Homemade Salsa From Your Garden

By now you have probably have had had all the caprese salads and tomato sandwiches your stomach can handle. After months of pawning them off on family and coworkers (even they don’t want anymore), you still have a surplus of crops left in your garden, so what can you do? The process of freezing tomatoes can be daunting. Instead, make salsa.

You can make a huge batch at one time and store it in the freezer,  it will last for months.  It has several uses, pull it out at parties with chips, have it with your morning eggs or top your tacos. The possibilities are endless. Best part, it’s extremely healthy. Delicious and good for you, that’s hard to come by. You can use all your leftovers from your summer garden (tomatoes, peppers, onions, garlic, cilantro) and clean out your fridge and pantry. You can modify this recipe to you and your family’s taste by playing with different spices and peppers. Below is a recipe to use as a guide but play around with it and make it your own. This recipe will make around a gallon of salsa. Add or subtract ingredients, depending on how much you want to make and what you have left to use. You can freeze it in a freezer bag or tupperware container.

• 7 cups diced garden tomatoes
  (use a variety)
• 1/2 cup chopped red onion
• 1/2cup chopped yellow onion
• 4 tablespoons diced jalapeño peppers
• 1/2 a cup diced sweet peppers
• 1/2 a cup diced green bell peppers
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 2 teaspoons red wine or white vinegar
• 1 can of diced tomatoes with juice

The chopping of the veggies can take a little time but after that its smooth sailing. Try to remove most of the pepper seeds and avoid the mushy parts of the tomato. If you dont like spice, skip the jalapeños. Like it sweeter? Try adding corn, mango or pineapple. Salsa is simple and delicious. Add your own personal touch.