My garden is turning red, orange and green!

For the last 2-3 years, I have planted red, orange and green peppers in our garden. I like to chop up the peppers, freeze them and add them to stew, chili, gumbo etc. I wanted the variety of colors. Every year all my peppers are green! I thought maybe I picked up the wrong plant or someone exchanged the plant tag. The plants produced plenty of peppers, none were red or orange. This year was no different, I discussed this with a friend and she had the same problem. So I researched it and found out that green peppers are actually unripe and if you are patient your peppers will turn colors. This is why they are more expensive in the grocery story, it takes a lot longer for them to ripen. I feel a little silly, but, am happy to know I can grow red and orange peppers. 

I will post this to these blog parties:

Made by you Monday

Treasure Box Tuesday

Handmade Tuesdays

The Homestead Barn Hop

Crock-Pot Hot Sauce

With the abundance of  cherry and Roma tomatoes in our garden this year I wanted to make hot sauce. My sister gave me the idea to make it in my crock pot.  It uses the tomatoes, cooks while I do other things and keeps me from standing over a hot stove. Which is a win, win situation.

Fresh ingredients are the best and nothing beats tomatoes straight from the garden.

I have one cherry tomato plant and one roma tomato plant and I am able to make this once or 

twice a week. 

We also grow jalapenos and bell peppers.

 I cut the stem end off and cut the tomatoes in half, using a scale I measure 3 pounds of tomatoes. I would guess it would be 3 1/2 pounds before you cut off the stems. Be sure to wash your tomatoes first. 

Put tomatoes in crock pot.

Add:

 one medium onion cut into big chunks

3 jalapenos (not seeded) cut into fourths (this is not an exact science, I have found the bigger the

 jalapeno the hotter)

 Always wear gloves when handling jalapenos!

2 medium bell peppers cut into big chunks

4 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

2 Tblsps chopped garlic (I do buy jars of garlic already chopped)

Cook 3 hours on high

Turn off the crockpot, take the lid off and let it cool.

Using a colander drain your tomato mixture. Reserve the liquid, it could be used for stew, gumbo etc.

Using either a blender or food processor puree the mixture. If you are using a blender you may 

need to do it in batches.

This recipe makes appox. one quart and it freezes well.

I will be posting this recipe to these blog parties:

Wow us Wednesday
Foodie Friday
The Homestead Barn Hop
Made by You Mondays
Full Plate Thursday
Handmade Tuesdays
Treasure Box Tuesdays