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Happy birthday, Mozilla
This is a little late in a day. I hope it's never to late to wish Mozilla a happy birthday. Check out some images of their lair, from Wired.
If you're an IE zombie or a Safari zealot, you may not have experienced the glories of Mozilla. Among other things, they brought us the wonderful Firefox browser. I've used it for years. On my Mac, by the way, I'm on Beta 3. If you're a Mac user, upgrade to the beta today. It's faster and more reliable than 2.0, at least for me.


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Let's play a little game. I'll say a word and you say the first word that comes to your mind. Ready... RED. Now some of you may say words such as "apple", "wine", or "shoes". Others may say "roses", "hearts" or "lipsticks". Me, and Taylor Swift, we would say "Love". Love is Red. Red is Love. Love … Continue reading but loving him was red.
Category: chicago
If home is truly where the heart is, then Ohio will always be home. Lately, as the thirties continue to make me more maternal and sentimental than I ever imagined being, I've been realizing more and more that my heart has been stranded there since I relocated to Chicago nearly five years ago. And after a … Continue reading o-h-i-o, i-m-i-s-s-y-o-u.
More now than any other time in my life (thus far), I am completely aware of the transitional periods that life throws upon us. For example, those few months between college graduation and "the real world" presented many challenging moments for me as I tried to figure out those inevitable questions "Who am I?" and … Continue reading the in-between: that phase between engaged and babies
When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible. (Nora Ephron) Sixteen months ago to the day, I found myself on an A*MAY*ZING first date with a guy I met the week before at a country bar on … Continue reading yes, yes, yes!
A few weeks ago, my dad asked me, "Do you still have your blog?" I answered with a strong "yes", but then found myself explaining (aka making excuses) that while I have a blog, it's not necessarily something that I would classify it as an active blog. And for those of you who have read … Continue reading the past thirteen months.
For the past two weeks, I've been telling myself to Just blog it out. That used to always make you feel better. But the truth is, I've stared at this screen many nights trying to do just that and absolutely nothing comes out. There's no image of motivation, or song lyric for inspiration. No title … Continue reading i'm not in kansas, that's the one thing I know for sure.
When you're twenty-nine years old and only beginning your first relationship, people tend to ask, "Why?" to defend that there is nothing wrong with you. But they might as well save their breath, because there actually is something wrong with you. I mean how is it that you can be mere months away from a milestone … Continue reading all of these lines across my face, tell you the story of who i am.

subset: commoncrawl


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Get creative and have some fun on this sweet, heartfelt holiday.
All year long, mothers are working hard. So on Mother's Day this year, take time to celebrate in thoughtful ways that go beyond great gifts. Treat them for all that they do, and show that time spent together is the greatest gift of all. Here are 25 cool and creative ideas for a one-of-a-kind Mother's Day she won't forget.
For Amanda Saiontz Gluck of Fashionable Hostess, Mother's Day is best celebrated with a pretty in pink breakfast. Hydrangeas at each seat, pink table linens, pink cake stands, and even pink jewels make this table setting extra special. According to Gluck, "Opt for a sweeter than usual breakfast menu from belgian waffles to bundt cakes, and complete the display with an I HEART mom banner!"
If you've got a green-thumbed mom, this Mother's Day enjoy the warm May weather with a peaceful day of gardening. Head over to the nursery and stock up on her favorite florals—even spoil her with some new garden tools. And if all that planting works up an appetite, it's the perfect excuse to enjoy lunch in the great outdoors.
If you're feeling extra-crafty, channel your creative side with a fun activity that brings together all of your favorite mothers. A crafts party—complete with delicious drinks and tasty treats—is sure to make mom melt with love while honoring all the great women in your life.
Via Twink + Sis
"In this busy, dynamic, fast-paced world, spending quality time as a mom is the biggest gift of all," says designer Emilie Munroe of Studio Munroe. "How about a Sunday morning wandering the farmer's market with the kids while searching for fresh produce and specialized breads and spreads? Head home and enjoy an hour listening to great music and while preparing a fresh brunch treat together. Not only do you get to savor a healthy feast, but you make memories as a family at the same time. Just don't forget the mimosas for mom!
Via Studio Munroe
There's nothing more relaxing than a charming high tea moment, and celebrating mom with this sweet moment is a failsafe way to make mom slow down and enjoy some well-earned pampering. Opt for a cheerful palette of green and purple, like this set-up by Art de Fete, and serve up some classic tea treats.
Via Art de Fete
Sure, you can buy a pre-made gift basket, but you know your mom far better than a company does—so consider making one instead! This darling gift basket includes everything to help a mom relax: wine, flowers, a lilac bath milk, and sugar scrub.
Via Julie Blanner
For Mother's Day brunch, a mud cloth placemat can make a playful, happy anchor for place settings. Pair it with gold flatware, colorful cups, and a DIY bow folded napkin.
To elevate this classic Mother's Day indulgence, create a color story with your mom's favorite hue. If she loves blue, for instance, make sure the serveware, teapot, and card follow a blue theme—you could even buy an elegant set for her to keep after her breakfast in bed.
Via Pizzazzerie
Served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, this dessert will have your mom's heart melting. It may look complicated, but the mouthwatering recipe only takes 15 minutes to cook. Get the how-to in the link below.
Via Julie Blanner
Toast to just how spectacular your mom is by treating her with her very own at-home mimosa bar. Simply set out the bubbly, juices, fruit and floral pieces for an extra touch of elegance. This is also a great party idea for celebrating motherhood with your mom friends.
If you're debating whether to serve your mom dessert or breakfast for her special day, why choose? Set out pies paired with waffles (topped with edible flowers and Froot Loops), and ta-dah! You have the sweetest food spread and Mother's Day gift.
Via Paper & Stitch
Sure, this Mother's Day idea may be a throwback to elementary school, but trust us—your mom will appreciate just as much now that you're an adult. Pick a colorful paper that evokes the hues of spring and pair with her favorite blooms.
Via Pizzazzerie
If your mom prefers to stay in on Mother's Day, make her home Instagram-worthy. A giant pink balloon, window hangings and a floral tablecloth can work wonders on an everyday table—and make your mom feel extra special.
Via A Charming Fête and One Stylish Party
Let's be honest: As fancy as Eggs Benedict with homemade hollandaise sauce sounds, a beautiful spread of donuts is bound to please your mom just as much. It's a treat she likely doesn't indulge in herself that often. Care for inspiration? Check out these beautiful Mother's Day donut ideas.
Via Pizzazzerie
This easy Mother's Day table setting doubles as a place card, and is also a special take-home treat for your guests. If you're throwing a brunch for your mom friends, arrange a photo of each attendee with their 'lil ones into a small bouquet for a touch of personalization.
Via Julie Blanner
Your mom deserves something more special than a plan ol' glass vase for her Mother's day bouquet. Line up these colorful vases with blooms in her bedroom or use them as a luncheon centerpiece.
Whether you're throwing an outdoor garden party for your mom or for your mom friends, this setup is bound to charm every attendee. A pink and yellow tablescape celebrates the blooming spring season, and corsage boxes offer a pretty and functional alternative to paper plates or breakable china.
Via Pizzazzerie
Fill a bar cart with champagne, flowers and take-home goodies for your guests: sleeping masks! It's exactly the R&R every mom deserves on her special day.
Via A Charming Fête and One Stylish Party
...or toast to your mom friends with one! This juicy, spring cocktail takes just five minutes to make and tantalizes with flavors of cranberry juice, pear nectar, pear slices, and Prosecco. Get the recipe in the link below.
A centerpiece with a bounty of your mom's favorite blooms and plenty of vines will have your brunch table—and your mom— blushing rosy pink.
Via A Charming Fête and One Stylish Party
Shortcakes are designed to delight! Following a classic shortcakes recipe, but shaping the cakes into hearts, will let your mom know just how special she is to you. This is also a good option for any mom who wants to indulge in a sweet treat that's still light and fresh.
Via Pizzazzerie
Celebrate motherhood and spring with a balloon arch that makes a significant visual impact, and complement it with vignettes of similar hues (in this case, a coral vase, pink box and citrus pineapple container).
Bring a breath of fresh spring air to your Mother's Day celebrations by using a planter as your table's centerpiece. If your mom loves it, she can keep it to grow her favorite blooms!
Via Twink + Sis
For the mom who can't get enough of her favorite ice cream (and really, can you blame her?), let her know she's just as cool as her favorite sweet treat. Serve her a tray of these goodies tied with ribbon and accompanied by sprinkles—and don't forget to top it with a colorful spoon.
Via Pizzazzerie
It may be a trend, but it's a trend we (and surely your mom) love! Naked cakes topped with the bounties of spring are the perfect way to treat the moms in your life who have a sweet tooth.


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Windows Estate sauvignon blanc 2015 ($23)
Pungent and intense aromas of this classically framed sauvignon blanc. Loads of tropical fruit characters with a decent splash of lively lemon juice. The palate has a subtle textural feel to it with masses of tropical and ever so slightly grassy flavours. Bright and breezy.
SCORE 90/100 CELLAR 3 years
Windows Estate semillon sauvignon blanc 2015 ($26)
This is a most impressive blended white that uses a reasonable amount of barrel fermentation in French oak to introduce some complex lemon scented character to a really lively and intense mix of these white varieties. It has a juicy mouthfeel with that layer of oak perfectly tuned in. Crunchy herbal and juicy acidity on the finish.
SCORE 93/100 CELLAR 5 years
Windows Estate chardonnay 2014 ($39)
A chardonnay of impressive sophistication. The aromas show an appealing mix of toasty oak, grapefruit and minerally white peach. The palate is superbly crafted with a controlling edge of oak, fine minerally acidity and juicy intense fruit. Shows the continue evolution of this excellent small producer.
SCORE 94/100 CELLAR 7 years
Windows Estate Basket Pressed cabernet merlot 2012 ($32)
A most elegant and stylish expression of this Margaret River staple. Minty red berry with a little cranberry edginess on the nose. The cedary oak is subtle. The palate is medium to full bodied with a fine dusty oak and chalky acid adding to the slightly grainy tannins. Sweet juicy fruit is held and controlled through to a long finish.
SCORE 92/100 CELLAR 8 years
Windows Estate Basket Pressed cabernet sauvignon 2012 ($35)
A medium to full-bodied straight cabernet which expresses this slightly more northern part of Margaret River beautifully. Black olive and sweet blackcurrant fruit aromas with a light touch of tobacco leaf and cedar. The palate is quite tight with dusty oak, sinewy tannins and a chalky acidity all contributing to a focused and long finish.
SCORE 93/100 CELLAR 10 years
© Copyright to Ray Jordan


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Sunday, 30 September 2007
Canning Salsa
An awful lot of recipes for canned salsa call for vinegar. However, in my opinion, if there is vinegar in a salsa, it isn't salsa any more, it's something else. This recipe calls for lime juice instead, which is a traditional ingredient in salsas, and which provides the necessary acidity for canning. Also for reasons of maintaining a safe level of acidity, do not change the proportions of the vegetables. In particular, if you find the Jalapeños do not provide enough heat, replace them with hotter peppers, not more. Jalapeños admittedly may vary considerably in heat, and they do lose some in processing; something to keep in mind.
I roughly chop and salt the tomatoes, and leave them to strain in a cool (not cold) place for several hours to overnight. This removes a lot of liquid, leaving a thicker, less soupy salsa.
