Canned Tomatoes

Tomatoes are a staple in my house in all varieties. They are very versatile and can be used for several different recipes - pasta sauce, pizza sauce, soups, stews, etc. For a simple stew recipe using canned tomatoes, see my previous post.
Tomatoes are very good for you and although technically are a fruit, the body digests them like a vegetable and they are considered to be in the vegetable group.  


The past few weeks at the market, salad tomatoes have been on sale for 4 lbs / $1 - which is a great deal. Although I wish I could buy enough to have fresh tomatoes all year, they would of course spoil. So, the next best thing is to have canned tomatoes that can be enjoyed all year. 

Canning tomatoes is a new endeavor for me, but it does not seem that complicated. For those of you who are avid canners, I am sure you have some tips of advice to offer.

I did discover a wonderful tutorial on YouTube that is done by Ball Canning. Click here for the video -
Canning Tomatoes by Ball Canning. You can also visit their website - Fresh Preserving for recipes and additional information.

Fall Food

It's been a while since my last post - life has just been happening.
It is coming on Fall and everywhere else but here the leaves are starting to change colors and the weather is starting to get cool.
With cooler weather it's a great time to cook chili, soups and stews. There are many great recipes and it's a great way to make an easy, healthy, affordable meal for your family. 
One of my favorite recipes is a tex-mex stew that is simple and mostly with canned pantry items. This is a great way to use canned tomatoes or beans from food storage as well.

Taco Stew

1# ground beef
1/2 yellow or white onion, diced
1 (4oz) can green chilies
1 (14.5oz) can black beans
1 (14.5oz) canned corn
1 (14.5oz) canned tomatoes, whole or diced
1 (1.25oz) package taco seasoning

Optional toppings:
tortilla chips
sour cream
cheddar cheese, shredded
limes, quartered
cilantro

1. Cook onion, jalapeno/chilies and ground beef in large pot on the stove at medium heat until cooked through.
2. Add beans, corn, tomatoes to pot.
3. Cook until boiling and turn to low.
4. Simmer 15 minutes or until heated through
5. Top with favorite toppings - see suggested list above

•  Experiment with different beans such as chili beans, ranch-style beans, navy bean, kidney beans, etc.
• Try jalapenos instead of green chilies if you like it hot or need some added kick.
• If watching your sodium, use low sodium or no added salt canned beans, corn, tomatoes and taco seasoning.