This year I wanted to try something different since I had so many tomatoes!
Enter Green Tomato Relish.
I sort of used this recipe from allrecipes.com and another one that I can't quite put my finger on at the moment. Here is what I put in my relish:
All my green tomatoes, chopped (pictured above)
3 white onions, chopped (other recipe called for four, but I couldn't chop any more... crying too much, ha! I can't imagine having to do 12)3 green peppers, seeded and chopped
2 red peppers, seeded and chopped
1 cup cider vinegar
4 cups sugar
3 Tablespoons mustard seeds
3 Tablespoons celery seeds
Chop the tomatoes, onions (so many tears -- and Sammy laughing at me and trying to steal onion bits while I did it), and peppers. Bring the vinegar, sugar and seed mixture to a boil. Add the rest of the chopped veggies and simmer/boil for 10-15 minutes. Then can; required a 15 minute water bath.
I am quite well known by my husband for 'blowing up' the kitchen while I cook or make something. I find a way to use nearly every pot, bowl, utensil, knife... well you get the picture. I'm messy, but have a lot of fun!
And here is a little peak mid-way.
And the result... it's pretty. And oh my goodness it tastes amazing!! So far, I have had it in a wrap, on a turkey sandwich, and on a hamburger. You can definitely substitute this relish for sweet pickles on whatever you eat.
And the bonus is that I grew those tomatoes!! Neat, right? Sort of a things coming full circle thing.
Next time I want to experiment a little bit with making this more of a spicy relish. I also wouldn't mind trying a version with apples in it. But there will be a period of leaves, white stuff, spring, and summer before I have another go.
Oh, and speaking of things homemade. Check out this pink applesauce I made the other night.
PINK!
Pepto pink.
The color was accidental. I did the normal little bit of water in a pot, add quartered apples (skin, seeds, and all) boiling down till the apples are soft. Then run the mixture through a Foley mill.
I am guessing these particular apples had a lot of red pigment in the skin. Made for a pretty pink sauce to make us smile at dinner time!!
Hope you are enjoying a bit of cooking time in the kitchen as well... what have you been making?
