Tag: Jalapeno

Breakfast Guacamole

Note: This post is sponsored by Pete and Gerry’s Organic Eggs. All opinions are mine alone.

Eggs are a big part of my cooking repertoire: they are a great source of healthy fats, protein, vitamins and minerals, all for a fairly affordable price. My husband is a huge fan of eggs, especially post-run. So I’m always trying to find new fun brunch recipes that star eggs as the main ingredient, like in this fun recipe for Breakfast Guacamole!

So when Pete and Gerry’s Organic Eggs contacted me about highlighting the health benefits of eggs for National Egg Month (May), I knew it would be a great opportunity to find a new yummy way to enjoy eggs!

source: peteandgerrys.com

Pete and Gerry’s Farm Free Eggs are organic and free range. The eggs are also certified humane, non-GMO, and have no added hormones and are antibiotic and pesticide-free. Eggs have 5 grams of fat, primarily from polyunsaturated and monounsatured fats, helping to fill you up and control blood sugar. Each egg has less than 8% of your daily value of saturated fats, or 1.5 grams. Eggs also have 6 grams of protein, high amounts of antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin, along with vitamins D, B12, A, K, and riboflavin.

Despite all of the benefits of eggs, the current FDA definition of “healthy” stipulates that foods must be very low in fat (3 grams of less per serving) to meet the definition of healthy. This means that foods high in good fats, such as eggs and nuts, cannot technically be labeled as healthy. So, with the help of Registered Dietician and founder of Nutritious Life, Keri Glassman, Pete and Gerry’s Organic Eggs is petitioning the FDA to amend the definition of “healthy” to allow it to be used with eggs. You can read more about it here.

source: peteandgerrys.com

I decided to make a breakfast version of guacamole – guacamole topped with eggs and bacon – as a yummy hearty breakfast this past weekend.

Ingredients (serves 4):

  • 4 slices bacon
  • 1/4 small red onion, finely chopped
  • 1/2 small jalapeno, seeds and membranes removed, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish
  • 2 ripe avocados
  • the juice of 2 limes
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 2 eggs, such as Pete and Gerry’s Organic Eggs
  • tortilla chips, for serving

Continue reading Breakfast Guacamole

African Peanut Stew

African Peanut Stew  (or Groundnut Stew) is a wonderfully hearty dish that originates in West Africa. Ingredients vary widely, but generally include a broth of ground peanuts and tomatoes with other vegetables served over rice. The dish can be made with chicken, but when omitted, this stew is a protein-rich vegan dish on its own.

My version below includes a little bit of heat from jalapenos and hot sauce, and some warmth from ground cumin, which is somewhat muted by the addition of creamy coconut milk.

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon peanut oil
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
  • 1 jalapeno, membranes and seeds removed, finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 4 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into cubes
  • 1/2 cup creamy or chunky peanut butter (whatever you have on hand)
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 (13.5 oz can) light coconut milk
  • 1 teaspoon hot sauce, or to taste (I used sriracha)
  • 1 bunch collard greens or kale, chopped (I used 1/2 bag of frozen collard greens)
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 3 cups cooked rice
  • fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish
  • roasted peanuts, chopped, for garnish

Continue reading African Peanut Stew

Coconut and Turmeric Chicken Curry

I came across a recipe for Sri Lankan Coconut and Turmeric Chicken Curry a while back, but was unable to find all of the ingredients to actually make it. (Curry leaves are difficult to come by near me!)

Recently, I just gave up and decided to make it with some substitutions.

This recipe from Delicious.com, even with my adjustments, is so fantastic that I can only imagine how good the original is!

