Can Your Own Salsa For This Winter

My neighbor gave us quite a lot of tomatoes this summer and fall since he lives alone and can't use all of them. I had never canned salsa before last year but my sisters had and I always wanted to try it. The only thing I had canned were tomatoes to use in chili and goulash.

Anyways, I decided to can some salsa again this year and didn't have any peppers so was on my way to a vegetable stand we have in our area to purchase some. On the way I saw a different neighbor down the road who happened to be outside. He has a huge garden with lots of vegetables and beautiful flowers. I stopped and said hello and told him I was going to buy some peppers for making salsa. Well, he immediately grabbed me by the arm and said to come look at his garden. He had tons of jalapeno and banana peppers which were just what I needed.

He went to get a couple of plastic bags and told me pick some peppers. He picked about a bag full and I picked close to a bag full also. That was just what I needed to make my salsa and was all set. I had onions and just had to purchase some bell peppers.

To make a long story short, I ended up with 10 pints of salsa which turned out great!

Here's the recipe if you would like to try it sometime:

SALSA (This makes about 4 or 5 jars) I doubled the recipe and added a few more peppers. It really is your preference and you can add or switch whatever you desire.

14 Medium Tomatoes
4 Hot Banana Peppers
1 Green Pepper
6 Jalapeno Peppers (or 2-3 Jalapeno and 2-3 Chili Peppers)
2-3 Medium Onions
Clove of Garlic (Optional)
Pint Jars,  Lids & Rings

Blanch tomatoes in scalding water and peel. Then cut in quaters. Cut rest of vegetables in small pieces using a chopper if you have one. Or you can cut small pieces by hand like I did. (Make sure to wear plastic gloves or you'll burn your hands). And don't touch your face or that will burn too! Those peppers really made my sinuses clear up!

After you have all the vegetables chopped up or cut in small pieces you put everything in a large cooking kettle. Heat everything till it starts simmering and cook on low to medium (depending on how hot your stove is). Make sure you don't let it burn, stir occasionally and cook till thick, approximately 2 hours

Sterilize your jars and lids and immediately fill your jars with the simmering hot salsa. Screw on the lids. They will seal but everything has to be hot (sauce, jars and lids).  All 10 or my jars sealed and it was fun listening to the "ping" when they sealed!