Tomato Season and Abundance #RoastedTomatoButter

Tis the season for abundance from our gardens.  We lovingly prune and tend to our gardens. We post photographs on Instagram of the fruits of our labor.

roasted tomato butter success!

Which led me to think about abundance in our daily lives. Advertising tends to show the finer side of life, with glamor and elegance as a focal point. I prefer websites about nonprofit organizations with photographs of people from all walks of life with the smiles of joy. Those are real people, not models.

Then, there is the abundance we have right at home. Family and friends we can count on. Colleagues that are always there for advice. Acquaintances that become new friends. Past friends that come back into our lives, always for a reason.

This past week was one of those reminders about how rich my life is right now. This Fall will be a two-year mark since Paul’s passing. I have come a long way from the throes of grief to seeing the world with clarity. My friend, Sara, told me recently that I was “glowing”. I suppose I am, because life is good and comfortable again. I am a happy person, I always have been. I use humor as a tool to carry on. Thank you, God, for giving me that gift.

tomato harvest, some for butter, some for salsa

Let’s get back to gardening! My tomatoes are slowing ripening and I think with the heat that I need to water them twice a day. No kidding, by the afternoon the soil is dry on top and the plants are droopy. My sweet cherry tomatoes are ripening faster, and I did not have enough to dehydrate. What to do, what to do…..I found a recipe for roasted tomato butter but I thought, hmmm, it would be so much better with roasted garlic and basil. Right? Right.

Ingredients

2.5 cups of cherry tomatoes
3 sticks of butter, room temperature
3 sprigs of basil or ½ cup leaves
3 large cloves of garlic, cut in half
Olive oil spray

Line a sheet pan and spray with olive oil. Place oven rack for broiling and preheat oven to broil setting. Clean tomatoes and towel dry. Place tomatoes and garlic on sheet pan and broil for 5 minutes or until tomatoes begin to release juices. Pull pan and let cool. Drain juices or reserve for another recipe (sauce later?). Put tomatoes in food processor and blend well. Add butter in pieces and blend thoroughly. Place in shallow mason jars and chill overnight. You can also freeze so they last longer. Makes 6 mini jars and great gifts for those friends that bring you joy!

NOTE: If you use unsalted butter, add sea salt to taste.

#abundance #friendship #grateful #lifelesson #tomatoes