Ingredients:

  • 1 medium white onion, roughly chopped
  • ~1 1/2 inch piece ginger
  • 3 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1 small jalapeno, seeds and membranes removed
  • 8 boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • 4 tablespoons coconut oil, divided
  • 1 tablespoon ground turmeric
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons ground coriander
  • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
  • 3 cardamom pods, smashed
  • 1 piece of cinnamon
  • 2 whole cloves
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 1 (13.5 oz) can coconut milk, well shaken
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 2 tablespoons cashews, finely chopped, plus extra to serve
  • the zest and juice of 1 lime
  • Coconut flakes, and sliced scallions, to serve

Continue reading Coconut and Turmeric Chicken Curry

Ful Medames

One of my favorite new-ish shows is PBS’s No Passport Required with Marcus Samuelsson. Each episode explores the immigrant communities and food within different U.S. cities. There have only been 6 shows, but I’m hooked. Each episode includes Chef Samuelsson meeting, hanging out, and eating with members of the different immigrant communities in Detroit, New Orleans, Chicago, Queens, Miami, and Washington, D.C.

Not only is the show really interesting and informative, it’s difficult to not get hungry while watching,! PBS luckily includes some recipes on their website. But there was one I was hoping they’d post and at least as of this post, it’s not there: Ful Medames from the Washington, D.C. episode which highlighted the Ethiopian community in our nation’s capital.

Ful Medames is a breakfast dish of mashed fava beans, topped with hard boiled eggs, feta cheese, tomato, and jalapeno. I’ve had a bag of dried fava beans sent to me from Bob’s Red Mill in my pantry for a while now, and I knew they were destined for this recipe. Not only does Ful Medames sound fantastic, but my husband is currently training for a marathon, and this sounded like the perfect fuel after a long training run.

Ful Medames gets a lot of its flavor from a spice blend called berbere. Berbere is an Ethiopian spice mixture that usually includes chilies, garlic, ginger, basil, fenugreek, coriander, and cardamom. It is spicy, but I adjusted so this version doesn’t have too much heat. Feel free to add more for spiciness. For my local Philadelphians, I found berbere in The Head Nut in Reading Terminal, but there are recipes online to make your own at home if you don’t live near a spice shop. Penzey’s also has a version of berbere.


My version isn’t terribly authentic, but the general idea is there. I used soft boiled eggs instead, solely because I don’t love hard boiled eggs. Feel free to substitute in hard-boiled.

Note: Before cooking with the fava beans, be sure to soak them overnight.

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 cups dried fava beans, soaked overnight
  • 5 cups water, plus more as needed
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus more for serving
  • 1 medium sized onion, finely chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons berbere, divided
  • 3/4 teaspoon cumin, divided
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 4 eggs (omit for vegan)
  • 1 tomato (or ~4 oz cherry tomatoes), finely chopped
  • 1 jalapeno, seeds and membranes removed, finely chopped
  • 2 oz feta cheese (omit for vegan)
  • 2 green onions, thinly sliced
  • the juice of 1 lemon
  • Pita bread, for serving (omit for gluten free)

Continue reading Ful Medames

Grilled Guacamole

National Guacamole Day is tomorrow (September 16th) so this recipe for Grilled Guacamole is a timely post to share!

I have wanted to make Grilled Guacamole since I first got my Coyote Grill last summer and somehow never got around to it.

The cooler weather seems to be right around the corner, so I had to make sure I made it in time!

The ingredients in guacamole work great for grilling and add a new layer of flavor to a favorite snack.

You can grill most of the ingredients: avocados, lime, red onion, jalapeno, tomato, and garlic.

Guacamole

  • 3 ripe avocados, halved and pits removed
  • 1 lime, halved
  • 1/2 small red onion
  • ½ jalapeno pepper, seeds and membranes removed
  • 1/2 tomato
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

Continue reading Grilled Guacamole

Grilled Red Snapper with Chunky Tomato Watermelon Salsa

I have the unnecessary “skill” of setting off my smoke alarm almost every time I use my oven or stovetop. I’m going to blame it on my house having an overly sensitive smoke alarm (which I guess is better than one that doesn’t work at all). So in the summer, I basically turn every recipe into a grilling recipe so I can cook outdoors.

