easy "dump" Salsa

It seems like every time I buy cilantro for a recipe, some of it goes to waste.

I love cilantro, but a little bit goes a long way.

I used to wish the bunches came half their size ... that was until I told my friend, Betsy that, and she said, "just make salsa!"

Well, I LOVE to make Homemade Pico de Gallo in the summer when all of the veggies are fresh from my garden, but this particular day it was blustery and cold.

She raved about the Pioneer Woman's Salsa made in a food processor, and reminded me that I had even had it at her house one time.

Best part, I have all of the ingredients on hand.

So, because my most popular recipes seem to be the easiest ones, I knew I had to pass on this one!

"Dump" Salsa

inspired from: The Pioneer Woman

2 -14.5 ounce cans of diced tomatoes

2 - 10 ounce cans Rotel

1/2 of a large onion, sliced

1 clove minced garlic, or 1 teaspoon garlic puree

1 whole jalapeno, sliced

1/4 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cumin

1/2-3/4 cup cilantro, packed into measuring cup, no need to chop

juice of 1 small lime

This makes quite a bit, instead of using my food processor, I used my blender.

Simply dump everything into your large food processor, or blender.

Don't blend it though, use the pulse setting and whir it a few times until bigger ingredients are incorporated.

and Ta-Da!

Grab your chips, because you have SALSA!!

Keep covered in the refrigerator, tastes even better the second day!

Swiss Cheese Dip

My friend Gigi likes to bring this dip to parties, and I am lucky enough to have had her bring it 

to some of mine!! 

This stuff is G-O-O-D!!

It would also make a great tail gate munchie!!

Just serve with your favorite crackers...or even some crusty bread.

Swiss Cheese Dip

6 ounces shredded swiss cheese

1/4 cup sliced scallions (green onion tops)

2 cups of mayo (REAL-- not the fat free or light kind)

Combine all of the ingredients, reserving just a few of the green onions to sprinkle on the top of the dip.

Keep in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Pico de Gallo

Hands down, my favorite thing to make with my home grown tomatoes is 

homemade salsa / homemade pico de gallo.

My kids call them both salsa, but I would say that what I make is more of a pico.

Salsa seems to be more of a blended/cooked/canned type sauce.

Pico is more fresh ingredients.

Correct me if I am wrong?

Either way, sign me up, because it is literally my most FAVORITE snack.

It's also my son, Spencer's favorite.

I think it's because I ate more Mexican food when I was pregnant with him, than anything else.

And the hotter the better.

I still laugh when I think if the time my Mother-In-Law told me my baby was going to be born bald, because all of the spicy food I was eating was burning his hair off!!

Spencer has a great garden this year, full of peppers, all kinds, and tomatoes, too.

Right now, the peppers are going like crazy and the tomatoes are green.

*sigh*

So I hit a local stand and bought a bunch, and mixed up some pico tonight., 

He was a happy camper when he got home from work!

Pico de Gallo

8 medium sized ripe tomatoes

1- 1 1/2 onion diced (I used a Vidalia one)

1-2 jalapeno

2 hot wax or banana peppers

1 salsa pepper

1 clove garlic minced

2 teaspoons of lime juice

1/2 cup cilantro leaves, or to taste

sea salt

Dice tomatoes and onions and place in a large bowl.

In your food processor, place peppers and cilantro and give them a whir!

Scoop into tomato/onion mixture.

Add garlic, lime and give it a sprinkle of sea salt.  

If you leave it in the fridge overnight, it always tastes better the next day!

Notes: This "recipe" is really based on taste.  If you want it more mild, use more peppers, don't like cilantro? omit it.  I start with the tomatoes and onions and add peppers to it, it will "heat up" a bit as it sits, but not so much that if you think you can't taste the peppers, you shouldn't add more.

I use what peppers I have on hand, always jalapenos, but sometimes I might not have the salsa pepper, and you can just add and take away.

The sea salt seems to really bring out the taste.  Use as much or as little as your tastes allow.