Making tomato sauce

We have a secret sister program at our church and mine gave me a Roma Tomato plant. It has been producing tomatoes for weeks! I decided to try my hand at tomato sauce. I found a recipe on line that didn't make you take the skins off, so I went for it. Here is my report. First take 4 pounds of tomatoes.

Take 5 ounces of extra virgin olive oil and put into pan.

Heat the oil on a low -med setting until it just begins to simmer. If you heat it too long and it begins to smoke, throw it away and start over.

Add 5 cloves of garlic, sliced to the size of your pinky fingernail. I used some locally grown garlic given to me by a friend from our church.

Add garlic to the hot oil for 2 to 3 minutes. If garlic turns brown throw out and start over.

Add tomatoes, which were cut into quarters. Mash with potato masher. Turn the flame or burner setting to high and cook for 10 minutes.

Add 12 basil leaves. I used my own basil! Also add 1/2 tsp. salt.

Allow to cool to room temp. Then blend.

What I love about this recipe beside the fact that you don't have to take the skin off the tomatoes is that you can freeze it! I used it in Marti's Arroz Con Pollo recipe and froze the rest. Yummy, Yummy, Yummy!
Made 40 ounces

Hazmat it isn't!

After the last debacle with ordering bitter orange, I tried a new source. As I was enjoying my supper I heard the familiar sound of the UPS driver. We get almost daily packages. Not because I buy so much (which I do, since having M.S. I pretty much never drive anywhere), but because Hanford doesn't have a regular route (at least where our church is located) and the nice UPS drivers bring the packages destined for our church to our home. Ah, the perks of living in a small town! Wait, I was talking about hazmat.

Gene answered the door thinking yet another package for our church was here, but NO, it was a package from Cuban Food Market! I decided after reading Kikita's post about Royal Violet Cologne, to try a bottle. And while I am at it I thought I would try their bitter orange and cooking wine.

I couldn't wait to spray on the cologne! I don't even like to wear cologne because it always makes me allergic. But not this one. It smells so wonderful! The other things arrived safe and sound and for a very reasonable price. I can't wait to make Arroz con Pollo de Perez-Puelles for my family. I could have a full house as my brother's children are visiting. It could be a big fat Irish/Italian family!

Thanks for the recommendations Kakita! Did you get my picture?