Enrichment for the Sisterhood: September 2009

THANKS AGAIN TO CINDY!! She did a great job!

We had a lot of fun and learned a lot at the last enrichment activity. As promised, here are the recipes Cindy showed us. Trust me, these recipes are super delicious and very easy to make. I also have Shelley's 3 different kinds of salsa recipes. If you want it, let me know.

Easy "Canned" Salsa
1 28 oz. can whole stewed tomatoes
1 7 oz. can diced green chili (or 3 or 4 Hatch chili)
1 4 oz. can jalapenos (or 1 or 2 fresh, watch the heat though)
1 or 2 green onions, sliced (optional)
½ to 1 whole white onion, chopped (this is to your taste, can rehydrate some dehydrated onions)
1 T. crushed red pepper (to taste)
2 t. garlic salt
½ t. salt (to taste)

You can throw everything in your food processor and pulse until the texture is to your liking. Or you can even put it in the blender for a smoother salsa.

How to Can Salsa
Canning produce from your own garden can be very rewarding. You can have many different varieties of canned goods stored and ready for your family to eat with a small amount of preparation. See these simple steps to home canning.
Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You'll Need:
· tomatoes (8 cups)
· 2 1/2 cup onions
· 2 cups Bell Pepper
· 3-5 jalapenos
· 6 cloves minced garlic
· 2 tsp cumin
· 2 tsp pepper
· 1/8 cup canning salt
· 1 cup vinegar, lemon juice or lime juice
· 16 oz tomato sauce
· 16 oz tomato paste
· large stock pot
Step 1
Commercial Caner / Stock pot
For home canning garden fresh salsa we will be using a water bath canning method. If you don't own a commercial water bath caner a large stock pot can be used as a substitute. The only difference between a commercialized water bath caner and a stock pot is the amount of jars you will be able to fit in it.
Step 2
Blanching Tomato's
The first step in making salsa is blanching the tomato's. Blanching is a very easy process you can use to can many types of vegetables and fruits. Simply it is a process where you submerge produce in boiling water for 1-3 minutes and then plunge the produce into cool water. This process separates the skins from the produce making for a much easier peeling process. It is necessary to remove the skins as they become tough and chewy when left on and canned.
*make a small slice in the tomatoes before submerging in the hot water to make it easier.
Step 3
Peel and Dice
Once your tomato's have been boiling 2 minutes remove from your pot and plunge them into a sink full of cold water. When the tomatoes cool you will see the skins begin to lift off of the fruit. Peel your tomatoes and remove any bruised spots. Let the tomatoes drain in a colander for 3-4 minutes to get rid of the excess liquid. Dice your tomatoes and the rest of the fresh produce ingredients.
Step 4
Ingredients
Put all of the ingredients listed into a pot to boil on the stove. You can use lemon and lime juice as a substitute for vinegar. I never stick to the recipe as written. I add green chilies, cilantro, chives or any other fresh produce that I know my family enjoys. I encourage you to add as much of or as little of anything that you know your family likes.
Step 5
Boil and Simmer 10 minutes
Bring all of the ingredients to a boil and allow them to simmer for 10 minutes. Stir your mixture occasionally with a wooden or plastic spoon. It is time to heat up your water bath caner as well. Fill a large stock pot 3/4 full or ensure the water will cover your jars by at least 1 inch. The water should be boiling for 5 minutes before you put the canned produce in.
Step 6
Removing air / Filling Jars
Once your salsa has simmer 10 minutes remove from the heat and begin filling your jars. Fill your jars to within 1/2 inch of the top. You want to use a flat wooden or plastic utensil to ensure you do not have any air bubbles inside your jar. This is done by running your utensil along the inside of your jar. Using a paper towel clean the top outside and inside of your jar. You want to make sure there is no produce between the top of the jar and your canning lid.
Step 7
Large Stock Pot for Canning
This recipe will make 7 and 3/4 quart jars full of salsa. I recommend only filling 7 jars and eating the remaining salsa fresh. You must keep the required amount of head space in the jars for the canning to be successful and your produce safe to eat. Place your quart jars inside your water bath caner for a process time of 25 minutes. I use a large stock pot as it works the same and saves me the expense of buying a "proper" water bath caner.
Step 8
Cooled Salsa
After you have processed the salsa for 25 minutes you can remove your jars and let them cool. Label your jars with the date to ensure that your produce is eaten within the proper time frame. This salsa is good up to one year after the canning date, however, it is so good I guarantee it will be gone much sooner than that. Enjoy your freshly canned produce!

Tips & Warnings
Add any vegetable or seasoning that your family loves.
Can the salsa in smaller jars if you know they will not be consumed quickly.
Give some salsa as gifts.
Increase your cook time if you are more than 1000ft above sea level.
A good rule for canning is to increase process time by 5 minutes for every 1000ft above sea level.
Do NOT use metal utensils when you are canning.