Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Home Made Salsa

Hi everyone.  First of all, I want to thank each and every one of you for your nice words about Snacker!  I sure will miss her.  But I have been very busy taking care of the rest of the flock.  Whether or not any of the remaining 8 hens winds up having a personality like Snacker, remains to be seen.  They are doing well, with one in isolation until she is fully recovered.  More on that later.  First, let's make salsa.  I learned to make this salsa from my sister in law, Monica. She learned from her Dad, who was Mexican.  It is a family favorite.  I may do it a little different than she does, but it is basically just these few simple ingredients.   Here is what you will need.  Mind you, I always make up a big batch and share it, but you could certainly  halve this.  About 6 cans of stewed tomatoes.  I like to buy Mexican stewed tomatoes, but these can be hard to find, so any old stewed tomatoes works.  Even the store brand.  3 to 4 jalapeno chili peppers.  (Mine are from my garden)   You will wash these and steam them until fork tender in a saucepan with an inch or so of water.  Then remove from pan to cool.  A large bunch of cilantro. (also from my garden)  If purchasing at market, buy two bunches.  About 1 1/2 bunches of green onions.  1 fresh lemon.  Fresh garlic, or minced garlic in the jar, which is what I used today.  Fresh cracked salt and pepper to taste. And that is it!
Dump all of your tomatoes into your large Tupperware Bowl, circa 1979.  What?  You don't have a green, or harvest gold Tupperware Bowl from the 1970's?  Well, not to worry.  Any large bowl will do.  Using your hands (washed of course) squish the tomatoes through your fingers until they are evenly crushed.  Not too small, you will want it chunky.
Do a rough chop on your onions, and cilantro. Then dice your jalapenos.  If you don't want it very hot, remove some, or even all of the seeds.  Save them though until after tasting it to see if you want to add heat.

Add a big teaspoon of minced garlic if using the kind in a jar.  Or several minced cloves of fresh.  Squeeze the lemon juice into bowl holding lemon right side up so seeds don't fall into salsa.  Season with generous amount of salt and pepper.  
Stir and taste.
In this batch, I wound up putting more of the seeds from the jalapeno that I had set aside, into it to add heat.  I may be regretting that tomorrow, but it tasted just about perfect to me!!!   
Before I go, just a little chicken chatter.  I miss Snacker, ever so much, but the rest of the girls are doing okay.  The little B's, Ethel and Lucy are laying eggs again.  Ethel has become an escape artist.  She is flying out of the coop constantly.  There could be many eggs out there in the grove under trees for all I know!  They are all fattened up, with healthy looking combs and wattles and oddly enough, even though they are little B's, to the other chickens, they are as sweet as can be to me.  They follow me, and come when I call them.  And they love to run around the grove and free range for bugs and worms.  Here they are getting up to their roost for the night.
Little Mildred is in the isolation wing of the coop.  She was the second one of the babies to show signs of a cold or conjunctivitis.  I read online that you can treat the eyes with Neosporin with great results. So that is what I am doing.  HUGE improvement in only 24 hours!  But she will stay in iso til we return from our fishing trip in a few days.   Standing in her mash..How rude!!
The remaining 5 chicklets are in the main coop.  All doing great.  Ham is the head honcho.  Noah still insists she is a he.  And we are not convinced otherwise just yet.  It wouldn't surprise me to hear a cockle doodle doo any day now.  Here they all are at chow time earlier tonight.
Tonight while I was out watering, my neighbor Linda came over and told me that there is a huge hawk nesting in her yard.  I went over and we watched her with binos for the longest time.  We think it is a Cooper's Hawk. There are two fluffy babies in the nest.  She did not want anyone too close though.  Her husband had already been dive bombed for trying.  So we stood a respectable distance away.  I went home and got my telephoto lens.  She is a beauty!!! 

She and her mate are the reason why I have very few song birds this summer.  And no nesting bluebirds for the first time in several years!!!  Oh well.  They will be fun to watch too.
My little rest is over, and I have to go finish packing.  We leave bright and early tomorrow.   Our son Drew will be here holding down the fort and taking care of the farm.  I sure hope he doesn't forget to feed anyone or water the garden.  It is supposed to be near 100 all weekend!   I will be back in a few days with lots of photos, and fish tales.  Til next time......

