tomato red

July 22, 2021

It's a good day when I get to make the summer's first batch of roasted tomato sauce. It means the days are sunny and the tomatoes are plentiful and my birthday is right around the corner! Besides having thick colorful tomato slices at every meal, I love making tomato sauce with our garden tomatoes so much that I plan to have 30 quarts minimum in my freezer before we pull out the last vine in the fall. Until then, a mass of tomatoes will be a common sight in my kitchen, and to me, it's the prettiest sight ever. Here's my roasted tomato sauce recipe.

My grandfather was a tomato grower, and if you'd like to know a little bit about my childhood and the time I spent with my beloved grandad, visit this post.


I use every tomato variety for tomato sauce; any color, any size, any variety.

I held back a few varieties for a tomato tasting. We rated them all a 10.

There's nothing prettier than a blanket of tomatoes. Don't you agree?


I sliced them in half, added olive oil, salt and pepper, fresh garlic,
basil and leeks (because I didn't have an onion).




Three large pans made 6 quarts of tomato sauce.
This is my sauce recipe.

I use an odd assortment of recycled containers that hold 2 or 4 cups and can go in the freezer. 
My goal is to make 5 or 6 more batches and have enough tomato sauce for the entire year.

I picked enough green beans and tripled this fabulous recipe, also for the freezer.
It was really good. I used bacon for the topping instead of the prepared fried onions..


I just finished The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah. I see it was published back in 2015 and I'm just getting around to reading it! Loved it and recommend it. Hannah also wrote The Great Alone which got mixed reviews but I loved that one too. Presently I'm waiting for The Four Winds to be available from my library waitlist, also by the same author. I'm now halfway through The Forest of Vanishing Stars  by Kristin Harmel, which just came out this month and it's also pretty good. I borrow from the library using the Libby app and I often have a long wait so I have no idea why I was so lucky to read it the first month it was published! Do you any must-read book recommendations? I always love a good book recommendation.


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Kristen Rettig

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5 Comments

  1. Meredith MCJuly 24, 2021 at 3:30 PM

    Hi Kristen. I’m a huge tomato fan and I’m in awe of your garden. I have a much smaller garden in the PNW, and I just got my first ripe tomato today! Until mine are really coming on, I get my taste of summertime from the farmer’s market. I’m going to try your sauce recipe. Your turkey broth recipe made all of my winter soups so much better, so I trust your cooking instincts. Thank you for sharing this. Your tomato haul is both beautiful and inspirational.

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    Replies
    1. KristenJuly 29, 2021 at 10:21 AM

      Oh! I'd love to hear about your tomato sauce. I've heard some people say it was worth the trouble and others say their kitchen was a mess. I guess I expect a bit of a mess and don't mind cleaning up. I'm in the "it's well worth it" camp.

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  2. PJJuly 24, 2021 at 6:10 PM

    The Last Bus to Wisdom by Ivan Doig is a favorite of mine. Also, Ordinary Grace by William Krueger. Love your tomato photos.

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  3. KristenJuly 29, 2021 at 10:31 AM

    Yes! Love Ivan Doig and loved The Last Bus to Wisdom. Ivan Doig is an American treasure, isn't he? Thank you for the William Krueger recommendation. I have never read him but I have the book on hold. I'll let you know! Thank you so much PJ. I love to hear about new-to-me authors.

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  4. JenAugust 2, 2021 at 10:52 AM

    Hi! Can I please have the pattern for Dk baby cardi? I also cannot find anymore on ravelry. I am a cardi stripe person too and struggling to find correct weight for a cotton cardi. (Grey and white stripes. My favorite). Thanks. Jennifer. Jenniferjanehamilton@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete

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