Dang Good Salsa.

I mentioned this in my Operation Bridesmaid post, but I've been quenching my thirst for baking with cooking. So on Saturday, I really wanted to bake something... so I made salsa instead. Salsa has no points in the world of Weight Watchers because it's all vegetables and spices. No points is a good thing. And I have a strange affinity for chopping things (only food, I promise.) So this recipe was the perfect way to spend my Saturday afternoon. I got this salsa recipe from my cousin Christina a few years ago. It reminds me a lot of On the Border's salsa, which I love. It's got a tiny bit of a bite to it and lots of cilantro. These are the things that make a good salsa, if you ask me. A little bit spicy. And a lot of cilantro. The recipe makes a lot of salsa. So I included the canning instructions, too (although we didn't have what we needed to can, so we just froze it... we'll see how that turns out.)

Dang Good Salsa (at least that's my name for it)

Ingredients
8 Ripe tomatoes
1 1/2 c. of chopped mild green Anaheim-type peppers (I used about 5)
1 c. minced jalapeno pepper (I used about 6)
2 1/2 c. chopped yellow onions (I used about 1 1/2 big onions)
6 cloves of garlic
2 1/2 tsp. cumin
2 Tbsp. of black pepper
2 Tbsp. of canning salt
12 oz. of tomato paste
15 oz. tomato sauce
1/3 c. white vinegar
Juice of 1 lime
1/4 cup fresh and chopped cilantro (or more, if you're like me)

Instructions
Finely grind the tomatoes, peppers, onion, and garlic in a food processor. Pour into a large pot and add the rest of the ingredients, except for the lime juice and cilantro. Mix well. Set over heat and boil for 10 minutes. Keep on stirring while it boils. After boiling, turn off the flame and remove the salsa from heat. Add the lime juice and cilantro. Pour this mixture into pint jars (one batch makes about six pints). Place the canning lids and rings on the jars again and process the jars in boiling hot water for around 15 minutes (usually, a big aluminum pot is used to place these jars for the hot water bath. The boiling hot water must cover at least 1 inch from the bottom of the jars). Ensure that the leads of the jars are tightly closed. Store the salsa cans in a cool and dry place. Once you open the lid of the jar, you must refrigerate the jar. It is also advisable to use the salsa within one year.

P.S. The whole reason I was inspired to make this salsa was because I wanted it to go with some quesadillas that I made. The quesadillas were a big hit and contained the following ingredients: shredded chicken breast, fresh corn (just cut it straight from a fresh cobb), red onions, cilantro, and pepper jack cheese. So. good. (Thanks, Real Simple, for the idea!)