The Day of The ~SALSA~

I've decided.

For this year, today,

27 October 2007

is

The Day of The Salsa.

By that, I mean that I realized I needed to get my crap together TODAY and make salsa before any more tomatoes rot. As you may know, I rescued all the green tomatoes and all the peppers from the cold weather a couple weeks ago, and they have been ripening (and taking up precious space) on my counter ever since then.

Today, I looked at the tomatoes, and a few of them were beginning to rot. I decided I better get on it. I have been putting this job off for days. I can put it off no longer...not to mention that some of you know I have a teeny tiny kitchen with limited counter space, so I really would like to reclaim it from the tomatoes.

Right now, I am on my 8th batch of salsa. I make them in doubles, so I've put together four double batches. That equals eight. I'm taking credit where credit is due.

The house smells of roasting...tomatoes, serranos, jalapeños, garlic...it is wonderful. I've had a few chips and various kinds of freshly-made salsa for breakfast along with my coffee this morning. (it is imperative that each batch be tasted for quality assurance)

I've told you about salsa making before, in other places if not here. So I won't go too much into it. Let's just say I have made so much salsa, I could probably make it in my sleep. Dare I say, I make

The Best Salsa Ever.

And, as soon as this, the fourth double batch is completed, I will be finished for today. I can't say this is any kind of record for me, because this happens every year. I don't remember if I've ever made eight batches in a day, but if not I've come damn close. B.K. (Before Kids) I used to can this salsa. I have not done that since H-Bomb and then Sawed-Off arrived. Now, it is much easier to freeze the salsa, and it turns out great.

But, I will not be finished until the last tomato ripens and gets salsified. I still have a pile of them, in varying stages of ripeness, as you can see...

And plenty of peppers as well. I think our salsa supply will definitely last through next spring by the time I am through! YeeHaw!


I have been at this all morning. It is now noon, and I am finished but for letting the flavors come together at room temperature and then finding room in the freezer.

Somehow I have managed to do this in between feeding the boys and dealing with whining and disagreements and who-knows-how-many time outs for H-Bomb (he's having a hard time today). But now, I look behind me to the kitchen table. I think the boys have basically been eating since they woke up. Oatmeal? Of course. Granola with milk? Sure. Milk with 'Tine? If you stop whining. More granola? I guess. Ice cream cup? Whatever.

So the table and the floor and the chairs and any and all the surfaces in the dining room? Simply COVERED. With, yes, oatmeal-granola-milk-milk with 'tine-granola-ice cream. I have wiped down both boys. I think you can guess what my next project is for today. Thank goodness I finally covered the dining room chairs in vinyl...