While the tomatoes are straining, prepare the other ingredients.
Don't chop your peppers like this - without wearing gloves! My canning partner was very sorry for a few days afterwards, with painfully burning hands. Get organized and buy some gloves. They really are a necessity. Note added: I've found the best way to remove chile oils from the hands is to wash them with a generous quantity of toothpaste.The sooner the better; don't give those oils time to soak in. If you even think you've got chile oils on your hands, you should go and wash them at once.
Once the salsa is prepared, it is heated to the boiling point and packed in hot, sterilized jars.
It's then sealed and processed in boiling water. Okay! Ready?
12 to 14 500ml jars
8 to 12 hours - 2 1/2 to 3 hours working
8 quarts plum tomatoes
pickling salt
6 large onions (red are good if you can get them)
2 to 3 heads of garlic
450 grams (1 pound) Jalapeño chiles
6 large mild green chiles (peppers)
2 1/2 cups minced cilantro
1/4 cup cumin seed, ground
1 156ml (5 1/2 ounce) can tomato paste
PER JAR 3 tablespoons lime juice
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Blanch the tomatoes by dropping them in the boiling water for 1 to 2 minutes. You will need to do them in batches. Transfer the tomatoes to a sink or tub filled with cold water.
Peel the tomatoes, and chop them coarsely. Layer them in a large strainer - such as comes in a set for cooking spaghetti - with the salt. I try to use about 4 tablespoons, but a bit more is okay. Much of it will run out with the water. Let the tomatoes drain for several hours to overnight, in a cool spot (but not in the fridge.) Don't forget to keep them a little raised from the bottom of whatever pot you strain them into, so they are not sitting in their own water.
When you are ready to proceed, put the canning jars into a large canner with water to cover them by one inch at least, and bring to a boil. Boil the jars for 10 minutes. If your water is very hard, add a shot of vinegar to the water to prevent lime build-up on the jars.
Meanwhile, peel and chop the onions, de-stem and deseed the Jalapeños (wear gloves!) and other green peppers, and peel and mince the garlic. Squeeze the juice from the limes and set it aside.
Take the strained tomatoes, and chop them to the texture you would like - a food processor is fine for this. Mix them with the chopped onions, garlic, and chiles in a large canning kettle or other large, deep pot. Chop the cilantro and mix it in, along with the ground cumin seed.
Mix the tomato paste with a cupful of the salsa, until it is lump-free. Mix it into the pot of salsa. Taste the salsa, and add some salt if you think it needs some more. Bring the salsa to a boil.
Lift the sterilized jars from the boiling water bath and empty them. Half should be emptied into the sink, and half should be emptied back into the pot to keep the boiling water level up.
Add three tablespoons of lime juice to each jar. Fill each jar with salsa, to within 1 cm of the rims. Wipe the rims with a clean paper towel dipped in the boiling water, and seal according the manufacturers directions - i.e by using lids and rims boiled for 5 minutes.
Return the jars to the boiling water bath and boil them for 20 minutes, well covered in water. It will most likely be necessary to do this in 2 batches; put as many into the canner as will fit, when they come out put in the next batch of jars to be sterilized while you fill the first set. Take them out and fill them as the first set of filled jars is being processed.
Remove from the water bath, allow to cool, check seals and label the jars with the date and batch number.
200 comments:
- Unknown said...
That does sound like a lot of work! But it should be worth it as you will have home made salsa to enjoy for a long time.
- 30 September 2007 at 11:57
- Melissa said...
My husband and I made this salsa with all fresh ingredients from our garden and it was delicious. This was our first time canning and it went extremely well. We will certainly make this again next summer if not sooner. We may run out of the salsa faster than planned because it is so great!
- 12 July 2009 at 19:27
- jlysne said...
I'm confused about 8 quarts. Is that chopped or whole?
- 9 August 2009 at 16:44
- Ferdzy said...
That would be whole. Tomatoes are generally sold in baskets of so-many quarts, and 8 quarts is also equal to a quarter of a bushel. Keep in mind these are Imperial measurements; U.S. measurements are different.
There is a good conversion table here: http://gwydir.demon.co.uk/jo/units/volume.htm
- 9 August 2009 at 17:48
- amyd said...
I don't have a boil bath canner. How long and at what pressure would you process this?
- 16 August 2009 at 16:24
- Ferdzy said...
amyd, if you have a pressure canner you can use it to do regular boiling water canning instead of pressure canning if you prefer. Just don't seal the lid to bring the pressure up. Instead, place the lid loosely on top and follow the times in the recipe.
If you want to pressure can it, I'm afraid I've done very little and couldn't suggest times.
- 16 August 2009 at 21:34
- GretnaMom said...
Looks like a great recipe but its to much! I don't want to can all my tomatoes as Salsa! Do you have a smaller batch version of this?
- 18 August 2009 at 10:39
- Ferdzy said...
rlowene, you could just cut it in half, no problem. That should give you about 7 jars, which should be what fits in the canner at one time.
- 18 August 2009 at 11:23
- Unknown said...
I've got lots of field tomatoes. Can I substitute? How much is that in chopped tomatoes? Also, what if I don't want the spice?
- 18 August 2009 at 17:42
- Ferdzy said...
Lynda, yes you could use field tomatoes. They tend to be more watery than romas, so I would be inclined to add an extra quart of tomatoes.
As for the spices, yes you can reduce them or leave them out. Just don't change the amount of lime juice. That has to stay.
- 18 August 2009 at 20:31
- Unknown said...
Thanks! I think I'll keep in the mild green chilies, and add some green peppers in place of the jalapenos. I want to do one mild and one spicy. This is the prettiest canned salsa I have seen yet! I'll let you know how mine works out!
~from Hythe, Alberta
- 18 August 2009 at 22:56
- Ferdzy said...
Please do, Lynda, I'd like to hear. Thanks!
- 19 August 2009 at 07:48
- jhin said...
Can you heat and seal the jars in the oven, rather than in boiling water?
- 22 August 2009 at 13:17
- Ferdzy said...
Jennifer, no. That method of canning was found to be unsafe a good 50 years ago. Please don't!
- 22 August 2009 at 13:55
- Unknown said...
Although I do believe you can sterilize the jars before use in that way, right? Wash them, rinse them, put them in a 225 degree oven for at least 10 minutes, then keep warm until use.
- 22 August 2009 at 15:28
- Sherree said...
I'm so excited to find a recipe that has lime juice! and the amount so exact for each jar! brilliant! I know I'm cheating but I want to make a quick jarred salsa for my friend and plan on using canned (chopped) tomatoes for the first small batch. How many cans for 1/2 your batch? and do i drain the tomatoes? Also i wanted to add chipotle paste instead of the green chilies but wondered if you'd recommend how to do that? thanks so much! When I have more time, I'll be buying romas fresh!
- 23 August 2009 at 15:18
- Sherree said...
can i substitute leeks for onion? i want a milder under flavour because of the chipotle
- 23 August 2009 at 15:21
- Ferdzy said...
Lynda, I don't think that's recommended because ovens may not be evenly hot, but I'm not sure about that. I know processing the FILLED JARS must absolutely not be done in the oven, so I figure if you're going to bring that big pot of water up to a boil anyway, you might as well do your sterilizing there.
Ruby, I've always used fresh tomatoes so I could not tell you how many cans to use. It doesn't strike me as a very economical way to do it either. Yes, they would have to be strained, or the salsa would be very soupy. My suggestion is that you make a very small, scaled-down batch using the changes you want to make, and only make one or two jars of it. Don't can it at all, just keep it in the fridge and eat it fresh. It will keep for a week or so that way. I would worry that the amount of changes you want to make might drop the level of acidity too low for safe canning.
- 23 August 2009 at 17:20
- Unknown said...
From KraftCanada.com:"You can pre-sterilize jars & lids by using one of two methods:
1. Sterilize all jars, lids and filling equipment in a 225ºF oven for 10 minutes, then keep in the oven, with heat turned off, until needed so they stay warm.
2. Sterilize all jars, lids and filling equipment in boiling water for 15 minutes and keep warm."
Interesting comment about oven temps though! An oven thermometer should help with that.
- 23 August 2009 at 22:39
- Sherree said...
thanks Ferdzy - i did buy some fresh tomatoes today - about 6.4 kg, which i have no idea how to convert to quarts? since most romas can be about the same size can you recommend (ballpark) how many romas that might be? I did do a batch of salsa already without the canning process but we couldn't eat it fast enough. The problem in Ontario right now is because of the damp weather and lack of sun our tomatoes aren't very ripe or nice, hence the cans. some of my tomatoes will be slightly underipe but not sure what I can do about it except cook the mixture longer. Ruby
- 24 August 2009 at 14:07
- Sherree said...
I emailed my wife to ask her if she knew how to do the conversion, since I bought the romas by the kilo, not the quart. Not sure if this helps anyone but here is her response.
"The average accepted weight of a bushel of tomatoes is 53 pounds. This can vary depending upon the type/size/weight of the differing tomatoes, but generally 53 pounds is the US agricultural accepted weight. There are 32 dry quarts in a bushel, so divide 53 by 32 and you get about 1.66 pounds of tomatoes in a quart. "
Again, depending upon the tomato (if you are using Roma, this will be okay), for 8 quarts of tomatoes you would buy 13 1/4 pounds of tomatoes.
This works out to be 6.0 kg of tomatoes = +/- 8 quarts.
thanks again Ferdzy for your site!
- 24 August 2009 at 15:15
- Ferdzy said...
Ruby, glad you got that figured out, and thatnks for posting it. I know other people wonder about the quart measurements too.
I'm hoping that since it's been warmer and drier for the last few weeks that we will start getting some decent tomatoes soon. I haven't started canning anything with tomatoes yet. I figure there will be plenty of tomatoes in September and hopefully the days will not be too hot as well.
- 25 August 2009 at 13:08
- Cole and Mindy Smith said...
Hi...My name is Mindy, and I am loving this canning recipe! I have a BOATLOAD of cherry tomatoes and am wondering if you think these will work. Let me know!
- 26 August 2009 at 15:28
- -Sydney- said...
I can't wait to try this! What would you say is the heat rating on this salsa (mild, med, hot) as outlined in the recipe?
- 26 August 2009 at 17:00
- Scott and Lindsey Anderson said...
Are green chilies the the same as green peppers or are they totally different? And I will be using field tomatoes so do I keep all the other vegetable proportions the same and add more tomatoes? Thanks (first time canner!)
- 27 August 2009 at 01:12
- Ferdzy said...
Mindy, cherry tomatoes should be okay, as long as they are fairly acidic. If they are really, really sweet and mild they may not be acidic enough for canning. If you added an extra tablespoon of lime I *think* you would be safe, but not that I am not guaranteeing anything!
Sydney, this is quite mild, at least if you use Ontario-grown jalapenos. They do vary, both by the strain being grown and they are hotter when grown in hot weather. If you want it to be hot, you should replace a few of the jalapenos with scotch bonnet or habaneros. Swap out one jalapeno for each hotter chile you want to add.
Scott and Lindsey, yes you could use green bell peppers as your mild green chiles. You could use others as well. Try an Anaheim type, or banana, or italian frying type chiles. That's the kind I generally use. They are easy to find (in a few weeks from now.) Green bell peppers are the least "authentic" of the pepper listed here, so I would suggest one of the others if you can get them. But if you like green bell peppers, there's nothing wrong with using them. Good luck with your canning!
