What's For Dinner?: Tomatoes = Salsa

I love homemade salsa! Years ago a neighbor and I spent years trying to create the perfect salsa. After many different recipes and adjustments, we finally came up with one we liked the best. Salsa is the first thing I bottle with my tomatoes. When I get as much as I need, then I use the tomatoes for other things. With that said, let's get canning!

Here is the recipe:

30 large tomatoes
4 green peppers
3 onions
5 - 7 jalapeno peppers or a combination of other hot peppers
2 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon pepper

Fill a large pot 1/3 full of water. Bring to a boil. Add enough tomatoes to cover bottom of pan. Add more water if necessary to have tomatoes covered. Let boil or simmer for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove tomatoes from pot and place in sink filled with cold water. Repeat, until all tomatoes have been blanched. This process will help the skins slide right off.

Using a paring knife, cut out stem and remove the skin. It should slide right off. If not, then you need to keep them in the boiling water a little longer.

Quarter the tomato and place in large pot. When pan is full, place on stove and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes over medium heat while you continue to skin the remaining tomatoes. This process will bring the juices out of the tomatoes.

Using a measuring cup, press down on the tomatoes, allowing the juices to run into the cup. Pour into a clean, hot quart jar. Continue in this manner until most of the juice is removed. I can usually fill 2 or 3 quarts with juice. This step eliminates hours of cooking the salsa down until it is thick. It also gives you a bonus of tomato juice that can be added to soups or recipes calling for tomato juice.

Fill jars leaving 1/4 inch head space. Wipe rim with a clean cloth, place hot lid on and screw on the ring. Set aside to process with the salsa.

Trim green peppers and onions and cut in pieces. Cut stems off of hot peppers. You can remove the seeds if desired, but I like to leave them because we like it HOT!

Add a couple cups of tomatoes from simmering pot to a food processor, along with 1/3 of the veggies. Process until desired consistency. We don't like big chunks, so I leave it for about a minute until the veggies are fine.

Pour into large pot and continue processing the remaining tomatoes and veggies. The pot should be filled to the top so add more tomatoes if needed. Notice how the salsa is thick and just the right consistency. Add the salt and pepper. Bring to a boil on medium high heat, stirring frequently so it doesn't scorch. Lower heat and simmer for 30 to 60 minutes.