Salsa Lessons

Ha! I bet you thought there would be some footage of J and me fumbling all over each other at some community college dance class, huh? Well not here, no way! This is all about the luscious, fresh red food when we're talking SALSA here on JAKL.

Last weekend, J, being the multi-talented person in the kitchen that he is, decided he wanted to make homemade salsa for our pantry so we didn't have to buy it all winter. Fine with me. I consider chips & salsa to be a food group all it's own alone capable of sustaining life for years. The fact is scientifically proven -- just ask any college student or single person living in a big city -- they can live off this for 4 years minimum.

Today will be YOUR salsa lesson! Lucky YOU! And like with the dance, your lesson will be taught to you step-by-step. Pictures included so you know just what to do and where to go (wink, wink) without steppin' on anyone's toes.

So to start this lesson off, first sautee onions & garlic then add chopped fresh tomatoes and cilantro to a big vat:

Next, put some jalapenos in a food processor to chop 'em up into itty, bitty pieces:

Add the jalapenos to pot as well as some water. We put in the remaining Spicy V-8 left over in the fridge from the cioppino. Very resourceful are we. Also, add the lemon or lime juice and vinegar essential for canning tomatoes. Let the then pot simmer. . .

Simmer some more. . .

Add fun extra stuff like black beans & corn! Don't forget to taste the mixture all along the way. Simmer some more. . .

Meanwhile, sanitize a crap-load of canning jars to put the salsa mixture into. Oh, and grab a funnel. . .this is most vital for the job, believe you me.

Insert said vital funnel into canning jar and slowly fill. . .

Add a little more. . .

And a little more til the salsa is almost but not quite to the top. . .

Lather, Rinse, Repeat until all sanitized canning jars are filled with the salsa mixture.

Not pictured here . . .put canning lids on and finger-tighten the rings on top. Put the jars with the hot salsa in another vat of water and boil for 20 minutes or so. Pull the jars out and wait for the tops to vacuum close down. . .you know, so that button on the top doesn't move.

After sufficient cooling and vacuum process complete, don't forget to mark the lids esp. if you make different batches with various heat levels. For us M = Mild, X = Hot . . .

Lastly, but not leastly, sample your finished product and be proud of your accomplishment!!

And THAT, my dear readers, is your Salsa Lesson for the day!

Ta-DA!