Because of my recent tomato explosion, I feel the need to cook, bake or do something with all of the tomatoes I have on my kitchen table.  So Ben and I made salsa and also a tomato pie for True Blood Sunday.  I wasn’t really happy with my tomato pie but I tried it again last night and will post about it tomorrow.  I have been waiting to make my own salsa from my own tomatoes and bell peppers since we planted our garden.  I don’t care that the rest of the ingredients came from the grocery store because the tomatoes were so great and my bell peppers look fake because they are so beautiful.  For whatever reason, bugs don’t nimble on bell peppers and I like that.  We don’t use any pesticides in our garden.  So I am aware that insects and worms like tomatoes just as much as I do, but for whatever reason they are not into bell peppers.

For True Blood Sundays, my friends and I usually make Louisiana or vampire inspired dishes.  Although salsa isn’t really  a Louisiana or vampire inspired dish, making salsa from your own vegetables is a very southern thing to do.

Overall I thought our salsa was really good.   I love how fresh it tasted!  While making salsa for the first time I also learned how to peel a tomato.   Peeling tomatoes is actually really easy and I had no idea.

Peeling a Tomato

1. Wash your tomatoes and take the stems off.
2. Cut an X on the end without the stem.
3. Boil enough water to submerse your tomatoes.  Once the water starts boiling place them into the water.
4. After a few minutes, use a slotted spoon to place your tomatoes into a bowl of cold water.
5. Let them sit a minute or so then pull the skins right off.

Check back tomorrow for my tomato pie!

We have  yellow tomatoes (Lemon Boy),  red tomatoes in about every size (Campari, Grape, Better Boy and Early Girl to be exact)  and  heirloom tomatoes (Cherokee Purple and Brandy Wine).  We also have an eggplant and four bell peppers.  I love having a garden!

This is the first Bell Pepper I picked from our garden! Isn't it pretty?