Super Salsa

I made this salsa to add to Monica's chili recipe... and as a result I'm 100% sure that 1) I'm never going to buy salsa again, and 2) whenever I make chili in the future, I will be adding this salsa to it. Both the salsa and the chili came out amazing! I'm definitely going to put up some of this salsa so it's on hand and ready to go.

Some notes about this salsa: it's got some heat and some tang to it... but isn't that what makes a salsa great?! Depending on what you're in the mood for, though, you can simply add more or less of whatever ingredient... just remember that with fresh chile peppers, the flavors do intensify a bit, especially in a cooked salsa like this one. (Salsa cruda, also called pico de gallo or salsa fresca, is a different animal in that you don't cook the salsa... I made a cooked salsa for Monica's chili recipe because I wanted the added sweetness and added depth of flavor to mellow out the heat from the chile peppers.)

I will definitely be experimenting with this recipe by trying other types of green chiles, and by adding corn, beans or other veggies...

Makes 3-4 cups of salsa

Ingredients:

• 3 lbs Roma tomatoes, blanched and chopped (You can use canned diced tomatoes)
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 jalapeños, seeded and diced
• 2 sweet bell peppers (I used 1 orange and 1 red), seeded and diced
• 2 green chilies (I used Anaheim chilies), seeded and diced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/3 cup roughly chopped parsley or cilantro (I used parsley since Mr. D is not a cilantro fan)
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons chili powder
• juice of 2+ limes
• salt and pepper

Directions:

1. If you are using fresh tomatoes, blanching them removes the skin, which I prefer when cooking them, otherwise the skins come off and there are loose bits of tomato skin everywhere. (To blanch: boil a pot of water, remove any stems and cut a shallow "x" onto the bottom of the tomatoes, prepare a bowl with ice water, place tomatoes into the boiling water until the skin starts to split, remove and place the tomatoes in the bowl of ice water for a few seconds, and then, finally, the tomato skin should slide right off.) Then chop up the tomatoes.
2. Heat a large pan, add the tomatoes and about 1/2 cup of water. Cook tomatoes on med-high to soften, stirring occasionally. Use a masher or large spoon to break up the tomatoes a little bit so it looks like a very chunky sauce... this is the base for your salsa. Remove the tomatoes to a bowl.
3. Wipe out the pan and heat the oil, add onions and saute 2 minutes (turning down the heat to med-low), add all the peppers and saute 4 minutes, and then add garlic and saute 2 minutes. Cooking time may vary, but the goal is to soften these ingredients and bring out the flavors without cooking them through or letting them brown.
4. Add the tomatoes back into the pan with the pepper/onion mixture. Stir together and cook 2 more minutes.
5. Add the parsley, chili powder and lime juice, stir and cook for another minute or two. Add salt and pepper to taste.
6. Remove from the heat and cool.

Dom's Delicious Dinner

The idea for this meal comes from my husband Dom, and is influenced by his German heritage. It is very versatile, easy to make, generates few dishes in the making, healthy, looks pretty (due to all the colors) and is yummy! We just usually throw all the ingredients in the pan, season and test-taste till it's good, so here is a fairly loose guideline for the recipe:

Ingredients:
1 onion, diced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 -1 tbsp butter (or oil for a healthier option, but we like the flavor the butter gives)
boneless chicken breast, cut into small pieces (I think I use 0.2-0.3 lb)
8 oz mushrooms, sliced
1 red pepper, sliced (you can also use half red and half yellow for a more colorful dish)
2 zucchinis (sliced)
1-2 tbsp soy sauce
dried basil
salt and pepper
up to 1/2 c fat-free sour cream

your favorite type of pasta, boiled

Method:

1. Melt the butter in a large pan, add onions and garlic and season with salt and pepper . On medium heat, saute until onions are translucent.
   
2. Add chicken and saute until white all over. Add the mushrooms and soy sauce and stir. Add the remaining vegetables to the pan, season with salt and pepper and sprinkle some dried basil (I have a shaker, so I have never measured this... oops). Cover with a lid, and let vegetables and chicken cook, around 15 minutes (this is when you can set your pasta to boil). I have found that the juices from the vegetables plus the steaming effect of covering the pan are enough to cook the chicken and vegetables. However, if you find it's running dry, add a little water, but only a little :-)
   
3. When the chicken and vegetables are cooked (there should be small amount of liquid in the pan), add the sour cream and stir through (I usually add it in tablespoons until the desired creaminess). Add more salt and pepper to desired taste.
4. Serve over your favorite type of pasta (I usually do penne or fusilli, but you could use anything) and enjoy!

I love this dish as it takes less than an hour from start to finish (including prep time). You can also throw just about anything in there, for instance, I have used shredded chicken (leftover from cooking a whole chicken) instead of chicken breast and it was great. Due to the abundance of vegetables, you don't need a whole lot of meat. I have also made a vegetarian option using cannellini beans. Also, for vegetables, you can add broccoli and peas or asparagus instead of zucchini - your pick! :-)

Elisabeth's Kenyan Cabbage Stew: A Dinner-Swap Recipe

My sister Elisabeth made this tender, melt-in-your-mouth stew for a pot-luck dinner swap. The veggies were tender, the broth was rich with flavor, and the cilantro gave this stew just the right amount of kick... not bitter at all! It was surprisingly sweet, actually, from the natural sugar in all the veggies. I'm already dreaming about the way it tastes; cannot wait to make this myself so I can taste it again... YUM!

Ingredients: 

• 1/4-1/2 cup oil 
• 1 medium red onion (chopped)
• 3 plum tomatoes (chopped) 
• 1 cabbage (shredded) 
• 1 carrot (shredded)
• 3 cups water 
• 1/2 green pepper (diced)
• fresh cilantro (chopped)
• salt
• pepper

Directions:

1. Heat the oil (vegetable or olive) in a large pot.
2.  Add the onion and reduce heat to medium.
3. Once the onion becomes slightly browned, add the tomato.  Continue cooking (stirring occasionally) until the tomato is well broken down and is cooked into the oil.  
4. Add the shredded cabbage and carrot, stirring to coat with the stew broth. 
5. Season with salt and pepper to taste.  
6. Add water. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to med-low, simmering for about 15 minutes.
7. Add green pepper and cilantro.  Cover and let simmer for 5 - 10 minutes until the cabbage is tender.
8. Add more salt or pepper to taste.