Hi Irish! Like DigDirt, I prefer the taste of roasted tomatoes for my sauce. I like to do things quick and easy, especially when it comes to preserving because it seems like everything comes on at once and it's hard to keep up. Here's the super-easy way I make roasted tomato sauce, which I freeze for use all winter long. I use Roma (plum) tomatoes for a thicker sauce. No amounts listed in my recipe because it really doesn't matter. I just keep roasting pan-fulls until I've used up the tomatoes. Jane's Roasted Tomato Sauce 1. Core and halve tomatoes (I run my thumb up the hollows quickly to push out most of the gel/seeds) 2. Put tomatoes in a BIG bowl. Drizzle with a little olive oil and toss to coat tomatoes. 3. Place tomatoes CUT SIDE DOWN in large rimmed sheet pan, as big as will fit your oven. 4. Roast in a 400 degree oven for 45-60 mins. Tomato skins will begin to shrivel and start to blacken on top, this is good. 5. When sizzley and well-roasted, remove from oven. The tomato skins will be loosened and most of them will slip off the tomato if squeezed lightly with tongs. If you wish to remove skins, go ahead. If not, it's okay too. 6. Place tomatoes in food processor, pulse a few times until thick and chunky consistency (or however you like your sauce). You will probably have to work in batches since the entire pan of tomatoes won't fit in food processor at once. 7. Pour into freezer containers and let cool before placing in freezer. This makes tomato sauce. I like Italian sauce since that's what I mostly use. So at Step #2 I also cut up some bell peppers and onions into big chunks, put them in bowl with tomatoes and oil. Also a few garlic cloves. Sprinkle in salt, pepper, italian spices. Then place in pan and continue in the same way. Easy, can do a lot at once. Can do tomatoes ahead and leave the big oily bowl covered in frig a day or two until you find time to roast. Free time while roasting, versus sauce on the stovetop that you have to keep an eye on. There aren't any finicky rules using this method. (I'm usually not good with finicky rules! LOL ) Enjoy!

I make lemon-tahini sauce often: Tahini-Lemon Sauce 2/3 cup tahini 2/3 cup yogurt 1 large clove garlic, crushed 1/3 cup lemon juice (about 2-3 lemons) 3 green onions, coarsely chopped 1/3 cup parsley, stems removed dash of salt 1/8 tsp cayenne (or less, to taste) 1/8 tsp paprika 1/4 tsp ground cumin Put all ingredients in a small food processor and combine until onions and parsley are finely minced. Store in the refrigerator. While this recipe is normally for Persian or Middle Eastern dishes, it works with spicy Indian food as well. If DH likes tahini, you could substitute that for the peanut butter in your other recipe. I have no problem leaving out certain ingredients in sauces, and often the sauce is fine without them. I do not like peanut butter myself either, but I do like cashew butter, which might be another possible substitution. You can also make a dipping sauce from your marinade. To thicken it, add a bit of cornstarch of potato starch and heat it until it is thick enough. I often use leftover marinades to make sauces, and I did this on Sunday for the tuna that I grilled, but it was more of a Japanese style than Indian. Lars

Rich Fruit Cake There's a lot of ingredients but you basically just mix them all together! Makes 8" round cake or 7" square. (I have also used this recipe to make a 9" round cake with excellent results) 1 lb 5 oz currants 6 oz raisins 11 oz sultanas/golden raisins 6 oz candied citrus peel 5 oz candied cherries, washed and cut into 4 pieces 1 oz sliced almonds 1 oz almond meal/flour 1 1/2 teaspoons very strong coffee 2 level teaspoons spice mix (your own preference but I use cocoa,cinnamon, ground ginger, allspice and nutmeg) Pinch of salt Zest and juice 1 small lemon 10 oz soft dark brown sugar or molasses (I use 1/2 of each) 10 oz butter 12 oz self rising flour 3 fl oz dark rum 6 large eggs Extra 1 fl oz dark rum for brushing over cake Line cake pan sides and base with parchment paper and outside of pan sides and base with brown paper (using natural string to secure) Heat oven to 250F In large bowl add spices, coffee, almonds, salt, lemon zest, and juice to fruit. Mix well then add rum and leave to soak for at least 24 hours or up to 1 week. I stir it once per day. The aroma is wonderful! In a second bowl, beat butter and sugar until pale and creamy. Beat eggs one at a time and add to butter mix, adding some flour with each egg. Reserve a small amount of flour to coat fruit by stirring it through fruit mixture. Gradually add butter/egg mix to fruit mix and stir until well mixed. Scrape into cake pan making a very slight depression in the center. Cover lightly with circle of parchment paper with small hole cut in center. Bake in pre-heated 250F oven just above center, until an inserted skewer comes out clean, approx 3 hours. (My 9" cakes have taken up to 5 hours!!) When cooked leave in oven for a few minutes with the door open. Remove from oven, brush over 1 fl oz of rum over top of cake. Leave in pan until totally cold, or overnight in a cool room. Remove from pan, wrap completely in parchment paper, then in foil. Store for minimum 4 weeks to mature. I brush with a little extra rum or brandy every 6 weeks if I store the cake for many months. The cake for this Christmas is over one year old.

AM: I was talking about Thalassemia or Mediterranian Anemia. OR, IF YOUR IRON COUNT IS HIGH. You can put too much Iron into your System. Ask a Hematologist or Why don't you Google, " Thalassiemia, can iron pills cause a Heart Attack " See what you come up with. It would not hurt others to take a look also. I'm not a Pro, just know from experiences, in my family. I have bloodwork done every so often. I also smoked cigarettes for 50 years.( I quit about 15 years ago ) It didn't seem to affect me. But I wouldn't tell someone it is OK to smoke So I wouldn't listen to ME or persons who are not Professionaly qualified. Sorry if this went off topic. Just trying to help!!! Many are using Cast Iron Cookware, like me. LOU