Farmers Market to Your Table

Farmers Market Delights

 Support your local farmer's and benefit from healthy, wholesome produce and beautiful flowers for your home. Our local Farmer's Market just opened for the season and I made my way through pesto stands, freshly made apple cider donuts with your choice of powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar, and picked up fresh and locally grown tomatoes, peaches, blueberries, raspberries, flowers and more.  Did I mention the smoothies and hot brewed coffees?  You can find everything you need for a tasty harvest breakfast at Farmers Markets. Fresh eggs, syrups and potatoes for hash browns plus all the vegetables you need for tasty omelets. If you haven't visited your local Farmers Markets, you don't know what you are missing.  

 Here is a very simple recipe to make homemade tomato sauce for your family and friends using those fresh tomatoes from your market or your own garden. This recipe will make a quart of sauce...modify for your needs....

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped garlic (I use jarred ready to use chopped garlic I can keep in the fridge)
20 medium ripe plum tomatoes, washed, cored and cut into quarters
 Fresh basil (you can use dried)
Small bag of tomato paste (I am a huge fan of Amore Tomato Paste in a tube that you can reseal after you have used the portion you need)
1 tablespoon sugar, teaspoon salt & pepper, chopped onion (optional).

Use a Dutch oven or large pot, cover bottom with olive oil and add chopped garlic and onion.  Brown on low-medium heat until fragrant.  I use my freshly washed hands, take each tomato and squeeze into the pot until all tomatoes are in pot.  Add tomato paste, basil, salt, pepper and sugar and stir occasionally while cooking over low heat for 60-90 minutes.  After the tomatoes have cooked down, I pour into my blender or food processor and blend into smooth sauce for 30-45 seconds.  Use immediately on pasta of your choice or freeze the sauce for use at a later date. Will refrigerate for 3 days.  It's a great way to support the farmers in your area and feed your family a healthy meal.

If you are planning a get together this week,  you can make this sauce ahead of time.  All you need to do is heat it up and add to the pasta of your choice.

Support your local small businesses today!