What do you do with green tomatoes?

It's that time of year when gardens are ending and gardeners are picking the last of their produce before the first frost. My garden produced quite a few green tomatoes.  I ended up making Green Tomato Mincemeat and Chow Chow.  Both recipes are excellent!

Green Tomato Mincemeat

Ingredients:

6 c. chopped apples, seeded
4 c. chopped green tomatoes
3 c. raisins
2 c. dried cranberries
3 c. sugar 1/2 c. vinegar or lemon juice
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. allspice
1 tsp. salt

Directions:
 

Simmer ingredients until soft (about one hour). Ladle into hot jars and water bath for 25 minutes.

Granny’s Chow Chow

Chow Chow has traditionally been a fall canning recipe. It is a method to use up the last of a garden’s vegetables. Cooks have often added other ingredients like carrots or cauliflower. It can be used on hot dogs, hamburgers or with beans to add spice.

Ingredients:

24 medium green tomatoes
1 head of cabbage
8 peppers (any variety, green, red, sweet or hot)
2 large onions
5 cups white vinegar
5 cups sugar
2 tablespoons salt
5 teaspoons celery seed
4 teaspoons mustard seed

Directions:

1. Chop tomatoes and drain. Add to large pot.
2. Chop remainder of vegetables, add to tomatoes and mix.
3. In a separate pot, heat vinegar, sugar and spices until blended.
4. Add liquid to vegetables and mix. Bring to boil and simmer for 15 minutes.
5. Ladle into sterilized jars.
6. Water bath for 10 minutes for pints and 15 for quarts.