Garden Salsa

Hurricane, I mean Tropical Storm, I mean tropical depression, I mean wicked-bad-storm Irene came and went.  I stayed at the hospital as planned, but it turns out I probably was being over cautious.  Whatever.  My roof garden stayed put, nothing even blew off the plants!  However, the farm was not so lucky.  Their tomatoes took a beating so this past Thursday was the last day for tomatoes.

In the share: 2 tomatoes already picked, then we had to go pick a pint of cherry tomatoes, 2 quarts of small tomatoes (roma or jolly), and 20 heirlooms.  I didn't even get all 20.  Plus 10 hot peppers, 2 quarts of beans (green and yellow), 30 flowers and 15 sunflowers.  I can't even hold more than 8 sunflowers.  AND 2 heads of lettuce, 1 bowl of arugula, 1 bunch of chard, 5 leaves of kale, 2 pounds of potatoes, 1 bowl of carrots, 1 bowl of mix and match (I focused on peppers, onions, garlic and eggplant), 2 acorn squash and a spaghetti squash.

I took my half home and we had a big salad to go with some amazing coho salmon Lisa (hi, Lisa!) had caught in BC.  Served with corn relish and parmesan roasted potatoes, the entire meal except for what the 6 year old ate was farm-grown, home-canned, or self-caught.  That, my friends, is COOL.

This morning I had some time to make more salsa and I am pleased to say that none of the produce in it was store bought!  I had to vary the recipe by adding cucumber because I didn't have enough peppers but here it is:

2 quarts tomatoes, chopped and seeded (multiple varieties)

1.5 c. peppers, chopped (bell, poblano) 

0.5 c. chopped seeded cucumber (because I ran out of peppers)

2 c. chopped onion and garlic (1 red, 2 vidalia, 1 shallot, and 2 large cloves garlic)

2 chopped red cherry peppers

2 chopped jalapenos

1/4 c. white vinegar

1/6 c. sugar

2 T. kosher salt

This gets cooked over medium high heat until the onion and peppers are soft, then ladled into pint jars with 1/2 inch headspace.  Process in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes.

Now, if anyone has good spaghetti squash recipes to share, I'm all ears.  I had never cooked them until last year and I could use some suggestions...