I am finally finding the time to join in on an In My Kitchen post. The lovely Celia over at Fig Jam and Lime Cordial hosts this monthly event. I have been enjoying everyone’s posts and keep meaning to put one up myself. Well the time has come and here I am!
This month continues with garden madness. Things are finally slowing down which is bittersweet. I will miss the tomatoes, but not necessarily all the work. Here is what I picked this morning, tomatoes, peppers, a zucchini and a melon. Earlier in the summer I would have had two baskets or more full so this really is not much for us.
This next item is what has been consuming a chunk if my time. The picture didn’t turn out well, what with the light in the freezer in the way and all! I have been roasting all my tomatoes and peppers with garlic and olive oil in the oven. Then I put it in bags and now have a freezer well stocked. We look forward to enjoying the sauces in the winter months in soups, stews, chili, marinara etc. This is much easier than canning, plus not nearly as hot. Canning in South Carolina in the heat of the summer isn’t fun! Oh yeah, there is also a glimpse of the pesto I am freezing as well. I need to make more of that this weekend….
Yesterday my parents stopped by Costco on their way home from the mountains. We don’t have one here in town so it is always fun to see what they find. This time my mom got a huge container of organic coconut oil for me. We use this a lot for granola and pancakes, among other things.
And finally we have Jack’s clay “bowl” he made in art camp. It is currently residing on my kitchen counter. He wants it in his room to use for a toy dish. I won’t let him since I know he, or his brothers, will break it.
To check out what is happening in everyone’s kitchens head on over here.
Feeding My 3 Sons 
Thanks for bringing a little bit of summer to our kitchens. An excellent idea to freeze the excess rather than canning- I’m with you on this.
I don’t mind canning in small batches, especially jam. The tomatoes are just too much and freeze so well!
What a fun post 🙂 Especially love the bowl and its occupant. I have the Costco coconut oil In My Kitchen, too 😀
I am sure there will be other visitors in the bowl as well!
Freezing is nice option:-)
It is the way to go in the heat of the summer, assuming you have extra space in the freezer!
Your garden is winding down? I just picked my first cherry tomatoes, though, to be fair, Squirrel has picked a few ripening San Marzano tomatoes. I can appreciate your not wanting to can in the Southern heat. I haven’t canned or preserved a thing yet. I’ve just been too busy to start. This may be a ‘light’ year in that regard. Love that ashtray. When Mom passed away, I came across many of the gifts we kids made for her. She kept them all, no matter haw badly the passing years had treated them. 🙂
Pesky animals! We had somebody or something attack our gala apple tree yesterday. I am pretty sure it is deer. I absolutely adore galas and am quite upset, especially since this would be our first good year from that particular tree. As for canning I have only done small batches. I have decided that the small batches work best for me, at least this time of year. It is August so that means we approach the 100s, definitely not canning weather. Enjoy the tomatoes.
Welcome to IMK Ngan. Summer tomatoes, a wistful memory. I avoid doing anything in the kitchen that produces heat when the weather is hot too, the freezer makes perfect sense.
Thanks! Freezing is definitely the way to go if you are lucky enough to have extra freezer space. I look forward to getting a deep freezer in the next year or so.
Those home grown vegetables look delicious. I love the clay bowl your son made too, so cute. You’ve reminded me that I need to get some coconut oil. Hope you enjoy my IMK post too. Your boys are so alike. So sweet. Emma.
Thanks! Glad I finally got around to an IMK post. Your post was wonderful, I am jealous of all the eggs, also missing my fresh blackberries as our season is long over.
Welcome to IMK and what a lovely abundance of fresh produce 🙂
Thank you! I do love being able to get my produce right out the door!
Hooray! How nice to have you joining in, thank you for playing Gretchen! Love the look of your veg, but also that lovely freezer drawer full of promise – I’m big on storing things in there as well for future meals. We don’t make our own passata anymore as we can’t grow the right tomatoes – I do miss it though! Jack’s bowl is gorgeous! 🙂
The bowl is wonderful, thank you! I have been using all varieties of tomatoes for various sauces, each has a unique flavor. Looking forward to enjoying them this winter.
