Oh, and is this all finely chopped or medium chopped?

Recipe says quartered or coarsely chopped but that means different thing to different folks. :) To me it means approx. 1/2" pieces and that is what I use because we use it primarily as a condiment/topping. For those who want to use chow chow as a side dish then they may prefer quartered..

The size of the green tomatoes - once cored it doesn't make all that much difference what size they were to start with, med or lg. (as long as they aren't cherry).. Bigger fruit have bigger cores so when chopped the end amount is approx. the same. And again it all depends on how you want to use it - as a relish or as a side dish all on its own.

See with pickling recipes, as long as the brine is a safe ratio and the jar mixture is kept soupy, you have a fairly big amount of leeway. The measurements of the solid ingredients can vary. They don't have to be exact.

The spices are all optional and "to taste". Average pickling recipe measurements for mustard seed, cinnamon, and celery seed are 1 tsp. For red pepper flakes 1/2 tsp. So if someone likes them all they might start with adding 1/2 dose of each, taste, then add a bit more if needed for their taste buds. Or they might choose to leave out the pepper flakes but add a bit more mustard seed or they might taste before adding any of them and like it just as is and leave them all out.

As long as you are working with dried spices the amount is up to you as they don't alter pH or density. Same goes for sugar - taste as you prepare it. Start with 1/2 the sugar and then taste and add more if needed.

Like I said before, if you don't like it going into the jar, you won't like it coming out. So fix it before it goes into the jars. :)

Dave

Ok, thank so much for the info!!

So, From what you are saying, I can substitute some of the bell peppers for more green tomatoes and it will be safe?

No, you can sub like for like but you cannot sub different ingredients for each other. Peppers and green tomatoes have totally different pH. Green tomatoes are acidic, peppers are very low acid.

What I said was

The measurements of the solid ingredients can vary. They don't have to be exact.

To clarify that means each ingredient.

Peppers for different peppers, red onions for white or yellow, some ripe tomatoes for some of the green, etc.

But the total amount of the ingredients remains the same so while you can sub like for like you cannot increase - especially with low-acid ingredients.

OK?

Dave

awwww, ok thanks!! You have helped me so much!