By they way, thanks everyone for your comments and questions.
- 27 August 2009 at 08:47
- Melissa said...
Can I freeze my green peppers? I already chopped them and was planning on making salsa tomorrow but now have to leave town for a few days.
- 27 August 2009 at 19:16
- Ferdzy said...
Melissa, I don't know, I've never done it. A quick google suggests that people do freeze them.
They may end up being a bit softer than they would be otherwise, but probably okay apart from that.
- 27 August 2009 at 20:55
- Unknown said...
I need some help this year, We are 2 families that are canning salsa for the 3rd time, and every year we seem to double the recipe. This year we have over 80 Lbs. of slicing tomatoes, and I've lost my recipe. Your recipe is pretty close to my old one except I put lemon juice in the salsa mix and bring to a boil.
problem is I used cups instead of quarts I have to figure out cups of chopped tomatoes to lemon or lime juice. Can you help with that conversion?
- 28 August 2009 at 11:01
- Ferdzy said...
curlgd2, I have to say I am not completely sure. Technically, there are 4 cups in a quart. My guess is that you could use that measurement and be reasonably close.
In fact, I would think if you bought, for example, a six-quart basket of tomatoes, you would not get as much as 24 cups, because once chopped the tomatoes would be more compact. On the other hand they're generally piled up reasonably high, so maybe...
sorry I can't be more helpful.
- 29 August 2009 at 21:04
- Unknown said...
Hi, This sounds awesome i will be trying it, but i have a question..Bet you never would have thought so many if us would ask questions..lol anyway here goes. I make Bruschetta, and i was wondering if i could can it same as you do your salsa. I tryed it last yr but it tasted horrible afterwards im thinking becoz of the vinegar? i use balsalmic, an red wine vinegar, any suggestions? i have looked online for recipes to do it, with no results... Thanks, Liz
- 30 August 2009 at 16:41
- Ferdzy said...
Riggijyd, I have never canned anything like that and I'm afraid I haven't got any suggestions. Sorry!
- 31 August 2009 at 10:01
- strawberry1231 said...
Hi. I want to use this awesome recipe. But...I just got a bucket of garden fresh shallots & want to use them in place of onions. Their size is about 2 shallots to 1 onion. I would use 12 shallots and still use the same amount of garlic as your recipe. What do you think?
- 2 September 2009 at 18:58
- Ferdzy said...
Strawberry1231, I think that would be okay.
- 2 September 2009 at 19:32
- Rya said...
I am just making your salsa now and it looks and smells great!!!
However I am wondering your opinion on another canning project I did. I have canned 28q of tomatoes the same way I canned them last year( they turned out good), the problem is I was told the recipe from a friend. Pack tomatoes in jars , 1 Tbs lemon juice, salt and i prossesd for 45-50 min. Do you think the tomatoes are doomed? What do I do??
- 4 September 2009 at 13:43
- Ferdzy said...
Rya, you don't say what size jars you used - I am going to assume they were 1 litre jars. 1 tablespoon lemon juice is a little skimpy; I use 2, and also boil for 45 minutes. However, you are *likely* fine. If you used paste tomatoes designed for canning, they are probably acidic enough to can without lemon juice. Tomatoes in general are on the edge of what's acidic enough to boiling-water process safely. The lemon juice is just insurance to make sure that they are on the right side of the edge.
If you are really nervous about it you could try testing with litmus paper. pH must be 4.6 or lower.
- 4 September 2009 at 14:16
- Rya said...
Ok that sounds good........... but I left out the fact I used the cold pack recipe....... But if I test them before we eat them will that be ok???
- 4 September 2009 at 19:04
- Ferdzy said...
Rya, oh. I'm starting to think that there are enough variables here that you might want to talk to someone more trained than me on this subject.
If you are in Canada, try Bernardins website, http://www.homecanning.com/can/ALContact.asp
If you are in the US, try the Ball/Kerr hotline, 1-800-240-3340.
- 4 September 2009 at 20:33
- Hollie said...
I have a lot of Roma tomatoes in my freezer from last year..do you think they could be used for salsa, or would they be too watery/bland?
They tend to turn to mush when defrosted & have only used them in stews/soups thus far.
- 4 September 2009 at 22:11
- Angie said...
Hello, I LOOOVE this recipe! I used it last year and it was a favorite by everyone who tried it. I do have a question though, at what elevation is your canning time based on?
- 6 September 2009 at 01:36
- Ferdzy said...
Hollie, I wouldn't use the frozen tomatoes. Keep them for soups and stews.
Burgett Baby, glad to hear the good report! This is for canning at low levels. The highest peak in Southern Ontario is 578m and that's in Algonquin Park - Most of southern Ontario is nowhere near that. If you are somewhere else, you may have to adjust the time.
- 6 September 2009 at 17:08
- HLMP said...
I really like this recipe due to the sweating of the tomatoes and the use of lime juice. I'm planning to try it within the next week.
One adjustment I'm thinking about making - I'm planning on leaving the skins on the tomatoes rather than peeling them (I find peeling too time consuming). Have you tried it without peeling in the past?
Let me know if you'd like to hear about the results. And thanks for the great recipe!
- 13 September 2009 at 13:40
- karen said...
i live in ohio. can i use same measurements and same cooking times also can i sub green beans for peppers?
- 14 September 2009 at 10:05
- Ferdzy said...
HLMOP; I haven't tried it with the skins, I admit to being definitely anti-skin, although you can leave them if you want. Sure, I'd like to hear what you think.
Karen, yes, I think American and British quarts, in this context are close enough to work. However, I would not use the beans. I'm pretty sure they are lower acid than peppers. There are a lot of different peppers out there, and if you look you should be able to find a variety you like.
- 14 September 2009 at 16:03
- LJH said...
Good Morning, Ferdzy,
Thank you so much for a great salsa recipe. I've processed 2 batches already and plan to work another this week. I have a question: Can I use US quart jars to process if I double the amount of lime juice and increase the process time?
- 16 September 2009 at 10:49
- Ferdzy said...
LJH, yes you could. Time should be 45 minutes. Glad you are liking it!
- 16 September 2009 at 12:01
- bunnyrock73 said...
Hey there--recipe looks delicious! I'm wondering about the tomato paste; can that be omitted? Would it just make for a chunkier salsa?
- 17 September 2009 at 00:06
- Ferdzy said...
Bunnyrock73, I would not be inclined to omit it. It would make the salsa considerably more watery, and it's already quite thin.
Also, the tomato paste adds to the acidity of this recipe for safe canning. I'm not sure what effect leaving it out would have.
- 17 September 2009 at 08:38
- Melisse said...
so glad to see your salsa does not have vinegar!! so excited to try it. a few questions:
1. I have read elsewhere that you have to use bottled lemon/lime juice b/c the acidity varies in fresh lemon/limes?? does this recipe use fresh or bottled?
2. about the tomatoes: when the 8qts are chopped do they fill your spaghetti strainer to the top?
3. my onions are HUGE, do you know about how many cups of onions it is?
Thank you for all your help!
- 18 September 2009 at 16:32
- Ferdzy said...
Melisse, I'm not sure how they fill it. I've got a couple, that are different sizes.
Canned lime juice is no doubt better than fresh lime juice, from the safety point of view, although I have been known to live dangerously and use fresh.
I think I would expect a large onion to be about a cup to a cup and a third once diced. Say about 7 or 8 cups total.
- 18 September 2009 at 16:58
- spokanetrish said...
I have made 6 half batches, since an entire batch won't fit in my large pot :-) I used 12 c peeled, completely drained/deseeded, food processed PLUM tomatoes (they were HUGE this year) and following the recipe exactly this made almost 10 pints...so a full batch would make approx 20 pints. For a uber hot batch I did substitute the 1 lb jalapenos for 4 LARGE habeneros plus 1 large diced green pepper. AMAZING!! Oh, when I used the field tomatoes (slicers) it took about !40 lbs! to make enough for 2 half batches...that's why I went to the plum tomatoes. I saved all the juice, skimmed off the water, and froze for soup this winter :-)
Thanks again...this is better then any of the other recipes I have used....especially after canning.
Spokane, Wa, USA
- 22 September 2009 at 01:03
- Ferdzy said...
Trish, glad to hear you like it so much!
- 22 September 2009 at 07:22
- Meg said...
i've never tried canning - but have you ever tried to freeze the salsa??
- 22 September 2009 at 14:42
- cynthia said...
Thank you for this recipe! So excited to use lime instead of vinegar!!
So can I use just the reg powdered spice "Cumin" or must it be ground seed???
- 22 September 2009 at 16:32
- spokanetrish said...
Last year I tried freezing the salsa--this caused very poor results. Evidently when you freeze the chopped tomatoes the water "separates" from the tomatoes leaving a water layer at the bottom of the container. The salsa was very runny after the freezing--I strongly recommend canning salsa to preserve it. I know that canning "seems" like a lot of work--but after you spend all this time making this wonderful salsa the canning part is actually very short, and kinda fun!! *wink*
- 22 September 2009 at 19:03
- Ferdzy said...
Megan, I've never tried freezing it. Guess I won't - thanks for that info, Trish!
Cynthia, you can use regular ground cumin - just make sure it is fresh. That's why I prefer to grind it myself.
- 22 September 2009 at 20:22
- spokanetrish said...
I need to correct my previous suggestion when substituting the habeneros. I used 4 LARGE habeneros per half batch plus a LARGE green pepper (diced)...so that would be 8 LARGE for a full batch plus 2 LARGE green peppers (diced). I used the food processor for all the garlic, hot peppers (including seeds), and drained tomatoes...and diced the onions, mild peppers, and cilantro. This made very good results.
- 23 September 2009 at 01:29
- Erica said...
My husband and I got everything ready for the salsa. When I went to go read the recipe it said to peel the jalapenos. We missed that part. What is this gonna do to the salsa? How do you peel jalapenos?
- 26 September 2009 at 19:00
- spokanetrish said...
Only peel the tomatoes...you know, dip in simmering water, 30-45 seconds, plunge in cold water, strip the peels off. If you don't do this, then when you cook your salsa all the peels will separate from the tomato and you'll have all these "diced peels" floating in you sauce--ICK! Peels don't separate from any of the other vege's :-)
Oh...for the Canadian FYI--here in the State we buy our tomatoes by the pound, so your references to "baskets" confuses us!
- 26 September 2009 at 20:13
- Ferdzy said...
Sorry Erica, that was a typo. I'll fix it. Trish is right, de-seeding will be quite sufficient for the jalapenos.
Trish, seriously? Even at Farmers Markets? That's just bizarre. I mean, they'll sell you tomatoes by the pound (or kilo) at the grocery store if you just want a couple, but that just doesn't seem practical when you want a few quarts, never mind a bushel. What size scale would you have to have?
- 26 September 2009 at 23:20
- spokanetrish said...
Two minutes later I'm still giggling :-) Yes, all of our produce is either sold by the piece (bunches/lettuce/ears of corn)or by the pound, and until using this website I never questioned that--obviously it's different up there. Good to know!
