October Tomatoes

Yesterday, Oct 25th, was 85º in Pleasant Hill, Mo. Way to hot for October, but I'm still picking tomatoes. We've had an outstanding crop, especially of cherry and small pear tomatoes. The best plant came up volunteer from seeds dropped last summer by the tomatoes I missed!

I've picked and roasted (cut in half, tossed with olive oil, garlic and salt) a few thousand of these sweet babies this fall. Roast for several hours at 220º until nearly dry but not burned.

They look like this when picked....earlier I only needed to pick red ripe ones. Lately I've been picking green ones too, since we've had a couple light frosts. After sitting for a few days in the house, they all turn red.

After roasting, I pack them in more oil, waterbath process and put away for Christmas gifts. The roasted tomatoes are so sweet, tangy and delicious. Great on pizza or tossed with pasta!! A half pint jar holds about 1/2 cookie sheet full.

Picked this batch yesterday - could be the last ones. Now we'll see how many of these ripen - some are really green.

Quiet Time

A quiet holiday at our house this year. Daughter Laura and husband are in the Twin Cities with friends at a "friend's-gather-to-cook-unusual-foods-and-sip-adult-beverages-all day" weekend. Everyone cooks something they have never made before while everyone else watches, then everyone eats. Sort of a Julie and Julia/cooking class with friends marathon. Sounds like so much fun - would love to have been there when Laura "killed" a lobster today.

The rest of our family is far away - Philadelphia and Iowa. Friends who like my cooking couldn't make it from San Diego this year. And since Dale played for church both Wednesday and Thursday services and I was scheduled to work at the gallery today, we couldn't go anywhere.

So we cooked  a smallish turkey, made pies and other "trimmings" and took naps. Not a bad way to spend the day....thankful for many blessings and time with each other.