This recipe is adapted from Cooking Light. Making it on the grill means I didn’t get as crispy skin on my red snapper (mainly because it stuck to the aluminum foil), but that’s ok. Feel free to check out the original recipe to make indoors.

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 cups halved heirloom cherry tomatoes
  • 1 1/2 cups diced seedless watermelon
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
  • 1 jalapeno, minced
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 3 tablespoons canola oil, divided
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
  • 4 (6-oz.) skin-on red snapper fillets
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Continue reading Grilled Red Snapper with Chunky Tomato Watermelon Salsa

Chicken Yassa (Senegalese Lemon Chicken)

Chicken Yassa is a popular chicken dish originating from Senegal. This meal is the epitome of comfort food: marinated roasted chicken with onions, lemon juice, olives, garlic, and broth served over rice. It has a subtle heat to it as well that really makes for a flavorful meal.

This recipe makes quite a bit of food, a good 8 servings. However, in my house, leftovers this good don’t last very long!

 

Ingredients:

  • 6 cups sliced onion (about 3 pounds)
  • 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
  • 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 lb chicken drumsticks
  • 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • Cooking spray
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons peanut oil
  • 2 cups thinly sliced carrot
  • 1 1/2 cups less-sodium, fat-free chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup pimiento-stuffed olives
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 Scotch bonnet pepper, pierced with a fork
  • 4 cups hot cooked long-grain rice (optional)

Continue reading Chicken Yassa (Senegalese Lemon Chicken)

Cowboy Caviar

Note: I was sent some products from Bob’s Red Mill, including Orca Beans. All opinions are my own.

There are some ingredients that catch your eye, and you just know you have to use them in a recipe. Orca beans are definitely one of those ingredients. Luckily, Bob’s Red Mill sent me a bag of their orca beans, which are grown in Moses Lake, Washington exclusively for the company.

Orca beans, also known as calypso beans, are black and white splattered, and keep their cool coloring even after cooking. This heirloom bean is high in fiber and iron, and work great in any recipe where you would normally use beans.

But. They are so darn pretty I wanted to let them stand out by using them in a very colorful dish.

Cowboy Caviar seemed like the perfect way to show the orca beans off. Typically made with black eyed peas, cowboy caviar is a bean salad / salsa that is great as a party app, on top of  grilled chicken, or just on it’s own!

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup dried orca beans
  • 4 cups water, plus more if needed
  • 1 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 cup tomatoes, finely diced
  • 1 cup frozen corn kernels, defrosted
  • 1/2 cup red onion, finely diced
  • 1/2 cup red bell pepper, finely diced
  • 1 jalapeno pepper, finely diced
  • 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
  • 1/2 cup scallions, thinly sliced

Dressing:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • the juice of 1 lime
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder

Continue reading Cowboy Caviar

Pulled Pork Tacos with Jalapeno Slaw

I was recently invited to a tasting event, which was conveniently in my own neighborhood. Nick’s Roast Beef, an Old City staple, has changed their name to Nick’s Bar and Grille and has a snazzy new menu to go with it’s new name.

Nick’s Bar & Grille in Old City, established in 1969, is “the” neighborhood corner bar of Philadelphia. In 2012, bartender-turned-owner Joseph Schultice hung up most of his infamous shorts and trimmed his signature long hair to usher in a new era for the long-time Old City staple. Today, Nick’s continues to serve as a laid back and friendly alternative to neighboring clubs and upscale fine dining restaurants.

The new barbecue-themed menu is filled with house-smoked meats, including smoked applewood chicken wings, St. Louis BBQ spare ribs, pulled pork with jalapeno slaw, mac ‘n cheese, house-made sauces, and more.

Nick’s long-time dishes that will remain on the menu include the Ground Bacon Burger, Roast Beef and Pork, six flavors of chicken wings and other bar favorites. New cocktails and spirits will be added to the drink menu, and customers can look for drink tastings with local purveyors.