Hola, Amiga. What a gorgeous summer bounty! Your coconut oil and frozen pesto/roasted tomato sauce brought a big grin to my face. We are – always- foodie soul sister. Thinking of you this week during the summer swim lesson and activity grind… My best! Your food is fabulous. You will be a chef in your next life (or maybe this one!).
Thank you Shanna! The freezer is getting full. Can’t wait to get my deep freezer in the next year or so, just need to have hubby finish his garage so I can kick all his stuff out of mine. Another busy week with plans changing constantly…three mornings of Kindergarten orientation, pool party and now Jack with a fever. I had such big food plans and haven’t gotten to them yet….
*You’re.
Wow loved the idea of freezing…awesome pesto/roasted tomato sauce , coconut oil all sounds delightful. …great job…
Thank you! Freezing is the way to go here in the heat of the summer.
Wow, I am green with envy upon looking at your veggie basket! What a lovely garden to make all that sauce with! I will soon be making and freezing various sauces, too, to enjoy all fall and winter long. Coconut oil! I heard it’s very good for food and for rubbing on dry skin spots. Jack’s bowl looks great, too. 🙂
Enjoy all your sauces! I need to make more pesto to freeze this weekend.
Love your huge basket of vegetables! I had the best ever heirloom tomatoes this year as well as cantaloupe has been the sweetest ever! 🙂
We only had one cantaloupe and it was extremely good, especially since I don’t usually like them. I used half to make a wonderful jam.
Too bad you only had one, I be the kids love them, I know my kids do!! The jam sounds good too! 🙂
Just discovered more cantaloupe in the garden yesterday! Strange since the first one was about 6 weeks ago, but I’ll take what I can get!
How efficient and organised is your freezer? What a lovely bounty to have stashed away for the winter. Our tomatoes are just coming into full production – wonderful for the first few days but then it can become a bit too much.
Luckily mine are nearly done. While I miss them it was quite a bit of work. We had 51 tomato plants and I did all the work myself.
I LOVE coconut oil! Yesterday I made my chocolate, white chocolate chip cookies with it!! I use it for tons of things for either baking or cooking!
The clay bowl is cute!!
I us coconut oil for so many things as well. It is so versatile! Thanks for stopping guy.
BY, not guy!
I always freeze my tomatoes just as you do. Even though we don’t have the heat of the south here in New England, I find freezing works best for me as well.
Thanks. Freezing is definitely easier and a more pleasant process in general.
i’m totally jealous with plenty of selection harvest from your garden, lucky you my friend!!!
Thank you. It certainly is wonderful being able to harvest fruits and vegetables in our own yard.
Wonderful to see all your produce… I am just coming into harvest season here! I’m so excited! I think a trip to Costco is in order! Thanks for sharing! Liz x
Harvest season is the best. Lots of work but worth it. I am looking forward to the autumn harvest now, pumpkins galore! I can taste the pumpkin scones, muffins, ice cream….
Hi Gretchen and welcome to IMK! Your veggies look great! Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Thank you! I look forward to more IMK posts.
I live in a hot place when the produce is at its peak, too, Gretchen. So if I preserve anything it is in the freezer. My Mom used to do both but by the time I was interested in such things, she was only doing the freezer thing, so that is what I learned. I’m sure you are super busy with three boys in the summer, so thanks for taking time to post!
We have been busy this summer. I am looking forward to two of them starting school next week! Freezing is the easiest thing to do in the heat. I still enjoy small batches of jam, but tomatoes are much easier to freeze. Thanks for stopping by.
Miss tomatoes? what about all those delicious sauces stashed away in your freezer?…what a bountiful of harvest and stocks or roasted tomatoes and peppers with a hint of garlic. I can imagine the taste and aroma too! We finally have a Costco in my small town here. The first week it was opened was crazy. It was so fully packed..and they’re selling gas too. There is a Walmart not too far off and I bet it has taken a chunk of their business. Enjoy the new week, I’m glad to see Jack’s clay “bowl”.
I am rationing the tomato sauces in the freezer! I want them to last a long time!