Hey, Mom

Fresh from the garden tomatoes are one of the simple joys of life. I always overplant just to make sure I will have enough tomatoes. We are just about to start getting ripe tomatoes and I know that once they start ripening, I will have more than I can handle.

I try to use as many of them as I can fresh. But if they start to go bad, the idea of tossing them out is simply abhorrent.

One of the cardinal sins of tomatoes is putting them in the refrigerator. You may think that you’re preserving them, but what you’re really doing is robbing them of all flavor. Just keep tomatoes out on the counter or in a decorative bowl on a table or in a basket.

Give extras away before you put them in the fridge. Or preserve them for later use.

I do not can. Instead, I freeze. It’s very simple. I wash the tomatoes, core them, and then cut into cubes. Usually I cut them in half, then the halves into four pieces (or six if the tomato is larger). Then I place the “cubes” skin side down on a cookie sheet and plop them into the freezer. Once the tomatoes become “ice cubes,” I put them into quart sized freezer bags and they go straight into the deep freeze.

If you will store them in a regular freezer, they won’t last as long. Frost free freezers are always heating up and cooling down, which is why you get freezer burn. But tomatoes stored in a deep freeze will last for about a year (maybe even a little longer).

I use my frozen tomatoes in a couple of ways:

• add a few to soups or sauces (simply remove unwanted skins that slough off before serving)
• use as a base for chili
• use a a “fresh” tomato sauce for pasta

It’s best to add them to recipes in their frozen state. If you thaw them out first, you will lose a lot of juice.

Thawed tomatoes are never good for simply eating. They will be mush, so it’s best to use them for sauces and soups.

Tags: freezing tomatoes, tomatoes

Getting a truly fresh strawberry taste after the season is ended is easy. Sure, I know, you can buy strawberries in the grocery store, but I think those come from a laboratory somewhere. They don’t taste like strawberries grown locally in season. Nothing tastes like those. To keep the taste, make freezer jam, something so easy everyone can do it.

To make three jars of jam, I use Sure-Jell and follow the easy recipe included in the box.

What you need:

• Three containers (I use pint jars), but you can use plastic containers
• 1 box of Sure-Jell
• 1 quart of strawberries (make the jam the same day you pick or buy the fruit; do not let it get overripe)
• 4 cups of sugar
• a large bowl
• various measuring cups (so you won’t have to wash them during the process; I use two one cup and a two cup)
• a large mixing spoon for stirring the strawberry mixture
• a potato masher
• a small saucepan
• a wooden spoon (for stirring the Sure-Jell as it cooks)
• a ladle
• a canning funnel (if you’re using pint jars)
• a timer (I use the one on my stove)

The entire process takes very little time, maybe 40 minutes if you include clean up.

Some hints to help:

• Don’t soak the strawberries in water; rinse them gently in a colander and drain well.
• If you can’t make the jam right away, store strawberries in the refrigerator in a covered container. They will continue to ripen if you leave them out.
• Mash the berries a few at at time, like ten and start measuring. You don’t get them mashed well enough if you do them all at once. Plus, you might waste a few if you mash them all. You only need two cups of mashed berries (including the juice they make).
• Follow the directions, especially the measurements, exactly.

Once you’re done, you’ll have jam that really does taste like fresh strawberries. I guarantee you’ll wish you had made more and you will never again want “store-bought” cooked jam. There is no comparison.

It makes great gifts, too!

Tags: homemade jam, strawberries

My sister lives in a neighborhood where it is against the rules to have an outdoor clothesline. It would be too unsightly, I guess.

Growing up, I can’t remember living in a house without a clothesline in the backyard. My mother hung everything out, including towels and jeans. I’ll admit, I do put those in the dryer, but if it’s a breezy day, towels will dry very well on the line.

My favorite thing about hanging clothes outside is the great smell, especially in spring.

Tags: clothesline, dryer, go green, hanging clothes outside

Planting fresh herbs in even the smallest sunny soil near your house is well worth the effort. One of the most simple and easy herbs to grow is parsley. Cutting during the summer encourages more growth, so use it often. Chop and add to stews, sauces, even salads. Fresh parsley potatoes are wonderful.

For me, nothing beats fresh basil. Basil is a very tender herb and won’t withstand a frost, so cherish it in summer while you can. Add fresh basil to the very end of cooked recipes for the strongest flavor. But also, don’t be afraid to use it raw with tomatoes and fresh mozzarella cheese.

This year I will plant thyme, mint (for some homemade mojitos), and basil. My parsley came back from last year, a pleasant surprise. And my perennial chives can always be counted on to add a gentle onion-y flavor to many dishes.

Herbs are easily grown in containers on a sunny deck or patio, too. So even if you don’t have a great big garden, grow your own herbs and add wonderful flavor to your cooking this summer. Oh, and I forgot to mention that you will also be saving a lot of money by not buying packaged “fresh” herbs in the store.

Tags: Cooking, garden, herbs

The search term was “how cold before clothes won t dry hung outside.” First, I love the economy of words for searching.

Second, my mother tells me that she used to hang clothes out in all weather. I notice that my neighbor still does. It’s true, as long as moisture will evaporate, clothes will dry outside. Of course, they may freeze first. And truly, who wants to stand out and freeze fingers in the winter?

I notice that it does take longer for clothes to dry in cool weather. But humidity has a lot to do with it, more than temperature. And if there is a breeze, that is a plus also.

I generally hang clothes outside in spring when temperatures are 60 degrees or above. I love the smell of clothes hung outside in the spring when the chlorophyll in plants is rich. Spring time is the best time to hang things out for that fresh smell.

Sometimes nature gives us big window. Several years ago I was still hanging clothes outside in December. Not this winter. Brrr. Plus, too much snow to wade through.

Tags: clothesline, Laundry