Rustic Marinara or Meat Sauce

In the summer when there are lots of fresh veggies

in our gardens or at the farmers market, this is a

wonderful recipe to try! Also check out the

variation at the bottom of the post for a side dish.

In small mixing bowl, combine:

1 cup olive oil

1/2 cup red wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar

1/2 teaspoon dry oregano flakes

1/2 teaspoon Italian seasonin

1 Tablespoon dried parsley (or fresh if available)

1/2 teaspoon salt

pepper, to taste.

This is enough for two 8x10 baking pans.

In the bottom of 2 8x10 glass baking pans, place:

1 large onion, rough chopped

8-10 cloves of garlic whole or smashed

Divide this between both pans.

Cut tomatoes in half, quarters, or chunks, depending on size

of tomotoes used. The ones here are small Fourth of July

tomatoes. Italian tomatoes are also good. Any type of tomatoes

should work fine. As much as possible, place skin side down.

Cover the bottom completely, overlapping. Don't be skimpy!

Drizzle half of the olive oil mixture over each pan.

Roast in the oven at 400 degrees for one hour.

Half way though cooking time, switch pans if they are on

two different oven shelves.

Oh, this smells good!

Take the roasted tomaotes out of oven and let cool.

When cool, put 1/2 the mixture in the blender or

food processor and pulse to the consisteny that you

prefer. Repeat. If you want a meat sauce, add browned

ground beef. This is really yummy served over steamed

zuchinni and yellow summer squash or the traditional pasta.

     

The finished product!!!

This can also be frozen to use at a later date.

I use freezer zip bags.

A variation for a side dish:

Add zuchinni chunks and/or yellow summer squash chunks in the bottoms of the pans before adding tomatoes. After removing the roasted tomatoes and veggies from the oven, sprinkle with grated Parmesan or Romano cheese, and serve warm!

Marlene's Gardens

I thought I would share a few current blooms from my gardens. Enjoy!

Double Delight rose! This is one of my favorites. I have around 30 rose bushes.

Hidden bloom on my Endless Summer hydrangea.

Daylilies! I don't know the variety. It was mismarked---I thought I was getting yellow.

Six of my eight garden beds. Fresh produce is wonderful

I have four pots like this one on the back patio. The purple is million belles---one of my favorites especially for hanging baskets.

Geraniums and a nice place to relax.

Clematis and mixed annuals.

I planted these petunias, and the marigolds seeded themselves from last year.

Unexpected blooms! The lone petunia and blue salva came up "volunteer."

Summer Won't Last Forever

One blink and it’s already past the Fourth of July! How is it that these wonderful long days fly by like a flashes of lightning? Summer seems like it just started, but if we check the calendar, we’re almost half way through. SLOW DOWN! I want to shout to the blue sky.

As each summer approaches, I always have the illusion of an endlessly long string of days with lots of time for all the things I want to do: gardening, walking, traveling, swimming with grandkids, mountain adventures, reading on the porch swing, sipping coffee on the patio with my husband, lunch with a friend, and a whole lot more. Somehow I anticipate more than I could ever achieve at the level I desire. Perhaps it would be fair to say that I’m a bit overly optimistic. When my unrealistic expectations get thrown in the mix with the daily stuff that consumes my focus, it can be a recipe for disappointment when September arrives.

This summer, I’m attempting to be more proactive about actually putting some things on the calendar. If I don’t plan and schedule, the things I thought I would do someday never happen. This often means that I must push aside my frustration over the lack of dusting, dirty windows, stacks of paperwork, and other such things to make time for what’s more important.

I am scheduling some time with each individual grandchild. It seems to do them a world of good to have one on one time where they are the center of my attention. I have also taken the younger five to the wading pool. (I must do that again!) I still want to schedule a day for granddaughters and then one for grandsons. Summer may be flying by, but at least a few of my good intentions are becoming a reality.

I’m also trying to be more spontaneous. When my husband suggested a mountain drive two weekends in a row, I went willingly. Such enjoyable days. I’ve also stopped washing dishes to delight in a humming bird out my kitchen window. After dinner, I often slip on my walking shoes and step out the door to soak in the warmth and beauty of the evening.

No, summer won’t last forever. But I’ll do my best to savor little moments in a myriad of ways. And when I think about, I’m reminded that my summers are numbered. Even if I live to be eighty, I only have 22 summers left! Yes, I must fill my summers with what I love—what matters most! My motto today is:

“SEIZE SUMMER. Squeeze out every blessed drop of joy.”

(c) Marlene Depler 2009