When I talked to my mom yesterday, she had just finished picking the last of the tomatoes off the plants in the backyard. The weather in Portland has made the seasonal shift from Summer to Fall (unlike here in Philly where it is still gorgeous and warm, with only a hint of autumnal crispness) and so it was time to get any remaining produce out of the garden and transformed into states that store well. She made a huge batch of tomato sauce which got frozen in quart sized ziploc bags.

However, she's still got mountains of tomatoes and is in the market for some additional ways to use them. I think that there might be others of you who are in the same predicament. If so, you could turn some of your bounty into a batch of tomato paste like they did over at the Apartment Farm. If you don't have a food mill, don't let that stop you from making this recipe. You can use a fine mesh sieve and a rubber spatula instead. Another option comes from Nicole at Farm to Philly, who transformed the sea of red covering her outdoor table into two pints of homemade catsup. I'm especially tempted by this recipe, as I hate the fact that most ketchup includes a (not so) healthy does of corn syrup.

It seems a little late for a company to suddenly be jumping on the low-carb bandwagon (at least, I haven't previously noticed it in my area), but that's pretty much what Heinz has done with their one-carb Reduced Sugar Ketchup. The ketchup has 75% less sugar than their regular ketchup and 2/3 fewer calories. Since it is being marketed as a healthier alternative to regular ketchup, the company notes that it still has plenty of heart-healthy lycopene from tomatoes in it, so anyone who switches to it won't be missing out.

Frankly, it's hard to imagine that a low carb ketchup will really stand up to regular ketchup, let alone to Organic Heinz, and because you don't generally consume ketchup by the cupful, how harmful could a few extra grams of sugar be? They're probably not has unhealthy as the French fries or other food that is being served with the ketchup in the first place.

Sarah asked how your dressed your dogs - mustard? relish? chili? Personally, while I enjoy dogs dressed with all kinds of things, my very favorite way to eat them is with ketchup. I know it's boring compared to a loaded dog, but I also know I'm not the only one who likes them that way. My ketchup of choice is Heinz .

Heinz Ketchup is celebrating its 130th birthday this year and more the 50% of the Ketchup sold in the US is made by Heinz. Out of the many ketchups I've tried -including those ghastly green and purple monstrosities from Heinz, various "natural" ketchups and homemade ketchup - I've found that classic Heinz generally tastes the best. It has a sweetness that complements a slightly spicy dog, a little bite from vinegar and salt and a smooth texture. Of course, the texture of classic comes from the high fructose corn syrup that is in it and, because I generally try to avoid foods with high fructose corn syrup, I was delighted to discover that Heinz Organic doesn't have any! Granted, it came out in 2002, but old habits are hard to break. It tastes a little fresher and has a little more body than the classic Heinz, which actually makes it tastier than the classic - and it still goes perfectly on any hot dog (or fries, burgers, etc.).

I think that ribs are best when they are falling apart and so tender that you almost need a spoon to eat them. I know that many people prefer ribs that have some chew to them, but I never liked the feeling that I was gnawing at a bone. For me, meltingly soft meat is the way to go. A slow cooker is the perfect way to achieve this outstanding texture because it keeps the meat perfectly juicy as it cooks at a low heat. All you need to do is buy some baby back ribs, cut each slab in half to make sure they fit in your cooker and peel off the silverskin (silvery white connective tissue on the underside of the ribs). Then, simply layer the ribs with barbeque sauce and set the timer. I use 3-4 pounds of baby back ribs in my 5-quart slow cooker, though it could easily hold more. Refer to your manual for the exact capacity. I cook them on high for about 5 hours or low for 6-8. Towards the end of the cooking time, it is best to test them with a fork just to be certain the meat is done.

You can use any barbeque sauce for a recipe like this one. The homemade sauce recipe below has a nice tang to it and it goes very well with pork. I like to use dry spices in barbeque sauces because they’re always on hand and they flavors meld well as the sauce cooks.

If the media hasn't overdosed you with enough holiday spirit this year, maybe you'll get your fill at a fast food restaurant.

Heinz has released a limited edition set of holiday ketchup packets sure to set your holiday spirits soaring. Or at least to inspire some collectors. Or burger lovers. Or Santa Claus. Someone will appreciate them, I am sure.