Homemade Salsa

I very well may get hacked for posting this one.  My father-in-law has an amazing salsa recipe.  For almost six years I dated his son, and he would not fork it over.  He told me we had to get married first before he would tell me.  It is top secret, and here I am telling it.  If you don't hear from me over the next couple of days, please contact authorities.  I kid.  He wouldn't kill me.  He loves me.  I am one of his two favorite daughter in laws.  Plus, I'm leaving out the extra special ingredient.  I guess if you want the icing on the top, then you'll have to marry a Torres.

Even though I won't give you the final ingredient, I'll give you a still delicious recipe.

Torres Homemade Salsa
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2-3 medium tomatoes, deseeded and diced (leave one whole)
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 lime
1 jalapeno
1/4 tomatillo
1/4 cup cilantro
salt or pepper to taste

Toss all ingredients into a food processor except one tomato and lime.  Pulse processor until you have a good salsa consistency.  Pour into a large bowl.  Dice the last tomato with seeds and all.  Toss into bowl and squeeze the lime juice into the bowl.  Add sea salt to taste.  Keep refrigerated.

My Favorite Appetizer

I have lots of appetizers I love, but this is my go-to when I need to make a quick one.  Not only is it quick, but it also have just a few ingredients.  A bonus in my book.  To top it off, it's super delicious.  It's definite 'Add to the List' recipe.

Fast Bruschetta
French bread sliced thin
1 jar of pesto
1 cup chopped Roma tomatoes
1 container of Feta Cheese

• Spread pesto evenly over each piece of bread
• Top with Roma tomotoes
• Sprinkle with Feta Cheese
• Bake @ 350 degrees for 5-10 minutes

That's it.  Go ahead, impress your guests at your next gathering.  Impress them even more by making your own pesto.  By the way, if you have a good pesto recipe pass it on!  I love pesto!

Taco Dip

It's getting to be that time of year where there are luncheons and parties.  This dip has always been a hit and makes a good amount to serve a large crowd (the picture below shows the recipe cut in half).  You'll notice it's so tasty that Steven couldn't keep his hands out of it long enough for me to snap the picture...

12 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup salsa
1 bunch of chopped cilantro (you can use lettuce too)
1 small tomato diced
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 can sliced ripe olives, drained, optional

• In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sour cream together until smooth.  Stir in salsa.
• Spread on a serving dish and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, prepare your toppings.
• Layer cilantro/lettuce, tomatoes, olives, and cheese.  I do mine in that order.

Happy Cooking!!!



Roasted Garlic for Dipping Bread

Just for the record, my fingers STILL smell like garlic this morning.  Do you know what it feels like to wake up and wonder, "Why does it smell like garlic in here?"  Only to realize you only smell garlic when your hands are near your face.  Then you smell your fingers to realize you never rinsed them with lemon juice to help with the stinch.  So, me and my stinky fingers are typing this post for you.  So your fingers can smell like garlic.  So you too can have some yummy Roasted Garlic with EVOO and seasonings.  You can thank me later.  Not for your stinky fingers, but for the dip. 

Roasted Garlic Dipping Oil
1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
4 large cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
2 Tbsp Baslamic Vinegar
1 1/2 Tbsp Italian Seasoning
Salt to taste

• Take about a Tbsp of the evoo, and heat it in a sauce pan (doesn't take long). 
• Add minced garlic to pan.  After about a minute, stir constantly to prevent burning.  Allow the garlic to become golden, but not brown.
• Pour out contents of a pan on a paper towel and allow the garlic to 'dry' out.
• While garlic is 'drying', pour the remaining evoo onto a small plate.  Add Baslamic Vinegar and gently blend in with a fork.
• Add garlic and seasonings.
• Serve with toasted bread.  (I used French Bread toasted in the oven @ 400 degrees for 5 min.

I would have taken a picture, but one taste led to another.  You know how that goes.  Maybe next time.  Maybe.

UPDATE!!!  Here's a pic for you!

Happy Cooking!!!

Pineapple Salsa

I made this less than an hour ago and it is already half empty (call me a pessimist). It was supposed to last all week long. Don't think it's going to make it!

So here's how it's thrown together...

Pineapple Salsa

1 pineapple
1 large red pepper
1 bunch cilantro
1/2 medium purple onion
-or- 2 green onions
1 Tbsp lemon juice

• Dice pineapple, red pepper, cilantro, and onion.
• Mix well
• Sprinkle on lemon juice.

That's it. It's delicious. It's nutritious. It'll be gone fast.

Happy Cooking!

Sausage Spinach Pockets

First off, this recipe was one of those 'gotta find something to eat even though I desperately need to go to the grocery store' meals. I had all these items on hand, and so this recipe was born.

Sausage Spinach Pockets

1 refrigerated pizza crust
1 lb sausage (I used turkey sausage)
3 cups chopped fresh spinach
2 cups mozzarella cheese
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese

• Cook sausage (drain).
• Put sausage back in pan and add spinach. Cook until spinach begins to wilt.
• In a large bowl combine sausage/spinach with mozzarella cheese.
• On a greased baking sheet, spread out pizza crust and cut into 4 large rectangles.
• Begin to spoon 1/4 cup mixture* onto half of each rectangle. Fold crust over and seal the edges by pressing down with a fork around the entire pocket.
• Brush the tops with olive oil for a nice brown crust. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese.

Bake @ 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes.
*You will have about half of the sausage mixture left over. Using one pizza crust serves 4, so I froze the remaining mixture for a quick meal on a busy night. If you have a big family, simply buy two pizza crusts and you're done!

Happy Cooking!

Making Crackers from Egg Roll Wrappers

I promised Steven's Tia Lily I would put this recipe on the blog. It is super easy. Since Mason's party was a fall theme I wanted the food to go with it too. I had seen a friend do this, so I experimented until I got it right.

Leaf Crackers
1 package of egg roll wrappers (found in the produce section)
assorted cookie cutters (I used leaves)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 Tbsp salt
3 Tbsp Italian seasoning

• Using the cookie cutter press out desired shapes into egg roll wrappers.
• Place on cookie sheets, and brush each one with olive oil.
• Sprinkle on salt and seasoning.
• Bake @ 350 degrees for about 5 minutes. Keep a close eye on them because they will burn fast!

I served them with assorted cheeses, but you could do any kind of dip. Whatever you normally need crackers for. Bring these to your next luncheon or special occasion and you will be a big hit!

Happy Cooking!

Black Bean Corn Salsa

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can of whole kernel corn, rinsed and drained
3 cups chopped tomatoes, seeded
1 large onion chopped
3/4 cups cilantro
1/4 of a diced tomatillo
1/2 of a jalapeno diced
3 Tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tsp cumin
dash of salt and pepper

Mix all ingredients together and enjoy! This is more of a pico style salsa. If you enjoy a liquidy salsa, I suggest taking 2 cups tomatoes and running it through your food processor. Then dicing 1 cup tomato so it's not so runny.