I said 'Salsa'!

 

I am a huge salsa (and Seinfeld) fan! I made a batch yesterday and thought I'd share this delicious recipe and my morning in the kitchen.



 

Boiling the jars and lids helps the salsa keep longer.

I boil all the jars and lids for about 20 minutes and then leave them to cool on a clean towel while I make the salsa.

All the ingredients and my favorite recipe!



These are all the ingredients and the recipe.  It's a breeze (my kinda cooking) - everything chopped and tossed into one large pot then gently boiled for about an hour. The only extra step is the tomatoes need to be scalded, peeled and seeded before chopping (see below).

 

I usually double the recipe as shown here (or triple it) - I'm doing the work anyway - and we eat this salsa like there is no tomorrow! 

 

Here are the ingredients for a double recipe:

9-10 lbs tomatoes

3 large red peppers

1 large green pepper

2 large white or Spanish onions

6 cans mild green chillies

10 oz. tomato paste

1/2 cup brown sugar

11/2 cups white vinegar

4 tsp. paprika

2 tbsp. pickling or coarse salt

5-6 cloves garlic

1/2 cup jalapeno peppers

 (I like the ones in a jar - you can use some of the liquid as well)

 

A food processor (mine is a mini!) really speeds thing up.
Toss it all in the pot and give it a stir to combine the veggies.



Scalding the tomatoes - boil your water and add the tomatoes.
 Keep an eye on them as you just want the skin to break and peel back.
 The tomatoes should be firm, not cooked, when they are chopped.



Add the chillies, vinegar, brown sugar and paprika.
Chopped garlic and jalapenos will be to taste.
I add 5-6 cloves of garlic and about 1/2 cup of jalapenos. 
You can always add more at the end if it's not quite hot enough.
 Be sure to recycle those cans!



I've peeled the tomato skins, cut each into quarters and removed the stem and seeds.
 Into the chopper and then the pot with the rest of the ingredients!
Boil gently, stirring often, for about an hour.

Yield is eleven jars and enough for lunch! Enjoy!

Eleven jars and a yummy snack!

 

Easy Peasy Fresh Guacamole!

Every now and then, I feel like creating with food.  Usually, the mood strikes in the late fall when I'm overcome with my hunker down-stock up on cosy winter comfort food-we might not make it out til spring fears and stock the freezer to bursting with spaghetti sauce, chili and all manner of baked goods that will last til May (pause to consider a recent episode of Doomday Preppers). 

 

 Anyway, I've been inspired in the last couple of weeks in a different direction...fresh island grown fruits and vegetables! They are growing on trees and in the ground everywhere on Maui (we even have 13 fruit trees in our own yard -- but more about that another time).  Avocados, mangos, bananas, lemons and limes, oranges and gorgeous tomatoes too -- their colors are so vivid I can almost see the vitamins in them!  And, I'm in love with avocado-- delish! So, I've made a quick and easy-peasy recipe for guacamole and included some photos to show this beautiful produce - enjoy!

 

Ingredients
 2 avocados, 2 ripe tomatoes, juice of one lime, salt and pepper to taste

Peel avocados, slice fruit from the seed.
 

Mash avocados.
Chop tomatoes and add to mashed avocado.
Squeeze juice of one lime in the mixture.
Mix and add salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.
I like it with hint of lime taco chips - YUM!!

Even the bits for the compost are pretty!