Vampire Slayer Tomato Vegetable Sauce

This wonderful late summer garden fresh sauce comes with the recipe to can it for the winter months. That way there you get that summer goodness all year round.

10 lbs ripe tomatoes preferably Roma diced coarsely

5 lbs zucchini cut into narrow bite size pieces

1/2 lb crushed coarsely chopped garlic

2 Tbs cooking oil

1 1/2 lbs chopped onion

1 1/2 cups virgin olive oil

1/2 cup diced fresh parsley

1/2 cup diced fresh basil

1/4 cup diced fresh oregano

1/2 cup sugar

2 lbs chopped sweet peppers of various colors

2 Tbs. salt

24 ounces fresh tomato paste

2 Tbs. salt

1 tsp. pepper

Use 12 quart or larger enamel pot for sauce and large saute or cast frying pan, and when canning use pot thick bottomed and deep enough to cover jars being canned by at least three inches. One inch is for the water to cover and submerge the jar. And have at least two inches room for the boiling water not to go over the side of the pot. Canning tongs are very helpful when placing and removing jars from the canning pot. (Have sterilized jars by boiling prevously or putting through the dish washer.)

1. Peel and chop garlic and onion and saute in 2 Tbs. oil for twenty minutes stirring occasionally then removing vegtables from heat and put in enamel cooking pot.

2. Chop zucchini, peppers and tomatoes into bite size pieces and put them enamel cooking pot.

3. Chop parsley,basil and oregano.

4. Add chopped herbs, sugar, 1 1/2 cups olive oil, salt and pepper.

5. Place enamel pot of vegtables over medium heat, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking/burning for two hours fifteen minutes.

6.Add paste and stir in gentlycontinue cooking for 45 minutes stiring ocasionally and remove from heat.

7.Place hot water for canning on high to boil.

8. Fill jars carefully 1/2 inch from the top of each by using a special canning funnel or by cutting 1 1'2 inches off the bottom of a styrofoam cup for less mess.

9. Cover each filled mason jar with a new seal and ring evenly and snuggly but not over tightening.

10. Boil filled jars at about 212 degrees for 30 minutes for pints and 35 minutes for quarts.

11. Remove from boiling water and place on a towel having the jars about 1 inch apart from each other to cool. Popping noise will indicate appropriate seal. But double check though.

12. If any of the jars did not seal properly while cooling store in refrigerator up to 5 days or freeze.