While I was on a bike ride enjoying the beautiful summer-like weather, I was thinking that it felt like we should be planting the gardens or watching the flowers bloom. Instead we are raking leaves, pulling up the dead plants and putting away the garden hoses and tools.
In some ways it is a relaxing time of year. With harvest finally done and the garden produce taken care of, it is nice to go for walks or bike rides and enjoy the beauty of fall. All too soon this in-between time will be gone and winter will be upon us.
Read Also
Stock dogs show off herding skills at Ag in Motion
Stock dogs draw a crowd at Ag in Motion. Border collies and other herding breeds are well known for the work they do on the farm.
If I had known we would get such warm, beautiful fall days I might have covered a few of my tomato plants a little longer so that I could still be enjoying their vine ripened goodness. Instead, they are sitting in cardboard boxes in my basement ripening under newspaper.
Most of what I have left to ripen are roma type tomatoes that I like for cooking into tomato sauce. I came across this recipe for roasted tomatoes, peppers and garlic. I have some roasting in the oven as I’m writing this.
Slow-roasted tomatoes, peppers and garlic
4 lb. (12 medium or 2 kg
8 large) tomatoes
3 lb. red, green, yellow 1.5 kg
or orange bell peppers
(about 6 large), cored,
seeded and cut into finger-
size strips
41/2 tablespoons 70 mL
extra-virgin olive oil
6-8 unpeeled garlic cloves
(optional)
2 teaspoons salt 10 mL
freshly ground pepper, to taste
Preheat the oven to 300 F (150 C). Line two rimmed cookie sheets with foil and spray with non-stick spray. Cut the tomatoes in half. Squeeze out and discard the seeds, or mix the seeds into some tomato juice and drink. Preserve as much of the juicy tomato pulp as possible. Place the tomato halves cut side up on one of the cookie sheets with half of the garlic.
Place the pepper strips on the second cookie sheet with the remainder of the garlic. Crowding is OK since the tomatoes and peppers will shrink as they cook.
Drizzle the vegetables with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Roast until slightly crisped along the edges. Remove the smaller pieces as they dry to avoid burning. Roast one to three hours depending on the size of the vegetables. Turn the peppers as needed. Allow the vegetables to cool. Pull off the dried tomato skins, if desired. Squeeze out the garlic pulp and toss with the tomatoes. Place roasted tomatoes and peppers, with their juices, in small freezer bags, adding the garlic as desired. Squeeze out air and seal; freeze up to six months. Thaw in the fridge until soft, two to three hours.
If you have an oil spray pump, spraying the vegetables with olive oil works great and uses less oil.
Source: Weight Watchers magazine September-October 2005.
Seeking recipe
Dear TEAM: I’m looking for an old recipe that may have been in the Western Producer in the 1960s. It is called monkey bread. Maybe someone has the recipe. – E.G., Barrhead, Alta.
Dear E.G.: Yes, we published the monkey bread recipe several years ago. This is one of our favourite recipes for Sunday mornings when our kids are at home.
Monkey bread
20 small frozen dough buns 1 cup brown sugar 250 mL
1 small package instant 85 g
caramel pudding mix
1 tablespoon cinnamon 15 mL
1/4 cup raisins (optional) 60 mL
1/4 cup red and green 60 mL
candied cherries
1/4 cup pecan nuts 60 mL
1/3 cup melted butter 75 mL
Decorate the bottom of a bundt pan with some of the cherries and pecans. Mix the brown sugar, pudding mix and cinnamon in a plastic bag. Toss the frozen bun dough pieces in the bag to coat, doing five buns at a time. Layer the buns, raisins and remaining pecans and cherries as desired in the pan. Sprinkle the last of the sugar mixture over the top of the buns and then drizzle the melted butter over the buns. Cover with a damp cloth and allow to rise overnight in a warm place.
In the morning, bake the rolls for a half hour in a 350 F (180 C) oven. Cool for a few minutes, and then
invert on a plate and serve.
Vitamin enhanced juices
The nutrition professionals of our local Heartland health region have developed a nutrition tip sheet on these new juice products. Vitamin enhanced juices are not necessary for adults and children who eat a well balanced diet based on Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating. While juice is healthy, whole vegetables and fruit are a source of fibre and the best way to get the recommended five to 10 servings each day.
Sun-Rype 100 percent juice and 100 percent juice blends: As the label states, these products combine various 100 percent unsweetened fruit or vegetable juices. They also have natural or added vitamin C.
Sun-Rype VitaBurst: This product is marketed as a vitamin supplement since it combines 100 percent unsweetened fruit juice with 11 added vitamins. Talk to your doctor or dietitian if you feel you or your child needs a supplement. A complete multi-vitamin or mineral pill might be more appropriate. This product should not be used routinely by children under the age of nine years, because the recommended 600 mL per day would give your child more vitamins than required.
Sun-Rype Fruit Plus: This product blends a nutrient-enhanced soy beverage with 100 percent unsweetened fruit juice. Compared to regular juiceit is slightly higher in protein and certain vitamins and calcium.
Cookbook draw
We are planning another cookbook draw for early December. What does your family serve at seasonal celebrations like Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah or New Years? To enter the draw, share your recipes by sending them by e-mail to team@producer.com or mail to TEAM Resources, c/o The Western Producer, P.O. Box 2500, Saskatoon, Sask. S7K 2C4. The deadline is Dec. 6.
Betty Ann Deobald is a home economist from Rosetown, Sask., and one of four columnists comprising Team Resources. Send correspondence in care of this newspaper, Box 2500, Saskatoon, Sask., S7K 2C4 or contact them at team@producer.com.