22 comments:

Linda @ Itsy Bits And Pieces said...

OH that salsa looks so good, Kris...thanks for sharing! Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Genn said...

LOVE love this salsa recipe!! Did you see on my blog post how many people want the recipe?? I guess I will just direct them to your blog!
Hope you guys have a great time on your camping trip. Talk to ya soon. XOXO.

Holly said...

I was really hoping you would post your recipe after seeing the yummy salsa on Genn's blog. Looks good and easy. And of course i have an old green tupperware bowl! Have a safe and fun trip!

Sunny Simple Life said...

Enjoy. It is going to be so beautiful up there. I am jealous. Love fresh salsa. We make it very similar but haven't added the citrus before. How refreshing.

Linda - Behind My Red Door said...

Hi Kris,

Blogging is low on my list lately - it's one thing after another with my folks it seems. So I missed the post about Snacker - I am so sorry! I hope the other chickens do well and this illness is history. Sending lots of hugs!!

Heather - The Good Life said...

Your salsa looks and sounds great, I'm looking forward to trying your recipe. Hope you have a great day Kris!

Debbie said...

Thanks for the salsa receipe...sounds wonderful. ENJOY your trip!

Valerie Harrison (bellini) said...

I just bought some tortilla chips from a local company, so what is needed is some salsa!

Anonymous said...

hope you have a wonderful trip,, this salsa looks wonderful yum!

Nancy said...

I am soooo glad i found this. I was reading about this salsa on Genn's blog. Yay. Bookmarked it. I can't wait to pair it with a nice cold adult beverage and a lime. :)

deb said...

MUST try this recipe. My daughters chick are doing great....they are 2 weeks old now and eating out of her hand!!!!!!!!

Linda said...

The coopers hawk is so beautiful...I am always amazed at them when the come to my yard...but I notice that they mostly go after the sparrows and finches. Have a great trip!!

Reality Jayne said...

My sis makes good homemade salsa too...All from her garden....Your recipe looks good, as well.
Hope your chickys do well.
Have fun on your trip

Sandy said...

I am so excited to try the salsa recipe!! Glad your chickies are doing good. Sorry about Snacker. Have fun on your trip and enjoy yourself. :)

Unknown said...

How's about a Pyrex Farmer Bowl, 1958 Teal Blue vintage collection. Will that do?....giggle... Now, mine is about the same...But I'm a lime gal... did I miss the Cumin or is it there? The rest is the same. Great fun today.

What you are leaving? Don't forget your camera. See ya on the flipside.

terry said...

The salsa sounds great - I've tried most of your recipes and they are keepers. One question - if Monica's father is Mexican, then doesn't that make Monica Mexican at least in part?

Terry in So. Calif.

annielizabeth said...

Hi, OOOOOoooo yummy salsa! Yup, I have late 70's early 80's Tupperware still and that exact same bowl! I saw this on youtube and it reminded me of you! I never knew about this b4! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyEraP8SebQ&feature=related Hope you have a wonderful fishy adventure!

Eric and Jenny said...

Hello!

I am friends with your daughter Genn and just wanted to say hello and thank you for the recipe. I was so hoping you would post it, because it just looks fabulous I must make it!

I love your green tupperware it brings back the most happiest memories both my mom and my grandmas have one just like it.

From the way Genn talks about you, you remind me so much of my own mother. I bet the two of you would get along fabulously just like Genn and I do!

Have a wonderful trip!

Anonymous said...

So glad you blogged this. It's the BEST salsa I've ever had in my life! I have the tupperware full you gave me hidden in the fridge at work & I've had it every day, I could drink it. But I won't, b/c then there'd be less for my eggs!
He he he

Anonymous said...

I follow Genn's blog. Thanks so much for posting your salsa recipe. We are SO making this soon. :)

Janna said...

can't wait to try your salsa and glad to hear the other chickadees are looking good

Grammy Staffy said...

Dear Kris,
I wish that you were not leaving... I would invite myself over to try some of that salsa..... it looks sooooo good. I would love to make some. Thanks for the info.

I am sorry about Snacker. I hope that the other hens do well.... even your escape artist.

I hope that we can get together when you return home. I would love to meet you in person.

Have a great week. Hugs, Lura