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!}


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10 comments:

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

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

    Suzanne

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  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!!

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  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!

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  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

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  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.

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  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.

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  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!

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

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