Grandma and Second Tomato Sauce

Yesterday afternoon I drove two hours to get my Eliza fix and to pick up my 89-year-young Grandma who will be staying with us for the next week and a half. I am so excited to have her here. This is my Dad's mother, who, while I was growing up, lived at the end of our driveway. We had a path through the woods to her house. She read us stories and kept us after school on the days my mom worked. For Christmas Eve dinners at Grandpa and her house, instead of the usual holiday fare, we'd have shrimp cocktail or pizza. As kids, we thought this was awesome. It was awesome. She bought me my Little House on the Prairie book set, giving me one at each birthday and Christmas. She gardened and canned. She convinced me to keep a putting-up journal. She's sweet and kind. And, she's here at my house!! I am thrilled.

This morning, we got right to work. After doing a couple large batches of my First favorite Tomato Sauce, it was time to move on to my Second favorite (and last, thank goodness!). Grandma helped me prepare the tomatoes and read books to my children as I plugged away. After lunch we took a break and she and I went on a little walk around our property (she hasn't been here in several years). I couldn't believe it when we saw this...

Sam loves to jump from those hay bales! Sunning himself, was the longest snake I have ever seen in the wild- a rat snake, according to Jamey. It had to be five feet long. Non-lethal, but STILL! It was huge. Jamey convinced me via phone (I called him at work. I know, I'm a baby.) that it was harmless. The only thing I could think of to do was to take it's picture. So I did.

Back to the sauce. It is Barbara Kingsolver's recipe that she includes in her book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. I believe the recipe is on her website. Anyway, it's a very smooth, highly seasoned sauce (it even calls for cinnamon and nutmeg) and it smells heavenly while cooking down. I make two sauces, not really for two different purposes. I just like to have choices when I need some sauce.

17 pints and 3 quarts

It was a great day. I'm so glad Grandma is here.

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