Even at the Farmers Markets the tomatoes are by the pound--I guess we like to "know" exactly how much we are getting. A box could or could not be full--makes us suspicious *wink*
We went and picked our own tomatoes,apricots, and cherries this year...each time the bag inside of the bucket was pulled out and weight individually--the scales go to 30 lbs. I also arranged for 40 lbs of tomatoes to be ready for me at a local farmers market--I still don't know if I really got 40 lbs?!
Now you "know" why we had so many questions :-) BTW...I'm really enjoying this site and all the ideas I have gleaned here...keep it up!
- 27 September 2009 at 00:29
- LJH said...
If you use fresh ground cumin instead of grinding your own, would you have to adjust the amount to less than 1/4cup?
Eventhough I've processed 3 batches of this wonderful salsa I am still unsure about the amount of chopped drained tomatoes. The weight measure vs quarts helped but when I look at the amount in your pictures I feel that mine was maybe not enough. Will the amount of lime juice keep the ph correct for safety if I was short on tomatoes?
- 1 October 2009 at 13:09
- Ferdzy said...
LJH, the amounts of cumin could be less, but you can adjust it according to your taste.
The amount of tomatoes is probably okay. We had a terrible tomato crop here this year, and I noticed I'm getting much more um, level measurements when I buy them. I probably was putting in more than 8 quarts the last few years as my baskets had been generously filled, unlike this year.
However, the proportions were calculated for 8 quarts, so if you are using a more precisely measured quantity of tomatoes, you should still be okay. Hope this helps.
- 4 October 2009 at 18:31
- deb said...
can you use lemon juice instead of lime juice
- 5 October 2009 at 01:34
- Ferdzy said...
Deb, yes that should be fine.
- 5 October 2009 at 09:37
- Maggie Koval said...
Have you ever used canned tomatoes instead of fresh? Also, can you add the lime juice to the pot of salsa instead of in each jar? Thank you!
- 6 December 2009 at 22:03
- Ferdzy said...
Maggie, thanks for commenting.
I have never used canned tomatoes. You would need a fairly ridiculous number of cans, I would think, and if something is already canned, why can it again?
Nor would I mix the lime juice into the whole batch - the point is to make sure that each jar is sufficiently acidic, which might not happen if the salsa was not well enough mixed.
- 6 December 2009 at 23:06
- ndakotadale said...
We have made salsa for about 6 or seven years now and have never added lemon or lime juice and have never had any problems. But I was wondering what problems could arise and how you would know. We have never used Jalpenos we have always used just cayenne pepper I just add it to taste as I am boiling tomatoes. I can control the heat a little better that way. We add bell peppers onions and garlic.
- 26 December 2009 at 02:42
- Ferdzy said...
In order to do boilng water canning foods must have a certain level of acidity for safety. If they do not have that level of acidity, they must be pressure canned.
Tomatoes are on the edge of what is considered to have a safe level of acidity, and the level varies from variety to variety, and most other vegetables are even less acidic. Thus, some form of acid must be added to tomatoes or mixtures of tomatoes and other vegetables (which is what salsa is) to reach the correct level of acidity. This acid will generally consist of either vinegar or lemon or lime juice.
If you fail to make your salsa or other material to be boiling-water canned sufficiently acidic, the possibility exists that botulism, a form of bacteria, may survive in the food. If it was present and does survive, it can cause paralysis and death. Unfortunately, it is tasteless and odourless, so the only way to be sure it isn't there is to follow safe canning proceedures. You may eat foods without sufficient acidity to destroy the bacteria for years, because it wasn't present. But the trouble is, you can't know whether it is there or not. It only takes a little extra effort to ensure that it is not, and that your canned foods can be eaten with complete confidence.
Cayenne is fine to add heat, it won't change the balance of acidity nearly as much as fresh vegetables will.
I can't comment otherwise on your recipe, except to say that if it came from a trusted source AND CONTAINS ADDITIONAL ACID in the form of vinegar, etc, it should be okay. Otherwise, I'd reconsider about using it.
I hope this helps.
- 26 December 2009 at 07:46
- Sue said...
I make a salsa with all fresh vegetables and canned tomatoes. I've always eaten it fresh and never canned it before but I'd like to try. My recipe does not call for it to be cooked at all. Can I put it into the jars cold then do the normal hot water bath to seal the jars? This if my first canning experience!
- 1 May 2010 at 08:21
- Ferdzy said...
Sue; if you put the salsa into jars cold and then put them directly into boiling water the jars will break. Trust me on this.
If you put them into jars cold then put them into cold water, then bring the cold water up to a boil, then start counting the canning time that would work.
However, it will take more time. The point in the recipe of heating the salsa before canning is so that it doesn't go into the boiling water bath cold and risk breaking the jars; it's going to get cooked during the processing time regardless. You don't have to really cook it before canning it; it just has to be boiling hot so that the jars don't break. Hope this helps.
- 1 May 2010 at 09:11
- Sue said...
Wouldn't this change the entire consistency of the vegetables? My salsa is so good because of the vegetables freshness and crunchiness. What is the shelf-life of the salsa if not cooked or boiled?
- 1 May 2010 at 09:39
- Ferdzy said...
Sue; the shelf life would be a couple of days in the fridge if it is not boiling water canned, although in my opinion fresh salsa is best really fresh.
Heating is the whole purpose of canning. It raises the temperature to a point, and holds it there for long enough, to kill any micro-organisms present that would cause spoilage otherwise. It also heats the rubber seal, and expells air from the jar so it seals and forms an environment without oxygen, which also would cause spoilage if it was present.
Of course the finished product is not the same as a fresh, raw salsa - it can't be, or it wouldn't keep.
If you've never canned before, I really suggest you read up about the process in general at a site such as
Canning isn't difficult, and it's really satisfying to open up a jar of your own making in the depths of winter. But it does require sticking to rules more than any other kind of cooking in order to be safe. You need to know and understand the rules before you start.
Good luck with this project; I hope this has been helpful and that you get good results with your canning.
- 1 May 2010 at 10:29
- Mom a.k.a. Myra said...
Thank God, finally someone who appreciates the fact that "real" salsa doesn't have vinegar in it. I have been making homemade salsa for years and I have always used lime juice. The recipe that I have is almost identical to yours, with the exception of the ground cumin and tomato paste. When I was in Mexico, my friend's mother was making this and she allowed me to take notes! Thanks again for this recipe.
- 13 July 2010 at 09:13
- MelissaV said...
My husband and I are very disappointed with this recipe. I don't know what your definition of a Tablespoon is in Canada, but in America, it is the equivalent to 3 Teaspoons. All we know is that 3 TABLESPOONS of lime juice per jar is a ridiculous amount and ruined our salsa! It tasted HORRIBLE! The lime overpowered every ingredient in the jar, which were all FRESH ingredients, with the Roma tomatoes, jalapenos, green peppers, red and white onions all coming from our garden. The cilantro was fresh from the market, and the garlic was, as well. We couldn't taste any of the other ingredients. All we could taste was lime. My husband actually gagged and spit it out. All the folks raving about this recipe, could you please explain to me what it is exactly you are raving about??!! I can't figure it out..
- 17 July 2010 at 14:52
- spokanetrish said...
When I made this salsa, the canning process took out nearly all the lime flavor...I am so sorry you were disappointed! We liked this recipes because it's not a "tomato sauce" type salsa like Pace or Ortega, but a fresh style, which is very difficult to replicate if canning for winter. I made 6 half-batches last summer, and everyone who has tasted it thought it was wonderful--the men in my family liked it so much that they OFFERED to peel more tomatoes, and bragged to all our salsa lovers.
Ultimately, when canning, you must have adequate acid to prevent spoilage...so you choose between lemon, lime, or vinegar, take your pick. We do not like the vinegar, and lime is traditional in salsa...lime was a great choice.
- 17 July 2010 at 21:13
- Ferdzy said...
Melissa, I'm sorry you didn't like the salsa. I know that's a lot of time and work to be disappointed.
Still if you just made it, let it sit for a month before opening another jar. I've heard people say that they tasted it going into the jar and were worried by how strong the lemon and salt were, but the flavours blended and mellowed while it sat and then they liked it fine.
Also, the sad truth is there is no recipe that will suit everyone. People do have different tastes, and there's nothing wrong with that. It is frustrating though, when you are the odd one out.
- 20 July 2010 at 13:14
- Parsley said...
I am trying salsa for the first time this year and I HATE the viniger. Yours sounds GREAT but all the measurments are really messing me up when I read all the comments. I live in Nevada so how much do I have to change your recipe for it to work for me??
- 24 July 2010 at 16:07
- Ferdzy said...
Parsley, according to Ruby's comments earlier in the thread the amount of tomatoes by weight should be 12 pounds. The rest of the ingredients should be more straightforward, I hope.
Good luck with the salsa.
- 24 July 2010 at 18:17
- Lisa said...
Do the peppers have to be de-seeded. I'd prefer to leave the seeds in for an extra kick, but I obviously don't want to mess with the acidity of the salsa by doing so.
- 27 July 2010 at 17:51
- Ferdzy said...
Lisa, it should be fine to leave in the seeds.
- 27 July 2010 at 20:03
- Parsley said...
Thanks for the respose, Also If I do field tomatoes would you peel them before you chop them? or do you just leave the skins on in this receipe? Also is the jars you use to can quart jars here in the US? if so it is 3 TBLS of Lime juice in that little jar?
- 30 July 2010 at 18:03
- Parsley said...
Ferdzy... I meant pint jar not quart jar on the last. Sorry your scale ratio wesbite says that 500 ml is .88 pints, so that is not quite? I am not sure what jar to use or what I am doing wrong. Sorry I know I am a ditz. That and I have 1 month left of pregnancy and all sane thoughts seam to leave my head :)
- 30 July 2010 at 18:50
- stasia said...
I've been using a bit less lemon/lime juice per pint jar in salsas for years now, am I just flirting with danger? I use an overflowing tablespoon per jar. It sure tastes pretty acidic, but no one's keeled over yet. I also process the jars a bit longer, say 5-10 minutes. Am i just being stupid?? I do agree, though. Vinegar wrecks salsa. It may make for a great floor scrub, tho.
- 4 August 2010 at 01:04
- susan lennox said...
I am going to try your canned salsa...seeing as you are Canadian ! I am from Manitoba and now have lived near Chicago for 24 yrs. I still love my homeland very much. Did you get chickens yet like you wanted to? We would love to get a small farm. Any good farms for sale in Ontario?
- 7 August 2010 at 15:24
- Ferdzy said...
Susan, I hope you like it. No chickens; I've got too much else going on at the moment and realistically probably next year too.
As for farms! I think everything is way overpriced at the moment. Perhaps not for too much longer though.
- 7 August 2010 at 19:57
- julees said...
I wish someone would figure out how many cups diced or how many tomatoes by counting them to make this easier if someone figures this out please post. Thanks!
- 15 August 2010 at 17:35
- spokanetrish said...
This is how I worked out Ferdzy's ingredients...this was BEFORE he worked so hard to convert for us American's :-}
12 c. prepared tomatoes--peeled, de-seeded, DRAINED, and chopped or food
processed. I prefer Romas as they have less liquid--use what you have
2T pickling salt (table salt will make salsa cloudy)
3 large onions--chopped
2-3 heads garlic--chopped or food processed
1/2 lb. jalapenos--chopped or food processed (4 lg habeneros for UBER HOT!)
