Freezing Roma Tomatoes Can Be Fast and Easy

Freezing Roma tomatoes to be used throughout the year is so easy and very economical. The equipment necessary is very basic, you probably already have everything you need to get started. You will need:

• Large cooking pot
• A Large slotted spoon
• A Large bowl
• Freezer Bags

Step 1: Wash your ripened Roma tomatoes and remove the stems. The good news is you don't peel them yet.

Step 2: Fill your large cooking pot about half-way full with water and bring it to a boil.

Step 3: Put one layer of tomatoes into the boiling water skins and all. Let them boil until the skins start to split, 2 or 3 minutes is usually enough time.

Step 4: With your slotted spoon remove the tomatoes that have started to split and put them immediately into your large bowl with ice-cold water, this stops them from cooking any further.

Step 5: Once they are cool enough to handle, which is usually less than one minute depending on the coldness of your water, very gently peel the skins off. Lay them on a cookie sheet, or put them into a bowl to thoroughly cool.

Step 6: Measure 2 or 3 cups into your freezer bag. You can add salt now or wait until you use your tomatoes in cooking.

It is that simple, that is all there is to it!

Always remember to label the freezer bag with the contents, the amount, and the year. Our tendency is to naturally think, "Oh, I'll remember these are tomatoes." But if you are like me and have gotten the 'freezer bug', freezing every fruit and vegetable you can find, in a few months it may be difficult to discern between the green peppers and the jalapeno peppers, and that is a mistake you don't want to make. Trust me, my Denver omelet was one spicy breakfast! Learn from my mistake and label it, label it, label it!

You can also include your children by letting them label the freezer bags. Even if their writing is not perfect or they don't spell perfectly think how pleased they will feel to be included in your new endeavor. If the children are younger, it may be fun, when you pull the tomatoes out of the freezer a few months later, to see how their writing has improved! Step 4 is also a big favorite for children, fishing out the tomatoes with a slotted spoon.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Janet_Tinsley

Home Schooling and How to Stay Encouraged

Home schooling your own children can be an incredibly rewarding endeavor. Whether you just got started or you are a seasoned veteran, staying encouraged is non-optional, it is mandatory, and vital to the success of our children. Don't wait for an external source of encouragement to come along, it only wastes time. Take the leadership role and implement one or both simple tips to keep you encouraged when the going gets tough, not if the going gets tough, but when.

Find something positive in every child, everyday, even when you don't feel like it. If we are actively looking for the positive we will be less likely to become discouraged. No, I am not saying, "Every child gets an A every single day." But as you begin to look for positive traits and express praise and gratitude your children will respond quite favorably which will consequently encourage you. Genuine praise and encouragement go a very long way in keeping a happy school and an encouraged Mom.

Regard this season of life as an opportunity to improve on your own skill set. Education is not simply "serving up" information, and hoping they'll retain it until Friday's test. It is an opportunity, among other things, to improve your own skill set such as time management, organization, and information processing. If you have taught for any length of time you understand by information processing I mean the ability to take in information, process it, and teach it in a way the student will readily understand it. This has been my greatest challenge. I used to get aggravated when my children didn't understand my perfect little lesson plans. If they don't understand that may an indication I need to work on my information processing skills. No, we will never arrive, but we can certainly be moving forward, and quite often just a slight change in mindset will give us that fresh jump-start and the necessary encouragement we need.

I have offered my two favorite tips on how to stay encouraged in home schooling. There are many more ideas we could cover but these are my favorites and have been the most effective for me. Did you notice they both involve the teacher and the teacher's mindset or outlook? We are a major key to our students loving or not loving their home school.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Janet_Tinsley