Easy Roasted Tomato "Sauce"

When you can't keep up with your tomato plants' producing -- this is so easy to prepare ---

Pick 35-40 firm ripe tomatoes, remove stems and cores.
Scald in boiling water for one minute. 
Run under cold water and slip off the skins. 
Cut in half, place in a strainer and let some liquid drain off.
Arrange in 2 large flat pyrex or ceramic baking dishes. 
Sprinkle with a bit of sea salt, ground pepper, fresh oregano and parsley; and minced garlic, if you wish.
Drizzle with local olive oil. 
Mix it all up a bit but keep in a single layer 
Bake in 375 degree oven for 67 minutes.

Serve over pasta or on rustic bread with shaved Parmesan. 

It also freezes well and can be a summertime treat on a rainy mid-winter day.

The Healdsburg House

Some people have asked about the renovation of my Victorian house in Healdsburg.  The house, built in 1890, is on the main road a few blocks north of the town's historic plaza.   I purchased it in 2003.  During the 113 years before I got here, dubious "improvements" had been made to the place by its 3 previous owners.  As I systematically gutted the entire place, all those nifty improvements ended up in dumpsters.  The photos below show what my idea of improvements turned out to be. 

It took 5 dusty years but I was able to end up last year with exactly what I wanted.  This year (2010) is occupied with turning an old shed out back into an arts and crafts studio.  That too is just about finished, so the new project for 2011 is....a new back deck and pergola!

Before and After Shots

Dick and Fran 2011

Suzy in 2013

Carleen in 2013