6 large mild chillies or 3 large green bell peppers--chopped
1 1/2 c. minced cilantro
1/2-3/4 of small can of tomato paste
Lime Juice--bottled
10 pint jars, lids, and rings
Canning pot
then follow his instructions...I had fantastic success!
- 15 August 2010 at 17:57
- Unknown said...
Did this happen to anyone? I put the lime juice in first and then added the salsa. When I put the jar into the water bath, the bottom broke off of it. In hindsight, I think that the lime juice was just cool enough to cause this to happen. I had just taken the hot jar out of the oven at 225.
- 19 August 2010 at 20:14
- Unknown said...
FYI: I added the lime juice to the jars first and then added the salsa. when I put it in the water bath the bottom broke off. I think that the cooler lime juice was just enough to cause the break. The jars came from a hot oven and the salsa was boiling. I'll be mixing it better from here on out.
- 19 August 2010 at 20:15
- Ferdzy said...
CB, I've had that happen with other things, not this. I guess I don't quite move fast enough and my limes are always at room temperature. But yes, it's important in any canning to avoid thermal shock, i.e. putting something cold in something hot. Sorry to hear about your problem, that's extremely exasperating, I know.
- 20 August 2010 at 08:35
- Mindy said...
I was so glad to find a recipe with lime, but am totally confused about measurements after reading the comments! I am in the U.S. and want to use pint jars instead of quarts. Do you know how much lime I should use? I'm canning tomorrow (well, later today after the trouble I've had getting this to post)so, am hoping you'll see this in the morning!
- 23 August 2010 at 00:31
- Ferdzy said...
Mindy, just cut the lime in half, i.e. 1 1/2 tablespoons. American & Canadian quarts/pints are not so different that you need to worry. Good luck with your canning.
- 23 August 2010 at 08:26
- Keelie said...
Do you think that I could char the tomatoes in a cast iron pan instead of blanching and peeling them for more of a fire-roasted effect? I was planning on then processing them to the desired consistency and allowing them to drain before proceeding with the recipe. If I were to do this would I need to make any other adjustments?
- 25 August 2010 at 17:40
- Ferdzy said...
Keelie, I think you could... I would want to do it outside though. There will be smoke! You might want to try a small batch of tomatoes before you get started just to make sure it does work.
- 25 August 2010 at 19:59
- Jenny said...
I have canned a batch, it looks great. However, wondering about the acidity issue as I used a "pink" tomato variety that has a lower acid content (a friend grew them and gave me a bunch.) Obviously I didn't read enough posts about the need for acid content before canning :(
I followed all other ingredients and procedures closely. Do you think I'm okay? I don't want to feel paranoid when we eat it. Thoughts???
- 29 August 2010 at 10:38
- Ferdzy said...
Jenny, you should be fine. The whole point of adding and acid such as lemon juice or vinegar is to cover the fact that most people don't know the acidity level of the tomatoes they use. Some tomatoes naturally have enough acid to be safe to can without adding anything. Others don't. Since you likely can't know where that line falls, the practice is to add enough acid to allow even low-acid tomatoes to be safe.
In 25 words or less; go ahead. You're fine.
- 29 August 2010 at 12:41
- Unknown said...
Hi there. I am a whimp when it comes to hot stuff. How hot would you say this reciipe is. Would it be compared to a hot or mild salsa sold in the stores. I'm looking for mild so if this recipe is hot how can I make a mild one?
- 3 September 2010 at 17:15
- Ferdzy said...
Dawn, it's always been pretty mild for me but it will depend on how hot the jalapenos are. If you want to be sure it isn't hot at all you can replace them with an equal volume of any pepper known to be mild, such as sweet banana or cubanelles.
- 3 September 2010 at 17:24
- laura said...
okay. i think i'm ready to try this. i need 12 cups (measured after preparing) tomatoes? and 3 not 6 tbsp lime per american qt (or 1 1/2 pt). the lime stated above seemed more like 3 per pt, but after reading toward the end, was i mistaken? i know acidity level is VERY important to get right. i don't want to kill anyone:)
- 4 September 2010 at 22:17
- Ferdzy said...
Laura, there are 946 millilitres in an American quart, or just shy of a litre (1000 millilitres). So yes, you actually need 5 1/2 to 6 tablespoons lime juice per quart.
12 cups is way too low. 8 (Canadian) quarts are 32 cups. That's before the tomatoes are peeled, chopped and drained, so they will pack down a fair bit from there, but I can't imagine only 12 cups.
I don't know why Americans can't sell tomatoes by the 6 quart basket or quarter bushel like sensible people, LOL.
- 4 September 2010 at 22:34
- Unknown said...
With regards to the garlic. Do we use whole heads or just cloves. Made a mistake once and used heads when they said heads and they really meant cloves.
- 6 September 2010 at 19:48
- Ferdzy said...
Connie, that is heads. Don't forget, it is getting divided amongst quite a lot of jars.
- 6 September 2010 at 20:21
- Unknown said...
Didn't have any gloves last night, so I split the hot peppers, seeded them with a spoon and tossed them in the blender with a bit of the tomato and thought I was going to get away with it. Nope, still ended up with a couple of fingers burning for hours despite trying everything to wash them right away. After all that, the salsa is a bit mild. Next time, gloves and more peppers. I was chicken and only added about half what the recipe called for.
My old recipe used vinegar for the acid, this is so much better.
- 7 September 2010 at 07:29
- Cathy said...
I would like to make this salsa for canning but would like to add fresh tomatillos. Do you have any ideas to modify this recipe?
- 13 September 2010 at 10:41
- Ferdzy said...
Cathy, tomatillo salsa is usually done a bit differently. I have a recipe for canning tomatillo salsa and I had intended to post it this year. However, my tomatillo crop failed... yeah, yeah; I know. I am truely embarrassed - can't even grow weeds.
However, I'll post it tomorrow. It just won't have any pictures.
- 13 September 2010 at 14:19
- Life Uncomplicated said...
I am very excited to try this recipe. I do have a question though, is only the tomatoes amount in imperial or is the whole recipe? I am looking for US measurements, but I am thinking if the whole thing is imperial, I could just "pretend" that is in US and still cut it in half? Thanks!
- 14 September 2010 at 09:39
- Ferdzy said...
Heidi Elyse, the other ingredients are individual item, weight or cups, and the differences are not enough to worry about. Use the American measurements, you will be fine.
- 14 September 2010 at 11:26
- KMG said...
can you cut this recp. in half?
- 14 September 2010 at 16:11
- Ferdzy said...
Kgrindle, sure; you can cut the recipe in half.
- 16 September 2010 at 10:15
This salsa was so easy to make and AMAZING!!!!!! The flavors are spectacular. I can't wait to make it again! Thanks for sharing!!
- 19 September 2010 at 23:12
- mysticmichigan said...
hi all.....i am so excited to make this salsa ...looks and sounds great..love all the comments
so thank you to all
my question is ....about how many jalepeno's are in a pound....
- 20 September 2010 at 23:26
- Ferdzy said...
I wasn't sure so I looked it up... looks like it's about 20.
- 21 September 2010 at 08:05
- mysticmichigan said...
hi again....
forgot to ask.....i will be doing my salsa in pint jars....
so how much lime juice per pt jar do i add
thank you so much
- 21 September 2010 at 08:29
- Ferdzy said...
MysticMichigan, it's 3 tablespoons lime juice. A pint and 500 ml are very similar in size - not enough of a difference to worry about.
- 21 September 2010 at 12:38
- Kimber said...
Hi there, I just made this salsa tonight. When taste testing mine was quite salty. Will this go away? Also where and for how long do I store it before it is good to go? Thanks a bunch
- 21 September 2010 at 23:31
- Ferdzy said...
Kimber; unfortunately, if it has turned out salty that won't change. I'm afraid you will be best off to use it with other ingredients that are unsalted, and use a lighter hand with the salt if you make it again.
You can start eating it whenever you like! It's hard not to want to wait around and admire all that work, but you can start eating it whenever you feel like it.
- 22 September 2010 at 07:11
- mysticmichigan said...
if i were to use jelly jars when making this...for im the only one who eats it here...
how much lime juice per jelly jar
- 22 September 2010 at 18:36
- Ferdzy said...
Mysticmichigan, I would need to know what the size of a "jelly" jar is before I could say for sure. IF it's half a pint (1 cup) then just cut the amount for a pint in half - 1 1/2 tablespoons per jar.
- 22 September 2010 at 22:48
- Marilee said...
After salting the tomatoes, do you rinse them before going on with the recipe? I made a chow chow this weekend that called for letting my onions and tomatoes sit for 3 hours then rinsing them. I don't want salty salsa, but I want a bit.
Can't wait to try this!
- 4 October 2010 at 11:15
- Ferdzy said...
I don't rinse them. Most of the salt does run out with the water that the salt draws out of the tomatoes. Some will be left, however, and some will actually be absorbed by the tomatoes.
Do try not to use more than the 4 tablespoons total mentioned in the recipe. It may seem a bit sparse but it will be enough to draw out a lot of liquid and even if it all stayed in (but, see, it won't!) it would work out to just a bit more than a teaspoon per jar.
Good luck with your salsa.
- 4 October 2010 at 15:26
- Marilee said...
I made the salsa yesterday and I can't wait to try it. I am letting is sit awhile to let the flavors infuse. But man oh man did it smell delicious while cooking. And the lime juice? Wow, the best idea I have heard in a long time. Thanks, and I will let you know what I think after trying it.
- 5 October 2010 at 10:02
- Kathy said...
OK Ferdzy - Your have the recipe with exactly the ingredients I was looking for. Some way to can my fresh salsa. I will start it tomorrow and can on Thursday (10/6). Can't wait to try it.
One question...have you ever tried it adding fresh corn and/or black beans? I may do 1/2 my batch this way.
- 5 October 2010 at 14:21
- Ferdzy said...
Kathy, if you want to add corn or black beans to your salsa you MUST PRESSURE CAN it.
Boiling water canning can only be done with acidic foods. Corn and beans are both quite alkaline, and it would change the balance to add even a little.
Consequently, I have never added corn or beans and don't intend to.
I hope you do enjoy the salsa though.
- 5 October 2010 at 16:58
- Marilee said...
I couldn't wait. I tried the salsa yesterday and it was delicious. I know it will be even better later on. The cumin and lime juice make it more authentic to me. Being from CA I am a little picky with Mexican food.
- 6 October 2010 at 10:48
- Kathy said...
THANK YOU for the word on corn and beans.... I wonder if this gives me an excuse to buy a pressure canner or if I just have to do without? haha
Do you have other great recipes online?
- 6 October 2010 at 17:21
- Ferdzy said...
Kathy, you're welcome, and um, I have an entire blog full... I don't know about wonderful, but check it out:
- 6 October 2010 at 18:55
- Kathy said...
OK - Thanks, I get it now! Sorry to look/sound like an idiot. I found the recipe via a google search and didn't realize the blog in which it appears is all yours. I will look around!
- 6 October 2010 at 19:12
- Darlene said...
I am confused. I have read all the blogs. On one 23, Aug. when asled about pint jars it says 1 1/2 T lime juice and yet on 21, Sept. it says 3T per pint. Please help!
- 19 October 2010 at 14:15
- Ferdzy said...
Darlene, sorry for the confusion.
