Last posted ended, "Maybe I'll even skip the market on Saturday."

I didn't skip the market that week, or the next week, or any week this summer.

I am addicted to fresh vegetables!

And, those fresh veggies will only be around so long, so I've got to find ways, as many ways as possible, to preserve them.

However, after making relish, sauce and chutney all in one day, and another sauce the next day, I pretty much quenched my thirst for canning. At least this season. Squeeze in some more grated zucchini to freeze, and I'm really feeling I've exhausted my desire to "put up" produce by any means.

Barbara Kingsolver's Animal, Vegetable, Miracle included a recipe titled "Relish, Sauce and Chutney All in One Day." I had wanted to try it since reading the book last spring and finally was in a place where I could do it. While still feeling the enthusiasm, I bought 25 pounds of tomatoes at the farmers market, invited a friend - as the recipe calls for - and got busy.


The results left me with no regrets:
-- Relish for barbecued chicken or pork
-- Sweet and sour sauce, used the next week in a scrumtious stir fry
-- and Chutney - I might skip it next time, unless others report loving it. But, that just because it has raisin.

Plus, I had enough tomatoes to make a half-batch of Kingsolver's "family secret" tomato sauce. Homemade pizza is about to step it up a notch. (If someone - first person only - could give me a recipe for pizza dough that more closely resembles a N.Y. pizzeria's crust than a cracker, I'll give you a jar of sauce).

But, by the time I got done with all that, my house was in shambles (but smelling good) and I felt like I'd been hit by a truck.

Thirst quenched at this point, but goals not met.

Last week, I cracked open a jar of the dilly beans I made in July. Instantly, I decided two more jars was not enough to last the winter. Four more have since been added to the ranks in my pantry.

Garlic! There's still about 30 heads of garlic still sitting out there on my porch. A bonus that came with the house. According to my minimal research on the matter, they won't store, because all the skins are split. I decided weeks ago that I would pickle it. I keep putting it off, though, thinking that it's not urgent. I think the time is drawing near.

Oh well, I guess those moving boxes may have to wait for winter, or unpack themselves.

BTW: I'm not sure why I titled this blog Mama's healthy kitchen, as the one who calls me Mama still turns up his nose at most of this. But, he did eat my pizza tonight. At least there's one I win. Maybe there's still hope.