Here’s what to do with a bumper crop of tomatoes.
When your vegetable garden gives you a bumper crop, make salsa and spaghetti sauce.
HOMEMADE CANNED SPAGHETTI SAUCE Tonya Branham
Mount Olive, Alabama PREP: 11/2 hours + simmering PROCESS: 40 min. • MAKES: 9 qt. 25 lbs. tomatoes (about 80 medium) 4 large green peppers, seeded 4 large onions, cut into wedges 2 cans (12 oz. each) tomato paste 1 cup canola oil 2/3 cup sugar 1/4 cup salt 8 garlic cloves, minced 4 tsp. dried oregano 2 tsp. dried parsley flakes 2 tsp. dried basil 2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce 2 bay leaves 1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. lemon juice 1. In a Dutch oven, bring 2 qt. water to a boil. Using a slotted spoon, place tomatoes, one at a time, in boiling water for 30-60 seconds. Remove each tomato and immediately plunge into ice water. Peel and quarter tomatoes and then place in a stockpot. 2. Pulse green peppers and onions in batches in a food processor until finely chopped; transfer to stockpot. Stir in next 11 ingredients. Add water to cover; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 4-5 hours, stirring occasionally. 3. Discard bay leaves. Add 2 Tbsp. lemon juice to each of nine hot 1-qt. jars. Ladle hot mixture into jars, leaving 1/2-in. headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if necessary, by adding hot mixture. Wipe rims. Center lids on jars; screw on the bands until fingertip tight. 4. Place jars into canner with simmering water, ensuring that they are completely covered with water. Bring to a boil; process for 40 minutes. Remove jars and cool. 3/4 cup: 118 cal., 5g fat (0 sat. fat), 0 chol., 614mg sod., 17g carb. (11g sugars, 4g fiber), 3g pro. Diabetic exchanges: 1 starch, 1 fat.
MILD TOMATO SALSA Pamela Lundstrum Bird Island, Minnesota
PREP: 40 min. + simmering PROCESS: 20 min. • MAKES: 10 pints 101/2 lbs. tomatoes (about 35 medium), peeled and quartered 4 medium green peppers, chopped 3 large onions, chopped 2 cans (12 oz. each) tomato paste 13/4 cups white vinegar 1/2 cup sugar 1 medium sweet red pepper, chopped 1 celery rib, chopped 15 garlic cloves, minced 4-5 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped 1/4 cup canning salt 1/4-1/2 tsp. hot pepper sauce 1. In a large stockpot, cook the tomatoes, uncovered, over medium heat 20 minutes. Drain, reserving 2 cups liquid. Return tomatoes to the pot. 2. Stir in green peppers, onions, tomato paste, vinegar, sugar, red pepper, celery, garlic, jalapenos, canning salt, hot pepper sauce and reserved tomato liquid. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered for about 1 hour, stirring frequently. 3. Ladle hot salsa mixture into 10 hot 1-pint jars, leaving 1/2-in. headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if necessary, by adding hot mixture. Wipe rims. Center lids on jars; screw on bands until fingertip tight. 4. Place jars into canner with simmering water, ensuring that they are completely covered with water. Bring to a boil; process for 20 minutes. Remove jars and cool. 2 Tbsp.: 14 cal., 0 fat (0 sat. fat), 0 chol., 182mg sod., 3g carb. (2g sugars, 1g fiber), 0 pro.