pastry and divide it into bite-sized pieces. Next, just spread it with some green tomato chutney (I use store bought, but with all those tomatoes, you may have your own recipe!) Then place a piece of goat’s cheese on each and top with a cherry tomato, or a slice of tomato – pop in the oven for 10 minutes or so until they’re all golden and scrumptious! Believe me, these are a hit! BTW, that pesto looks amazing! Yum – enjoy xxx
Hahaha…oh girl, I thought *I* was the only one who had weird food rules. For instance I love sliced or cubed tomato and it doesn’t matter if they are room temp or cold from the ‘fridge; however I HATE the taste of V-8 drinks or Bloody Mary’s.
I went to an Italian market yesterday and their produce was so ripe & large. I took home 2 yellow, 1 red tomato, and a eggplant the size of an alien baby – scary HUUUUUUGE!
http://dawaioser.livejournal.com/755953.html
I wish I could grow things like you. I’m so envious and proud of your Goddess ability. If I’m lucky I can keep a houseplant alive for a few weeks, sad/lol.
Hello there!!!! 🙂 SO happy to hear you made peach preserves – looks wonderful. Isn’t the color so lovely? Almost too pretty to eat – but eat we shall! LOL Looks amazingly delicious upon those biscuits. We love pesto, too. We end up making HUGE batches, which we then freeze. Takes just minutes to thaw – and what a yummy no-cook sauce you end up with. 🙂 And tomatoes – don’t get me started. There is nothing like a fresh tomato. Don’t you find the shop ones to be rather mealy? My hubby is kind of a sauce king over here…LOL He creates culinary magic when he makes sauce – it seems to be his specialty. 🙂
xoxo Theresa
Random responses:
1) Such a lovely photo of your sweet boys.
2) I love flea markets, too. Such great finds. It’s fun to search for forgotten treasures!
3) This is good. Sometimes I worry needlessly. 🖤 🖤 🖤
My random things for you:
1) I don’t like rulers
2) I wanted to be a nun when I was 8 years old
3) My name was featured in the liner notes of four different record/CD releases
Tomatoes Tomatoes…I love them, right off the vine and still warm from the sun. My mother and I have been madly chopping apples…for freezing, baking, applesauce, pies…and I’m wondering about apple butter at this point. We are blessed with buckets of apples…scads…herds!!
Such gorgeous tomatoes. I have been growing Basil in a pot on my patio, and it was doing pretty well, until some kind of disease has attacked the Basil, my Hisbiscus tree, and now the leaves are all small and shrively looking. A friend told me to mix a little Dr Bronners soap and water and spray the plants, did that two weeks ago, to no avail. I’d rather not use commercial pesticides. ~sigh~
I can almost smell that basil and the fresh tomatoes. Yummy. I love the smell of fresh picked tomatoes and basil. I also love your blog and have missed visiting!
Your tomatoes look awesome!! Mine are just starting to turn. And my peaches are still not ripe enough yet to pick! Darn!! And I see your pumpkins there…so beautiful! Mine are just beginning to form. I sure hope they make it. It is such a lovely plant!!
Hugging you
SueAnn
Wow what a nice garden you have! I’m just mad about basilic. When I was still living at my parent’s home, my mum and I used to make buches of pesto too…Ah… my mouth is wathering!
hello. First time visiting and I love what I see. Beautiful blog. Warmly, Karen
oh Dearie me!! Now I’m quite hungry again!! tee hee….time for second breakfast….for elevensies, perhaps! ; )
I’m homeschooling three kiddos so I traded my tomatoes for the opportunity to watch some caterpillars turn into moths…so far, the birds are eating the caterpillars before they cocoon. And I really miss my tomatoes. *sigh* But, we live in Florida. I could probably plant a new tomato plant tomorrow & still have some before it ever gets cold here. Your garden is gorgeous! 🙂
Love this post. I don’t like even numbers either, and I love juicy things! Tomatoes rock. Thanks for sharing your gorgeousness with us.
I think the picture of your boys makes me love them as much as i love my own <3.
Tomatoes are the bomb, oh hecks ya!
ps-i dont even know what lox is but it looks good. 🙂
Everything looks so delicious. We’ve been so grateful for all of the rainstorms here. Hope you’ve gotten as much rain as we have. I love tomatoes. I use to eat them like an apple right off the vine. You must have an awesome green thumb to get seeds that old to grow…congrats! If you end up with too many tomatoes, pick them while they are green and fry them…wonderful flavor. Or you can dice them and turn them into a chutney.