Search This Blog

Monday, August 9, 2010

Cant get done..

It really is hard to get things done that you want to do when you cant stay home. I had a doc appointment today which took me off the farm and just ruined my whole dang day. Not a big deal, just a visit to get meds refilled and the doc changed my arthritis medicine. Now I am taking a high power NSAID. I just hope my belly can tolerate it. I will know in a week or so.
After we had supper I washed off all the jars of canned stuff from yesterday and got those ready for the cellar. I got about a bushel of tomatoes to make into juice or maybe spaghetti sauce tomorrow. I could make the sauce as I use it but I just like being able to go to the cellar and get sauce and make supper. We like lots of meat in our sauce. I start with a large kettle of tomato juice and simmer it lightly seasoned, and I do mean lightly seasoned with oregano, basil, parsley (home grown herbs), salt, pepper,garlic powder and a pinch of brown sugar along with a good deal of minced onion. If I have bell peppers handy I will add a few of those minced as well. After the flavors have blended well I put the sauce in a crock pot and set it on low overnight to thicken. In the morning I add browned ground beef to the sauce and put in jars and pressure can quarts at 10 lb pressure for 90 minutes. It will seal nicely and when you are ready to serve if need be you can adjust the seasoning. The seasonings will get stronger as the sauce cooks down in the crock pot so this is the reason for seasoning lightly. As with any tomato based sauce, if you add about a teaspoon of corn starch to the sauce before heating it will thicken better and stick to the pasta better. Just something I have learned from experience. Dang this does sound like a plan for tomorrow. I can make the juice in the morning and let it cook all day and can the sauce tomorrow evening when it is not so hot outside. Our temps are supposed to be in the high 90's all this week with high humidity. Sounds like a good time to stay inside and do inside stuff this week. Might even clean the house really good after the "baby" Abby goes home. She makes more of a mess with toys and food that most kids.
So till next time, blessings from the McGuire homestead.

Stella

3 comments:

Johnna Sutton said...

I love your blog, you totally inspire me....every fricken day:)

small farm girl said...

The crockpot is a good idea! I never even thought of that. Thanks!

stella said...

Hi yall, lol thanks johnna i will take that as a compliment.
farm gal the crock pot is the bestest for sauces that need to cook a long time, they dont burn or stick and no need to watch them all the time. I also have one of those big Nesco cookers that you can put a whole big azz turkey in and use it like an oven. Those are great also if you are doing huge batches of sauce. Put the sauce in a roasting pan that will fit inside the roaster and set it on a low temp and leter rip.