My first homemade salsa

I made my very first salsa this weekend. I used the fresh tomatoes from my garden, and mixed them with garlic, red onion, cilantro, salt and a chili pepper. I was not confident as I prepared and chopped and minced these very spicy veggies and herbs. I was nervous. I like salsa, but peppers--especially hot peppers-- are unexplored territory for me. And then there was the cilantro. I looked at the bunch, the first bunch I'd ever purchased, and wondered what end was I supposed to be using? The leaves? The stems? Both? These are the kinds of questions that have kept me from trying new dishes. But no more. I had a question, and I was going to get it answered. First, I thought of Lester, my chef pal, but I knew he was away. So I called a friend down the street. She wasn't sure and searched online, only to read two different recipes--one said stems, one said leaves. Great. Then it dawned on me: YouTube! I punched in the words "how to chop cilantro." Instantly I found a dozen videos offering answers. The answer, according to one excellent clip, is to chop the leaves and just the very tops of the stems. The bottom of the stems, it said, would be too tough to eat.
So, with my question answered, I was able to finish my salsa. I put it in the refrigerator for the night, to let the flavors really fall together. The result? "Excellent" said one food-savvy friend. Whew! I know I still have lots to learn though, because handling the red chili pepper left me with a burning feeling on my hands. I am told there is a proper way to handle the hotter peppers. I 'll need to find out. YouTube, here I come.