Saturday, June 5, 2010

Picante

19 beautiful pints of pure homegrown goodness! I spent my birthday today doing just what I wanted to do! I went shopping, and then finished up canning a bunch of picante. B is going to take me out on a date later, but I guess that makes me truly boring to chose to do something so domestic on my birthday. But, you don't understand...this was kid free cooking. That's different! I dropped the girls off at church camp this morning. The boy is at Grandma's. Just me and B hanging out this weekend!This is just a little of the produce that had to be chopped, diced and/or pureed!
Way greatness! I think I've already eaten a pint! I have really enjoyed canning with all the great things Ball (the canning jar company) sent me for my House Party! I have canned before, but now that I have all the right tools, it is way easier! I have realized the utensils for canning are really important, the jar tongs, and the canner with the wire insert for lifting the jars in and out, I have no idea how I did any canning before I had all this cool stuff! Other lessons learned from all this canning - always wear shoes while canning! You are lifting so many lids, jars, dripping wet things out of boiling water, it is really easy to burn your toes! There is just nothing like fresh from the garden salsa in December! Love it!

2 comments:

The Gaertegang Homestead said...

I must be boring too then b/c that sound like a great time! I have a question. What is the difference between picante and salsa?

ayersfamily said...

In Spanish picante means spicy, salsa means sauce. But in Texas it is basically the same thing. Although usually picante is smoother, more pureed, salsa is kind of chunky. Not sure what mine is -it's both & it is not really very spicy by Texas standards. I hide all kinds of veggies in there that nobody knows about. I put avocados in it this time, I had a bunch of squash once and hid it in there too.