Canned Oregano Tomatoes

So, here is the last of the tomato series that I have to share with you. I do have a bruschetta recipe that I will be posting in the near future as well, but I wanted to get this one out before the tomatoes were all gone and before I take a little vacation by the sea! I am headed to Isle of Palms, one of my favorite places on earth to clear my head before starting into the fall semester of school. This upcoming fall semester is gonna be a tricky one because I will be teaching in 3 different locations i.e. cities.  Even though it is a lot of driving, I have been so happy to add Asheville to my regular teaching circuit! Love that town and the students are so refreshing. Also after class,  it gives me the opportunity to hang out in some places that I really love.

Well, sorry this is not a longer post but this girl has to pack! Bathing suits, flip flops and of course some good craft beer! I will also have my camera with me at all times. Hoping the sun and sea and the magnificence of the Charleston area can revitalize me to be back in the classroom in only 11 days!

Freezing Tomatoes

I LOVE THIS RECIPE!!!

This is the most simple way to save tomatoes that I know of. When I am feeling really lazy (which is often!) I just freeze a bunch of tomatoes rather than messing with canning them. For whatever reason, most people look at me like I am crazy when I say that I do this, but it really works. This is a trick that I learned from my Mom and  it come in handy when the winter gets cold and you want to make a chili or soup. Just get out the frozen summer tomatoes and run them under really hot water. The skin peels right off in your hand. Then into the pot they go. They are way better then anything that you can get out of a can and remember- You grew them! So go ahead and feel accomplished! Sometimes, the little things make the day a little brighter!

(I admit these were hard to take pictures of! Usually I take all my pictures outside and when I took these frozen guys out in our 90 something degree heat they instantly got a little frosty. They don't look like this in the freezer, but I guess it does get the frozen point across.)

Herbed Beet and Goat Cheese Salad with Palmetto Olive Oil Company's Tuscan Herb Olive Oil

Love and support comes in all different forms and these past few weeks I have see a lot of that. I am not just talking about Valentine's Day. I am talking about every day little gestures that let you know you are important in someones life. In this way, I am fortunate!!

As you know we had our HUGE Icepocalypse and it seems like one of those weeks when no one has gotten the motivation back to do much of anything. Unfortunately for me, I have been busy on this computer searching for my future and closing up last minute things from my past. Last weekend, thanks to some really great supportive friends, I had a cleaning out party!! They surprised me by not only the brute strength of moving boxes but with flowers and mimosas. Mimosas make all things better!! All girls know that! Quickly, with their liquid courage, a job that seemed overwhelming was almost fun. Almost... Well, anyway there was a lot of laughing and even more encouragement. It feels good to be loved!

So, a little bit about the local product used in this recipe. On my birthday an amazing person went out of their way to drop a gift at my door so I would have something to open on my special day. Sweet, huh? It made my so happy!! The very thoughtful gift turned out to be this fabulous Tuscan Herb Olive Oil from Palmetto Olive Oil Co. here in Greenville, SC. I am obsessed with it!! I am using it on everything but at the same time trying to save it for only the best entrees. Lol! The other day after I got done tossing fingerling potatoes in this my hands smelled heavenly and were so soft that I debated using at as bath oil.

Joking, of course! Hmm... maybe!

Congee

At times throughout my life, bad things happen- stress, illness, sadness, etc. When it does, I, like a lot of women I know, begin having digestive problems. As though all the crap (no pun intended) that life hands us is not enough to deal with, now I need to feel like I have food poisoning or some horrible flu! Well, this week I do! Stress and sadness have reappeared in my life in a BIG way and they have their hands tightly around my digestive system (and my heart) and they are not letting up!

For most of you that know me, you know that aside from the occasional adult beverage, I do not like to put chemicals or foreign things (medication) into my body.  I am a strong advocate for health through whole foods, nutrition and supplements.  I am also a firm believer in listening to your body and using the symptoms it gives you to make a change. There is more and more proof that stress brings down immunity. In these hard times, it is best to listen to what your body is telling you and give it what it needs to reestablish health. That is what I am trying to do now. Does it make the stress go away? Or change a sad situation? No! Sometimes only time will do that, but I have learned first hand over the past few years that without your health you have nothing.  At times you have to step back, rest and nurture YOU! No one else will do it for you! The hard times will come and go and then come again, but as I have proved to myself before, I will still be standing when they do!