Sorry for taking so long to continue

Bonnie La Von Chepon-Smith-Voyles

October 11, 1935 - August 12, 2011

I love you.

On August 12, 2011, my Mom passed, suddenly. It is taking some time to get back to everyday life. School has begun, and the buses are packed with people that want to pick on each other or hurt something. I'll be back to normal soon.

God's speed.

take care, keep the faith.

`til next time,

wild clover

Canning time: Chili : Hot Chili

Chili, chili, bo-billy, it's that time of year.....................

Harvest has set in and we are busy working the fruits of our labor. We plant our garden form seed for the most part. We made chili for winter. The hubby is always involved with the canning. This year we ground the beef for the chili. First batch is just to hot for my taste, we make his and hers. hahaha!

Hubby grinding roast for chili.

Coarsely ground for meatier chili.

Hubby's chili, hubby cleans the hot peppers.  Serrano and Habanero.
He put one of each on a grinder/juicer and pulped it, to 5 quarts
of chili. To much heat for me.

Garden tomatoes all ready for chili.

Everything has to be cooked before it is combined.

Kidney beans have always been the bean of choice.

Next batch of chili isn't going to be quite so warm, I'd rather add to it.

Want the recipe? Here you go.

Brown 2 to 3 pounds of beef, in a large pot. Chop onion, (1 medium), green pepper, (1 medium), garlic (2 or 3 bulbs minced) and add to browning beef.

Cook with beef `til tender. Stirring gently.

Peel, chunk and cook tomatoes in a separate large pot, cook on low, stirring gently, `til they're soft and juicy, if you cook to many, put them in the fridge, or a jar, you'll be using them soon enough.

Dice the hot peppers (of your choice), teeny tiny. Wear rubber gloves, the hot peppers will burn your skin.

DO NOT TOUCH your face, eyes, or any other part of your body `til you wash your hands very, very good with soap and hot water.

Okay, now that your hands may be burning, sorry, but lets finish up making the chili.

Drain off any fat that may be on your beef, add cooked tomatoes `til the pot is a little more than half full of beef and tomatoes, put the teeny tiny chopped peppers in the mixture.

Simmer about 20 to 30 minutes. Stirring occasionally.

Add beans, enough beans to bring the mixture almost to the top of the pot. About 3 or 4, 15 oz cans. Stirring occasionally.

Let this simmer another 10 minutes. Stirring occasionally.

If your going to can it (put it in a jar), you can do that now, or let it cool and refrigerate overnight, then put it into jars the next day. You need to reheat the mixture before you put it into hot jars for canning.

Hope you enjoy the effort it takes, to work with your "head", "hands", & "heart", to make it "health"y.

The canning station on the stove.

Ready for the dunk.

Set up for leaving the chii to set and cool before storing.

5 quarts of HOT chili ready for storage. This will be good when it's cold.

`til next time

wild clover

Salsa my way

When making Salsa, peeled tomatoes are a requirement, no one wants to eat tomato skins.

Blanching tomatoes; large pot about half full of water to a boil, place tomatoes in boiling water long enough for skins to spilt. Take tomatoes from pot and place in a sink filled with cold water and ice to stop the cooking process. Allow tomatoes to cool, then drain on sink board or on a cookie sheet with paper towel on it, this way the excess water will drain off, making it easier to handle the slippery tomatoes.

This is a cold pack procedure.

Now for the recipe: I make mine in large batches for canning.

SALSA

1 large bowl, 6 quart bowl

10 pounds of tomatoes, blanched, peeled and chopped

2 medium onions, peeled and chopped

3 green peppers, cored and chopped (or mild pepper of your choice, yellow, orange)

4-7 garlic cloves (bulbs) peeled and minced

1 hot pepper of choice, per pound of tomatoes, taste first, it if you want it a spicier taste,
                                       sometimes you can't go back if it's to hot.

NOTE: wear gloves when cleaning hot peppers, the peppers can burn your skin,

KEEP FINGERS AWAY FROM EYES, FACE, OR ANY OTHER BODY PARTS,
 while cleaning hot peppers! WASH YOUR HANDS, wash your hands!!!

Cider vinegar, lemon juice, or white vinegar - for preserving

Salt for preserving

Starting with tomatoes and working down the ingredients list, add to the large bowl, mix after each addition.

Cover the mixture and let sit for a bit, say half an hour, and taste.

Remember, as this is processed in a hot water bath (canning - preserving) the flavors will meld together, and the longer shelf life will also help the flavors meld. If it isn't spicier enough for you after you have canned it, dry some of you favorite peppers and add them when you serve the salsa for family and friends.

Not everyone likes HOT salsa.


1 teaspoon lemon juice, or vinegars
1 teaspoon salt
in the bottom of jars before you cold pack the salsa in jars.

Prepare your pint jars, lids and rings. the web is full of good tutorials on how to do this.

Ball Canning and Preserving

Introduction to canning video   push play.


`til next time,

wild clover