Pioneer Chili Sauce

We're still in the middle of bottling tomatoes. We've made salsa of half of it, thanks to my good friend in quilting, Jen, and her delicious recipe. This year I decided to also try a recipe from Sadie herself. A true pioneer recipe. It's called Chili Sauce, although it's not like chili we think of today. There's no beans it it for starters. It's really a relish. My husband likes it on eggs, I like it on steak. We're going to try pouring it over the roast in the slow cooker on Monday night.

I remember eating it as a little girl at my grandmother's house, Sadie's daughter, Leah Bird Tunks. And then as a teenager when my mother would make it. I love that there is a heritage passed on to me, and that I can keep it going. I'm thankful I'm not making it on a wood burning stove, that's for sure.

Here's the recipe, in case you want to make it a tradition at your house. It's a very sweet, rich relish, made thicker the longer you cook it.

8 chopped/skinned tomatoes

2 chopped onions

3 chopped/seeded peppers or 1/4 C red pepper

1/2 T salt

1/2 T ginger

1/4 T cloves

1 T allspice

1 T cinnamon

1/2 T mace

2 C vinegar

1/2 C brown sugar

Simmer 1 1/2 - 2 hours. Makes 4 pints.