It's Time for Salsa!!

16 cups crushed Roma/Plum tomatoes

(Approx. 1 lb. /5 medium tomatoes = 1 ½ cups crushed tomatoes)

2 cups chopped onion (2 large onions)
4-5 large green peppers
3-4 garlic cloves
2 jalapeño peppers
1 Anaheim pepper
1 Serrano pepper
2/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup salt
1 tablespoon garlic powder

Directions…
Remove the skins from the tomatoes by first immersing them in boiling water for 30-60 seconds and then in ice water. Place the tomatoes in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Measure 16 cups and place in a large pot.

Quarter the onions and remove the skins from the garlic and place in the food processor, pulse until finely chopped. Place in the large pot.

Cut off the tops, clean out the seeds, and quarter the green peppers. Cut the tops off the other peppers; leave the seeds. Pulse the peppers in the food processor until coarsely chopped. Place in the large pot.

Add the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30-40 minutes. Skim off any foam that accumulates. Ladle hot salsa into hot canning jars. Place lids on jars and process pint jars for 20 minutes and quart jars for 25 minutes in a water bath. Do not touch while cooling and do not move for 24 hours. Check for seal. Makes about 10 pints.

Tomatoes!

I was beginning to wonder if I would ever get enough tomatoes from my garden to can them. I planted late, close to the end of June and it’s been a mild summer for heat. I finally had enough to can the first couple of weeks of September.

Here are a few of the many tomatoes that I harvested from my garden and a couple of quart jar canned tomatoes (packed in water)

If anyone is interested in knowing how to do this, leave me a comment letting me know and I will post the directions.

Sweet Potato Fries

Sweet Potato recipe from  Tasty Sensations

1 large sweet potato - cut into thin strips
Place strips in bowl, add 1/8 c. olive oil.
Add:
1/2 tsp. season salt
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
sprinkle or two of all purpose, salt free seasoning
Mix well. Place strips on large greased cookie sheet.
Chop 1/4 of an onion into long strips and place on top of sweet potatoes.

Bake at 475F for 30-40 minutes, or until crispy. Turn once or twice during baking.

Reduced-Fat Chicken Pot Pie

1 cup cut-up cooked chicken

1 bag (12 oz) frozen mixed vegetables
1 can (10 3/4 oz) condensed 98% fat-free cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup fat-free (skim) milk
1 cup Bisquick Heart Smart® mix
1/2 cup fat-free (skim) milk
1 egg

1. Heat oven to 400°F. In ungreased 2-quart casserole, mix chicken, vegetables, soup and 1/2 cup milk. Microwave on High 4 minutes; stir.

2. In small bowl, stir Bisquick® mix, 1/2 cup milk and the egg with fork until blended. Pour over vegetable mixture.

3. Bake uncovered about 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Honey Mustard Marinade

Honey Mustard Marinade from Adrianne Glauser

1 c. mayo

1 T. mustard

1 T. honey

1/2 t. galic powder

1/2 t. salt

1/2 t. pepper

1 clove garlic

Mix all indgredients and let your meat marinade before cooking. I have marinaded the meat for only six hours and it had great flavor although longer is always better.

JANE'S Krazy Mixed-Up Salt

In our household this is called "Krazy Salt" and we cannot live without. We put it on EVERYTHING. It's a must for grilling meat and wonderful in eggs, soup, casseroles, vegetables, stuffing, pizza....it's great on just about everything.

White Sauce

This is very easy and delicious. Recently I've added a little pesto sauce (see blog post) on top to give it a little kick and color.

White Sauce
1/4 butter
1/4 cup flour
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup cream or evaporated milk
1/2 cup fresh Parmesan cheese (I've used Kraft grated and it works just as well)
dash of nutmeg
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
Black pepper

Melt 1/4 c butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and stir until combined. Cook and stir for about 1 minute. Then stir in chicken broth, cream, and pepper to taste. Add garlic powder and nutmeg to taste as well. Stir in the Parmesan cheese. Simmer 5-10 minutes or until it thickens.

Pesto Sauce

I planted basil this year in my FIRST garden ever and it's growing like crazy. I found this recipe and how to freeze basil for pesto in my garden bible this summer - All New Square Foot Gardening by Mel Bartholomew. I highly recommend this book and Square Foot Gardening for anyone with small space or wants to start there first garden.

Pesto Sauce
2 cups fresh basil leaves
2 garlic gloves
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp. Romano cheese
1/4 cup pine nuts or walnuts
dash of salt
1/2 cup olive oil
water

Combine basil, garlic, cheeses, nuts, and salt in food processor or blender. With the machine running slowly add olive oil. Thin with a few drops of water until reaches the consistency of oatmeal - not to thick but not to runny. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Toss with cooked pasta.

To Freeze Basil for Pesto
Wash and dry 2 cups of leaves (a salad spinner works well, love this new addition to my kitchen this summer), and chop them in a small food processor with 1/4 cup olive oil. Scrape the mixture onto plastic wrap, fold it up and put the resulting patty in the freezer. To use, defrost the patty, and put it in the food processor with all the other ingredients. Just remember that there is already 1/4 cup of olive oil in the patty, so be sure to only use an additional 1/4 cup to make up the 1/2 cup called for the recipe.
This is a great way to stock up during the peak growing season, and use them all year long in the recipe above. Freezing basil in this way does no noticeable harm to the color or flavor, so you can have the taste of an Italian summer all year round.

Rosemary-Garlic Potatoes

Recipe from Everyday Food



1 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, sliced
2 sprigs fresh rosemary or 1/4 teaspoon dried
1 1/2 pounds red new potatoes, scrubbed and thinly sliced
Coarse salt and ground pepper

Combine oil, garlic, and rosemary in a 2-quart microwave-safe baking dish with a lid. Cover, and microwave on high until garlic is fragrant, 1 minute. Stir in potatoes. Cover, and microwave on high until potatoes are tender, 13 to 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.