by Cathy Mcclellan

Created on: January 26, 2009   Last Updated: January 29, 2009

Every where you look, you can find many ways, uses and recipes for fresh garden tomatoes. But what about green tomatoes. What to do with them? Some eat fried green tomatoes or other recipes.

A lot of people have often asked that question at the end of the season when they still have green tomatoes in their garden. Well, wonder no more.

When I was growing up, my mother made Chow Chow. For those of you who do not know or have never ate Chow Chow, you have definitely been missing out. Chow Chow is a cold relish you home can by using cabbage, jalapenos, bell peppers, onions, vinegar and spices. It has a spicy sweet flavor and the vegetables are still crisp using the following method.

My mother had her own version of Chow Chow, other than what can be found today. Most of these recipes call for Cauliflower, green beans and other things that probably is good, but they are not my mother's. She called hers "West Texas Chow Chow".

This Chow Chow is so good that I kept the recipe secret for many years and when I would give jars out, everyone that ate it, had never tasted Chow Chow and loved it, or stated it was the best Chow Chow they had ever had because it is unusual.

Be careful though, your family and/or friends just might steal this recipe as their own! You will want to take full credit for this luscious recipe.

This is a perfect recipe for your end of the year or beginning of the season garden, depending on how bad you want to eat it! Now or wait!

To make 18 pints:

2 large heads cabbage or 8 cups

20 green tomatoes or 8 cups

14 large onions or 8 cups

24-30 jalapenos or 6-8 cups (depending on how much "bite" you want)

12 bell peppers or 4 cups

1 cup salt

12 cups vinegar

4 cups water

4 tbsp ground mustard

1tbsp cayenne power

2 tbsp celery salt

3 tsp turmeric

Grind all vegetables and mix together with salt. Let stand in refrigerator overnight. The next day, get hot water bath canner ready by filling with hot water and keeping it just at boiling. At this point, prepare your clean jars by placing in hot water and keep hot. Place lids in small pot with water and also keep hot. Thoroughly rinse and drain vegetables. Place in large stock pot. Combine remining ingredients and pour over vegetables. Bring to a boil and boil gently for 5 minutes.

Pack into hot jars, removing any air pockets and fill to 1/2 inch head space. Clean rim with wet cloth to remove any juice or vegetables. Place in boiling hot water bath and process 15 minutes for pints or 25 minutes for quarts.

Remove and allow to cool. Check to make sure all lids seal. If you have any that don't, place in refrigerator.

You will love this relish with beans and cornbread, on hot dogs or as a side appetizer with any meal.

Just sit back and watch at how fast the jars get emptied! Enjoy!

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