Tremendous Tomato Sauce!

Last summer I made tomato sauce from Simply in Season for the first time. LOVED IT! So this year, I'm making more. I froze last year's, but our freezers are already almost full and we're awaiting another 1/8 of a beef and 1/2 of a pig (local), so I'm canning.

Yesterday, I picked these from our garden:



By afternoon, I had tomato sauce:



Believe it or not, I don't really enjoy cooking all that much. But few things are as satisfying as watching the filled jars line up on my pantry shelves.

Here's my favorite tomato sauce recipe from Simply in Season. I quadrupled the recipe when I did it.

Basic Tomato Sauce
Yields 3 pints

1 onion (chopped)
2 cloves garlic (minced)

Saute until soft in 2 T. olive oil.

2 carrots (shredded)
1/2 green pepper (chopped)
2 bay leaves
1/4 fresh parsley (chopped)
2 T. fresh basil (chopped; or 2 t. dried)
1 T. fresh oregano (chopped; or 1 t. dried)
1 T. fresh thyme (chopped; or 1 t. dried)

Add. Stir well.

6 c. plum tomatoes (peeled and chopped)
6 oz. tomato paste
1 T. honey (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

Add and season to taste. Simmer 15 minutes. Remove bay leaf and serve or freeze. To can, ladle into hot sterilized pint jars to within 1/2" of top, add 1 T. lemon juice or vinegar per pint to assure acidity, seal with sterilized lids, and process full jars in boiling water bath for 35 minutes.