First basket...EVER!

On Saturday August 21, 2010, I got my first basket of vegetables ever! There was a large amount of vegetables (especially tomatoes), and I am not afraid to admit that I was slightly overwhelmed. It was a cornucopia of veggies... I honestly didn't even know what some of it was, let alone what to do with it (we spent some time googling "old cucumbers").

We started this whole thing because we wanted to eat more veggies, and these deliveries seemed like an easy, healthy way to go about it (I mean, organic and mostly heirloom veggies delivered right to my door!).  However, I repeat: What do I do with this stuff?


So on Saturday morning, after sorting, washing and making piles (the girls loved that)of vegetables, I came up with a few ideas on how to consume the reality of what I had done... 


I decided to make two things with these veggies:


1- Green ketchup (which I baptized rainbow ketchup)
2- Stew


I admit that I tend to get carried away, so when I decided that I would be canning anyways, I would also buy some strawberries and make some jam. 


It took me all day (till 10:30 pm), and allowed me to use up the tomatoes, onions (pearl and regular), half the garlic clove, the turnips/parsnips (I think that's what they were) and the strawberries I purchased that morning.


Results: 

• 1 250 ml jar of strawberry jam
• 3 500 ml jars of strawberry jam (I made more the next day, total is 2 and 6)
• 3 500 ml jars of "rainbow" ketchup
• 6 250 ml jars of "rainbow" ketchup
• 4 dinners worth of stew (delicious!)

Lessons learned:

• This baskets, though delicious and beautiful are a HUGE commitment. Everybody tells you that, but you never know till you live it.
• No matter what they say in the recipe, ALWAYS peel and seed tomatoes!
• You still have to come up with a plan for the rest of the stuff you didn't cook/can... 

I'll do better next basket!