Grilled Tomato Sauce From Steven Raichlen Like soup, tomato sauce is one of the dishes you're least likely to think of grilling. But there is a powerful reason to try this sauce. Beyond the mere novelty factor, grilling imparts a gutsy smoke flavor to the sauce and heightens the natural sweetness of the vegetables. Don't take just my word for it. For thousands of years, Mexicans have grilled tomatoes, onions and peppers to make rich-tasting salsas. I have adapted the technique to make an exceptionally flavorful tomato sauce. Serve the sauce over grilled polenta, with any simple grilled fish, or with just about any cooked pasta. Makes about 3 1/2 cups. 5 lucious, ripe red tomatoes 2 - 2 1/4 pounds total, cut in half crosswise, and stem ends removed 1 medium size white onion, peeled and cut into quarters 1 rib celery 4 cloves garlic, peeled and skewered on a wooden toothpick or small bamboo skewer 3 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil 1 tsp. oregano 1/2 tsp. hot pepper flakes 1 bay leaf 6 fresh basil leaves coarse salt (Kosher or Sea salt) freshly ground black pepper 1/4 to 3/4 cup chicken stock, vegetable stock or water Cook the tomatoes, onions, celery and garlic in greased and preheated grill (George Foreman grill) until nicely browned. You may need to cook the vegetables in more than one batch. Transfer the grilled vegetables and let cool. Finely chop the onions, celery and garlic by hand or in a food processor. If using a food processor, run machine in spurts. Heat olive oil in large non-reactive sauce pan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, celery and garlic, oregano, hot pepper flakes and bay leaf and cook until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Coarsely puree tomatoes and juices with the basil in a food processor. Add the tomato mixture to the sauce pan, with the vegetables. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then let sauce simmer gently until thick and richly flavored 8-10 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. The sauce should be thick but pourable. If it is too thick, add a little stock or water. Remove and discard the bay leaf. The sauce can be refrigerated, covered up to 4 days. Or frozen for up to 2 months. Let the sauce come to room temperature then reheat it in a non-reactive sauce pan over medium heat, stirring often.

I love going to garage sales. Here's my take on it. Some people have garage sales where they are selling about $15 total worth of stuff. My sister who comes with me sometimes always marvels at these sales. She can't fathom why anyone would sit in their garage all day for that bit of money. My answer is, well, because they enjoy it! There are people who really don't have a lot to do and enjoy sitting there, striking up conversations with customers, etc. For them, a low $ garage sale isn't so much about the $, it's about the activity itself. The $$ are just a bonus. So... in your case, I'd say donate. I love going TO garage sales, but in my life I've had only about two of them, both times selling large items (furniture and such), thus making it worth my while. You kind of have to use dd50's logic. Estimate how much you will make vs how many hours you'll be sitting there and come up with an amount per hour. Then figure if your time is worth that or not. If not, skip it and donate.

You said you had a ot of stuff...but you did't say what please email me and let me know. Thanks!

If we're talking about white microfiber, I might say maybe. Anything else, I doubt it's needed. A damp washcloth gets most things off microfiber. Or some Spot Shot, or the carpet spot shampooer, or a good flick. :) Here's another angle to consider. DH selected some leather home theater seating. He's a messy eater, and I knew he'd eat/drink on that furniture, and it wasn't the greatest quality of leather. So he opted to have it treated. His seat now shows wear. Mine still looks pristine...because I'm allergic to something in the treatment! If I sit on it for longer than a few minutes, I break out in a scaly rash anywhere my skin is in contact with the leather. So if I sit there, I have to drape a blanket over first anyway... may as well have gotten upholstery. :) I haven't sat in that furniture for at least 6 years now... and we will never buy another round of furniture protectant again!