World's Tiniest Tomato?

After Hurricane Irene blew over our house on Saturday, I ventured out to see how my tomato plants had weathered the storm. I wasn't overly concerned, because I'd tethered the containers to the porch, plus they've all but finished producing; I was merely curious about the damage the storm had wrought. This little guy caught my attention - a ripe tomato about the size of a blueberry was just sitting there among the twisted and beaten vines. Have you ever seen something like this? What causes midget tomatoes? I mean, my Marglobe bush only produced cherry tomatoes this year, but this isn't even close to that size. Another little wonder of nature, I guess.

One of Those Days

Today is one of those days where I really would be happy if I could stay in bed. I'm not having a bad morning, I just want a day off. It's not that I have a lot to do today, I just don't want to do it. I don't want to put the dishes away, or make tea, clean the bathroom, or go for my walk. I just want to sit on the back porch in my housecoat (well, my husband's is more comfortable, so his housecoat) and drink some yummy flavored coffee. I don't even have any coffee, though. (Note to self: add that to grocery list, mom-in-law is coming to visit.) But yeah, I don't want to do it today.

Making Salsa

My tomatoes have been coming in for about two weeks now, and I decided it was high time I tried my hand at homemade salsa. I used the recipe that came with my Ball Discovery Kit, which I will post here. (I halved the recipe because I didn't have enough  bell peppers or onions to do a whole batch. It's also probably important to mention that I didn't really measure anything all that precisely.)

Ingredients:
5 cups tomatoes, peeled and chopped
2 1/2 cups green bell peppers (mine were yellow and orange, actually)
2 1/2 cups onion
1 1/4 cups chili peppers (I used jalapenos, but any hot variety that suits your taste will work)
2/3 cup cider vinegar
1 clove garlic (although I halved the recipe, I still used a whole clove of garlic - yummy!)
1 tbs. fresh cilantro
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp hot pepper sauce, optional (didn't use it - hate the stuff!)

Directions: Prepare stockpot/canner and jars. Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and boil gently, stirring frequently, until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Ladle hot salsa into jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles, add more salsa if needed. Wipe rim and center lid on the jar. Screw band until fingertip-tight. Process filled jars in boiling water for 20 minutes. Remove stockpot lid. Wait 5 minutes, then remove jars, cool, and store.

I'll make a few important side notes about my process. I used Marglobe tomatoes, which (for me at least) are small. Peeling and seeding them was no picnic. The couple of beefsteak tomatoes I used were much easier, because one alone made almost a cup of diced tomatoes. Also, I don't know if there's a trick to this, but I just grabbed the skin of the raw tomato and pulled it off. Not that it was difficult, but I'm sure there's got to be a less tedious way to peel tomatoes. Maybe some more experienced cooks out there can tell me a way.

Another reason it took me so long to prepare my tomatoes was because I removed just about every seed possible. I'm saving my seeds to grow new plants next season. This is my first time doing this, and I hope it works. I'll let you know how it goes. IMPORTANT: If you are going to save seeds, remember to only use heirloom or open-pollinated plant varieties. This guarantees that you will have the same plant quality from year to year. Also, it is actually ILLEGAL to save seeds from patented plant varieties, and some corporations go for the throat if they catch you saving their seeds. Best to be safe than sorry! Besides, saving heirlooms/open-pollinated seeds ensures plant diversity, and makes sure that some great plant varieties aren't lost to the generations to come.

Anyway, I followed the directions and cooked up my salsa. Half the recipe made enough for one and a half pints (plus a scoop or two for taste-testing). I did not actually water-bath can my salsa, because my intent was for it to go straight into the fridge for eating. So all I did was put on my lid, screw down the ring, and turn the jar of hot salsa over to heat up the seal on the lid and get it to stick (a little trick my mom-in-law showed me). Let it be known right now though, if you want your salsa to be shelf stable, you absolutely must process your salsa in a boiling water bath like the instructions say! Don't go get botulism and then blame me!

And there's the finished product below. Isn't it beautiful? I know you'll have to take my word on this, but it's tasty too! It's a might hot, but what good salsa isn't?



A picture blog

I want you guys to see what I've been up to, so this is a blog full of pictures!

This is a quilted fabric diamond. I made one for each of the diamond-shaped windows in the doors of our home. They help keep out the heat during these scorching summer months. I'm not a great sewer, so I was surprised how fast and easy these were to make. Also, I'm going to brag a bit - I made my own bias tape for the edges. I know all there is to it is cutting and creasing, but I was pretty proud of myself for having done it. That's project number one.

