Buried in Tomatoes
It’s that time of year again when the tomatoes plants are falling over with ripe tomatoes. I only grew a few plants this year but they are very productive, the best crop I’ve had in years. Yesterday I collected two huge bowls full of ripe plum and better boy tomatoes.
Since so many have ripened at one time, I decided to make puree to freeze and store for later use in sauces, soups, chili, or other recipes. I tend to cook more once the weather cools down.
Recipe: Easy Tomato Puree
- Blanch ripe tomatoes in boiling water until the skins split, about 3 or 4 minutes
- Remove using a slotted spoon and let cool (or drop in ice water for a minute.
- Cut in half and peel off the skin
- Roughly chop and blend
- In a large pot boil down to desired consistency.
The puree can be used immediately in sauce, canned or stored frozen.
Tip: If there is too much water in the puree and you don’t want to spend hours boiling it (and besides that tends to ruin the tomatoes), ladle off the top inch or so of liquid in the pot. I reserve that for later use in soups.
Tools: The Macina-Legumi
To make the puree I have a very cool hand-operated food mill called the Macina-Legumi that does a wonderful job. It’s a little more work than an electric food mill or blender, but I like the results much better. It has three different size strainers and is very versatile.
Unfortunately I don’t know where it was purchased because I received it as a gift years ago. An online buying search doesn’t bring up any results other than eBay and a few sites in Italian.
This post is linked to Weekend Cooking, hosted by Beth Fish Reads.
Participation is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, fabulous quotations, photographs.
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A New Thriller Series
Today I am pleased to feature a new series by indie author Samuel Marquis and an opportunity to be one of the first to read the books.
“Indie crusader Samuel Marquis doesn’t just talk about doing things on his own terms – he’s publishing seven novels in the next year and has also written the outlaw attitude into his stories. The author’s thrilling debut novel “The Slush Pile Brigade,” chronicling the adventure of an unknown author’s quest for an apology for his stolen manuscript, releases Sept. 15, 2015, and his second book, “Blind Thrust” on Oct. 6, 2015.”
About the Books
The Slush Pile Brigade
by Samuel Marquis
Publisher: Mount Sopris Publishing
Publication Date: September 15th 2015
Format: Paperback | 301 pages
A fast-paced modern thriller similar to tales from Daniel Silva and Douglas Preston, following unknown author Nick Lassiter and an eccentric group of friends as they confront the world’s bestselling author and his crooked literary agent who stole his book, “Blind Thrust.” After realizing his unpublished manuscript is suddenly a blockbuster movie and will soon be a bestselling novel, Nick knows exactly who to blame – Cameron Beckett, one of the world’s biggest brand name authors. When Nick and his cohorts travel to New York to confront the writer, his agent and giant publishing house, things get dangerous – and possibly deadly.
AND
Blind Thrust
by Samuel Marquis
Publisher: Mount Sopris Publishing
Publication Date: October 6th 2015
Format: Paperback | 307 pages
Earthquakes are plaguing the Front Range between Denver and Colorado Springs – land that has never known seismic activity. Joe Higheagle, a geologist, serves as project manager for the Fortune 100 green energy company Quantrill Ventures. He witnesses a pipeline rupture that could very well be the cause of the earthquakes devastating the area. Quantrill, the CEO, is Higheagle’s biggest client and the reason for his career success – but after discovering the real truth behind the company’s actions, the Native American scientist questions whether his loyalty is to his career or his land. More importantly, once he solves this terrible dilemma, can the earthquakes even be stopped and those responsible even be brought to justice, or has time run out?
About the Author
Samuel Marquis believes in the stories of Nick Lassiter and Joe Higheagle. Having worked with agents and publishers previously, he has made the choice to indie publish his novels. He lives in Colorado with his wife and three children and holds the position of Vice-President – Hydrogeology with a national environmental consulting firm. His second novel, “Blind Thrust,” the actual book stolen in “The Slush Pile Brigade,” is inspired by his work as a professional hydrogeologist.
Giveaway Information
Courtesy of the publicist, I can give away a copy of both books to one reader with a US mailing address. To enter, fill out the form below on or before midnight, Saturday, August 29th. For an extra entry, tweet or blog about the giveaway. The winner will be contacted by email and have 48 hours to respond.
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© 2015 Under My Apple Tree. All rights reserved.
Source: Giveaway provided by JKS Communications.
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Almost wordless: The Resurrection Lillies popped up in the garden last week. Within days they were fully flowered. This plant has an unusual life cycle. Foliage emerges in the spring and by summer has died off. As summer wanes, it sends up tall stalks with flowers.
