Aunt Sharon's Special Sauce

So, did you plant tomatoes in your garden this year? If so, I am sure you have plenty that you have no idea what to do with...as do I. Let me recommend this delicious recipe given to me by Andy's Aunt Sharon. It yields about 7 qt jars. Yes, you can it, but don't be afraid! Canning is easy, just a little time consuming.

Prepare jars and lids by washing and placing in a boiling water bath.


SAUCE

14 c. skinless tomatoes
4 c. diced onions
2 1/2 c. diced green pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
2 tb salt
2tb sugar
1/4 c. white vinegar (at least 5% acidity)
1 tb pepper
1 tb cavinder (greek seasoning-find it at the grocery store)

Boil 15 mins. After 10 mins remove 1 c. of tomato liquid and mix with 2 tb of cornstarch. pour back in to pot and boild 5 mins more. Ladel into hot jars leaving 1/2in headspace. Wipe rims and place lids and bands on jars. Process in boiling water bath for 30 minutes. Cool on wire rack for 12-24 hours to allow seal to form. Jars are sealed properly if lids have a concave appearance and do not give up and down when pressure is applied. Store in a cool dry place.

Now you will have fresh homemade sauce all winter long!

Get creative by adding in fresh herbs from your garden as well!

Shop and crop...Did I mention SHOP?

Ok, in my quest to be the ultimate grandma (at age 2_), I have a new one to cross of my list. I went srapbooking at Srapbook Your Story on Sunday and it was TONS of fun. Not only did I enjoy the actual scrapbooking part of it all I especially enjoyed the fact that I was kidless for 4 whole hours (and I wasn't at work)! It was great...a little overwhelming, but great! I decided I was going to scrap our Disney vaca with Mar & Papa as an xmas gift for them.

Ok, when I say overwhelming I am NOT exaggerating! This place is stocked with everything scrapbook you can possibly imagine! I sat there in awe for a long time before I actually got started. But once the ball started rolling time flew! I was there for about 3 hours and I got 1, count them 1, page done. So I think it is going to be a long process. Good thing I started in September!

Check out the fruits of my "productive" trip...the cool album above and my one whole page below. If anyone wants to tag along I promise the experience will not disappoint!

Second verse same as the first

I have completed my second sewing project...and yes it is ANOTHER dress for Ms Lydia. The lady at JoAnn Fabrics didn't lie...sewing IS like riding a bike. While it is another dress, I must say that my sewing technique is greatly improved from my first attempt. There are some little mistakes that I can see when I get up close, but for the most part I was actually able to sew a straigt seam this time. GO ME! The neck fits her kind of funny, but I blame the pattern...it is always someone else's fault:) Check it out Lydia is practicing her runway face.

Isn't it fun!?! Another plus, she likes it too!

I'm a little teapot!

Let's see what has been going on...

Well I am done with Friday, Saturday, & Sunday of my teapot towel collection (I added some little orange pumps to Saturday). I totally disagree with the whole days of the week on dish towels so I was basically just doing them for practice while waiting for my transfers to arrive in the mail. I just don't think I can commit myself to changing my dish towel daily.I am about ready to start on an apron for Andy's mom and I plan on embroidering a little chi chi on the pocket. I ordered the cutest little chi chi iron on transfers from Sublime Stitching (thank you Shannon for sharing that awesome website with me!)

The blog has left the building!

I am moving my blog! No more VOX!! So that means you no longer have to sign in to an account to see my blog. Just bookmark this page and check it every once in a while...you never know I might have actually posted something!