From Vine To Freezer Tomato Sauce

From vine to freezer tomato sauce is my newest way to 'put up' some of  the tomatoes that I have been harvesting from our garden.

Let me just start by saying, I have such admiration and respect for my Mom and the generations before her that canned so much produce.  It is a lot of work!  

Although I have done some canning this year, for this round I did some freezing.  

The process starts out the same...

I marked an X on the bottom of the tomato.

Put them in boiling water for a few seconds until the skin started to peel.

Placed the tomatoes in cold water.

Peeled the tomato and cut the top off.

Then I had some fun!

Using my hands, I squished the tomatoes into a large pot.

Brought them to a boil, then simmered for approximately 1 1/2 hours.

I added nothing - no salt, no herbs, nothing.

That's why I'm calling this FROM VINE TO FREEZER TOMATO SAUCE.

...the seasoning will be added when I cook with this sauce, depending on what I am making.

After simmering for about 1 1/2 hours, it was still a bit chunky.

I used an immersion blender to get the consistency that I wanted.

After it cooled down, I ladled the sauce into freezer mason jars.

I look forward to using this sauce for so many things...

Add a bit of cream and some herbs and it will become tomato soup.

Add some garlic and herbs and it will become a marinara sauce.

Add some vegetables, ground beef, salt and pepper and it will become a vegetable soup.

Add some diced tomatoes to this sauce and will become a great addition to casseroles.

'Putting up' food from my garden brings me a sense of satisfaction...

I know what I'm feeding my family and it's a  way to enjoy the garden taste even when it's cold and snowy this winter.