A Week of Food Preservation: Salsa, Pesto, & More

I'm doing my own modified version of the #everybitcountschallenge, aiming to preserve food from the garden 5-6 days a week throughout the month of august. Join me for a week on our small homestead. We'll make roasted salsa, basil pesto and carrot top pesto, dry herbs, can potatoes, pick peaches, and bottle some peach wine. I'll also share how to use a vacuum sealer to preserve freshness in frozen and dried foods. Stocking my pantry shelves now means wholesome, delicious food throughout the fall and winter.

00:00-6:09 How to make roasted salsa
06:10-11:07 How to make basil pesto & carrot top pesto, plus how to vacuum seal jars to preserve freshness
11:08-12:04 Drying herbs
12:05-15:32 How to can potatoes
15:33-17:39 Peach picking, bottling peach wine

My Fire-Roasted Salsa Recipe:
Ingredients:
8 lbs. tomatoes, halved or quartered
2 large onions, quartered
1 1/2 heads of garlic, broken into cloves with skins on
3 serrano peppers, halved (I leave the seeds in for medium heat. Remove for mild)
1 bunch of cilantro, stems trimmed off
2 Tbs. salt
2 tsp. cumin
Juice of 1 lime

Directions:
Place oven rack in highest position
Preheat broiler on high
Place tomatoes skin-side up on baking sheets along with onions, garlic, and peppers
Broil each baking sheet for approximately 10 min., or until tomato skins show charring
Lift skins off tomatoes and drain excess water
Blend broiled vegetables and cilantro in blender or food processor to desired consistency
Add salt, cumin, and lime

Basil Pesto Recipe (for carrot top pesto, swap half of the basil with carrot tops): https://www.loveandlemons.com/pesto-r...

Canning Potatoes: https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can/canning...

MY GEAR

Nesco Electric Canner/Nesco Digital Smart Canner:
https://www.avantlink.com/click.php?t...

All New Ball Book of Canning and Preserving:
https://amzn.to/4ndDcLF

ForJars Lids & Vacuum Sealer (Use code HERITAGE for 10% off):
https://forjars.co/?sca_ref=9182078.B...

Redmond Real Salt:
https://amzn.to/4l9FLNjNesco/Carey Electric Canner:

*Links are affiliate, but I only recommend products I use and love