3 tablespoons per pint is the correct figure - 473ml to the pint so close enough to the 500 ml jars called for in the recipe to go on with.
- 19 October 2010 at 15:20
- Grandma Mary said...
Oh my gosh, my daughter-in-law and I have been searching for a Salsa that we could can that did not have vinegar in it... I found it in your blog!!!
It was wonderful.
We have a large garden and are doing a lot of canning for our family. I think we found the web site to give us new and great recipes for our bounty.
- 20 October 2010 at 03:55
- Ferdzy said...
Grandma Mary, I'm very happy to hear you liked it.
- 20 October 2010 at 10:10
- d-_-b said...
i have a question regarding acidity in canning. i recently prepared 4 qts. of salsa using my own recipe assuming i could then bottle it directly. my wife, after doing some research, is concerned that the salsa will not hold properly unless i adhere to some tested recipes regarding acidity.
here are the ingredients:
5 lb 4 oz tomatoes (all varieties)
1 lb 12 oz onion (red & white)
5 oz jalapeno (roasted)
4 oz purple peppers (roasted)
2.5 oz purple peppers
3 oz fresh garlic
1 oz garlic (roasted)
2 oz green onions
.35 oz cilantro
2 tb salt
2 tb lime juice
1 tb granulated garlic
what do you think?
thanks in advance!
- 20 October 2010 at 19:37
- Ferdzy said...
I don't have the tables handy to work it out in detail anymore, however my immediate impression is that your recipe is indeed not sufficiently acidic to can.
I would suggest you also check in with one of the following:
If you are in Canada, try Bernardins website, http://www.homecanning.com/can/ALContact.asp
If you are in the US, try the Ball/Kerr hotline, 1-800-240-3340.
- 20 October 2010 at 22:15
- Maya said...
Thank you so much for posting this recipe and for responding to so many comments!
I used your recipe as a guide for a half batch, but I left out the onions, cumin, mild chilies (substituting them for 4 - 1 inch size habaneros) and tomato paste. I added a cup of grapefruit juice to my batch - I didn't think that could hurt. I used a pressure canner that brought the temp to just over 240 degrees and processed for 20min.
Is this too many changes? How did you have your recipe tested?
- 11 December 2010 at 16:30
- Ferdzy said...
Maya, that's a lot of changes but since they almost all increased teh acidity I don't see a problem.
It's been many years since I devised this recipe, but I believe I used a chart of the acidity levels of different vegetables as well as comparisons to other recipes - a lot of research in other words.
- 16 December 2010 at 21:30
- Johnathan said...
I want to make this recipe this summer after we get a good bit of tomatoes, but i'm not firmiliar with some of your measurement's
I need to know how much 8 quart's of tomatoes are in cup's (precooked)
Please help! ANYONE in the US that made this in cups vs quarts of tomatoes?
Also if you need, you can email me firstname.lastname@example.com if you have us measurement's since we are so behind the times with our measurement's lol
- 24 June 2011 at 02:50
- spokanetrish said...
Jonathon...this is my version of THIS recipe...which is THE BEST CANNED SALSA EVER! And PlAN on making more then you "think" you will want, and it still won't last till spring :-)
12 c. prepared tomatoes--peeled, de-seeded, drained, and chopped or food processed. I prefer Romas as they have less liquid--use what you have
2T pickling salt (table salt will make salsa cloudy)
3 large onions--chopped
2-3 heads garlic--chopped or food processed
1/2 lb. jalapenos--chopped or food processed (4 lg habeneros for UBER HOT!)
6 large mild chillies or 3 large green/yellow bell peppers--chopped
1 1/2 c. minced cilantro
1/2-3/4 of small can of tomato paste
Lime Juice--bottled
10 pint jars, lids, and rings
Canning pot
- 24 June 2011 at 03:08
- Unknown said...
I love your salsa and have made two batches so far by myself! Lots of hard work! I noticed that Tricia made the comment in 2009 that we in the States buy our tomatoes by the pound. Well that may be true where she lives but down in the south where I am from and by the grace of God live, we buy ours by the pound, box, peck, and bushel! I also use a very large stew pot which is clearly marked in metric and "normal" measurements. So it was no problem reaching the 8qt mark on that pan. Hubs #3 says just looking at your website makes him hungry! Imagine his surprise when he comes home tonight to find another batch of salsa plus your Maple Peaches on the shelf! Thanks again! Don't be surprised if you get an onslaught of activity on here soon....I blog too! I will be mentioning you on my blog just as soon as I leave "tomato land". lol
- 30 July 2011 at 15:50
- Starla said...
I loved this recipe!! Thanks so much for sharing it... We didn't have a great crop this yr. for tomatoes But really thinkin bout gettin those Romano tom, You were talkin about. I would like to have plenty for the Holidays. And at the Rate my daughters goin, Will be out before Thanksgiving!!! Very Awesome, Thanks Again Starla From OK..
- 17 August 2011 at 04:12
- mama_mums said...
My husband told me this salsa makes Chi-Chi's look like ketchup! Thank you.. we love it!!
- 19 August 2011 at 10:40
- gunbob said...
after processing my sals has a clear liquid in the bottom of jar any ideas
- 22 August 2011 at 01:38
- gunbob said...
i have a clear liquid in the bottom of jars after water bath any ideas
- 22 August 2011 at 01:39
- Johnathan said...
I didnt with my salsa but I did with my plain canned Tomatoes. All mine turned out to be was just water in the tomato sauce separated. After they sealed and cooled I just turned them upside down a few times and once it was all mixed again it was fine and didn't separate again. That is my thoughts but idk what else it could be. Did they seal? Follow directions exactly? If so it should be good.
Good luck!
- 22 August 2011 at 01:46
- Ferdzy said...
Gunbob, Jonathan has already answered he is right - it is not uncommon for canned tomato products to separate a bit. Just shake it up before opening, if it doesn't settle back out in storage.
I think this might be caused by the tomatoes not being as cooked as they could be, but since this recipe tries to keep the tomatoes from being highly cooked, the separation is a risk. It's purely a cosmetic problem.
- 22 August 2011 at 08:31
- 626dch said...
Hi! I have yet to try your recipe. I was reading thru all the comments to make sure I take all the suggestions under advisement before starting. You said that you could use a cannner as a water bath, but do you know if it would change the salsa at all to use the canner as a canner even if I don't add corn and beans?
Also I live in MI and our open air farmers markets do sell products by the pint basket,quart"basket", 1/2 peck, etc. Sometime if you go to the fancy pick-ur-own farms they give us bags say for apples that are a peck or 1/2 peck. They may weigh it after but I have yet to be charged by the weight. We do have a "farmers market" store which is not a true farmers market and they charge by the lb as any other grocery store.
- 25 August 2011 at 21:31
- Ferdzy said...
626dch, I'm not completely clear what you are asking. You want to pressure can the salsa, yes? I don't feel really competent to answere that - you might want to try asking one of the resources listed a little higher up in the comments.
I have done my canning in a pressure canner without actually using the pressure part - just put the lid on loosely so it doesn't seal, and follow the times in the recipe.
Thanks for commenting.
- 25 August 2011 at 22:54
- Unknown said...
The local grocer here did not have fresh green chilies...can I used canned? Or substitute them with Poblano peppers? Just using a few pepper instead of the 6 green chilies? Our growing season here this year was not very good, so my only option has been the local grocer.
Also how long in a the water bath canner should I boil for the elevation on 6600ft?
One more question, when using US quart size jars how much lime juice? Double it?
Thank you for your help.
I am looking forward to making this.
- 26 August 2011 at 19:52
- Unknown said...
Oops forgot one more thing. I notice now on the ingredients list it states
6 large green chilies (peppers)
Now I am a bit confused on this are you referring to those wonderful green chilies in which you make chili with? Or are you referring to green bell peppers?
- 26 August 2011 at 19:57
- Ferdzy said...
Joanna, you can substitute whatever hot(ish) peppers you like for the jalapenos. I'd stick with fresh, I think canned would get soggy being canned again. For my milder green peppers I tend to use Cubanelles because that's about all I can grow here easily. If you can get get better peppers like poblanos, go for it. In total you are probably talking about 2 pounds of peppers.
I believe a U.S. quart is just a tad smaller than a litre, so yes if you are doing quarts double the lime juice.
I believe you need to add 15 minutes to the processing time, according the the guide at the Ball site:
- 26 August 2011 at 21:31
- Colesmeister said...
I planned on using lemon juice, but forgot to put it in. Am I safe without it?
- 9 September 2011 at 20:24
- Wny Farmer said...
- This comment has been removed by the author.
- 12 September 2011 at 08:03
- Wny Farmer said...
Please let me advocate for all of the local Northern farmers out there.. we DO sell fruit and vegetables by the basket! Our little saying is that REAL farmers (not hucksters) will never sell by the pound, because it is way too much work..lol. You can google your local farmers markets, we'd love for you to buy from us. Keep it local and Fresh! Know where your food comes from.
(steps off soapbox)
I love this blog, and love the recipes. I just made this salsa x4, and can't wait to eat this in the middle of winter!
- 12 September 2011 at 08:07
- Karen said...
This is by far the best tasting salsa I have ever had! Canning it is not as hard as it seems. I use a food processor to chop and it cuts the prep time way down. and allows for good drainage of the cut products. I made one batch already and it is half gone! Today I will make at least a double batch and pack it in quart jars.. pints are just not big enough!
- 12 September 2011 at 10:03
- Eleanor said...
Arrgh...just canned this, and failed to transcribe the recipe well before canning.
So, I cold-packed this (accidentally). I used extra lime juice, though, and I processed 35 minutes (salsa was boiling in jars when it was removed). Thoughts? Do I need to re-can all this, or do you think I can get away with it?
- 12 September 2011 at 22:33
- Ferdzy said...
Eleanor, you are probably okay since you processed it for so long. I assume that was from when it came to a boil - you probably got mighty close to 20 minutes in there. But you are going to have to make that call...!
Colemeister, again you have to make that call. I would be leary, I have to admit.
And thanks to Wny Farmer and Karen for your kind comments.
- 12 September 2011 at 23:38
- Johnathan said...
OK so I left my commenet a month or two back saying I had finally canned my batch of this salsa. Well i tasted it when i canned it but it was just OK, and I thought it had too much of a cilantro taste. BUT we opened a can of it and WOW!!! This is THE BEST Salsa i have ever had! I am so proud to say I did this all by myself, first time canning by myself too! If you are doubting this recipe DO NOT! And it will NOT taste like it does right when it's cooked! Thanks for this recipe, it is amazing!
- 14 September 2011 at 03:17
- Hazel said...
Wow, there are so many comments about this recipe. I've made 4 batches of this salsa and it was delicious while it was cooking, so I imagine it will be amazing in a month or so. About the commenter who said it tasted too much of lime juice- I wonder if they were using lime juice *concentrate* rather than regular bottled lime juice. Someone told me to be sure of what the recipe asked for because sometimes recipes call for concentrate and sometimes just juice. Just a thought. Thanks for the recipe!
- 14 September 2011 at 14:21
- Becky said...
I'm trying this salsa today, I'm being over run with tomatoes and green peppers. So we went to the Farmers Market this week and got the garlic and jalapeno's so excited to see how it turns out!
- 17 September 2011 at 10:12
- Laurie said...
Do you use fresh lime juice or bottled? I've seen a few comments about bottled. My preference would be fresh. Does it matter?
