Sweet Pepper Relish

I was gifted a box of sweet peppers from a family friend. Can't let a gift like that go to waste so I made sweet pepper relish. This will be good in potato and macaroni salads.

I found the recipe by googling Ball Sweet Pepper Relish. I always use the word Ball or USDA in front of my canning recipe searches to make sure I am using a tested safe recipe. This is what I found and the recipe I used.

National Center for home canning

• 5 cups ground green bell peppers 
• 5 cups ground red bell peppers 
• 1-½ cups ground onion
• 2-½ cups cider or white distilled vinegar (5%)
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 teaspoons pickling salt
• 4 teaspoons mustard seed

I washed and cut the tops off of the Sweet Peppers. Because Mine was an assortment of colored peppers I didn't pay attention to color. I just cut the tops off and put them in my blender. I pulsed them until they were finely chopped and measured them out until I had a total of 10 cups. I did the same with the onion. I put them in a large pot and added the rest of the ingredients. Brought it to a boil for 30 mins. While it was boiling I prepared my jars and my water bath canner. Once the 30 minutes were up I filled my hot pint jars with the hot relish leaving a 1/2 inch head-space and debubbled. Put my lids and rings on and put them in the canner. Brought the canner back up to a boil and processed them for 15 min. 

If you want to try this I highly recommend it. Please click on the link and read the recipe and instructions provided. 

Here's the relish boiling away.

 And the finished product. I made 2 of this recipe and ended up 16 1/2 pints.

Pickled Jalapinos with yellow peppers

My Davina loves spicy food, the hotter the better. I planted a bunch of jalapenos in my garden this year so that I could can a bunch of pickled Jalapenos for her. She eats them with her sandwiches, soups pretty much any meal. But unfortunately with my pollination and poor soil issues this year I haven't had much of a crop yet. Saturday my sister went to Market on the Move and brought me a big bag of Jalapenos and I was thrilled. I had so hoped to be able to can some up for Davina. So today I went for my big shopping trip and yellow chilies were on sale for 3lbs for .99 WOOT! I bought 3 lbs and came home to can some chilies.

 Ingredients

30-40 large jalapinos
30-40 large yellow chilies
4 cups water
7 c. white vinegar
4 tsp. canning salt
2 tsp. ground cumin
6 cloves whole garlic, peeled

First of all wash 6 quart jars with hot soapy water and rinse well. boil them in a large pot for 10 min. to sterilize. remove them and place them on a clean towel. In a smaller pot place your canning lids in simmering water.

In a stainless steel pan mix the water, vinegar, salt and cumin and bring to a boil, once boiling lower to a simmer. Cut all of your chilies into rounds about the same size. Fill your jars, packing the chilies in and add a clove are garlic on top. Fill with the hot pickling liquid and use your canning tool or a chop stick to slide down the edge of your jars to release air bubbles. Wipe your jar rims clean and put on you lids. Hot water bath can for 15 mins.