Chilli Sauce

So we went to the local Farmer's Market 3 weeks ago, and picked up a half bushel of tomatoes.  Boyfriend wanted his Grandma's chili sauce, and she's no longer feeling like she wants to do any canning.  I said I'd give it a go... but I was also going to make a second type just for fun.  The second recipe I got from one of my favorite cookbooks The American Women's Club Cookbook published in Winnipeg, Manitoba in 1936.  I figure they are both about the same vintage, as Granny got hers from her mom.   They are both good.  Granny's is sweeter and milder.  The AWC one is spicier, though I beefed up the spice to give it even more heat.  It's a nice sweet spicy heat.  Here they are:

Granny's Chili Sauce
8 cups chopped, peeled, seeded tomatoes
-cook until broken down
2 cups celery, diced
-cook for 1/2 hour
3 onions, finely diced
-cook for 1 hour
4 apples, peeled cored and diced
cook for 1 hour
3 to 4 cups brown sugar (I used 3, but tart apple and tomatoes will take more)
2 cups vinegar (I used white)
-cook for about 1/2 hour
3 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp cinnamon
cook for 1/2 hour

fill sterilized jars and seal -leaving 1/4 inch head space.  Refrigerate any unsealed jars and use immediately.

Made 7 cups


Spicy Chili Sauce
-based on Mrs. C. J. Lee's recipe

18 large ripe tomatoes
6 large onions
4 cups vinegar
1 hot pepper (red or jalapeno)
3 green peppers
2 cups sugar
2 tsp salt
1 tsp nutmeg
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp cloves
*2 tsp chili flakes (I added this to the original recipe)

Scald and peel tomatoes.  Dice tomatoes, onions and peppers and cook until done, about 1 3/4 hours.  Then add vinegar, spices, sugar and all other ingredients and cook 1/2 hour longer stirring often.  Once reduced, jar and seal.

yield 4 1/2 pints

*both recipes should state stirring often at all parts of the recipe.  Jars and lids should be sterile before chili sauce is added.  All utensils should be clean.  Any unsealed jars should be refrigerated and use within 3 weeks.  Any jars that do not remain sealed should be discarded. 

BASIC CANNING GOOD PRACTICES SHOULD BE FOLLOWED.  IF YOU ARE UNSURE FIND OUT!!!

Hello there......

Hi I just thought I'd start this blog.  The boyfriend had been suggesting I blog various obsessions, craziness and things for over a year now, so I'll give in and give it a try.  Maybe I can find some fellow nut-cases out there.  I generally enjoy a number of crafty things, I just pickled 20 lbs of onions, 10 lbs of beets and rendered a half-bushel of tomatoes into chili sauce.  Fun weekend.  I've been off work since may 2010 with a heart condition, got controlling medication in April of this year, and just started a new job last week (it's an active job so I've spent the last few days hurting).  I have a surgical procedure to repair the heart in October, and we'll see how that goes. 
I'll try to keep current, but I've had Internet once before, and was not too good at keeping up on the e-mail so no promises.  The content will include, patterns, recipes, re-enactment stuff, rants and hopefully pictures.  Thanks for sharing your time with me.