[DollyCali]

NIKK.. thats why I do mostly all scratch cooking. I do canned tomatoes and sauce. The fire roasted tomatoes I use (Hunts) haven’t caused problems but everyone’s body reacts differently. Im especially fond of sun dried tomatoes in pasta dishes and many other uses. I often soften them in white wine for recipes where a softer product is nice. Now and then I can get a decent size bag of overripe tomatoes really marked down (like a couple pounds for a dollar). they immediately get washed and put in crock pot for something. chili, soup, pasta. Ill cook them up slightly with onion & garlic & freeze some and use the rest immediately

I do make about half of our salad dressings. Jen buys a few she likes that I dont make. We are getting nothing from China. USA or Mexico only for produce. Specialty chesses from europe or other ethnic products on occasion.

Restaurant salads often prsent a problem for guests as they prepackaged greens which a large majority of restaurants use, spray with a preservative that tears up some people (me) and digestive comfort.

[STARLIT]

I too use Hunts..and I buy the steamed whole tomatoes when I need tomatoes. A chef on Hallmark said he only used Hunts because they weren't loaded with preservatives.

Hunts catsup has been used in our house for years because my son is allergic to corn syrup. I'll look for the Hunts brand on the roasted tomatoes. Thanks. Soaking in white wine sounds perfect for me. I can't drink any red wine. Strange.

I have a mason jar handy when I cut an onion. What I don't use I HURRY and put the left overs in the jar and tighten the lid. I can then have onion for a week. If I don't do this..I have to throw anyway any left over onion. Bacteria clings to an onion very quickly.

You have encouraged me to start an herb garden area on my porch. And perhaps set them outside on our deck when the weather permits.