24 Pounds of Tomatoes

I got a little crazy at the farmer's market last weekend. I saw the usual small containers of tomatoes for sale with 4-5 tomatoes in each...then there were the flats. I don't know how many tomatoes were in the flats, but my head was filled with all sorts of crazy ideas just looking at it...salsa, tomato soup, stewed tomatoes, dried tomatoes, creamy tomato basil soup, bruschetta...

Before I knew what was happening, I was giving the farmer some money and he was packing up my flat of tomatoes.

When I got home, I felt a little sheepish. I had a large garbage bag full of tomatoes and I somehow had to sneak them past my husband and get them into the kitchen. I'm not sure why I didn't want to let Zac see. Maybe I thought he'd disapprove on some level, or maybe he'd think I was crazy. I had my mind set on salsa, though, and I stop at nothing to get salsa.

I found a salsa recipe online and began to process the tomatoes. I had to put them in boiling water for 30 seconds and then immediately put them in ice water. This enabled me to take the skins off. Then I had to cut up the tomatoes. All 20-some pounds of them!

Needless to say, I was in the kitchen for quite awhile. So long, in fact, that I left my post at the stove twice for meals. Yes, I was in the kitchen for 8+ hours.

When all was said and done, I had 14 beautiful jars of salsa that I have in the freezer to use throughout the year. Take a look at my project!