From Harvest To Table | Basil and Garlic Tomato Sauce

When hubby and I planted tomatoes in late May, I envisioned red, plump and juicy tomatoes that are perfect for homemade tomato sauce. We planted 4 varieties {big beef, better boy, cherry and grape} totaling to 9 plants. After 3 months of tender-loving -care and long hot sunny days, I have been harvesting baskets and baskets of these goodies.

While the cherry, grape and yellow pear cherry tomato plants are all bursting with ripe fruits, it took a while for the big beef and better boy to ripen on the vine. I followed some "tips for ripening tomatoes on the vine" I read in my gardening books. Here's what I learned : when tomatoes have reached full or nearly full size ....

• Reduce watering
• Keep the plant dry
• Remove the plant's lower leaves
• Pick small fruits
• Pick excess fruits
• Check plant daily

Then finally, the wait is over and wait was worth it! The tomatoes are sweet, plump and juicy as I imagined them to be! Now I am ready to make my homemade tomato sauce. After harvesting some tomatoes, I also gathered the other ingredients I need from our veggie garden like basil, oregano and parsley.

My recipe is easy but bursting {my favorite word for the day!} with flavour. Just remember the 4 steps:

Clean and cut tomatoes.

Boil tomatoes.

Strain tomatoes.

Saute and season tomatoes.
                                                                                                     

And viola! Even the most expensive canned tomatoes can't beat the freshness and flavour of homemade tomato sauce.

Basil and Garlic Tomato Sauce

Ingredients

15 big pieces of fresh tomatoes {I used big beef and better boy varieties
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
7 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp red pepper flakes {optional}
1/2 cup chopped fresh sweet basil
5 sprigs fresh oregano, stems removed
2 tbsp sugar {add more if needed}
salt and pepper

Procedure

Wash tomato and remove core
Cut tomatoes in quarters
Place tomatoes in a large cooking pot and allow to boil over medium heat, about 20-30 minutes or until the tomatoes are reduced to a pulp. Stir frequently.
Using a big metal mesh strainer, strain the tomatoes to remove skin and seeds. Discard seeds and skin; set aside the tomato puree.
In the same pot were you boil the tomatoes, heat 2 tbsp olive oil.
Saute garlic and red pepper flakes.
Add the tomato puree and simmer for 20 minutes over medium heat.
Add basil and oregano.
Season with sugar, salt and pepper,
Simmer over low heat for another 20 minutes {or until your preferred consistency is achieved} while stirring frequently.
Serve sauce with your favorite pasta topped with Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley.

Note: when properly canned, this sauce can last for several months. You can also store the sauce in good quality zip lock bag and freeze.


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Gifts of the Earth

For the past three weeks, hubby and I have been enjoying the fruits of the earth that we planted in spring {you can find the post here}. Almost daily, there is something form the garden that goes straight to our table to feast on and to be grateful for .....

Yes, even the tea that will provide warmth in the middle of winter months will come from these chamomile flowers that I will be drying right after harvest!

Truly, the earth yielded its produce; God, our God blesses us .....

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DIY | Repurposed Goat Feeder!

Back in spring, when we started cleaning the former goats and lambs' area in our property, I saw a this very heavy and very dirty wood goat feeder. The wheels inside my head started spinning! I knew i have to keep it and repurpose it into something useful for the veggie garden we are building. My dear poor hubby just stared and me and said : "Really? This? You know how dirty it is right?" I did not answer his questions but my smile and the twinkle in my eyes {as if I've seen a treasure} said it all!

Cleaning it was not a joke! It took several power washing, serious scrubbing, sanding and staining before I can finally say "That is what I want!". Thanks to my hubby who did 60% of the work :-)

It is so heavy that it took us several minutes to move it {we were literally moving it inch by inch because I can't lift my side of the bench and there's no way hubby can carry it by himself}. The perfect place for it is under the huge maple trees where there is abundant shade in the middle of the day and the perfrect vantage point when the sun is setting in the early evenings

Again keeping with the rustic theme of our veggie garden, we used whatever we have in the house to embellish our little nook under the maple trees. Hubby laid some broken stepping stones from previous project, while I took some throw pillows from the main house. We also planted some hostas on both sides of the bench and added a splash of color by placing an old water can which I got for a garage sale.

From trash to treasure .....

You can just imagine how thankful we are when admiring gorgeous sunset like this while sitting on our wooden bench that once a upon a time was a goat feeder to rescued goats.

Life is good!

Linking with: The Scoop
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The Birdsong Rustic Vegetable Garden Chronicle {Part 2}

WARNING : This post is LOADED WITH PHOTOS. Either you run away from your computer now or get comfy with your mug of coffee/tea and read on...  

It's been weeks since I shared the beginning of our adventure in re-claiming the goats' and lambs' area and turn it into a veggie garden {you can read the previous post here}. Weekends are the only time we can devote at least 4 hours on this project and sad to say, the weather has been so unpredictable {rain, sun, hail, rain and repeat!} which definitely brought chaos in our work schedule. We do what we can, so here it goes .....

May 2

After all the raking and cleaning, we ended up with at least 30 filled-to-the-rim leaf bags!

Dear hubby also finished building the 4 raised beds so it is my turn to prep the soil .... 

After searching the net, I decided to try the "lasagna" gardening technique which basically refers to the method of building the garden by adding layers of organic materials. Just like making lasagna, layering is the key. I added layers of newspapers/brown corrugated cardboard, peat moss, dried leaves, compost and soil.

We are lucky because over the years, the previous owner of the house made a huge pile of cow, goat and poultry manure at the back end of the property which has matured and can now be used as compost.  All we need to do is haul the compost from the pile to the garden {it was hard work going back and forth, I tell you!}

Now we rest and let nature do its job on these beds for a week before planting ....

May 18

It took more than 2 weeks {longer than what we wanted} before the weather cooperated. Heavy rains prevented us to work in the garden so by the time we were back, the weeds were almost up to our knees!

Hubby hauled weed-filled-wheelbarrow 7x before the garden look decent. The good news was that there was no weed on the beds {the layers of news papers and hay prevented weed growth}, so I started getting my hands dirty and plated ..... herbs, cabbage, beans, tomatoes, spinach, peppers, lettuce, pickling cucumbers, raspberries and strawberries. "Tama ang kasabihan ..... magtanim ay di biro!" Oh, how my back ached after .....

Back aches, blisters, sunburn and all, I am still thankful for the opportunity to grow something in my own backyard. It is minuscule compared to the acres and acres of our neighbors' farm lands surrounding us, but growing these vegetables is like actively participating in God's everyday miracle. Now, all we need to do is to tenderly care for them and lift our prayers that God will do the rest!

June 2

Weather permitting, I visit my little plants every afternoon. Oh yes, I talked to them, sing to them {not sure though if my singing voice is helping at all}. So far, they look good and healthy ....

In two days, the gourmet lettuce and spinach are ready for salad. The beans are sprouting fast. The cabbage are getting sturdy day by day. The herbs are getting greener and taller.

Even the berries are showing good growths. Flowers are showing up on my strawberry plants. The raspberry which was only a piece of stick when we planted it is now green with leaves!

Meanwhile, Jayvee laid some old stones along the pathway. This is still a work in progress, another project for the coming weekends.

For now, we turn to our dear Mother Nature ... may the force be with us for a successful veggie garden on our first year!

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