Soonergrandmom, This is the recipe I use for Green Tomato Pickles. It sounds like it would be similar to what you are wanting. Thanks for your post reminding me. I am going to make some today. :) Dawna Green Tomato Pickles 1 gallon green tomatoes, cut into chunks 1 cup green and/or red bell peppers, cut in square chunks 2 cups onions, cut in wedges or chunks 1/2 cup jalapeno peppers, sliced Bring this to a boil and pour over veggie mixture: 2 cups vinegar 2 cups sugar 2 Tablespoon canning salt (a little red pepper if needed) Bring entire mixture back to boil and simmer 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally ). Don't bring to a full boil for more crisper pickles). Ladle into sterilized jars, water bath 5 minutes to insure a good seal. Makes 7-8 pints. The original recipe said to cook for 20-30 minus (with no water bath) but I thought that cooked the stuff too soft. You can use your own judgement on cooking time.

Arthur, When we make a red tomato relish, we generally make Pico de Gallo, but only for fresh eating. We've never canned it. The red tomato relish recipe I linked below is one of the most popular red tomato relish recipes around. It might be similar to the one your dad made. My dad used his ripe red tomatoes for either canned salsa (which, way back in the 1960s and 1970s he merely called 'hot sauce') or canned tomatoes, but he made a green tomato relish that I think was generally just whatever chow chow recipe was in vogue for canning at the moment. If the recipe I linked doesn't sound close to what you remember, let me know and I'll search my canning cookbooks for another one. Dawn Red Tomato Relish Canning Recipe From Taste of Home Magazine

The mustard relish recipe is an old one that has hung on long after the use of prepared mustard option was removed from all but 1 other recipe (because of the pH and the thickeners in it plus the cornstarch). So it has often been a controversial recipe but it repeatedly holds up to safe testing as it is written so has been allowed to remain. Still it isn't usually considered one to experiment with since it is so borderline on the safety scale. As canfan said adding any dry spices or seasonings isn't a problem and can actually have a marginal increase in safety since they absorb some of the free water in the recipe (water has a pH of 7+). But any other changes in the recipe really aren't recommended. Keep in mind that sugar also plays a marginal safety role by binding up free water so only a minimal reduction might still be ok but not much. Better to simply compensate for the "too sweet" by adding more vinegar. Since it is only a 1:1 ratio (water to vinegar) to begin with more vinegar certainly isn't going to hurt and can really increase the safety margin. Dave

Ava, this is the one we love, but it's a sweet relish. If you wish it less sweet, reduce the sugar by half : ) I panic if we run out! If you find there is too much liquid, I just don't add it all when freezing. This is not a recipe for canning. Green Tomato Sweet Relish (good on sandwiches, hot dogs, or as stand-alone relish) Ingredients: 7 ½ large green tomatoes, sliced 1 red bell pepper, sliced 1 green pepper, sliced 3 ¾ large white onions 2+3/4 tspn. Celery seed 2+3/4 tspn. Mustard seed 1 tspn. Salt 1 ½ cups white sugar (reduce to 3/4 cup or less for a tarter relish) ½ cup + 2 Tbs. cider vinegar Directions: In a food processor coarsely grind tomatoes, red & green bell peppers, and onions (will need to do in batches – any veggie, together or separate - and put in large stock pot). Add remaining ingredients to stock pot and bring to a boil, then simmer on low for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Allow to cool. May freeze in separate baggies or containers. Use a fork to dip out if too liquid for hot dogs.