Somedays I oversleep!

I've overslept this morning and have run out of time to put together a Sunday Smiles post! Suffice it to say that my life is blessed in countless ways and that I have a bazillion things to smile about every day.

That is not to say that every day runs as smoothly as clockwork, or that bad stuff never happens . . . only that I am one of those lucky people that have found a way to rise above all the bad stuff and to live my life in a positive way.



I'd say it is my faith that helps me most of all. Without that . . . I am not sure how I would have ever coped with a variety of instances in my life. I have ever been a woman of faith, with a distinct and strong knowledge of my Heavenly Father and my Saviour. They are indeed my anchor when I am being tossed about by the storms of life and they are the lighthouse which guides my ship through the dark and troubled times into a safe harbour.

I have my health. I have love beyond measure . . . a warm roof over my head and food in my belly. What more could a body possibly want. Anything else is quite simply . . . the icing on the cake!

Have a blessed, safe and happy Sunday everyone!



We now have a glut of garden tomatoes, and with the promise of colder weather looming I am trying to use them up as quickly as I can, which is not really a problem for me . . . I love tomatoes. They are one of my most favourite vegetables/fruits. They are so very versatile and there is so much you can do with them. One of the tastiest things I love to do with them is to make a delicious roasted tomato sauce.



Generally speaking, the ones I used were a bit on the small side for a roasted tomato sauce, but then again, sometimes the smaller ones have a lot more flavour. They also seem to roast in about half the time of the larger ones, and sometimes time is of the essence, especially when you have about a bazillion things to do in a day!



After the sauce was done, I froze some of it, and then tossed the rest with a lovely plate of fresh pasta for a really delicious suppertime treat. Served with a dusting of freshly grated Parmesan and a warm and crusty Italian loaf on the side, it's bliss, pure bliss. (No, Todd was not a happy camper with this one . . . he strongly dislikes pasta, but don't feel too sorry for him. I baked him a meat pie and order was restored.)



*Roasted Tomato Sauce*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

This is the perfect sauce to make in the autumn when you have a glut of fresh tomatoes that you know are going to spoil if you don't get them used up. I always make tons of it as it freezes really well. Don't try making it in the winter with those insipid tomatoes they try to pass off on us in the stores at that time of year. This sauce is really best and deseving of the wonderful flavour that you can only get from fresh from the vine tomatoes we have in the autumn! It's super easy to make and so delicious!

2 pounds fresh tomatoes
3 or 4 fat cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
1 tsp dried basil leaves
1/2 tsp dried oregano leaves
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 TBS really good quality extra virgin olive oil

Pre-heat your oven to 200*C/400*F. Wipe your tomatoes off with a damp cloth, cut them into halves and set aside.

Pour the olive oil into the bottom of a large shallow baking tray with one inch sides. Scatter in the minced garlic, basil leaves, oregano leaves, salt and pepper. Mix well. Add the tomatoes, cut side down, fitting them all into the sheet and spreading the olive oil mixture around beneath them. Roast for 30 to 40 minutes until soft, the skins are starting to peel off, and some of them are beginning to colour.

Remove from the oven and let cool somewhat. Lift off all the peels and discard. You can then put them through a mouli to remove the seeds and puree them, but I prefer to just mash it all together with a fork. I like the extra texture and flavour of the seeds.

Serve hot with your favourite pasta, or let cool and freeze in containers.



Over in The English Kitchen today, a delicious Raspberry Jam Pudding!