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Thursday, August 20, 2009

Pasta Sauce and Peaches

I am not sure when it happened but somewhere along the way I realized I was born in the wrong generation. I should have been born in the 50's when canning and "putting up" your own food was cool. ;) I always felt like I wanted to fall into the more traditional role of being the wife and mother and hopefully staying at home to raise my children. For me there is great satisfaction in seeing my handy work from day to day in the pantry and eating something that I had my hand in completely. And knowing every ingredient in them is a lovely bonus too.

I hate picking up a jar of pasta sauce at the store and seeing all the crap on the ingredient list that I can't understand or read. So I set out in the last week to find out how to make it. Turns out its about the easiest thing on the planet! I called my friend Tisha's grandma who lives next door to our old house (we call her Gramma Pat, she is like my Nana that lives in San Diego and just as spunky. We love her) she told me that she just puts all her ingredients in a big stock put/roasting pan and bakes them at 400 until the tomatoes are done and cooked down a bit.

Into my turkey roaster went a bunch of tomatoes, fresh basil, fresh garlic cloves, a pack of sliced mushrooms, half a yellow squash, 2 zucchini, 2 onions, 2 red bells, 2 green bells, EVOO and salt and pepper and Italian seasoning for good measure. I put it in for about an hour at 350 cause I wanted it to take a little longer.

Here is one of the tomatoes I put in, maybe its trying to tell me something. :)

After you roast everything, you put in the blender for just a bit. We have a vitamix that lets you go really slow and barely chop which is lovely. I love a chunky sauce. I just love how it looks! So good. *edit- don't forget if you are making this it needs to be water bathed to seal the jars properly, otherwise store in bags in the freezer*

We had a great speghetti (actually linguini) with italian sauce (baby allowed it) and my sauce and a little bit of left over classico mixed it. It was delish!

When Grayson went down for his nap at 12:30 I got started with the ripening peaches. This time, whether it was because they were riper or because it wasn't the first time, I got 20! jars done before he woke up 430... he never naps that long but boy was I grateful.


Very productive day, if I do say so myself.
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7 comments:

mo said...

Wow Jaimey! I want some peaches and spaghetti sauce! They both look and sound soooo yummy! I'm still holding out for it being a girl, but that tomato sure was funny! You've made two boys so far, so maybe your hubby prefers to shoot out boys over girls...we'll see! :)

Jaimey said...

Mo- I told hubby he is on probation until we find out and if he doesn't get a girl this time he better next time other wise I am trading out for a younger girl making model! :) If I drive down to SD in the next year I will stop by and bring you some peaches and sauce! :) (jam too, I have it coming out my ears!)

Marlyn said...

Beautiful. What an interesting way to make the sauce! I assume you water bathed as you cold packed?

Jaimey said...

Oops, yes, this must be water bathed or stored in the freezer (not in jars but bags). I put it in hot jars while the sauce was hot as well. :)

Thanks Mar!

1snappyfamily said...

Soooooo awesome! I need some of those peaches..........tonight. Now, dang it!!! =)

Jennifer Orlando said...

Hi Jaimey---I just found your blog. I've known you had one but don't spend much time on the computer. You are so industrious--how do you do it? Those are great pics of the new little one---I have heard that once you have two on one gender the odds go up that it will be the same gender. I hope the pictures helped you feel better! Those ultrasound techs must take special classes at being vague and obtuse! See you at the Tues. reunion.

jenni said...

Wow Jaimey!!! That is lovely!! I could eat up those peaches and a plate of linquine right now!!

I've always been a bit of a throw back to a bygone era myself... You say it perfectly- I love seeing my hand in all the little things-- the food on the table & in the pantry-

beenaking my own sauce fir ever- though... I've never canned.... And have never even heard of making it tgat way-- I may just try it! Sounds yummers!