Easy Homemade Salsa

This is about as simple & yummy as it gets. It’s also a great base recipe for you to use to create your own versions. One simple change-up is adding other types of peppers. For a chunkier salsa, add a second small can of diced tomatoes and more chopped onion at the end after you remove the salsa from the blender. Of course, if you have fresh tomatoes in your summer garden, go ahead and use those for the freshest salsa ever!

 

Serve with your favorite chips and it is excellent on eggs, too.
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Ingredients:
One 28 oz. can of tomatoes (we like Muir Glen)
1/2 large white onion, roughly chopped
1/4 c. fresh cilantro leaves
3 cloves of garlic, peeled
1 tsp. salt + more to taste
1-1/2 tsp. ground cumin + more to taste
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
Juice from one lime
1 jalapeño pepper (optional)

 

Garnish:
1/4 large white onion, finely chopped
1/4 c. cilantro for garnish

 

Instructions:
  1. In a blender, add all of the ingredients (jalapeño, optional).
  2. Pulse quickly. If you want a thicker salsa, pulse few times, if you want a smooth salsa, pulse a few more times.
  3. Taste. Depending on the sweetness of the tomatoes, you may need to add a little more salt & cumin.
  4. Pour into a decorative bowl.
  5. Garnish with the finely chopped onion & extra cilantro.

Our Favorite Pumpkin Bread

What we like about this bread is that it has a moist, lighter crumb compared with some denser varieties. The delightfully crispy top does soften up a bit after it is wrapped for storage, as happens with most quick breads, so enjoy a couple of pieces the day you bake these tasty treats. We like to make one loaf with chocolate chips and one without. Another option is adding 1/2 c. of nuts (chopped walnuts are yummy).

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 Ingredients:
  • 3 cups all-purpose, unbleached flour
  • 2 – 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1 – 1/2 tsp. ground cloves
  • 1 tsp. ground nutmeg (freshly ground, if you have it)
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • ½ tsp. baking powder
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • 3 c. granulated sugar
  • 1 c. unsalted butter, well-softened
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • One 15 oz. can of pumpkin
  • ½ c. Ghirardelli mini chocolate chips (optional)
Instructions:
  1. Preheat oven to 350˚F & grease two 9 x5″ loaf pans with butter.
  2. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk flour, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder & salt together.
  3. In a larger mixing bowl, cream the sugar, butter & eggs for about 2 minutes, ’til fluffy. Add the pumpkin and blend with a spatula.
  4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet a little at a time, gently folding ’til combined.
  5. Once the batter is combined, pour half of the batter into a one of the prepared pans. Fold the chocolate chips (and/or nuts) into the remaining batter and then pour it into the other pan.
  6. Bake for 60-70 minutes or until a skewer in the center comes out clean.
  7. Cool completely on a wire rack.
Makes 2 loaves