Bob's Salsa

Recipe Courtesy Bob Kelley, Photo Courtesy Google.com
This is a base recipe to add to. If you like it spicy, add some peppers. If you want more tomatoes, add more. You get the point.

INGREDIENTS:
20-ish tomatoes
5 onions (I like red)
7 jalapenos/other hot pepper (optional, of course)
5 carrots (the better to see you with)
2 stalks celery
1/4 cup salt
1/8 cup sugar (neither Bob nor I use that)
3 cloves garlic (I used about 6)

DIRECTIONS:
A few options here:
1) Bosch it
2) Cuisinart it
3) Chop it (if you don't have the previously mentioned awesome kitchens appliances).
Size does matter. The smaller the better.

Simmer it all for 20 minutes. Pack into hot, sterilized jars.

If you have a pressure canner, process for 15 minutes. If you don't, water bath it for 25 minutes. If you aren't going to can it, refrigerate it and eat it within 2-3 weeks.

Creamy Peanut Butter

Recipe Courtesy of Alton Brown, Food Network

INGREDIENTS
15 ounces shelled and skinned roasted peanuts
(you can roast raw peanuts yourself or buy them already roasted)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons honey
1 1/2 tablespoons peanut oil
(I used more for creamier peanut butter)

DIRECTIONS
Place the peanuts, salt and honey into the bowl of a food processor. Process for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Place the lid back on and continue to process while slowly drizzling in the oil and process until the mixture is smooth, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Place the peanut butter in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.

Kiwi Daiquiri Jam

Courtesy Fresh Preserving

INGREDIENTS
2 cups crushed peeled kiwifruit (about 5 medium)
2/3 cup unsweetened pineapple juice
1/3 cup lime juice
1 1.75-oz pkg SURE-JELL Fruit Pectin
3 cups sugar
3 drops green food coloring, optional
4 (8 oz) half pint glass preserving jars with lids and bands

DIRECTIONS
Prepare boiling water canner. Heat jars and lids in simmering water until ready for use. Do not boil. Set bands aside.

Combine kiwifruit, pineapple juice and lime juice in a large saucepan. Gradually stir in pectin. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring frequently. Add sugar and return to a full rolling boil that can not be stirred down, stirring constantly. Boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Immediately stir in rum and green food coloring, if using. Remove from heat. Skim off foam if necessary.

Ladle hot jam into hot jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar. Center lid on jar. Apply band until fit is fingertip tight.

Process in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Remove jars and cool. Check lids for seal after 24 hours. Lid should not flex up and down when center is pressed.

"Pear"adise Marmalade

Courtesy Sure-Jell

INGREDIENTS
3 cups prepared fruit (about 2-1/2 lb. fully ripe Bartlett pears, 1 medium orange and 2 lemons)
1 can (8-1/4 oz.) crushed pineapple in juice, undrained
1/3 cup chopped maraschino cherries
1 box SURE-JELL Fruit Pectin
1/2 tsp. butter or margarine
4 cups sugar, measured into separate bowl

DIRECTIONS
Bring boiling-water canner, half-full with water, to simmer. Wash jars and screw bands in hot, soapy water; rinse with warm water. Pour boiling water over flat lids in saucepan off the heat. Let stand in hot water until ready to use. Drain well before filling.

Peel and core pears. Finely chop or grind fruit. Measure exactly 3 cups prepared fruit into 6- or 8-quart saucepot. Remove colored part of peel from orange using vegetable peeler; set aside. Remove and discard remaining white part of peel from orange. Chop fruit, reserving any juice; add to saucepot. Repeat procedure with lemons; add to saucepot. Cut reserved orange and lemon peels into thin slivers, or chop or grind; add to saucepot. Stir in pineapple in juice and cherries.

Stir pectin into fruit in saucepot. Add butter. Bring mixture to full rolling boil (a boil that doesn't stop bubbling when stirred) on high heat, stirring constantly.

Stir in all sugar quickly. Return to full rolling boil and boil exactly 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim off any foam with metal spoon.

Ladle quickly into prepared jars, filling to within 1/8 inch of tops. Wipe jar rims and threads. Cover with two-piece lids. Screw bands tightly. Place jars on elevated rack in canner. Lower rack into canner. Water must cover jars by 1 to 2 inches; add boiling water if needed. Cover; bring water to gentle boil. Process 10 minutes. Remove jars and place upright on a towel to cool completely. After jars cool, check seals by pressing middle of lid with finger. (If lid springs back, lid is not sealed and refrigeration is necessary.)

