Salsa...a-cha-cha-cha!

Salsa….oh how the word brings to mind frills, clattering heels, and a fast beat! Oh, wait…that’s the dance. Okay, salsa the FOOD….mmmmm, my mouth is watering right now thinking of it. We’ve all had the store bought salsa: mush with a kick. To be fair, there are a couple fresh salsas out there, usually in the produce section, that truly are just like what you can make fresh at home. But the price is so prohibitive. Do you realize how inexpensive Roma tomatoes and hot peppers are? The other ingredients are pretty inexpensive too, so hey, why not? At least try it. Once you’ve made your own salsa, you won’t want to go back to the jars. Keep some on hand for emergencies (yes, needing salsa quick *is* an emergency!); but you’ll want the homemade too.

So, let’s get cooking!

After you’ve gathered and washed all your ingredients, core and dice the Roma tomatoes. This is the most tedious part, so I like to get it out of the way first.

When handling the jalapeño peppers and/or serranos, wear gloves. Trust me on this, do not use your bare hands. And whatever you do, DO NOT touch your eyes or face at all. When you are done, remove the gloves and wash your hands very well. Don’t ask why I’m warning you so well. Okay, I’ll give you a hint: it involves jalapeños, contacts, and a loud “AAAAAAUUUUG!” coming from my mouth.

Dice the onions and green peppers, and mince the jalapeños, serranos, garlic, and fresh cilantro.

Place all in a large mixing bowl and mix together.

Now for the limes. ♫ You put the lime in the coconut and shake it all up! ♫ Okay, wrong song. ;) Before cutting, roll the limes on the table or counter under your hand, applying some pressure. This will squeeze the juice from the cells inside the lime, and when you go to juice it, you’ll get more. Making the lime a little warmer also helps you get more juice from it. Squeeze the juice.

Add to the mixture of salsa vegetables and mix well.


Store in a jar or bowl overnight, letting the juices meld and sink in. You can eat it right away, but it may not be as hot as when you let it sit for a while. Store in the fridge, by the way. If it lasts that long!

Serve with tortilla chips, or use in omelets, tacos, fajitas, etc. Enjoy! ~TMMF






Salsa

12 Roma tomatoes
1 Vidalia onion
1 green bell pepper
2-3 jalapeño peppers
2-3 Serrano peppers
2-3 lg. cloves garlic
½ c. fresh cilantro
4 Tbl. Fresh lime juice