Makin' Stuff

I might as well just change my name to Martha Stewart. Or Betty Crocker. I've been making stuff like a crazy person. Friday, I made two gallon sized freezer bags full of mushed baby carrots for Oliver. I don't make Oliver's baby food because I'm cool. I make it because I just so happened to have a large bag of carrots that needed to be used pronto, a baby starting solids, and because it's WAY easier to boil and blend carrots than it is to take four kids to Walmart to buy baby food.

Yesterday I was bound and determined to try to keep ahead of my garden.  Because no matter how hard I try, there is always a giant pile of produce sitting on my counter. That's a good thing though, it means my garden is doing well, which is what I want. I just have a hard time figuring out what to do with it all (read that as: finding time to figure out what I want to do with it all), and I don't want any of it to go to waste. So I made salsa.

I tried a new recipe this time, mostly because my mom wasn't home for me to call and get the usual recipe from. Maybe I should write it down. :) Either way, I was happy with how this recipe turned out. It's called Rockin' Salsa and is off of allrecipes.com

Rockin' Salsa

Rated: Submitted By: Tami Photo By: Lightedway Prep Time: 45 Minutes Cook Time: 3 Hours 20 Minutes Ready In: 6 Hours 5 Minutes Servings: 64

"This recipe makes several jars of spicy salsa that's great for gift-giving or to just have in your pantry."

INGREDIENTS:

1 red onion, chopped 1 white onion, chopped 1 yellow onion, chopped 6 pounds fresh tomatoes, peeled and chopped 2 banana peppers, chopped 3 green bell peppers, chopped 3 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste

1/2 cup white vinegar 2 tablespoons garlic powder 1 1/2 tablespoons salt 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin 1/4 cup brown sugar 1/4 cup white sugar 8 pint canning jars with lids and rings

DIRECTIONS:

1.	Combine red onion, white onion, yellow onion, tomatoes, banana peppers, green peppers, tomato paste, white vinegar, garlic powder, salt, cayenne pepper, cumin, brown sugar, and white sugar in a large pot. Simmer until thick, about 3 hours.
2.	Sterilize the jars and lids in boiling water for at least 5 minutes. Pack the salsa into the hot, sterilized jars, filling the jars to within 1/4 inch of the top. Run a knife or a thin spatula around the insides of the jars after they have been filled to remove any air bubbles. Wipe the rims of the jars with a moist paper towel to remove any food residue. Top with lids, and screw on rings.
3.	Place a rack in the bottom of a large stockpot and fill halfway with water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then carefully lower the jars into the pot using a holder. Leave a 2 inch space between the jars. Pour in more boiling water if necessary until the water level is at least 1 inch above the tops of the jars. Bring the water to a full boil, cover the pot, and process for 10 to 15 minutes.
4.	Remove the jars from the stockpot and place onto a cloth-covered or wood surface, several inches apart, until cool. Once cool, press the top of each lid with a finger, ensuring that the seal is tight (lid does not move up or down at all). Refrigerate after opening.

I didn't have banana peppers so I used jalapenos instead. And a lot of people in the comments said it was too sweet and to only use half the sugar, so I did that as well. I also added some minced garlic, and some cilantro, and some lime juice. I was happy with how it turned out.

But I still had jalapenos left over. 32 of them in fact. What the heck am I supposed to do with 32 jalapenos?! I searched around on All Recipes for a bit, and found a Jalapeno jelly recipe that I had all the ingredients for and decided to give it a whirl.

Jalapeno Jelly

Rated: Submitted By: Sue Delgrego Photo By: MELY C. Prep Time: 20 Minutes Cook Time: 45 Minutes Ready In: 1 Hour 5 Minutes Servings: 32

"This recipe came from the Black Lakes in Canada. It is the best that I have ever tasted, and very easy to make."

INGREDIENTS:

1 large green bell pepper 12 jalapeno peppers 1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar 1 pinch salt

4 1/4 cups granulated sugar 4 ounces liquid pectin 4 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely chopped

DIRECTIONS:

1.	Combine the green bell pepper and 12 jalapeno peppers in the container of a food processor or blender. Process until finely chopped. This can be done in batches, if the peppers do not fit.
2.	Transfer the peppers to a large saucepan, and stir in the cider vinegar. Bring to a boil, and let simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Strain the mixture through at least 2 layers of cheesecloth, and discard pulp. You should have about 1 cup of liquid.
3.	Return the liquid to the saucepan, and stir in the salt and sugar until dissolved. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. When the mixture comes to a rolling boil (one that cannot be stirred down), boil for one minute, then stir in the liquid pectin.
4.	Stir in the remaining jalapeno peppers, and ladle into sterile jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Seal jars in a hot water bath. Refrigerate jelly after seal is broken.

I did not strain the pepper mixture through a cheese cloth, and I used six cups of sugar. I made sure that I got every single solitary seed out and cut all the veins out as well as I could. I'm not a super spicy person, and having never made this recipe before, I wanted to be safe. The jelly turned out fantastic. The flavor is awesome, and it isn't spicy at all. My kids even like it. I even think I'll leave a few seeds in next time to get a little more spice. The best part was it used every single one of my jalapenos. Hooray! Now if I could just find a zucchini jelly recipe I'll be all set! ;)