Ruth/Canning

[Guest guest]

I thought I'd try something easy like tomato sauce. Also, my family

loves those fire roasted tomatoes. I'd like to try my own. I hadn't

thought about salsa, but that might not be a bad idea too. I'm not

really all that anxiuos to use bushels of tomatoes and hours of

cooking for sauce, lol, but maybe I'll try it once, just to get it

out of my system, lol. Depends on how many tomatoes I have and how

anxious I am to use them up, lol. I need the experience more than

anything else! I'm not sure I'll even have the courage to actually

eat nything I can, lol. Yes, i'm totally chicken.

 

THANK YOU for the salsa recipe! I'd love to see he strawberry

chmpagne recipe too!

 

Cyndi

 

, " Ruth " <ruth1218

wrote:

>

> Hi Cyndi,

> thanks for the welcome. I think that tomatoes are a great thing

to

> start with for canning. Somehow, nothing seems to be more

satisfying

> that jars of tomatoes. How are you planning to can them...sauce,

> whole, juice, salsa? Salsa is very easy to make and doesn't take

the

> volume of tomatoes that other things do (Making sauce takes seems

to

> take bushels and a lot of time to cook down). You do need to add

> some type of acid to the salsa so that it is safe to can via hot-

> water-bath. So it doesn't taste exactly the same as fresh salsa,

but

> it is very good. Below is the recipe I use and it always gets

> devoured at get-togethers.

>

> I also have a great Strawberry Champagne Jam recipe if you would

like

> it for those strawberries. It's another easy one and tastes

great.

> I made 80 jars of it two years ago as wedding favors for a

friend's

> daughter's wedding. It was a big hit.

>

> I have the " Complete Guide to Home Canning " published by the USDA

on

> a pdf format. If you would like, I can post it to your files

> section. It is something that is available to download for free

on

> the internet, so there is no breach of copyright laws for me to

pass

> it along. I don't know if members can post to your files or not

so I

> wanted to ask first. This is the definitive guide on safe canning

> and is a great resource. Even after over 30 years of canning, I

> still refer to it. Just let me know.

>

> Thanks again for the welcome,

> Ruth in NH

> *************************

> Tomato Salsa to Can

> 7 quarts of peeld, cored and chopped tomatoes

> 4 cups chopped sweet peppers

> 5 cups chopped onions

> 1/2 cup seeded, finely chopped jalapeno peppers***

> 6 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

> 2 cups bottled lemon juice

> 2 Tbsp salt

> 1 Tbsp. black pepper

> 2 Tbsp ground cumin

> 3 Tbsp chopped oregano leves

> 2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

>

> Combine all of the ingredients except cumin, oregano and cilantro

in

> a large pot and bring to boil, stirring frequently, then reduce

heat

> and simmer 10 minutes. Add spices and herbs and simmer for

another

> 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Ladle into hot pint jars,

leaving

> 1/2 inch headspace. Adjust lids and process in boiling water bath

> canner, 15 minutes at 0-1000 feet altitude, 20 minutes 1001-6000

> feet, 25 minutes above 6000 feet. Remove from canner, llet cool

and

> check seals on lids. Store in a dark place. Ejoy with chips or

> however you like salsa!

>

> ***we substitute habaneros for the jalepenos because that is what

we

> grow. We also increase this amount and decrease the sweet peppers

by

> the same amount, that is just because we like it hotter. That is

> just a matter of personal taste

>

>

>

> , " cyndik2 " <cyndikrall@>

> wrote:

> >

> Welcome, Ruth, <snip>I'm so glad you are a canner! LOL. I've been

> talking about starting canning, but I'm really chicken, so it

will

> be nice to have a resource available for questions, lol. We are

> growing a lot of veggies this year, in raised beds my husband

built.

> We have rock problems, same as you. We live in a typical CA

> suburban, small lot, but we are trying to make the most of it.

When

> my tomatoes are ripe, I'd love to can some. That is my only

canning

> goal this year, I need to start slow, lolol.

> <snip>

> It sounds like you are living the way many of us are striving to.

> Good for you! that is wonderful. I hope you will pass on your

recipes

> and keep us posted on your gardening activities. I love gardening

of

> any sort, and love chatting about it almost as much, lol.

> >

> > So sorry about your kitty-we have three cats, and I'll be

> devastated when that time comes for us too.

> >

> > take care,

> > Cyndi

>