I Roasted Tomatoes to Freeze

Sorry to be missing so long.  Its been hot and I haven't been doing much of anything worth writing about.
The geese, bless them, are growing so fast and are so big.

I caught both families out grazing together a few days ago.  All looking well and intact.  They will be heading south in a couple of months.  You can notice the stalwart sentinels, one in each family, standing straight and tall, their long necks a good visual point to look for any dangers.

Roasted Tomatoes:
275* oven for 2 hours of roasting, turning once.

As for the tomatoes, my son took me to the farm so I could buy a few cartons of freshly-picked tomatoes to roast.  This time of year, they are the early types and I always found them to be a little less than flavorful and juicy.  But still, once roasted, they are great to freeze and put in chili, sauces and soups when the time comes.  The flavor is still enhanced by the roasting, even with early varieties.

The first thing I do is chop up some garlic and add it to a large mixing bowl....or two.  The tomatoes are washed in a colander and allowed to drip dry or I give them a wipe with a clean dish towel.  Then I cut them in half and remove the stem ends.

Its a simple procedure to nip out the stem ends when you've cut the tomato in half.

I put the tomatoes in large mixing bowls and add salt, pepper, thyme and olive oil to the tomatoes and give them several stirs to coat them well.

I preheat the oven to 275 degrees.  Place the tomatoes on foil-lined baking sheets cut-side up.  This is very important, putting them cut-side up first.

They will go in the oven and roast for one hour.  After that time, I remove the baking sheets and turn all the tomatoes over.

With them now skin-side up, they can roast for another hour.

'

When the 2nd hour is complete, I remove the baking sheets.  If you want to remove the skins before freezing, this is the time to do it.  Its so easy with the skin-sides up.  With a pair of tongs and a fork to hold the tomato in place, I just grab a bit of skin and lift.  It comes right off the tomato.

I write on the bags the items, peeled, roasted, and today's date and when the tomatoes have cooled, using a spatula, I shovel them into quart baggies with the triple seals. Tip the baking sheet and pour in any liquid on the sheet.   Press all the air out, and seal the bags.

These can keep safe and fresh for up to a year in the freezer.  I even use some of them for my current meal as a side dish.  The roasted tomatoes are sooooo very tasty warm from the oven.

Use the frozen tomatoes to add to your soups, chili, sauces and any dish calling for tomatoes.  The roasted flavor adds a special zing to any recipe.
I have frozen them with the skins on, too, and no problem later.  Sometimes a few skins are curled in the cooking and I remove them if they are large, but otherwise, I cook the whole thing.

You just toss the frozen contents into a pot of hot/warm liquid while they are still frozen and it will cook just fine.

I have given them to relatives and they give them high marks as well.  The added roasted flavor makes all the difference in a meal.  Try it, I'm sure you'll like it.

Have a good day.

The Geese Are Still Learning

I watched the 2 geese families again.  They are adamant about learning how to use their wings.

First the Nine Family arrived on the scene looking all grown up.

Then the Seven Family arrived thru the tall grass not far behind.

They all erupted into wings and jumps, both families.

It was tough for me to get clearer pictures of flight school, but they were all jumping and stretching those wings, both families.

Here's both families done with school and settling down to search for fodder.

Yup, its time to graze now after all that effort.  They have  to refuel with Poppa standing sentinel as usual.

They seem to come here as the day is waning.  Maybe they feel safer.  Less chance of a fisherman standing there with a reel in his hand.  In any case, I am enjoying this season with two families of Canada geese.

My Red Sox won another game putting them 4 1/2 games ahead of the Yankees.  That surely pleases me.  I watched my favorite player, JD Martinez, hit another home run, his 29th this year.  I am so glad I decided to choose baseball as a sport to follow this year.  Before now I hadn't followed any sport since the early 1970's when my husband was such a fan and we enjoyed them together.  About that time we got a second TV so I did not have to watch sports, enjoying other channels much more so I drifted away from sports entirely.   For me this is a great year to get back into sports again.  Then later in the year it will be the Boston Patriots football team.

Have a nice day.

I Started A New Fitness Program July 11th

Yes, I am taking the plunge and hope this one will work.
A couple of quilter buddies of mine found MyFitnessPal.com on the internet and are using it to lose weight.  One who began back in March, I think it was, has lost 28 lbs.  Another just started recently and is losing some weight too.
 I started on July 11th and have lost 5 lbs. so far.  Now we all know the first losses are basically water-weight, but I'll take it.
I am not having any difficulty holding to the plan since I only want to lose a pound a week.  Going slow may be the best way for me to lower my weight and then maintain it later.  The best thing is I can eat what I like as long as I count the calories.  This would include potato chips and Cheetos as well, tho I steered clear of the snack aisle while shopping this week.  I wanted to get a start on seeing if I can control my mouth from constantly needing to chew food.

