I hope you didn't invest in a PC just for salsa? First because most salsa recipes don't require pressure canning since they are supposed to contain enough added acid to be safe for BWB canning. Second, because salsa doesn't hold up well to pressure canning. It turns very mushy, soupy. Third, even if that mushy soupy texture is acceptable to you, salsa is far from the best project to learn how to do pressure canning. But those points aside, one of the basic guidelines of safe home canning is that you shouldn't can your own made-up recipes. This is because you have no way of determining the proper pH, density, or processing time for them so the risk level rises sharply. Those points are especially important with salsa since it is eaten fresh from the jar with no added cooking to destroy toxins. Your recipe, as described is made up of all low acid foods yet you don't include any acid of any kind? While it is possible to make a salsa recipe including all the ingredients you list with the possible exception of the BE peas - tomatoes, garlic, onion, peppers, cilantro, are standard salsa ingredients - the amounts of the vegetables would have to be balanced for pH and density with some liquid and some acid in the form of vinegar, or lemon or lime juice would be required even for pressure canning. So if you want to post the full detailed recipe for review that would be fine. Otherwise you will need to work with one of the established canning recipes for salsa and modify it to meet your needs. Hope this helps. Dave PS: check out the recipe for Annie's Salsa as it is exceptionally popular with folks all over the internet and is approved for BWB processing.

You nailed it! Our international club craft fair (money goes to charity) is at the end of November. So I'm starting on the pepper jellies. I also have 3 quarts of quince juice and 2 quarts of white currant juice in the freezer. I have a gallon size ziploc of red currants arriving tomorrow. I'll probably buy some frozen raspberries and make red raspberry jam. She's also bringing some small amount of frozen plums. I'm not sure how many of those. I also been collecting jars from all my acquaintances. It is common practice here to reused commercial jars. I'm taking it a step above by actually water bathing them. Most of them seal fine. The french boil the jars before putting the jam in them and then turn them upside down. The english lady just throws a piece of plastic wrap and a rubber band on some of hers. I have also seen those little wax disks. Since it cuts into the profit margin to have to buy jars, I have gone to reusing, but I can't give up the water bath. I've been waiting til after I've made some pepper jellies, and to see how many jars I end up with, before making the quince and currant jellies. Some of my jars are bigger than I'd like so I will use those when I run out of smaller ones.

I am sad, or am I glad, to see that Dicken posted to this thread. He died last Thursday. He was a gentle spirit and a wonderful writer. We'll miss him at the Garden Party. Here's a recipe I got from Sara the Brit, she frequents the Garden Party. I wish I could say I had made it, but alas, the ease of the Crosswell jar beckoned... Dear Sylvia Here's the recipe I've been using for the last couple of years. it's fairly variable - you can leave out the nuts, add different ones, change the proportions of the fruit, to suit your own tastes. It really benefits from at least 2 weeks maturing, so you don't have to make it now if you don't feel like it. alternatively, the first year I made far too much, and it kept superbly until the following Christmas! (although it depends on how hot your summer is, I suspect). half pound, peeled finely chopped apples (I use Granny Smiths) 4 oz shredded suet or melted butter (I use butter - suet is traditional, but not used in the UK these days) 4 oz golden raisins (probably about 2/3 cup?) 6 oz raisins 4 oz chopped mixed peel (the lemon and citron stuff is best) 6 oz soft dark brown sugar (3/4 cup) grated rind and juice of 1 orange grated rind and juice of 1 lemon quarter teaspoon cinnamon quarter teaspoon allspice quarter teaspoon ground nutmeg 3 tablespoons brandy Mix everything, except the brandy, together and stir well. Leave it covered for 12 hours or overnight. To prevent fermentaiton, leave it in a cool oven 225F/120C for 3 hours. Allow to cool completely and add the brandy. Spoon into clean dry jars and seal. Don't worry if the butter separates slightly on the top - just stir it again before baking it into pastry. Makes approx. 3lbs - about 1 large mason jar. Happy cooking - and have a wonderful Thanksgiving. Best wishes Sara Sylvia wrote: > [This message originated at GardenWeb] > > Hi Sara - I would *love* a copy of your mincemeat recipe! And - how far in advance do you prepare it? > thanks so much - Sylvia Here is a link that might be useful: Dicken

Thanks guys! Grainlady - you are just a font of information!! I keep copying and pasting your little "gems" into a separate document that I then keep in front of the "breads" section of my three ring binder where I keep all the recipes I collect - keep them coming! Unfortunately, the bread's already long eaten so I don't have any pics! Sorry - I'll remember to take some next time! I just made two free form round loaves. Off the top of my head, the recipe I used called for 1 1/2 cups oatmeal and 3 cups of all purpose flour. I simply used 1 1/2 cups oat flour instead of the oatmeal. So there was 4 1/2 cups total flour. I used 1/2 cup honey because of the other recipe calling for 1/2 cup maple syrup. It was my first time making it and since I wasn't following the recipe exactly I figured I'd just do it and see what the results where. It made two small to medium loaves of bread. It seemed to rise fine - I'm no expert bread maker by any means, but it did double in size for the first rise, then I halved it and made the two loaves and let them rise again. I read the Pig's label and theirs had oats, flour, yeast, and cider and I think that was about it. The recipe I used had the two flours, the yeast of course, milk, butter, and the honey. I'm one that likes "heavy" bread tho. I'm after a hearty, dense bread. I like lots of fiber and whole bits of seed and groats and things in my bread. Chewey center and crusty outsides. I've gone to the When Pig's Fly store a couple of times myself when we take a trip up to Kittery. The 7 grain one is my favorite, but I also like the oat & honey. I love their apple, chocolate, orange pistachio cranberry, the olive and red pepper - hell, I love every one I've ever tried! I try to not eat too much bread because I'm trying to watch my weight and I could easily sit down and polish off a loaf of good bread all by myself and be perfectly happy. But I do have the "taste" for it now so I do plan on making some now and then. I'll try to keep it to a couple times a month so I can fit in my clothes tho!! Lisa