Homemade Salsa

This salsa has the perfect amount of spice and sweetness. It is made with local, organic vegetables, and is gluten free! It is a great snack with corn chips, or can be used as a sauce when cooking. It is versatile and makes a great gift!

In addition to Peach Jam and Raspberry Blackberry Freezer Jam, my mom and I took on the task of making fresh Salsa! Salsa is a family favorite. We put it on meat and cheese platters, enjoy it with corn chips, and often bake chicken or salmon in the oven with a few tablespoons on top for an extra pop of flavor. Salsa is gluten free, and makes everything taste better! By making it ourselves we know exactly what is in it. It is low in sugar, and the flavor of all the fresh vegetables shine through.

We purchased all of our ingredients at a local fruit stand where everything is Okanagan grown, and most things are grown right on site. I have never had a bad experience there. Their tomatoes have been described as legendary, and I will not argue. They are juicy and taste like you went out a picked them yourself off the vine. We purchased a box of assorted hot peppers, which allowed us to control how spicy the salsa was. Everything smelled so wonderful; the car ride home was full of fresh aromas that filled my heart with warmth. Now those smells are preserved in small jars, to be enjoyed anytime of the year!

This salsa made 12 small jars. Next year I think it will be necessary to make a few batches because it is so good that one jar does not last very long! You can add anything you like to this salsa, such as corn, more peppers, more tomatoes, or whatever you feel like. This is how I like my Salsa, but it really is a personal experience! Get messy and experiment with your favorites to create the salsa that is perfect for you!

Salsa

 

8 Cups Roma Tomatoes

1 Cup White Onion

1 Cup Purple Onion

3 Cups Various Colors of Bell Peppers

1 Cup Jalapeno Pepper, or 2-3 Various Hot peppers

5 Cloves Garlic

2 Small Cans Tomato Paste

½ Cup Vinegar

2 Tbsp Sugar

1 Tbsp Salt

2 Tsp Cumin

2 Tsp Black Pepper

2 Tbsp Fresh Chopped Cilantro

-Cut all fresh vegetables (Tomatoes, Peppers, Onions, Jalapenos, Garlic) to desired size.

-Combine everything in a pot and bring to a slow boil for about 60 minutes. Cover with a lid for the first 20-30 minutes, and then remove the lid and continue to boil.

-Place in sterile jars with ½ inch headspace

-Wipe top and rim clean and put lids on

-Place jars in a water bath for 15 minutes, and then lift out the canning rack, leave jars in the canner with lids on for 5 minutes.

-Remove from canner and allow to completely cool for approx 24 hours

Makes 12 Jars

Enjoy on top of meats, as a dip for sandwiches, on nachos, or whatever else you can think of! Salsa tastes so wonderful and is delicious on everything! It is a healthy alternative to store bought, and will keep you wanting more! It makes the perfect hostess gift, or can be stored and given away as chritmas gifts, in gift baskets, or kept for yourself to be enjoyed whenever you like!

Also, do not forget to check out my homemade Peach Jam, and Raspberry Blackberry Freezer Jam recipes!

Have a great day doing the salsa!

K