(Cheats) Preserving Adventures

I like the thought of growing my own food to preserve for the family however the rosy of glow of imagining pretty jars lined up filled with yummy home grown goodness turns ice blue when I realise I have to actually do it before the picture of earth mother will be complete. My first foray into the preserving wilderness this year turned out to be very easy and satisfying.
First the tomatoes - Amish Paste grown specifically for sauces and cooking have come along late but are now producing well which means I now have to deal with them. I am exceptionally efficient (or lazy) at sorting these fat red babies out.

check out my Domestics Adventures tab for a fast, easy way to freeze tomatoes with no peeling, boiling or bottling.

When I need them later in the year I just plunge into just boiled water, wait, peel, drain for a bit and use like tinned tomatoes. I know I could bottle, make sauce and puree tomatoes now and have a ready to use product later but I don't fancy spending my hot summer days processing, sterilising and labelling.

Second the beetroot - Egyptian Flat chosen because they are as promised - flat and easy to slice. Thankfully only three were ready so I eased into it gently.

I have an easy way to process the beetroot too, details again on the Domestic Adventures page.

There you have it, the cheats way of storing beetroot and tomatoes for the winter - of course the kids won't eat either so I don't know why I bother!