"It's difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato." ~ Lewis Grizzard

I haven't made my own spaghetti sauce in several years.  During my final decade of teaching, I was involved in a scheduled school project two weeks before the new school year began, and then we would head to Cape Cod right before Labor Day Weekend.  I just didn't have the time to make sauce when tomatoes were at their peak.  I had intended to make some last summer, since I wouldn't have an impending school year  hanging over my head - but somehow the time got away from me.  I was determined to do it this year though, especially since I intend to have homemade sauce and pasta as my main meal for our "local foods" themed BITE in a few weeks.

I confess, I seriously forgot how much work it is!  I managed to stay very local in my supplies though.

~onions, peppers and 50 lbs. of tomatoes from Diescher Farms~

~I dislike chunky sauce - so I use my Victorio Sauce Strainer, which separates the seeds and skin from the liquid~

~basil from my backyard~

~garlic from our friends, the Beekman's~

~into the canner~

~one half of my bounty~

 Come December, the hard work will be a distant memory, and I will delight in opening a jar of fresh summer flavor!