Strawberry Preserves

Courtesy Sure-Jell

INGREDIENTS
6 cups prepared fruit (about 6 pt. fully ripe strawberries)
4 cups sugar, measured into separate bowl, divided
1 box SURE-JELL For Less or No Sugar Needed Recipes Premium Fruit Pectin (pink box)
1/2 tsp. butter or margarine (optional)

DIRECTIONS
Bring boiling-water canner, half full with water, to simmer. Wash jars and screw bands in hot soapy water; rinse with warm water. Pour boiling water over flat lids in saucepan off the heat. Let stand in hot water until ready to use. Drain well before filling.

Stem and crush strawberries thoroughly, one layer at a time. Measure exactly 6 cups prepared fruit into 6- or 8-quart saucepot.

Mix 1/4 cup of the sugar (from the measured amount in bowl) and pectin in small bowl. Add to fruit in saucepot; mix well. Add butter to reduce foaming. Bring mixture to full rolling boil (a boil that doesn't stop bubbling when stirred) on high heat, stirring constantly. Stir in remaining 3-3/4 cups sugar. Return to full rolling boil and boil exactly 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim off any foam with metal spoon.

Ladle immediately into prepared jars, filling to within 1/8 inch of tops. Wipe jar rims and threads. Cover with 2-piece lids. Screw bands tightly. Place jars on elevated rack in canner. Lower rack into canner. (Water must cover jars by 1 to 2 inches. Add boiling water, if necessary.) Cover; bring water to gentle boil. Process 10 minutes. Remove jars and place upright on towel to cool completely. After jars cool, check seals by pressing middle of lid with finger. (If lid springs back, lid is not sealed and refrigeration is necessary.)

Citrus Jelly

Courtesy Sure-Jell

INGREDIENTS
3-1/4 cups prepared juice (about 8 medium oranges & 2 medium lemons)
1 box SURE-JELL Fruit Pectin
1/2 tsp. butter or margarine
4-1/2 cups sugar, measured into separate bowl

DIRECTIONS
Bring boiling-water canner, half full with water, to simmer. Wash jars and screw bands in hot soapy water; rinse with warm water. Pour boiling water over flat lids in saucepan off the heat. Let stand in hot water until ready to use. Drain jars well before filling.

Squeeze juice from oranges; strain. Measure exactly 3 cups orange juice into 6- or 8-qt. saucepot. Squeeze juice from lemons; strain. Measure exactly 1/4 cup lemon juice into saucepot with orange juice.

Stir pectin into prepared juice in saucepot. Add butter to reduce foaming. Bring mixture to full rolling boil (a boil that doesn't stop bubbling when stirred) on high heat, stirring constantly. Stir in sugar. Return to full rolling boil and boil exactly 1 min., stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim off any foam with metal spoon.

Ladle immediately into prepared jars, filling to within 1/8 inch of tops. Wipe jar rims and threads. Cover with two-piece lids. Screw bands tightly. Place jars on elevated rack in canner. Lower rack into canner. (Water must cover jars by 1 to 2 inches. Add boiling water, if necessary.) Cover; bring water to gentle boil. Process 5 min. Remove jars and place upright on a towel to cool completely. After jars cool, check seals by pressing middles of lids with finger. (If lids spring back, lids are not sealed and refrigeration is necessary.)

Pomegranate Jelly

Courtesy Fresh Preserving

INGREDIENTS
3-1/2 cups bottled pomegranate juice (POM brand)
1 (1.75 oz) pkg SURE-JELL Fruit Pectin
1/2 tsp butter or margarine, optional
5 cups sugar
6 (8 oz) half pint glass preserving jars with lids and bands

DIRECTIONS
Prepare boiling water canner. Heat jars and lids in simmering water until ready for use. Do not boil. Set bands aside.

Place pomegranate juice in a 6- or 8-quart saucepan. Gradually stir in pectin. Add up to 1/2 tsp butter or margarine to reduce foaming, if desired. Bring mixture to a full rolling boil that can not be stirred down, over high heat, stirring constantly.

Add entire measure of sugar, stirring to dissolve. Return mixture to a full rolling boil. Boil hard 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim foam if necessary.

Ladle hot jam into hot jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar. Apply band until fit is fingertip tight.

Process in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Remove jars and cool. Check lids for seal after 24 hours. Lid should not flex up and down when center is pressed.

(*Note* You may use any flavor POM juice - POM-Blueberry is Kendra's favorite.)