First batch of Ketchup

For the last couple of years I have been getting more and more canning done. I love canning, and with my other half working on a farm, we get lots of fresh fruits and vegi's each year. I have canned strawberry jam, cherry jam, cherries, and peaches so far this year. I just started getting the tomatoes in. I spent most of last evening making ketchup.

I got 6 half pint jars of ketchup with my first batch. That is about 15 pounds tomatoes for it.  But so worth it.

My family is very big on my home made ketchup. They love it. When it starts to get close to being ready to go into jars they are all in the kitchen with a spoon wanting samples.

It is like they could drink it. I do have to admit that it is very good. The recipe is from my mother. She makes only one batch a year now since it is just her and Dad. I have to make at least three batches to keep us in ketchup for the year. I also make one batch of spicy ketchup a year also. The spicy ketchup recipe I make came about as a "whoops" a couple of years ago. I was busy making ketchup and making dinner and helping my daughter with homework at the same time and accidentally put too much cayenne in the mixture and did not even realize it until it was made and we were at the taste test part. 

Thank goodness for me, the family loved it. It goes wonderfully when you are making things that you would like a little more bite in. We used it mostly with meat loaf to spice it up and my husband loves it on burgers.

I have started another batch today and should have that one canned by this evening.

Then it is a change of pace a little and I will be making some spaghetti sauce next and some dried tomatoes.

I will also be taking some of the dried tomatoes and making tomato powder for adding to soups and stews. I have not decided if I will be doing stewed tomatoes or whole tomatoes canned this year or not.

Hope everyone out there is doing well and getting ready for the wonderful season of Fall.

Happy quilting and canning all.