Fresh Salsa

- Jenn Iverson

½ bushel ripe garden tomatoes (4 gallons of whole tomatoes)

½ tsp. garlic salt

6 onions

3 green peppers

4 carrots

1 celery stalk

1 ½ tsp. cumin

1 ½ tsp. oregano

4 tsp. oil

5 tsp. cider vinegar

½ Tbsp. pepper

2 ½ Tbsp. salt

1 Tbsp. MSG (sold as Accent; I omitted this)

½ green chile pepper

3 ½ jalapeno, seeds removed

2 hot peppers (yellow or red), seeds removed

Put all vegetables through a food processor or blender. Make sure hot peppers are well-blended (for hotter salsa, don’t remove the seeds). Add remaining ingredients and heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 2+ hours. The longer you cook it, the thicker your salsa will be. Ladle into prepared mason jars and bottle according to canner directions for boiling water canning. Process time at sea level is 15 minutes. Yield: 12-16 pints.

Crunchy Caramel Apple Dip

- Jenn Iverson

1 cup brown sugar

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

½ bag Skor or Heath toffee bits (by the chocolate chips in the supermarket – Shaw’s)

Stir brown sugar and cream cheese until smooth. Add toffee bits. Slice apples and dip away!