Tomatoes? Another recipe.

Are you still getting tomatoes and wondering what to do with them?  Are your neighbors hiding when they see you coming with a bag of tomatoes...no, wait...that's zucchini! 

Here's a recipe for tomato soup that you can bottle and use in the winter when the tomatoes are only a memory.  Perhaps we can do a zucchini recipe another day.

Start with a half bushel of tomatoes.  I really can't tell you exactly how much that is.  I just estimate and tonight when I made this soup, I had a few more tomatoes than I needed. 

Prepare the tomatoes by pouring boiling water over them and removing the skin. Blend in a blender until smooth - OR - you can use this handy, dandy strainer to do it all for you and you don't have the seeds when you're done. (Just in case you're wondering, that's not my arm, I think mine is hairier!)  Andy helped me tonight! 

Chop 6 onions. (Here's another time saving device that's almost as good as having your husband help.)

3 large green peppers.

1 bunch of celery.   I don't have a picture of me chopping the celery.  I have to do that by hand because it's too stringy to use the great time saving tool! However, I have a good Cutco knife that's sharp and works great! 

Put all the vegetables in a large pan with a pint of water and steam until tender.  Put the tomato sauce in a different large pan and heat on the stove.

Make a white sauce using 1/2 pound of real butter, 1 cup flour, 1/4 cup salt, 1 cup sugar and 3/4 tsp. pepper.  Stir together in a pan on the stove until bubbly.  Add 1 quart of the tomato sauce and bring to a simmer.

Add the white sauce to the tomato sauce then add all the vegetables.  Simmer on the stove for 20 minutes.

Fill quart jars with the soup.  I got 12 quarts. Process in a water bath for 60 minutes or in a pressure canner at 10# pressure for 30 minutes.

While I'm posting this, I can hear the lids seal.  That's music to my ears, even though it doesn't have a good beat.

You can tell by this picture that there are not a lot of vegetables in this soup.  That's because I went overboard on the tomatoes.  However, it tastes SO GOOD! 

If you want to make this recipe and want to use all my handy-dandy time saving devices, (except Andy) you're welcome to them. 

Honest! You just have to come get them.

Here's the recipe:

1/2 bushel tomatoes - juiced.  (5-7 quarts)

1 bunch celery           3 large green peppers

6 large onions             1 pint water

Chop all vegetables.  Cook together with the water until tender.

Make a white sauce:

1/2 lb. butter              1 cup flour

1 cup sugar                1/4 cup salt

3/4 tsp. pepper

Stir until creamy.  Add 1 quart tomato juice to white sauce. Bring to a simmer.

Pour all ingredients together and cook 20 minutes.  Fill quart jars. Process in boiling bath for 60 minutes or pressure at 10# for 30 minutes.