Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Just Call Me "Ma Ingalls"

I mentioned once before that although I was the biggest fan of the Little House on the Prairie books growing up, I learned during the "Great Plumbing Debacle of 2008" that I'd never hack it as a pioneer. They'd put me on the first stage East, with my trunk of non-sensible shoes and my pink iPod.

I was never more sure of this fact than I was today as I picked a giant bowlful of tomatoes from our "garden" of three tomato plants and brought them inside.




I spent the better part of the morning boiling, coring, skinning, and cooking tomatoes while the girls completely ransacked my living room.


Thankfully, they played happily almost the entire time I was working, but I discovered two small girls amidst a pile of baby dolls, plastic food, and tea cups when I was finished. I bet Laura and Mary Ingalls would have swept the cabin floor and churned some butter while Ma made tomato sauce. I'm just sayin.'

The other thing I discovered was that it takes a heck of a lot of tomatoes just to make up this pitiful amount at the bottom of my pot.


Enough to fill up a gallon zip-loc for the freezer.


Nope, I'm not cut out for life as a pioneer. I don't have the patience!

Ma Ingalls drew water from a well instead of driving (her covered Trailblazer) to the Starbucks drive-thru.

She wore lace-up boots instead of cutesy hot pink pumps, and I'm pretty sure she'd think my make-up makes me look like a "painted lady."

I bet it's rewarding to live on what your own two hands have worked for, but convenience is sometimes nice too. I'll be adding a nice can of store-bought tomato paste to my sauce to thicken it up a bit.

Until then, you can just call me "Ma Ingalls."

To read about my experience with canning, click here.


If you need a good recipe for spaghetti sauce, I have one here.



Visit the always fabulous Jen at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam for more deliciousness this week!

{Bon Appetit!}


post signature

10 comments:

  1. Great post as usual! Have a great Tuesday!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh, well, MA, chalk it up as an item for your resume......canning conniseur......sort of. ;)

    Suzanne

    ReplyDelete
  3. fun thoughts on what the Ingalls would think of our lifestyle. ;)

    My hubby and I have joked that while the pioneer days may seem all simple and maybe even a bit romantic - - - there's probably a reason no one is smiling in those old time photos! It really boiled down to a life of HARD work!!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Haha! I bet the sauce is delicious, I'd be willing to try it to let you know. ;-P P.S. I have a hot pink iPod too!

    ReplyDelete
  5. haha!

    I haven't attempted to do anything but eat our tomatoes but I've always wanted to until I did try grape juice last year since we have tons of grapes. Tasty. But definitely way too much work for the little reward. A LOT of straining. No patience. Welch's is okay with me. So is a fresh raw tomato salad.
    :)

    Roeshel

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hi Ma! My kids totally sweep the floor and churn butter while I'm working. You really need to brush up on your pioneer mothering skills.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Thanks for taking the time to post this. I hope you will join me at Dining With Debbie for Crock Pot Wednesday. Mister Linky is up and ready for you to enter.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I had to chuckle when I saw more tomatoes! Your canning post is a classic!

    I left you a couple of awards over at my blog!

    ReplyDelete
  9. I think your tomato skills are pretty amazing! I wish I had some skills like that :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete

I love to hear your feedback! Please feel free to leave comments...just don't send me spam asking me to buy stuff off your website! I've got three kids and no money to purchase your magic weight-loss pill or bust enhancement, or whatever else you might be selling. Thanks, and I look forward to hearing from you! :)

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.