Salsa

Since pickle canning was so easy Kristie and I decided to tackle salsa. This recipe came from Kristie's Aunt Barbra and we tweaked it a tiny bit. It makes about 28 pints so you can half or double depending on how many tomatoes you have to process. Corn and beans are completely optional - we didn't add them for the first try, which results in a few less pints of salsa. I also added a handful of habanero peppers to my recipe since my house likes spicy food. This recipe is awesome and it was pretty easy to make.

Ingredients

25 ½ cups tomatoes, chopped and cored (some people blanch and peel, we didn't)

2 ¾ cups jalapeno peppers

6 cups peppers, green/red

8 ½ cups onions, chopped

½ cup garlic, minced

2 cups fresh cilantro, chopped

6 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped

¼ cup salt

1 ½ tablespoons cumin

2-2 cups cider vinegar 

optional

30 oz canned black beans rinsed 

6 cobs of fresh corn, grilled 

habenaro peppers

tomato paste

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a large stock pot, starting with 2 cups of cider vinegar. Bring to a boil and then let simmer until it thickens to a proper consistency. Taste along the way and adjust spices/heat to your liking. Add up to 2 more cups cider vinegar if needed. If it is too runny, add a small can or two of tomato paste

Ladle and divide salsa evenly into jars. Warm up the flat part of the jar cover in pan of simmering water. Once the tops are warm, place them on the jars and screw the lid on tightly. Put the jars in boiling water for 15 minutes. Remove and they will seal themselves.

Keep one jar out to enjoy right away!

Pickles

Canning has always scared me. Something about having to boil the jars and making sure they seal turned me off from it. Until my sister-in-law found this really easy recipe where you bake the jars instead. It seemed simple enough, so I thought I would try it with some extra cucumbers I had in my garden.

Ingredients
Cucumbers - enough to fill 7 quarts
3 quarts water
1 quart vinegar
1/2 cup salt

sprinkle of alum/jar
1 teaspoon dill/jar
garlic cloves
onion

Directions
Heat the water, vinegar, and salt until salt has dissolved.

Sprinkle the alum at the bottom of each jar. Add the dill, garlic, onion, and cucumbers. I did a sprinkle of garlic and onion per jar. Add as much of each to your own taste. Pour the brine mixture into the jars. Seal tightly.

Put all the jars on a cookie sheet and bake for 1 hour at 250 degrees.

Note: I found alum in the spice aisle at the store.