Bottling and Bunkos

Salsa

Things you are gonna need:

Vegetable Steamer

Steam Canner

Bottling Tools

Long Stirring Spoon

Large Pot (22 Quart is plenty big)

2-3 Four Quart bowls

Food Processor

Jars

Lids

Rings

Lemon Juice or Vinegar (not both!)

and

• 1/2 bushel scalded & peeled tomatoes
• 4 green peppers
• 4 large onions
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1/3 cup salt
• 1 tbs paprika
• 2 tbs oregano
• 6 large jalapenos
• 2-3 red chilies
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tsp crushed basil
• 1 tbs chili powder

Ok.. now lets make some sense out of that!

**How much is a 1/2 a bushel of tomatoes??**

According to helium.com a bushel is 45lbs of tomatoes.. so a half a bushel is about 22.5 lbs of tomatoes.

I don't have a scale to weigh our tomatoes but we estimate that our wire gardening basket is about a 1/2 a bushel. And a basketful of tomatoes fills one whole side of my sink... so one whole side of your sink is about 1/2 a bushel... sorry about the guesstimate!

**scalding the tomatoes**

To scald your tomatoes you simply boil them until the crack open a little.

You'll need something like this baby

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Or you can use a regular pot and scoop the tomatoes out with a spoon. If you do have a vegetable steamer put a pizza pan underneath it when you lift it out of the pot to catch excess water! Then you don't get water on the floor :)

Fill a side of your sink with cool water. Dump the scalded tomatoes in the water to cool off. Peeling hot tomatoes burns your fingers! Once the tomatoes are cool then you can start peeling.

**peeling the tomatoes**
Scalded tomatoes peel really easily. When you cut off the top of the tomato the skin should pop right off! If it doesn't, slide your knife blade under an edge of the skin and peel it back.

I was working alone today so my pictures are minimal..

1. Put your peeled tomatoes in bowls. Chop up peppers, onions, garlic and chilies
2. Add the chopped veggies to the bowls of tomatoes
3. Put everything into a food processor on medium speed
4. Put your processed veggies into your big pot and add your spices, stir it up good

5. Let your salsa boil until it reaches your desired thickness. I let mine boil for about 45 minutes

6. When you think your salsa looks good pour it in your jars
7. Add 1 tbs lemon juice or vinegar to pints jars
or 2 tbs lemon juice or vinegar to quarts jars

**Prepare your cans just like in the Tomato Soup Tutorial. Lids go in hot water to activate gluey gunk, wipe off mouths of jars, check for cracks and seal with bottle rings**

8. Steam in canner for 20 minutes

In the end I got 7 quarts and 4 pints. Depending on the chunckiness of your salsa you could get more or less. Like with the bushel measuring thing- you just have to learn as you go.
Good luck. If you have any questions leave a comment!!

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While I was canning it started to rain. Mark loves to be outside rain or shine. He just took shelter in one of his many vehicles.

Mark in his red car

Mark is his Rhino!

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Last night was Bunko night! I love love love Bunko.
By the way do you say it Bunko or Bonko?! Am I totally saying it wrong?

Anyway it was Black and White night! Here I am with my little sis Ashley in our black and white get ups!

Ashley goes a little nutso when you give her a camera!

Most of our Bunko (Bonko) group! Fun times!!!

The END!