A Fresh Start to Fall

I've never been a fan of cold weather, as a child I preferred summer warmth over Autumn breezes. I'm sure this had more to do with freezing in the mornings while waiting for the school bus. Not a good way to set the tone for the rest of the day. However, I've grown up a little (only a little) and I've found a certain fondness to cool mornings. I still love the heat of the summer and this year we found a way store some summer pleasures.......CANNING!!! We were able to preserve green beans, spaghetti sauce, tomatoes and black bean salsa.

The black bean salsa was my favorite to make. The smell of fresh tomatoes combined with the clean scent of cilantro and lime juice wafted through the kitchen all day.  Each pint jar included a tasty mixture of jalapenos, white and red onions, garlic, cilantro, tomatoes and of course black beans.  Don't let me fool you, this was a lot of work and it took an entire day but it was sooooo worth it!!! Happy cooking!!!