Some homemade salsas have been a favorite for years and even generations. Families have been handing down their own special family recipes to successive generations and kept a long tradition of making their own salsa.

It's very easy to drive to your favorite grocery store and pick up a jar of salsa off the shelf, but making it in your own kitchen can be quite rewarding! If you have had a productive garden this year, your stock of fresh peppers and tomatoes would be perfect for your home made salsa.

Once you do this, you may find that making salsa and stocking up your pantry each year will be a regular goal of yours! You only need a basic supply to make salsa, a simple recipe and the process of making the salsa.

Typical salsa ingredients contain more or less of the following: green pepper, Jalapeno, tomatoes, red chili pepper, garlic salt or powder, onion, cilantro, lemon juice. Don't be afraid to experiment!

And salsa is loaded with antioxidants and vitamins. These are necessary for a healthy body and what better way to make sure you get your fill of them?

Modify the ingredients to your taste - Adding more jalapenos and other peppers will make for a hotter and spicier salsa. Alternatively, for a milder salsa, reduce the number of peppers and add more tomatoes.

The full flavor and strength of spices deteriorate over time so make sure to use fresh spices. And always use fresh oils. Like spices, oils lose their flavor over time and some can go rancid if kept too long.

When making salsa you will need to wear rubber gloves to skin irritation from the chili peppers. And don't touch your face or rub your eyes while handling hot peppers.

You will need all the supplies that you typically need when you are preserving tomatoes. You will need canning jars, lids and bands, a hot water bath canner, a large pot to cook the salsa, strainer, jar lifter, large bowl, and the ingredients from your recipe. Thoroughly wash all the utensils you will be using and boil the jars and bands. Warm the lids but don't boil them. Leave the jars and the lids in the hot water up until the time you are ready to fill them.

Alternatively you can store them in your freezer. After making a large batch of salsa, simply divide it into small containers and place them in the freezer. You'll be able to enjoy fresh-tasting salsa year round!