- 18 September 2011 at 00:54
- Johnathan said...
I used bottled lime juice & mine turned out just great! And I mean GREAT! I love this salsa lol
- 18 September 2011 at 06:03
- SpokaneDawn said...
SpokaneTrish... I am also from Spokane.. LOL... anyway... you left cumin out of your converted recipe.. but I greatly appreciate your conversions!!! Thank you so much! I am off to hack up the onions right now!
- 19 September 2011 at 13:31
- SpokaneDawn said...
I am in midst of making this and can't wait... I didn't get too much drainage from my tomatoes overnight.. is this normal or am I going to end up with a sloppy mess? I am going to quarter this recipe for lack of tomatoes and can't wait. SpokaneTrish, thank you for the conversions... next time you post tho add in the cumin, you left that out.... but I greatly appreciate the conversions you posted, thank you! I also am from spokane!
- 19 September 2011 at 13:33
- spokanetrish said...
SpokaneDawn...I left it out on purpose, and I didn't miss it at all. As for draining the tomatoes...did you salt them as Ferdzy suggested? Then again, if you are using the Roma's then you must expect much less liquid. Thanks for the nice comments :-)
Obviously I raised the "ire" of many American's on my comments on pounds vs. bushels :-) I live in the Pacific Northwest, and we have a lot of "you-pick" up here, and it's mostly by-the-pound--although apples can be had by the box. So many people were asking about pounds/cups that I thought I would let Ferdzy know why we had so many questions. Thank you for reminding me that American's are extremely diverse and OUTSPOKEN! hehe!
Thx again Ferdzy for the forum and the constant feedback!!
- 19 September 2011 at 22:14
- Craftythumbs said...
I've decided to try this recipe and do half a batch. So far I've bought 7 lbs of tomatoes. I figured since 8 quarts is about 13 lbs that 4 quarts would be around 7lbs. I've counted 20 tomatoes. I've drained the tomatoes and I have 8 cups (chopped and drained) These are hot house field tomatoes (no paste or romas were available)
I've got 7 "garden salsa peppers" that a coworker gave me from her garden. They are twice as long as jalapenos, long and slender. How many should I put in?
I was thinking of 2 medium onions, a bunch of cilantro (I love it), 1 green pepper, garlic, cumin, etc to taste.
Any help is appreciated, I'm canning tomorrow night.
- 29 September 2011 at 23:31
- HappyKathy said...
WOW!! This is the best salsa I have ever had. I brought a couple jars to work and the girls in the office all wanted to buy some jars off of me..which I refused!! My boyfriend said it was the best he ever had, my mother adores it, my daughter wants more and I have it every morning with my eggs...and this goes on and on...the recipe is perfect as it is. I wouldn't change a thing unless you adjust to your own taste maybe on the second batch you make. I'm making a second batch this weekend. Only have 5 jars out of 18 jars..and I made it this month!! So...enjoy it..it's awesome, taste so fresh compared to store bought, you will taste the difference right away..day and night!!
Kathy - Timmins, ON
- 30 September 2011 at 07:17
- Ferdzy said...
Craftythumbs, sorry I missed your comment! Probably too late, but you wanted about half a pound. I couldn`t tell you how many that would be.
And thank you everybody for your kind comments. Appreciated!
- 1 October 2011 at 20:18
- Maryt said...
Love this recipe! I had been looking for a salsa to can for a long time and this is it! Made it exactly the first time and everyone loved it. Second time around, I changed out half the jalapenos for seranos and it is now perfect! I have tomatoes draining as I type, for a third batch, using up the rest of my tomatoes.
Thanks so much for sharing.
- 4 October 2011 at 18:17
- rogin said...
This is what I did. I didn't realize that salsa canning had to be so specific.
25 cups of chopped , skinned, roma tomatoes, 12 cups of chopped red onion, approx. 450 grams of chopped jalapenos, 500 ml tomato paste, 1 cup cilantro, 3 large garlic heads, 6 red peppers, 450 ml lime juice (little salt, the cumin and less cilantro as I didn't have enough). IT made 18 500 ml jars. then brought to a boil, transferred to jars, water boiled in a normal pot for 20 mins. Do you think this will be OK? Thanks,
- 23 October 2011 at 02:03
- Unknown said...
Are the tomatos ruined if they have been kept in the fridge?
- 17 July 2012 at 14:36
- Ferdzy said...
Sharon, I wouldn't eat them fresh, but I would think they'd be okay for canning. Not ideal, obviously, but okay.
- 17 July 2012 at 15:20
- spokanetrish said...
- This comment has been removed by the author.
- 17 July 2012 at 17:04
- spokanetrish said...
I was looking over the previous comments, mostly to see if there was any "new wisdom", and I saw that Ferdzy was questioning why my version calls for "12 cups prepared tomatoes"...I will try to clarify.
When he 1st posted his recipe called for "bushels" and was also in metric--there was untold discussion about converting to measurements those of us in the States could use (so entertaining!).
Here's Ferdzy's original post/recipe...
8 quarts plum tomatoes
pickling salt
6 large onions (red are good if you can get them)
2 to 3 heads of garlic
450 grams (1 pound) Jalapeño chiles
6 large mild green chiles (peppers)
2 1/2 cups minced cilantro
1/4 cup cumin seed, ground
1 156ml (5 1/2 ounce) can tomato paste
PER JAR (quart) 3 tablespoons lime juice
After purchasing the amount of tomatoes, and then processing them, then measured how much my "prepared" tomatoes yielded. The FIELD tomatoes yielded much less, because there was so much more juice and seeds, versus what I was left with after using Roma's. AND I was also working out how much a "half" batch would be, because that was what my 2.5 gallon pot would accommodate.
Here's my "1/2" recipe...
12 c. prepared tomatoes--peeled, de-seeded, drained, and chopped or food processed. I prefer Romas as they have less liquid--use what you have
2T pickling salt (table salt will make salsa cloudy)
3 large onions--chopped
2-3 heads garlic--chopped or food processed (we LOVE garlic)
1/2 lb. jalapenos--chopped or food processed (4 lg habeneros for UBER HOT!)
6 large mild chillies or 3 large green bell peppers--chopped
1 1/2 c. minced cilantro
1/2-3/4 of small can of tomato paste
Lime Juice--bottled-1.5 T per pint
10 pint jars, lids, and rings
***then follow Ferdzy's directions***
When you look at both recipes, next to each other, you can better see what I did. I spent quite a lot of time referring to the blogging and to the conversion table.
While Ferdy used quarts, I used pints--2 reasons. First, my jars are mostly pints from years of jam and relish canning. Secondly, I wanted to make both HOT and MILD versions, and I didn't want larger jars going to waste in the fridge. The happy accident was that as people asked for the salsa (kids, friends, co-workers) I could say I could only part with a pint--keeping more at home! Even then, it didn't last through to Spring!
Take care,
Trish in Spokane
- 17 July 2012 at 17:28
- Lisa said...
I'm still confused about the amount of lime juice to be used. I am from the US and will be making a full batch using pint jars. Do I use 3 TBSP or 1 1/2 TBSP per pint jar? I want to make sure I add enough but not too much. This will be my first time canning.
- 19 July 2012 at 11:49
- spokanetrish said...
Ferdzy's recipe called for 3 T lime juice per QUART. You want to put up PINTS, right? A pint is 1/2 a quart, so use 1/2 the lime juice. That's where I got the 1.5 T in my version...it was for pints. Hope this helps--ENJOY the salsa!
- 19 July 2012 at 13:55
- Lisa said...
Thanks Spokanetrish! I though in the thread of posts she listed it as a pint. I appreciate you clarifying it for me! I hate to add to much! :)
- 20 July 2012 at 16:55
- Unknown said...
I made this recipe last year to the raves of family and friends...getting the jars washed for another round this year! Thanks it is an awesome modern recipe!
- 3 August 2012 at 10:09
- Unknown said...
Great modern recipe! Tried it last year to the raves of family and friends. Made a ton and sold lots at my Church Bazzar! Going to buy some field tomatoes today for the 2012 batch.
- 3 August 2012 at 10:10
- veggie said...
I loved reading the comments on making salsa. I just started canning a few weeks ago making 3 varieties of cherry jam. About 28 half pints in total. Next I want to try making salsa and pasta sauce. I do not have a garden so I will need to purchase the tomatoes and peppers. I think I will start with a half batch of this salsa if I can figure out the amount of tomatoes needed in pounds.
Thanks for all the info shared here.
- 20 August 2012 at 17:07
- Sharon Nedved said...
If you are having problems with your jars braking when you are putting hot stuff in them place a butter knife in the jar before you fill it then fill jar remove knife and seal.
- 21 August 2012 at 18:55
- veggie said...
Okay...I bought about 7 lbs of Roma tomatoes today and a bunch of different peppers. Still not sure what ratio to use this recipe. A quarter of it??
- 21 August 2012 at 19:20
- spokanetrish said...
@ Veggie. I understand your dilemma...that's why I had to work out a recipe based on volume/measurements. The 1st time I got field tomatoes (slicers) and I lost so much to juice and seeds, it seemed the 40 lbs was 1/2 water! So the next time I did roms's (they were HUGE) and I had much less waste. So, 1st prepare your tomatoes (peeled, de-seeded, drained, and chopped or food
processed) and then measure to see whats left. Trust me, it will all make sense :-) See my version of this recipe above.
- 21 August 2012 at 19:57
- veggie said...
Thanks spokanirish. I still don't understand the ratio to cups/pounds/quarts of tomatoes. Obviously I know a quart is 4 cups...so is the OP using 32 cups of tomatoes?? Are these totals AFTER skinning and chopping?? How many pounds is that?? Lol. I saw a recipe somewhere else that said 8 cups was 4 lbs. If that is true then this recipe would use 16lbs. I might have to make a 1/3 of the recipe.
- 21 August 2012 at 20:22
- spokanetrish said...
12 c. prepared tomatoes--peeled, de-seeded, DRAINED, and chopped or food
processed. I prefer Romas as they have less liquid--use what you have
2T pickling salt (table salt will make salsa cloudy)
3 large onions--chopped
2-3 heads garlic--chopped or food processed
1/2 lb. jalapenos--chopped or food processed (4 lg habeneros for UBER HOT!)
6 large mild chillies or 3 large green bell peppers--chopped
1 1/2 c. minced cilantro
1/2-3/4 of small can of tomato paste
Lime Juice--bottled
10 pint jars, lids, and rings
Canning pot
then follow his instructions...3T lime for QUARTS, 1.5T for PINTS. I ommitted the CUMIN because I don't like it, but add if you choose. Did this help?
- 21 August 2012 at 21:02
- veggie said...
Thanks....i re-read through the comments again, a lot of conflicting info. Yes, I also saw your version. It would be helpful to have a fully converted recipe....but it is what it is. It is great that people share their experiences with others. I am going to try and conquer salsa tomorrow.
- 21 August 2012 at 21:11
- veggie said...
Okay, skinned, cut, and deseeded about 7 pounds of Roma tomatoes. I have about 10 cups of tomatoes before finely chopped now in a strainer with a little pickling salt. Based on my tomatoes I think I will use 1/3 of the original recipe with a few tweaks on the peppers.
This iis what I plan to use...... I think it should still follow necessary ratios for safety. Pllease comment if someone feels otherwise. Thanks!!
