I'M CHOPPING AS FAST AS I CAN!

 I had imagined way back in March when I first planted my tomato vines that I would be gifting these luscious heirloom beauties on all my neighbors, relatives and friends...yes, I'd be the toast of the town! Not so much! It seems that this has been a fine year for tomatoes, so everyone has too many of their own. No one, it seems, appreciates these rare varieties as much as me. Their low acid chemistry and over the top sweet flavor don't appeal to all. What to do? Short of putting them on cereal, one can only eat so many tomato sandwiches! 

Some think that the Brandywine and Kelloggs Breakfast tomatoes' mild, sweet flavor is too bland for sauce but with a few tricks, you can have a fine marinara sauce. The trick is to get the seeds out. After a quick hot water bath and a plunge into ice water to get the skins off, I use a potato masher and a colander to squish out the seeds and extra juice.  

I saute onions in a big pot, add the 'matoes, a small can of tomato paste and my magic cubes of goodness...several garlic cubes and later some basil. I also add a teaspoon or two of balsamic vinegar to ramp up the acidity and give a flavor boost. Is this cheating? Yeah, but the "Marinara Police" haven't got me yet!
Then it is just a matter of letting it simmer and cook down into a nice sludge.
I freeze some in 3/4 cup portions to add to soups and stews this winter. It's sort of like apple butter without the apples!