The second project I've completed recently is my living room curtains. I sewed them myself and added the design myself. I wish they had a little more gather to them, but once I get some better light/heat blocking fabric up behind the blinds, I'll be able to open them up and give them the slightly more full look I was hoping for. I've been toying with the idea of making some burlap shades to go with them to complete the rustic/handmade/import look. Take a closer look at the stamping:

This was done with a set of stamps called "Alfresco" that I got from a friend a few years ago. She sells Close to My Heart scrapbooking supplies, and this was one of the stamp designs they offered. I like this so much I've been mulling over how else I can use my stamps to dress up fabrics around my house.

Now for the gardening section of this blog. I have PINK tomatoes. The German Johnson variety tomato that I got this year is giving me a deep, rosy colored tomato crop. I gotta say, I'm not a fan of pink, but I like these tomatoes because they're unique.

I've also been learning to can my own food. Just recently I canned a few small jars of apple butter. In this situation, it was a case of "waste not, want not" because I had some apples that were going to go bad if I didn't do something with them. So I diced them up, threw them in the crock pot with some sugar and spices, and left them overnight. In the morning, the whole house smelled heavenly, and I had enough apple butter for five half-pint jars. I've also made some salsa since then, but that's another blog.

The one other project I've been working on, I finished last night. My mom recently gave me some of her old cast iron skillets. She can't use them anymore because her wrists are too weak from carpal tunnel syndrome and the subsequent surgery, so she gave them to me, and I happily accepted. In with those skillets was an old, rusty pizza tin. I knew that I didn't care to use it for pizza (I have wonderful stoneware for that), so I spray painted it blue, and hand painted a sun with some bright acrylic paints. I then took a paint pen and wrote a quote by Walt Whitman: "Keep your face always toward the sunshine and shadows will fall behind." I like it. It's bright, cheery, primitive and fun. I was going to use it as a wall hanging outside until I had a stroke of genius.

Instead, I'm going to attach it to a wooden spool my mom gave me (she works as a seamstress at a flag-making factory, so she gets to bring home all kinds of cool stuff that would otherwise be thrown out). I'll then put it outside between my two Adirondack chairs to use as a table for drinks or whatever. I just need some heavy-duty sealer for the spool, since it is thin, unfinished plywood.

So that's what I've been up to. Be sure to check back later for my salsa blog!



A Bout of Domesticity

Ha. It sounds like an illness when I put it that way, but that's kinda how these things occur with me. Over the past couple of days, I've been sewing and latch hooking and canning food and planting plants. Remember that latch hook rug kit I posted about way back in ... January, I think? Well, every day I've been working on it, and little by little, it's coming together. Monday I canned some homemade apple butter. I got five 4oz. jars out of just a handful of apples. My husband says it "tastes like the holidays." Yesterday I planted some Small Sugar variety pumpkins. They've been ready for transplanting for a couple of weeks now, but I decided with this ridiculous heat, I would ease into the "hardening off" process in the hope that they wouldn't keel over. According to the package, they mature in 90 days, so with any luck they should be ready in time for Halloween. (Yay for not having to buy jack-o-lanterns!) I've also been sewing up a storm, because I finally found the motivation to make the curtains for my living room and kitchen. Two nights ago, I got all the panels cut and the hem folds ironed in, and then last night, I sewed the panels. I even hand stamped two panels with a design that I think is just great. Tonight I intend to get the other four panels stamped so I can put them up where they belong. Now if I could just get this domestic feeling to inspire me to do some cleaning!

Pictures will follow, but that's all for now!

Playing the Waiting Game

Everyday now I'm checking my mail. Last week, the husband and I went up to the DMV in Rocky Mount to get our driver's licenses. Per NC state law, we had to take a written test, but we both passed and got our temporary licenses. They're just a piece of paper, no pictures or anything on them. So I'm waiting until our permanent ones arrive in the mail. I'm particularly excited about their arrival, because I need a picture ID to get a library card for the library in Bailey. I love the library, and I can't wait to go and start delving into some crafting and gardening books, not to mention books on green and sustainable living.
I'm also anxiously checking my mail because I subscribed to Scrapbooks, Etc. and Better Homes and Gardens magazines. I enjoy getting magazines quite a bit. I love to read, but I'm also very visual, so magazines fill both of those needs. Plus, I love clipping out good ideas and adding them to my inspiration binder.

There's also a couple of dates I'm waiting on. First, the 19th, because my mom-in-law and her sister will be coming to visit for the weekend. It should be lots of fun. I also can't wait for my birthday. I've told everyone that I'd like Michael's gift cards, so if I get some, I'll be going to get new, fun craft stuff.

Another thing I'm waiting on is tomatoes. My Marglobe tomato has been offering ripe tomatoes for a couple of days now, but they're pretty small. So I'm waiting until I have enough to do something with. I'm also particularly excited about my German Johnson tomatoes ripening, because they look like they're going to be pink, not red. That'll be pretty cool, because I've never seen pink tomatoes in person before.

So yeah, that's a lot of waiting, but I'm thinking it'll all be worth it.