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>Welcome to Mailbox Monday, created by Marcia of To Be Continued, a place where readers share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week.
After several years of being on tour with different blogs as the monthly host, the Mailbox Monday Blog is now the permanent home for the meme.
It’s been a fun week in my own backyard with my garden producing loads of delicious veggies, lots of flowers, and all of them needing endless amounts of watering. It was a hot week. I didn’t have to go far to watch birds last week either. Besides all the usual traffic at the birdbaths and the feeders, a nest of robins fledged and the youngsters were hanging around the yard for a few days.
Also, a few new books arrived last week . . .
Print Books
The Tsar of Love and Techno by Anthony Marra from Hogarth.
From the New York Times bestselling author of A Constellation of Vital Phenomena—dazzling, poignant, and lyrical interwoven stories about family, sacrifice, the legacy of war, and the redemptive power of art.
The Witches: Salem, 1692 by Stacy Schiff from Little, Brown.
The Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Cleopatra, the #1 national bestseller, unpacks the mystery of the Salem Witch Trials.
Cleopatra’s Shadows by Emily Holleman from Little, Brown.
Page-turning historical fiction that reimagines the beginnings of Cleopatra’s epic saga through the eyes of her younger sister.
How was your week?
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The Robin’s Nest
A few weeks ago on Wordless Wednesday, I posted a photo of an American Robin sitting on a nest she had built on a “nesting shelf” on the side of my garage. I put this up years ago and until this summer, the birds ignored it.
Several species of birds will use a shelf including Doves, Blue Jays, and Phoebes to name a few. The plans to build a shelf are free and available at 50Birds.
A Successful Nest
I kept watch on the nest from a distance and avoided going on that side of the garage so I wouldn’t scare them away or alert predators to the presence of a nest. After a few weeks, I noticed the parents were delivering food and could just barely see a few tiny beaks popping up. There were at least three, possibly four nestlings.
After about 14 days the nestlings are ready to fledge. This is the last one. The parents are still feeding him and here he accepts a delivery of a large green insect. He kept standing on the nest and flapping his wings. You can see his little feet gripping the edge of the nest. I knew it wouldn’t be long before he tried to fly out.
Leaving the Nest
In the time it took me to walk around the house to the other side of the garage, the baby had flown a short distance to a cable wire. Flying isn’t so easy though, especially when you don’t have much of a tail. His next attempt to fly landed him on ground.
The parents were always nearby, still feeding and watching over him and the other fledglings who had wandered into the safety of the backyard. They will spend the next week or so teaching the youngsters how find food and water and avoid danger.
The fledglings are very trusting and vulnerable for the first few days and often look like a bird in need of assistance. But if you hide and watch carefully, you will see the parents come back and tend to them.
Saturday Snapshot is hosted by Melinda of West Metro Mommy. Visit her blog to see more great photos.
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A Rapid Review
Publisher: Penguin Audio | June 2015
Format: Audio Download | 11½ hours | Rating: 3 stars
Audio Listening Level: Easy – Intermediate
In the summer of 1966, Christina Hardcastle—“Tiny” to her illustrious family—stands on the brink of a breathtaking future. Of the three Schuyler sisters, she’s the one raised to marry a man destined for leadership, and with her elegance and impeccable style, she presents a perfect camera-ready image in the dawning age of television politics. Together she and her husband, Frank, make the ultimate power couple. It seems nothing can stop Frank from rising to national office, and he’s got his sights set on a senate seat in November. But as the season gets underway at the family estate on Cape Cod, three unwelcome visitors appear in Tiny’s perfect life.
Tiny’s world is filled with family secrets and personal agendas reminiscent of the Kennedy clan. Even though Tiny’s character was not one that I could relate to or found very believable, the 60s setting and stereotypical characters that could have walked straight out of Mad Men made an interesting group. For those who have read the previous novel, The Secret Life of Violet Grant, Tiny is one of the three Schuyler sisters.
While the story has a historical setting, it’s a little too light on historical detail to be more than Chick-lit. And this wasn’t as substantive a story as Violet’s, in the previous book, but there was a nice twist – not entirely expected – at the end, which gave Tiny some redemption. Overall, it was enjoyable and good escape reading, especially for those that like a soap-opera-ish plot.
Audio production:
As in previous novels, the audio production was performed by Kathleen McInerney. With even pacing and smooth, pleasant tones, she kept the story moving, making the audio easy to listen to. [Audio Sample on SoundCloud.]
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Source: Review copy provided by PRH Audio.
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Almost wordless: With all the rain we had this spring, the flower boxes on my deck grew lush and colorful.
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