The tasting took place in Nick’s newly renovated dining room which included custom-designed tables and whiskey barrel high-tops, a new community tasting table, old-time Old City imagery on the walls, and embellishments to the walls and ceilings.

The food was super tasty, I really loved the smoked wings and ground bacon burger. But my favorite tasting of the night had to be their new Pulled Pork with Jalapeno Slaw. The smokiness of the pork was offset by crunchy and slightly spicy jalapeno slaw, making for one awesome sandwich.

I wanted to try to recreate a version of the pulled pork with jalapeno slaw, but I (obviously) don’t have a smoker hanging out in my tiny apartment. So I made a slow cooker version with a Chipotle-Guinness barbecue sauce to add some smokiness to it, so here are my Pulled Pork Tacos with Jalapeno Slaw!

Pulled Pork:

  • 2 tablespoons paprika
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon onion powder
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon dry mustard
  • 3 tablespoons coarse salt
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 (7 pound) pork shoulder or Boston butt
  • corn tortillas

Chipotle-Guinness Barbecue Sauce

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium sized yellow onion, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 (~12 oz) bottle of Guinness
  • 1 (14.5 oz) can tomato puree
  • 1/4 cup molasses
  • 1/4 cup cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon of the sauce from a can of chipotle peppers in adobo
  • 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste

Jalapeno Slaw

  • 1/3 cup fresh lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 cup thinly vertically sliced red onion
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 (10-ounce) package shredded red cabbage
  • 2 jalapeño peppers, diced

Continue reading Pulled Pork Tacos with Jalapeno Slaw

BBQ Chicken Tacos with Corn Salsa #GameDaySnackHacks

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #GameDaySnackHacks #CollectiveBias

Now that it’s January, Football Fever seems to be everywhere! If you are planning on hosting friends and family for the big game, I have a great way to feed a crowd without forcing you to be in the kitchen all day (and all game).

With the help of Farm Rich’s Boneless BBQ Chicken Bites, you can make simple but delicious food for a group! The Chicken Bites are made with all white-meat chicken and are breaded to deliver that much needed crispy crunch, then are tossed in a tangy BBQ sauce. Farm Rich Snacks are Real-Life GoodTM and make game day meals a cinch to prepare!

These BBQ Chicken Tacos with Corn Salsa come together in no time, and allow even the pickiest eaters to customize their meal to their liking.

I picked up all of the ingredients needed for the tacos and corn salsa at Walmart. You can find Farm Rich products in the frozen food aisle.

What really makes the corn salsa stand out is roasting the corn in the oven beforehand, which can be done while also cooking the Boneless BBQ Chicken Bites. You can have a little taco bar ready to go in just 30 minutes!

Ingredients (serves 4, multiply as needed):

For Roasted Corn Salsa:

  • 1/2 of (8 oz) package frozen corn kernels, thawed
  • 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1/2 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 jalapeno, ribs and seeds removed, minced
  • 1/2 red onion, diced (about 1/2 cup)
  • 1/4 pint cherry tomatoes, cut into eighths (about 1/2 cup)
  • the juice of one lime
  • 1 tablespoon cilantro

For the tacos:

  • Farm Rich BBQ Style Boneless Chicken Bites, cooked
  • White corn tortillas
  • 1/2 cup shredded monterey Jack cheese
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered
  • 8 lime wedges (1 lime)
  • 1 jalapeno, ribs and seeds removed, minced
  • the remaining canned black beans, rinsed and drained
  • the remaining roasted corn
  • 1/2 red onion, diced
  • Cilantro, chopped

Continue reading BBQ Chicken Tacos with Corn Salsa #GameDaySnackHacks

Mexican Spaghetti Squash Egg Boats

Every Sunday night is pasta night in my house. Most of the time, that means taking out a batch of tomato sauce from the freezer and cooking whatever dry pasta we have one hand, but it’s nice to switch it up every now and then, like making this recipe for Mexican Spaghetti Squash Egg Boats.

