Salsa Recipe

One day I decided to try to can some salsa. I couldn’t find a decent recipe so I called
Mom to see if she had one. She didn’t so together we worked this one out over the phone.
Well that year we had very watery tomatoes and after cooking them “forever” without getting
the consistency I was looking for and with the vegetables getting tender I decided to add the
tomato paste and “Viola”. After allowing it to age a WHOLE week I finally opened a jar.
It had turned out perfect. With just the right consistency and tender-crisp veggies and just enough bite (about mild to medium). I have been using this recipe since 1990 and it has always turned out great. Remember that if you use a low acid tomato to use more vinegar. I usually use a mix of tomatoes from beefsteaks to cherry. The cherry tomatoes give it a naturally sweet flavor. Around our house an open jar is an empty jar, so try a batch and see how long it lasts.

10 Quarts chopped peeled tomatoes
3 Cups diced green peppers
1 1/2 Cups diced red or yellow sweet peppers
1 Bunch of celery diced
4 Cups of onion diced
1 Head of garlic chopped fine
2 Cups of yellow hot banana peppers diced or vary amount or type of hot pepper to your taste.
2 ½ Tablespoons of salt
2 Cups of vinegar
1 Cup of sugar
2 Tablespoons of chili powder or more to taste
4 Tablespoons of paprika
3 – 6 oz. cans of tomato paste (or more or less as needed)

Cook down tomatoes until moderately thickened. Adjust seasonings to taste.
Then add all other ingredients, except tomato paste.
Cook until vegetables are almost tender.
Add enough tomato paste to thicken.
Pour into hot sterile jars and seal.