| Author | Message | ||
     86129squids |
OK folks- as much of a complete failure last year's garden was for me, THIS year I've got tomatoes out the wazoo! This has allowed us to put up/can/jar our homemade salsa, pasta sauce, pizza sauce, chili starter, chow-chow, etc... without just Googling it, who's put together any homemade Bloody Mary mix? I'm collecting enough of the watery juice and pulp remnants to get a start, and I know the basics of a good Bloody Mary mix, but- per my habit, I'm throwing it out there for youn's to discuss! Generally speaking, ZingZang is the preferred store-bought mix that I'm familiar with... post up if you know of any other good ones I could investigate. Holla, my friends- looking forward to a home-made Bloody Mary or Bloody Caesar sometime soon...  | ||
| Tootal |
I suggest I come over and act as quality control engineer on the project!  | ||
| 86129squids |
Greg, we'd be honored to have ya! Today, yet another batch of tomatoes (a GIANT one) will begin processing... | ||
| 1313 |
The perfect vehicle for "'Mater"-geddon:  Whaddya mean this thread is about tomatoes? I - I - I - I don't like tomatoes!!! But I do like pizza (and stromboli and calzone and ponza rotta and any other pizza derivative...), lasagna, spaghetti, marinara sauce, and ketchup. Heck, I'll even drink a Bloody Mary when needed... Aren't I an odd one? 1313 | ||
| Reepicheep |
Very cool truck! | ||
| Tootal |
I think it'll buff out! Actually, a little tomato juice acid might fix it right up! | ||
| Johnnylunchbox |
Here's my recipe for a quick light simple tomato sauce: Puree enough tomatoes to get about 24 ounces of puree. Finely chop one small onion and 2 cloves of garlic. Sweat these in a sauce pot with olive oil for a few minutes until they start to get translucent. Add tomato puree. Optional: Add an ounce of chopped (ham or a slice of bacon or salt pork) Optional: If you like a little heat you can add some red pepper flakes. Add a few fresh basil leaves. Salt and black pepper to your liking. Sometimes I add a pinch of chicken bouillon. Bring to a simmer (uncovered) for 15 minutes. Stirring occasionally. Add about two tablespoons of butter. Simmer for additional 5 minutes. Stir in some freshly chopped Italian parsley. Done. You can serve immediately over pasta or freeze it for later use. You can also add some oregano and it becomes a slammin' pizza sauce. Unless you're cooking a meat sauce, there is no reason to cook for more than minutes. Increased cooking leads to higher acidity. (Message edited by johnnylunchbox on August 07, 2016) | ||
| Daddio |
Bloody Mary mix-- Tomato Juice, your favorite hot sauce to taste, black pepper and ground horseradish. | ||
| 86129squids |
And worcestershire, and smoked salt... Gazpacho meets vodka! | ||
| 86129squids |
Johnny- I just bought my honey an adjustable barstool so she could comfortably peel and seed all the tomatoes we've got coming in this year. Pasta sauce: Check. Salsa: Check. Pizza sauce: Check. Tomato juice: Check. Got some good cookin' in da kitchen! I believe I can concoct a decent Bloody Mary mix, standby. | ||
| 86129squids |
... My sweetie decided this morning to just go ahead and make a baked farfalle with the FRESH OFF THE RANGE-TOP pasta sauce, smoked sausage, and fresh-milk mozzarella.   She said that all the prep and canning was just killing her, not to eat any so far, so dangit she's gonna make some pasta today!!! And, yesterday she NAILED a batch of salsa- flavor, heat, salt, citrus, cilantro all in perfect balance! Fun times! | ||
| Panhead_dan |
I do love this time of year! | ||
| 86129squids |
True or false: My sweetie just did a batch of pickles, and she put a grape leaf in the jar just before sealing- she read that doing this old-timey trick will help keep the pickles crisp! | ||
| Pwnzor |
Confirmed: Grape leaves contain tannins that inhibit the pectinase enzyme that makes pickles soft. However, if you remove the blossom ends, you don’t need to add grape leaves. SOURCE | ||
| 86129squids |
Thanks Matthew! I always knew you were smarter than you look.  | ||
| Fast1075 |
I tried 'maters again this year, and they got some kind of fungus. I have two pepper plants, one is a regular Cayenne, and the other is a cayenne hybrid called "Dragon pepper". The regular Cayenne is about 2 feet tall and has about 30 good size pods. The Dragon pepper makes little pods, maybe 2 inches long. It is about the same size, but has about 60 pods, and more blooms every day. I have been picking them as they ripen, and stringing them up to dry. Gonna make some fine chili this fall. I'm goona pick some green dragons for my pickled pepper jar, for flavorin' my collard greens. | ||
| Panhead_dan |
There's is a whole nuther world out there my friend. It's call Hatches Green Chilis. |
