I agree with Dave. If there is any doubt about whether you added the vinegar, into the fridge it goes, it cannot be canned safely without it. I pressure canned the first batches, but my ultimate goal was to make a salsa that was safe to waterbath can. So, although I am/was confident in using the pressure canned version, it was not tested and declared safe like the water bath version was, and even that had some vinegar in it. Better safe than sorry, I'd definitely refrigerate the stuff and use it up, or freeze it. I know someone did that, but I'll be darned if I remember who. And you certainly can use the food processor to chop up the vegetables. I do mine by hand because I can't seem to get nice sized pieces. Either it's puree or the pieces are too big, and my knife skills are pretty good, so I just chop 'em. Manic, I'm glad you like it! Annie

In the past couple of weeks, I have knocked a ton of stuff off my punch list. DS' ceiling was cracked and needed re-plastering, but knowing that he was going away to college this fall, we held off until he was gone. He also had really old wallpaper in his room. So we got the ceiling fixed, called the painter and had the wallpaper stripped and walls/trim repainted. Which of course led to a massive purge of stuff and a bit of redecorating but not too much -- I didn't want him to think I've turned his room into a guest room already! While the painter was here, I decided to have him paint the dining room, since it hadn't been painted in forever. More purging and redecorating. And a new rug. And a new lamp. The painting was done last week. I also bought new lighting for the kitchen. On Friday, the electrician came and installed new pendant lights and new wall sconces, and re-installed the ceiling fixture in DS' room. Yesterday, the landscapers came and replaced almost all of our front yard shrubs. Most of what was out there was an overgrown mess and/or had been dying. Today, I planted about 120 tulip bulbs in among the new shrubs. Also today the window cleaning company came for a long-overdue whole-house window washing. DD said "why are so many workers coming to our house, like, every day?" A couple of weeks ago, I cleaned out my bedroom closet. On Tuesday, one of the local charities is coming to pick up the stuff I have been purging. Tomorrow, cleaning guy is coming and as you can imagine, the house is pretty dusty from all of the above. Tomorrow afternoon I will rejoice that I have no "workers" coming for the foreseeable future!

Here's the Habanero Gold Jelly, invented by Bob Rouleau of Ottawa, Canada. It's in the Bernardin book and now in the new "Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving." Habanero Gold Jelly 1/3 cup finely sliced dried apricots 3/4 cup white vinegar 1/4 up finely diced red onion 1/4 cup finely diced sweet red pepper 1/4 cup finely diced habanero peppers, including seeds OR 1/4 cup diced, combined jalapeno and Scotch Bonnet peppers 3 cups granulated sugar 1 pouch Bernardin liquid pectin (For USA other brands of liquid pectin are fine) Cut apricots into 1/8 inch slices. Measure into a large deep stainless steel saucepan with vinegar; let stand 4 hours. Individually, cut onion and seeded peppers into 1/8 inch slices; cut slices into 1/4 inch dice. Measure each ingredient; add to apricots. Stir in sugar. Over high heat, bring to a full roiling boil. Stirring constantly, boil hard 1 minute. Remove from heat. Immediately stir in pectin, mixing well. Pour jelly into hot jar, dividing solids equally among jars and filling each jar to within 1/4 inch of top rim. Wipe rims. Apply lids. Process 10 minutes in BWB. Cool upright, until lids pop down, about 30 minutes. When lids are concave but the jelly is still hot, carefully grasp jar without disturbing lid and invert, twist, or rotate each jar to distribute solids throughout jelly. The jar can be inverted temporarily but do not allow it to stand upside-down for prolonged periods. Repeat as necessary during the cooling/setting time, until solids are nicely suspended. Here's the Peach Preserves for Winter Mornings, created by Doris, a CF member. Peach Preserves for Cold Mornings (Doris, Ruddmd) 3 pounds ripe peaches, peeled and quartered l/2 medium-size orange, quartered and seeded 2 Red Savina habaneros, (seeds and all) 4 cups sugar 1/4 teaspoon almond extract 3/4 Cup honey (the lightest, mildest you can find) Combine peaches, sugar, and honey in a Dutch oven; stir well. Cover and let stand 45 minutes. Place knife blade attachment in food processor bowl; add orange quarters and habanero chiles. Process until finely chopped, stopping once to scrape down sides. Place orange, habanero chiles, and an equal amount of water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes or until orange rind is tender. Bring peach mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium-high, and cook, uncovered, 15 minutes, stirring often. Add orange mixture. Bring to a boil; cook, uncovered, 20 to 25 minutes or until candy thermometer registers 221, stirring often. Remove from heat; stir in almond extract. Skim off foam with a metal spoon. Quickly pour hot mixture into hot, sterilized jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace; wipe jar rims. Cover at once with metal lids, and screw on bands. Process jars in boiling-water bath 10 minutes. Yield: 6 half-pints. I see earlier in this thread the question was asked about what to do with a jam that's too stiff. The best thing to do (to avoid further cooking) is just to stir in a tablespoon or so of hot water when you open the jar. Whatever is needed to achieve the looseness you want. Carol

"While they're at it they should show some brief videos to the people giving them a basic understanding of what is involved with pet ownership" This is a great idea QQ, but why only when someone is buying a pet as a gift? Anyone who adopts a pet, for whatever reason and during any time of year, should have to watch a video like this. However, a separate video of what happens after Christmas is a great idea for those who don't realize that they might not have really thought it through. I still don't see the problem in giving a pet as a gift - just like you can never know somebody's true intentions and ownership capabilities when they are adopting a dog in May, the same goes for someone who adopts a dog in December. We can talk about a million scenarios where shelters fill up because of the stupid things people do (i.e., all the dalmations that were bought and then given up after 101 Dalmations came out, all the labs that were bought and then given up after Clinton got one). I agree that many people who get pets as gifts (whether it's during Christmas, Easter, or for someone's birthday) do not fully think it through. But how many people buy pets for THEMSELVES at a different time of year without thinking it through? There's nothing that can be done about either situation...we just have to hope that the shelters do a good job in both educating these people and in denying pets to the potentially bad owners.