Life interrupted

Just when I think that my life can't get any crazier this first month of summer I am proved wrong.

Oh so wrong....

Tues. morning I took my mother-in-law to the airport and was planning on getting a bunch of sewing done that needs to take place.  However, before that on Monday I got a call from my friend Jenny about a slamming deal on tomatoes.  FREE! ones.

I went to check it out and lo and behold there were free vine-on tomatoes.

Not to be greedy, but I will use them all, I took 5 boxes (pictured below--16 x 24 inches) 

when there was a pallet full 4 per layer and about 7 feet high.

A couple hours later I went back with the plan to get 5 more.

There was about 10 boxes left.  I only took 2 more.

And then as they say, the real work began.

Because these babies were not going to wait much.

And did I mention that we're having a "lovely" heat wave here in MN.

Nothing like canning when it is 100 degrees outside.

Luckily I had a few willing helpers.

Coring the 'maters before the skinning.

In 24 hours time I canned (above) 2 pints of diced tomatoes

7 quarts of Vegetable Soup

10 pints of Carrot Pepper Salsa

and

25 pints of Jalapeño Salsa

We've eaten some and I even made a batch of this fresh salsa for the 4th of July party.

And to think I was originally wishing I had 10 boxes, and not just 7.

So yesterday I got serious and finished off the last 3 boxes and the big bowl in the fridge.

I really wanted to do tomato soup, but couldn't find a recipe that interested me.

So instead, I just canned tomato juice--13 quarts worth.

I'll use that as the base for homemade tomato soup this Fall.

It was just too hot for me to think and be creative about any soup recipe.

I just wanted them done.....so I could sew.