Easy Roasted Tomatoes

Blogging friend, Laura, sent me this recipe last fall when I had fifty-six tomato plants ripening by the dozens every day. After canning 120 quarts of tomatoes, 100+ quarts of salsa, giving away 15 bushels of tomatoes, I still had tomatoes coming out my ears! Thankfully! This was one of our favorite ways to prepare the tomatoes. They can be eaten right out of the oven or put in freezer bags for winter. Serve them over pasta or put them into soups. Anyway around it, they are fabulous!

Cut tomatoes into to small pieces (no need to blanch or peel!) Snip fresh basil on top. Press about 10-12 cloves of garlic. (I buy garlic by the quart at Sam's Club and add tablespoons.) Add Sea-salt, lots of pepper, and sugar (Lara uses Splenda or Stevia)Sprinkle extra-virgin olive oil over the top. Mix with your hands. Roast at 450 for an hour or longer, stirring once. You can roast with juices left in the pan, or until the juices are evaporated. Enjoy!

Five Alarm Radio-active Salsa

This is the recipe that I found in a newspaper article with a gazillion salsa recipes the summer that Doug and I were married. I've made it almost every year since and we love it! It's hotter than hot, but, you can adjust the peppers to your taste. Last year, we used milder peppers and it was delish but not hot at all. Another few times, I used a few less peppers. Everyone still said that it was HOT! Just remember to wear rubber gloves when making salsa or your fingers and hands will burn for days! And, whatever you do... do not rub your eyes when making salsa! (I learned that one the hard way!)

30 tomatoes, skinned

6 large chopped onions or 2 cups dried onions

2 pounds or 30 mixed peppers, chopped (for less hot salsa, use only half the peppers)

3 heads of chopped fresh garlic

2 cups vinegar

1/4 - 1/3 cup salt

Chop tomatoes, onions and peppers in blender or food processor. Mix in the remaining ingredients. Simmer on low heat for six hours, uncovered. If not thick enough, add a large can of tomato paste. Fill canning jars to one inch from the top, making sure not to leave any salsa on the top of the jar before placing lids and rings on jars. Process in the steam canner for 25 minutes. Enjoy!