Homemade Pasta Sauce

Hi readers! Because my garden has been so successful this summer, I decided to make and can pasta sauce using fresh tomatoes, peppers, and onions.

I did use a packet of spices from the store, but of course you can use a mix of dried spices that you prefer. If mixing your own blend, I would suggest dried oregano, dried basil, onion powder, and paprika.

Here is my recipe for making and canning the sauce.

*Recipe yields 7 pints*

Ingredients:

6 lbs. fresh tomatoes, I used a mix of Jetstar and Roma tomatoes
Packet of store bought spices ("Mrs. Wages" brand, purchased at Walmart)
1 tbsp. garlic powder
1/4 cup sugar
1 white onion
4 inferno peppers, or a different mild pepper of your choice (bell peppers or cubanelles are good for this too)
4 bay leaves
1 small can tomato paste

Canning supplies:
7 pint size Mason jars
Lids and rings, 7 each
Canning pot

Instructions:

Rinse your tomatoes. On the stovetop, bring a large pot of water almost to a boil (place burner on 7-8 heat setting.) Once the water is hot, start adding in your whole tomatoes. When the skin splits on them, remove them one at a time to a separate large bowl. Once they are all split, turn stovetop off. Let the hot tomatoes cool for a few minutes, then use your hands to remove the skins and a knife to remove the cores from the tomatoes. Put the chunks of skinned tomatoes on a cutting board and give them a rough chop so they are in smaller pieces. Remember these don't need to be very small or perfect, it is all going to cook down later. Also dice up the onion and peppers (after removing seeds.) Make sure these are smaller diced pieces.

Now add all of your vegetables, spices, sugar, and bay leaves into a large pot on the stove top. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and allow it to simmer for 25 minutes. While this is cooking, add the tomato paste to thicken it. Stir occasionally while simmering.

Once simmered for 25 minutes, you will have a nice consistency. Fish out the bay leaves if you can find them. If not, and they end up in your jarred sauce, just remove them before eating. Now scoop your sauce into your Mason jars, fill to just below the mouth of the jar. Wipe the rims of the jars with a napkin to remove any residual sauce or moisture. Put your lids and rings on snugly, and if canning now follow recommended canning instructions. Basically, you can do the canning process with a canning pot on the stove or outside with a propane hook up (like I did) but you want to can for a 40 full minutes before removing the jars. Also you want to make sure all of your lids pop. If they don't pop, do not store that jar in your pantry, just leave it in the fridge and eat within a week.

Here are some step by step photos of my pasta sauce and canning process.

Remember, you can make this recipe fresh and not can it, but just be sure to eat within a week of going that route.

Enjoy!