I have never worked with spaghetti squash before, so I thought Sunday night would be a great time to try it.

This recipe for Mexican Spaghetti Squash Egg Boats tops the spaghetti squash with a flavorful chunky salsa, plus an egg that is cooked to over-easy (slightly runny), and then (if you are in the mood) topped with cheese and avocado slices.

These Mexican Spaghetti Squash Egg Boatss are very hearty without being too heavy. They take some time to prepare, so these are good for a weekend meal rather than trying to make these on a busy weeknight.

Ingredients:

  • 2 spaghetti squash, halved
  • 1 small yellow onion
  • 2 plum tomatoes, diced
  • 1 green bell pepper, diced
  • 1 jalapeno, minced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons oregano
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese, optional
  • 2 avocados, sliced
  • Cilantro, to taste
  • 2 limes, halved

Continue reading Mexican Spaghetti Squash Egg Boats

Stuffed Jalapeno Poppers

I was sent quite a few jalapenos as part of my Door-to-Door Organics box, more than I could really use in a normal time frame. So as part of #MyFarm2Table dinner, I decided to make Stuffed Jalapeno Poppers as one of the side dishes to use up the jalapenos.

 

I’m not the biggest fan of super spicy dishes, so after cutting and seeding the jalapenos, I placed them in a bowl of water for at least an hour to try to take some of the heat out of them. There was still some in the peppers, but it did help! (Note: there were still a couple of peppers that packed a punch, so be aware that every pepper is different in terms of heat).

 

For this recipe, I used local jalapeno peppers, and Apple Tree Goat Cheese, both from my Door-to-Door Organics box.

 

Ingredients:

  • 8 jalapeno peppers, halved lengthwise and seeded
  • 4 ounces goat cheese
  • 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Continue reading Stuffed Jalapeno Poppers

Heirloom Gazpacho

This post is sponsored by Door-to-Door Organics. All opinions are my own. #MyFarm2Table

 

I was sent some beautiful Local Organic Heirloom Tomatoes from Door-to-Door Organics for my Farm-to-Table post. I love the colors of heirloom tomatoes, especially the lighter ones, so I wanted to use them in a way that highlighted their coloring. What better way to make heirloom tomatoes the star but in a Gazpacho recipe?

 

Now, the one typical setback of making gazpacho is going through the whole process of peeling and seeding tomatoes. So, for this recipe, I just eliminated it. I have a pretty awesome blender (a Blendtec) which blended the tomatoes well enough to basically eliminate the skins and seeds, so yours may come out a bit more chunky. But removing the skin of a tomato is just such a pain!

 

I served my silky smooth gazpacho topped with finely chopped cherry tomatoes and a Wild Flour Bakery Hearth Baked Mini Baguette that was also in my box from Door-to-Door Organics. The recipe also includes a green bell pepper and a jalapeno which were also a part of my box.

 

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups heirloom tomatoes, chopped (I used some yellow and red)
  • 1 green bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 peeled cucumber, chopped
  • 1/2 cup onion, chopped
  • 1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tablespoons champagne vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • cherry tomatoes, chopped, optional

Continue reading Heirloom Gazpacho

Rockfish Tacos

This weekend, my fiancé went fishing with a friend and his friend’s father. They had quite a successful trip, and came home with a ton of Rockfish! Rockfish, also known as striped bass, is a mild whitefish that can be prepared many different ways, so I was jazzed!

