Lately I’ve been pretty unbalanced in the kitchen. I’m either making all the meals or eating frozen pizza for a week. On one of my COOK ALL THE MEALS days, I decided to write down my Grandma Phina’s sweet and spicy salsa recipe. I love her recipe because it’s got a little bit of heat, but it’s sweet enough to please a crowd too. (Remember her Pueblo Feast Day cookie recipe?)

Since I grow my own tomatoes in my DIY greenhouse, I had a mix of tomato types (German Johnson and Romas). Growing your tomatoes isn’t necessary, but I recommend trying this recipe when tomatoes are in season and buying local, if you can. Tomatoes grown in a greenhouse don’t taste nearly as good and make a big difference in the recipe. I like to make a big batch and then freeze it for later in the season.

Ingredients for Grandma’s Sweet and Spicy Salsa

• 4 large tomatoes and 4 Romas (You could also use 5 large tomatoes or a dozen or so Romas)
• 1 yellow onion
• 2 yellow bell peppers
• 2 tbsp fresh garlic
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp cayenne
• 1/4 cup of sugar
• 2 tbsp fresh squeezed lime juice
• Salt and pepper to taste

How to make Sweet and Spicy Salsa

Dice the onion and garlic. Add to a large pot or dutch oven on medium heat. Stir periodically, so it doesn’t burn. Chop the bell peppers and add to the pot. Chop the tomatoes. (You can chop those in large chunks because they’ll break down easily.) Add the spices, the sugar and the lime juice. Turn the stove to low and let the salsa simmer uncovered for at least 20 minutes. You want the flavors to meld together and you want some of the liquid from the tomatoes to evaporate.

This will fill 3-4 mason jars (not the jar pictured, I was just reusing an old jar). I like to have a jar of fresh in the fridge and freeze the rest.

Tips for Storing Salsa

Remember when freezing in glass, never fill up the jar to the top and make sure to let the salsa cool completely before putting it into the freezer.

I’ve heard of folks canning salsa, but I haven’t been brave enough to try my own recipe yet. There’s so many rules about canning. I usually refer to the Bible of canning, The Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving for canning recipes.

Enjoy!