10 cups Roma tomatoes - skinned, deseeded, sliced, but not yet finely chopped.
1 1/4 T pickling salt
2 onions chopped.
1-2 heads of garlic
1/3 lb jalapeños (replacing some with hotter peppers)
1-2 lg mild chiles
1 green bell pepper
3 tsp ground cumin
1 T dried cilantro
1/2 can tomato paste
*****Lime juice (? Per pint) still unclear on amount per pint as I have read conflicting info on the blog.
- 22 August 2012 at 13:09
- spokanetrish said...
MORE CILANTRO! IT makes a HUGE difference on the flavor. My recipe, for 12 C prepared tomatoes calls for 1.5 C of cilantro...so 2T would be too little. If your afraid of that herb (my Gram was, she NEVER used it), trust all the previous posts of people who have made this recipe with Fredzy's cilantro--it's part of what makes it special :-)
- 22 August 2012 at 13:15
- spokanetrish said...
3T lime for QUARTS, 1.5T for PINTS.
The differing info comes from Fredzy putting up QUARTS, and others (including myself) putting up PINTS. IF YOU PUT UP PINTS, USE 1.5 T PER JAR :-)
Off for va-ca to the San Juan Islands, outside Seattle...TA TA!
- 22 August 2012 at 13:18
- veggie said...
I wasn't sure how dried cilantro converts to fresh. I have dry cilantro but have never used it before.
My tomatoes are draining right now.. I am not sure how many cups of finely chopped tomatoes I will end up with yet. Do you think my guess of 1/3 of the recipe is close?? I have 10 cups roughly of peeled, deseeded, and cut tomatoes right now. Thanks!!
- 22 August 2012 at 13:21
- veggie said...
Oh have fun!! enjoy!!
I saw that the original poster had 500ml jars which are similar to pints for me so i wasn't sure.
- 22 August 2012 at 13:23
- veggie said...
So I ended up with about 5 1/2 cups of chopped (food processed) tomatoes from my 10 cups of peeled, deseeded, and cut ones. This was over 7 lbs of Romaa. I mixed together all other ingredients and then added the tomatoes and I get about 9 1/2 cups total for everything. I have to cook this in batches as my largest NON aluminum pot is for my water bath. I am waiting for hubby to come home from work after a trip to the market for lime juice as a new bottle was bad due to an unsecure seal. this process is taking a lonnnggggg time for a small batch. I hope this stuff is good.
- 22 August 2012 at 16:21
- veggie said...
Oh ya...anyone have any ideas on what to do with some over food processed onions lol The last few pulses pulverized my onions. I put a small amount in the salsa after draining them and then did new onion.
- 22 August 2012 at 16:31
- veggie said...
- This comment has been removed by the author.
- 23 August 2012 at 12:43
- Unknown said...
Will leaving out the cilantro and cumin change the acidity?
- 23 August 2012 at 17:32
- Ferdzy said...
Valerie, that should be fine.
- 23 August 2012 at 20:17
- Unknown said...
Just wanted to say thanks for the recipe and the detailed instructions. I made a half batch for the first time a couple of weeks ago with tomatoes from our garden, and it is SO GOOD. Going to the market to buy tomatoes to make more because we're going to need enough to last the winter as well as for gifts. I used poblanos for the green chiles (along with the jalapenos). They were fantastic in terms of colour and flavour, but I might substitute one of them with something a little hotter to heat this next batch up a bit. Seriously great recipe.
- 24 August 2012 at 14:38
- Unknown said...
- This comment has been removed by the author.
- 24 August 2012 at 14:40
- Unknown said...
Do I have to blanch the tomotoes first to remove the skin?
- 29 August 2012 at 16:09
- Ferdzy said...
Ana, yes. The instructions for that are in the first paragraph.
- 29 August 2012 at 17:41
- Ferdzy said...
I'm closing comments on this post Two hundred comments are more than enough to load. If you have a question, please read the comments many of them are asked and answered there.
- 29 August 2012 at 17:42


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@syntaxfm… https://t.co/uqia1K012W
.@SGgrc's advice on how to move away from @crashplan #backup using #TNO approach & @cloudberrylab
#SecurityNow… https://t.co/moMI5aEFNW
#Inspirational & #actionable episode on How to #Recover from a #SideHustle #Disaster @chrisguillebeau
I came across an interesting article covering a comparison of PHP frameworks. The comments at the bottom of the article are also quite interesting, to say the least.
Personally, I've chosen Laravel as my go-to framework. I'm learning it by applying it to a personal project. It is well covered through excellent documentation, great video tutorials, and a good book. I've written about Laravel on my blog quite frequently.
This is tangentially related to media through the MP3 format.
Recently I bought a Love & Logic audio book (great approach for new and experienced parents). My main listening program is the Overcast podcast player. It has great fast playback options. The audio book I got had 10 small MP3 files and the Overcast site allows for individual uploads of files which is a pain. So I figured it would be easier to merge all of these MP3 files into one large MP3 file that I could upload into Overcast.
I tried two approaches that didn't work: Toast Titanium and using the 'cat' command. Looking around further I came across a StackOverflow thread that mentioned the 'cat' approach and a utility that did work. The utility was: MP3Cat.
It's a Go program that works on Mac, Windows, and Linux. It works as follows on the command line:
./mp3cat -o merged.mp3 file1.mp3 file2.mp3 file3.mp3
It works amazingly well, and I highly^100 recommend it.
On my fourth return I was finally able to exchange the Drobo 5N for a Drobo 5D. The three 5N units that I tried never worked on my network and Drobo support were unable to help me. The 5D is a massive external hard disk with lots of redundancy, so it needs to be connected to a computer. It is also simpler than the 5N and far from being a NAS.
What I've learned (and this, of course, is my extremely narrow experience/opinion):
Thoughts? Feedback? Let me know: @eli4d on Twitter
Nice #Frameworks are a "place for everything & everything in its place".
@northsouthaudio… https://t.co/oeYz2p2yPX
#coding side: integrating #payments into your #site/#product
Accepting #Money on the Internet 💰💸
Neat episode re the challenges of Accepting 💰 on the Internet
@stripe awesomeness &
@PayPal sadness
@syntaxfm… https://t.co/fbvJnX1CgO


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As we continue our journey through the Old Testament this Sunday at 2:00 pm, we invite all to join us in celebrating traditional Jewish songs! New Life's dedicated musicians have prepared beautiful music and songs that will bless your soul. Bring your friends and be ready to sing your heart out!
Please read the Book of Daniel, Chapters 1-12, before Sunday. We look forward to seeing you soon!
"Those who have insight will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead the many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever." Daniel 12:3


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A hiss of vapor safely let released,
the oil on sprockets, and the cushioned walls
you keep for words that's hurled in anger, faults
unmentioned and your strength to quench caprice.
As chill of mist condensing and your ease
accepting lack of warmth and tears let fell
for the other cheek that's turned for peace.
But there beside a rutted road, in smell
untethered from an orchard you might stop
to realize a treasure has been found:
as bees might sting but also bring the hope
of bliss, you feel a strength to heal your wounds
and with patience like the water drop by drop
can carve that rock, how peace can grow, abound.
Today I have poetics at dVerse, and the I want you to write about peace without making it trite, too sweet, or just against the horrors of wars. I tried to capture how much pain and work it takes. But maybe also how big the reward is. I tried to write a Petrarchan sonnet, with quite a few slanted rhymes. Swing by the pub when we open at 3 PM EST.
December 7, 2015


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Style in WPF
In this article I will explain Style which is an important feature of the Windows Presentation Foundation Introduction Style in WPF is used to group a set of properties that can be applied to controls. It is similar to CSS that is used to style in HTML. Let us see how we can style a… Read More »


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We are a small church. Most of our parents, their parents attended this church. There are just so few of us left. We are trying to keep the church as long as we can.
Sunday 2:00PM Every 2nd Sunday
10 Joudrey Lane RR 1B0J 1E0 Block House , NS
Phone: 902-624-8586
Nova Scotia CA


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theREIGN Juke Box
We have now reintroduced theREIGN's music player to the website, and this can currently be found at the bottom left of all pages, other than the Home Page. It will eventually find its way to a slot on the Home Page, but...Learn More
Welcome To The New Look Site
Hi All, Welcome to our new and improved website. THe vast majority of the stuff that was on the old site has been seamlessly moved here, and the other stuff (mainly the online music player) will follow shortly … once I have...Learn More
Greenbelt Rock Eucharist Moved Again
theREIGN have been advised that their Rock Eucharist event has been moved once again … this time forward from 11:30pm to 10:00pm on the Friday evening of the Festival. Given that the original timeslot was going to be...Learn More
Rock Eucharist Event
Following on from a highly successful weekend concert and service at Holy Trinity, Barrow Upon Humber during July, theREIGN are delighted to have been invited back to the church to lead a Rock Eucharist event on Sunday evening 28...Learn More
Greenbelt 2008
The Greenbelt organisers have now confirmed that Rock Eucharist v2.0 will be held on Friday 22 August 2008 (the first night of the festival) at 11:30pm. If you are attending the festival, it would be great to see you there, and...Learn More


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What People Are Saying
Here just a few of the lovely testimonials from our clients:Napoleon Testimonial SecureIT Tactical Testimonial Magliner-Testimonial Integrys Testimonial
At the completion of each Fully Alive Leadership© workshop and keynote, attendees always come to Jack with comments about what our session has meant to them. Here's a collection of a few of these heartfelt comments from our wonderful attendees in their words – some are in video, too. Just click more beneath any entry for their comments. They will give you an idea of the take-home value of Fully Alive Leadership© keynotes and workshops.
And when it's time to create full engagement – to influence others to give their A-game – just contact us and we'll explore the possibilities together.


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Is it time to update the look of your Columbia home? Fortunately, revamping your home's flooring is easy thanks to Carpet One Floor & Home. As part of the largest buying group in the world, we save money on flooring from the biggest brands, mills, and manufacturers and give those savings, in turn, to our customers. Our goal is to bring you the best flooring at the best price, accompanied by the best service available, all the way from start to finish.
We start by applying the expertise of our Carpet One Floor & Home sales professionals aided by the organization provided by the SelectAFloor™ shopping system to simplify the selection process when it comes to look, feel, and price point. Whether you want to install cozy carpeting, sleek ceramic tile for a modern look and texture, the rich hues and textures of natural hardwood, or the stylish, wear-resistant quality of laminate or luxury vinyl flooring, you can count on Carpet One Floor & Home to supply the very best options. Once you've decided, we can even install your new flooring for you. Our installation experts are backed by the same quality and care that all Carpet One Floor & Home Carpet One customers have come to expect, making for a great, hassle-free experience. And to top it all off, you can choose from one of our many warranties to make sure your floors stay beautiful over time.
And at Carpet One Floor & Home, we go beyond great flooring. Carpet One stores like Carpet One Floor & Home in Columbia, SC are owned and operated locally, so we're invested in the Columbia area. At stores like Carpet One Floor & Home, we make it our mission to understand and become active in our community. Ready to get started? Come in to your Carpet One Floor & Home store in Columbia today and see what a difference we can make. We're ready to help make your Columbia home's new flooring beautiful.
Columbia, SC
Carpet One Floor & Home
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Sat, 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.Sun, Closed