We had some that night on the grill (yum!), but there was plenty left over, and my fiance’s friend was nice enough to send us home with more fish. I had a hankering for fish tacos, so these Rockfish Tacos are the end result! Rockfish, or striped bass, is the perfect balance of flaky and meaty, so it works wonderfully in tacos.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes, diced
  • 1 tablespoon minced jalapeno
  • 1 tablespoon minced shallot
  • 1 tablespoon cilantro chopped, plus more for garnish
  • the juice and zest of 1 lime
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 large fillet rockfish (striped bass), skin removed (~1.5 lb)
  • 1 tablespoon Mexican seasoning or taco seasoning
  • 8 corn tortillas, 6 inch
  • 1 avocado, sliced
  • 1/2 cup thinly sliced red cabbage
  • 1 lime cut into wedges, for serving

Continue reading Rockfish Tacos

Salsa Recipe & Beginners Guide to Canning #CanItForward

This Saturday marks Jarden Home Brands fifth annual Can-It-Forward Day, which will be broadcast live online at FreshPreserving.com from 11AM – 4PM EST from the new state-of-the-art Jarden Home Brands headquarters in Fishers, Indiana.

 

An event celebrating the joys of fresh preserving, the -It-Forward Day webcast will have an integrated chat function where viewers can submit their home canning questions to be answered in real time. New this year, there will also be an exciting celebrity mason jar auction unveiled during the webcast!

 

To celebrate, I was sent a Ball Canning Discovery Kit (paid link), Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving (paid link), Red Design Series Lids, and Ball Fiesta Salsa Mix (paid link).

 

My future sister-in-law is big into canning, and I’ve “helped” (a.k.a kept her company in the kitchen) once before, but the process of canning is really intimidating to me. I was told that if I can boil water, I can can, so I was both wary and excited to try this out!

I need to give a little shout out to my city, because the Mason jar was, in fact, invented and patented in Philadelphia in 1858 by local tinsmith John Landis Mason. So, this should be in my blood, right?

 

 

  • The Ball Canning Discovery Kit  is a great beginners kit; it comes with a canning rack that fits into most pasta pots, a recipe guide, and three jars. The kit is really affordable ($11.99) and allows you to assess if canning is for you before investing fully into the process.
  • My sister-in-law assured me that if I had a Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving, I’d be just fine canning. So. WHEW. This book lays out each step of the process (and even tells you why you are doing it this way) to ensure a successful canning process. The step-by-step guides are particularly helpful as a beginner.
  • The Red Design Series Lids are normal lids and bands, just prettier.  🙂 The lids can only be used once during canning, so it’s helpful to have extras on hand. (You can reuse the jars and bands as many times as you want)
  • The Ball Fiesta Salsa Mix makes the process of seasoning salsa super easy. You just need fresh or canned tomatoes, a splash of vinegar, and the mix to make a yummy salsa!

 

I decided to make a salsa from the Ball Blue Book, but adapted it slightly to include the Ball Fiesta Salsa Mix. The recipe is simple, and is basically just cutting up the ingredients, so this post is more about the canning process than the actual recipe.

I am absolutely a beginner with this, but luckily was able to glean some tips from my sister-in-law and the Ball Blue Book, which I will share as well.

I also am giving away a coupon for a free case of jars! Details at the end of the post. 

 

Zesty Salsa (adapted from Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving)

Yields ~3 pint jars

Ingredients:

  • 5 cups chopped cored peeled tomatoes (fresh or canned)
  • 4 green bell peppers, seeded and chopped (~2.5 cups)
  • 1 large onion, chopped (~2.5 cups)
  • 1 large jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped (~3 tablespoons)
  • 2 garlic cloves minced
  • 2/3 cup cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup Ball Fiesta Salsa Mix

Gear:

  • Ball canning rack with lifter
  • 3 Ball Pint Jars with lids and bands (I used the Red design series lids and bands)
  • Large stockpot (at least 7.5 inches tall and 9.5 inches in diameter)
  • a non-metallic spatula (I ended up using chopsticks. They worked just fine)
  • A clean, damp towel to wipe rims of jars

Continue reading Salsa Recipe & Beginners Guide to Canning #CanItForward

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