When you join, you enter your weight and height and what weight you are hoping to realize.
It calculates the number of calories you need to eat, or less, in order to do so.
You can find just about any foods on the site by entering the name and they will give you a list of choices by name or brand or portion.  Even fast foods and frozen dinners.
You click to add that to your daily menu which includes breakfast, lunch, and dinner plus snacks.
I add all my additionals over my main course, as snacks, for the whole day,  like 1 cup cherries, 1 cup grapes, 1 choc. pudding cup, 2 oz. of cheddar cheese, in the snack column.  I can change it up or down or add or remove so I can figure out what I can handle during the day.
It gives you totals on calories, carbs, fats, proteins, sodium, and sugar for each item.
I will eat those snacks for dessert for lunch or dinner or just snacking while watching TV at nite.  Once they are on my snack list, I can eat them whenever I like during the day, keeping to my calorie count.
You can also add your exercise program.   I have not found where my exercises are listed yet.
I live a sedentary life so for mine I do sitting exercises :
Knee lifts
Arm lifts to shoulder with 2 lb weights.
Arm outstretches and lifts
Arm lifts to the 4-count
I do these more to keep by body in tune and not to muscle up.  I doubt I am burning too many calories a day doing these, but since its on my daily list, I actually take the time to do several sets of 5 each maybe 4 to 7 times a day.

The site will tell you how much you will weigh on a particular date if you stick to the plan.
I like it.  Its easy once you get your foods added.   Once they are added to your plan, you can put them in your menu for the day.

So if anyone wants to try and jump on the band wagon, try that site.  It may be the one that finally works for you and helps you lose weight and strengthen your muscles.

Have a good day.

A Walk Thru The Garden on July 7th

It was another lovely, sunny day but a little hot.  In Maine, we rather keep to the high 70sF during the summer but manage to get thru the hotter days in the 80s and then the few 90s rather well.

A stroll across the bridge is so pretty and peaceful with the cottages along the shore.  Remember that song...……. "Up a lazy river...……..

….…...by the...……...

….…..old mill stream"
 Its somewhere in this area where our resident Canada geese families, both sets, reside and come to roost when the evening hours approach.

Our view on the way home from across the bridge.  Our pathway thru the back yard is long and winding and features some raised beds, lots of wild rose bushes, and many ancient trees.

                                                          Purple Coneflowers.

We have lots of yellow daisies this summer.

The white Shasta Daisies are large and beautiful.

Our several Snowball Hydrangea are starting to fill in and give us huge balls of summer snow.

The Achillia or Yarrow, is getting fuller and fuller each day.

It very colorful alongside the patio.

Lets not forget the Tiger Lilies.  Too bad they are Daylilies and don't last long.

This smaller Hemerocallis or Daylily, is very pretty and a buttery yellow.  I prefer it.

Whatever is blooming in whatever season, both me and my dog Penny enjoy our garden walks.

The coming week will see us in the 80sF during the daylight hours but happily our evenings cool right down here in southwestern Maine.  A wonderful state to live in during the summer.  Its no wonder we are the Vacation State and see upwards of a million vacationers during the summertime.  For a state with only a million residents over its wild vastness, that's quite a throng.

Have a good day!

A Little Later in the Day....

After a nice cooling swim in the river, it was time for a bit of living.
The youngsters needed time for flight school, and then some food to fill their bellies.

They stretched their wings and bounced across the parking lot.

Some needed a bit of extra time to get it right.

Then it was time to graze.

As usual, one of the father's stood sentinel where he could keep a clear eye for danger.

Both families are intact with babies as large as their parents now.

They travel together, yet stay a little apart.  There is even some nipping between the two groups of youngsters now and then.

Time to head back to the river and home.  Dad is still keeping rear guard action here.

Time to go home but the sentinel is always on guard even as they march to the other side of the bridge and home.

I know these families will be flying south in the not too distant future, but for now I can enjoy their ramblings and watching them grow from little balls of gray fluff, to full-feathered adults like mom and dad.

I will be back tomorrow with photos of our summer garden as it bursts into color.
Have a good day.

Two Families Enjoying A Swim

Today temps dropped as did the humidity so it was a good feeling to see both families of Canada geese enjoying a nice swim in the river.

It seems, this year, the 2 families are hanging out and about together every time I see them.  All the offspring are fine and growing like weeds.  They keep slightly separated when in their groups, but otherwise, they enjoy each other's company.  I'm sure paddling on the river today felt great after the heat of the last 2 days.  Dropping now into the 70sF feels lovely to us humans as well, especially when the humidity drops, too.

Have a good day.