Evening in the Country...

Evening in the Country...
...a gorgeous view of the WV mountains I get to enjoy everyday. Also the place Bri proposed earlier this year! [Not taken on that day.]

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Sassy Salsa

     I have been trying salsa recipes until I found something scrumptious.  Now more than a year later I am getting a bit closer.  I enjoy the picante style you can find at Mexican restaurants most, but there is a fresh style at our local grocer I love as well.  Both have quite the wonderful bite. 

found via Google search: salsa

Today I went (sort of) by the ones I found in the Joy of Cooking, which noted that the onions should be rinsed.  I used 8 Roma tomatoes, cut each in half, took out the guts, and heated the oven to 400.  Topped each with olive oil, lemon juice, and Pampered Chef's Chili Lime seasoning.  Those were roasted until the tops began to brown.


Next I started on half of a purple onion that was diced in the food processor until small and then placed in cold water.  I chopped one leek the same way and tossed in with the onions in cold water.  Then chopped two celery stalks and about 5-6 garlic cloves and put them in a separate bowl. 

I added the juice from two limes, 2 tablespoons of grape seed oil, 1 tablespoon of sugar, and 1/8 cup chopped cilantro leaves.  Those were mixed and allowed to set as I got out the tomatoes and began to chop those up finely as well.

Once the onions and leeks were drained and squeezed, I added them to the bowl as well with a few dashes of red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.  After stirring well and tried a quick bite, I knew I needed more tomatoes and had none!  On to the pantry:  I found a lovely can of diced tomatoes with jalapenos!  Score!  Those were processed a bit more and then mixed well with the salsa.


  
Sonja's Sassy Salsa


We have enjoyed quite a bit tonight and have plenty left over for many nights to come!  I'm guessing I will need to get more chips soon.

Saturday, March 26, 2011

Manwich Night

     There have been so many delicious dinners over the past few months, that I should not have neglected my posting of each them!  Last night had been a winner of all winners!  I decided to make roasted chicken with roasted potatoes.  Got ready and opened the chicken to sniff a putrid smell - absolutely awful!  

What is a gal to do?  

found via Google search: cartoon stress

Come up with something new!  We had plenty of leftover whole wheat buns from the delicious bacon cheeseburgers on Monday evening (a pregnant lady needs her protein!) so I went for Manwiches.  Not a fan myself considering the sloppy mess - uck!  But I didn't leave myself any options with ground turkey, ground beef, four cheese Italian sausage and the salad fixings.  I have been tired of meatballs since we had a whole week's worth of Italian delicacies including lasagna, pizza, and spaghetti.  


found via Google search: sloppy joe


Manwiches (some call them sloppy joes) it was!  I copied the first recipe I found on the internet and quickly got to the kitchen.  What?  No green peppers?  No mustard?  No celery seed or onion powder?  Guess it was time to improvise (nothing new here). 

I used part ground turkey and part ground beef for the meat.  After it was cooked and chopped up I set it aside.  Tossed in melted butter with a 1/4 chopped onion, one chopped celery stalk, and about 5 chopped garlic cloves.  Let that cook while I grabbed the ketchup, tomato paste, jalapeno mild sauce, and a can of tomato sauce.  Those went in next.  

Now to season it up: chili powder, cocoa powder, cumin, and a few large dashes of paprika.  Added some fresh lemon juice (half).  Then let it simmer and tossed in the ground meat.  That simmered on medium high to get the sauce boiled down and thickened.

I used the rest of the melted butter, bit of the chopped garlic (I did a whole head), basil, parsley, cajun seasoning, fresh lemon juice (the other half of the lemon), and tossed boiled red potatoes that were cut into halves then fourths.  Let those cook in the oven at 500 degrees while my Manwich simmered.

found via Google search: roasted potatoes


The buns were toasted whole wheat, which contain loads of fiber for our baby-to-be!

All in all, a fabulous dinner with plenty of leftovers for lunch the following day!  And boy were those leftovers worth EVERY SINGLE BITE!!!  I say try your own manwich recipe with what is in your cabinets today!

Now I need to try my own enchilada sauce...hmmm I can taste it already!