Tomatoes

Observations about tomatoes:

1.   They grow in abundance.  Out of just a few plants can come oodles and oodles of tomatoes. 
2.   There is nothing like a sliced tomato, freshly picked from a plant outside the door, in a garden, or from a pot.  Sprinkle a little salt and pepper- heavenly!
3.   BLT's are the best summer meal!  Cook up some bacon, add some fresh leaf lettuce, toast a couple of slices of bread and add some Miracle Whip, plus a thick slice or two of fresh tomato - nothing better than that on a hot August afternoon.
4. Tomatoes can be chopped and made into salsa!  I tried my hand at salsa for the first time last week and it was SO good.  Gary thought the tomato chunks were too chunky, but it was perfect for me.  I added chopped green pepper, chopped red onion, chopped jalapeno, and fresh cilantro.  It was SO good (I already said that).  Not only can I eat it with Scoops, but I can add in spiced up hamburger, some grated Cheddar, and a dab of sour cream for some awesome nachos.  Better than anything I order at a restaurant!
5. Not a big fan of drinking this every day, but tomatoes can be made into fresh or canned tomato juice, and the homemade is much better than anything that comes from a store-bought can.
6. Tomato sauce and spaghetti sauce - wow.  Homemade is delicious!  

Why tomatoes as the topic today?  Gary just left to pick tomatoes at Sandy's house.  After lunch we are going to Megan's and make salsa and can it.

Canning has been a lost art with more and more people opting to just buy their sauces and veggies at the store.  However in the past year or three, more in my daughters' age group have been into gardening and food preservation. They say that 'what goes around, comes around' and I believe this about canning.  With all of the additives and preservatives and extra calories packed into pre-packaged foods, more of the younger generations are realizing what our grandmothers knew years ago---growing your own food, preserving that food for the winter months is healthier and more economical.

More later---and maybe some pictures of the fruits of our labor!