Apricot Pineapple Jam

3 cups apricots; pitted and chopped
20 oz crushed pineapple in juice
1/2 c lemon juice
1 package pectin
1/2 tsp butter
8 cups sugar

Measure apricots into 6-8 qt. saucepan. Add pineapple and lemon juice. Stir pectin into fruit mixture. Bring mixture to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly.

Add butter. Stir in sugar quickly. Bring back to a rolling boil and boil exactly 4 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.

Ladle into prepared jars, filling to within 1/8 inch of tops. Wipe jar rims and threads. Cover with two piece lids. Screw bands tightly. Invert onto a clean towel. After 5 minutes, turn upright, check for seals. Makes about 9 cups of jam.

Note: Even though this uses the invert jar method, I still prefer processing, just to be careful. Process for 10 min. In Idaho, however, I process for an additional 10 min for a total of 20 min.

Salsa (for canning)

5 lbs tomatoes (10 cups peeled, cored, chopped tomatoes)
2 lbs chile pepers (6 cups seeded, chopped chili peppers) I use anaheims
1 lb onions (4 cups chopped onions)
1 cup bottled lemon juice or 1 cup vinegar (5%)
3 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Yield 6-8 pints

Peel chile peppers if desired (I don't). Wash tomatoes and dip in boiling water for 30-60 seconds or until skins split. Dip in cold water, slip off skins & remove cores. Coarsely chop tomatoes (I drain the juice off my tomatoes and them measure them) and combine chopped peppers, onions, and remaining ingredients in a large saucepan. Heat to a boil, & simmer 10 minutes. Fill jars leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Adjust lids and pricess pints in boiling water canner for 20 minutes (1,000-6,000 ft).

You may use any mixture of mild & hot peppers. Use all mild peppers if you want a nice soup/chili base.

You can use spices and herbs of your choice. Salt and pepper may be eliminated.