I've only had my steam juicer for a little over a year but it's one of two prime tools I wouldn't want to be without for processing food.  Assuming you already have a pressure canner and a pot big enough to serve as a water bath canner (sometimes the pressure canner can do both), the other tool I wouldn't be without is a chinoise (aka china cap or ricer).

I've tried a Foley food mill, borrowed my mom's newer Victorio strainer and used various other alternatives to the chinoise but it always comes out on top for straining and separating fruit/vegetable peels and seeds from the good stuff.  I found mine at a flea market for around $15 which included the stand, strainer and wooden doohickey.  I've seen them online for anywhere from $18 up to $100. 

My mom still has the one she bought when first married which has to be over 60 years old.  They last and last.  She still uses it even though she has the Victorio strainer because for plain tomato sauce, applesauce, etc. it's easier to use and clean.  She does use the Victorio with a couple of special screens (salsa, maybe?) but otherwise even she still relys on the chinoise. An elderly friend called me earlier this month as she had just picked her oriental persimmon tree clean and was trying to put up persimmon puree for the freezer.  But her Foley food mill balked at the big persimmon seeds and she was looking for a chinoise.

If I couldn't have the chinoise, the Victorio would be my second choice.

And, I definitely recommend trying the steam juicer for applesauce.  Earlier this month I did about 4 bushels of applesauce in mine and ended up with perfect applesauce (thick with no liquid forming around the edge of the applesauce when served on a plate) AND about 18 quarts of apple juice without having to peel or core one apple.  I did cut out any bad spots and coarsely cut the apples into halves or quarters.  But otherwise the whole process was done with the steam juicer and then running the SJ apples through the chinoise.  My poor chickens were the only ones who didn't like the results because it meant less waste to toss out to them…

Yes, tomato sauce and apple sauce are likely the only things I'll be doing. We don't have access to fruit for making jellies/jams and we don't use that much (jam) anyway.

One more question…couldn't I just cook down my tomatoes in the crock pot till thick and sauce consistency just like I do my applesauce? Then put through a food mill/strainer to remove the peels/seeds?

This is VERY helpful information.

Speaking of gadgets…scored a Foodsaver for $5 at a garage sale today!

I did just pick up a dehydrator from the garage of my MIL, so that would be an option, too. I was thinking of roasting the tomatoes with onions, garlic and herbs before running through a mill and making sauce that way so I've been looking and I see Alton Brown has a recipe like that. I like the idea of more 'hands off' time rather than all the peeling, seeding, chopping. Even if I cook first and do the food mill, I will dehydrate the leavings for sure.

Gadgeting up! Just ordered accessories for my new Foodsaver.

I've never cooked/canned tomato sauce, spaghetti sauce or pizzia sauce but I've made LOTS of applesauce.

I quarter, core & dump in a large kettle (or crockpot) with barely enough water to cover.  I simmer until the apples are soft (falling apart) and then I run that thru my blender (skins & all) and can it.  I also add redhots while the "sauce" is still hot, if desired.   So in mine, the skins stay in the applesauce.