Well, wasn't that a hoot!

Finally...sorry about the interruption...I had to get a bigger computer. Found that out after I fried the last one! The only problem is - this is Windows 7 and it is completely foreign to me. Took me 2 days to figure out how to upload pictures!

Thank you for hanging in there...I missed my daily blab. While I was going through computer withdrawal, I managed to make a gallon and a half of SALSA! We have always hoped to have the first tomato by July 4th, but we had so many I had to use them or lose them. Hubby has staggered planting more, so we ought to have them right up until fall.

This is what I had left after making the salsa...looks like another batch to me.

The recipe for the salsa is in the recipe section. It calls for 13 cups of diced tomatoes drained before cooking.

This is the juice I got off the tomatoes...don't throw it away, it is wonderful to drink or cook with, just a little salt is all it takes. If you are so inclined, it can be mixed with V8 or cocktail juice and used to make a killer Bloody Mary.

Blanch the tomatoes in boiling water for about a minute, remove from water and place in iced water to stop the cooking process.

The peel simply pulls off. All you have to do is core and chop them up.

The jalapeno is very fine dice as is the garlic. the onions and green peppers are a little coarser. This calls for 3 cups of peppers and you can mix them up as you like. I use a scant cup of jalapenos and 2 cups of bell peppers. I would not recommend using habaneros unless you have a cast iron stomach. The scant 1 cups of jalapenos makes a medium salsa.

Everything goes in the pot, stir it well and let it cook at medium or low heat.

When the veggies are done and the sauce has thickened, ladle it into clean sterilized jars and cap it with a new canning lid and a ring. Place it in your boiling water canner. Since I had quart and pint jars in the same batch, I used the quart time of 20 minutes to boil. Remove from the boiling water and set on a towel, you should immediately hear the lids pop to seal. Let the jars cool and store for future use.

We opened one jar for taco salad last night and it really turned out good!

From the looks of the garden I'm going to have to make another batch soon. Our blackberries are almost done, we have 8 plus gallons in the freezer and our okra is starting to come off. Looks like I'm going to be busy!

Have a wonderful, safe 4th of July!