Restaurant-Style Salsa

Amending this to include a few more ingredients... makes a good one even better! This is closer to the Pioneer Woman's salsa. I leave out the garlic that she includes.

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This salsa tastes just like what you would find in a restaurant. I like it because it tastes completely fresh, but uses canned tomatoes. So you can make it all year round! My friend Kerry shared this recipe with me years ago and I've made it regularly ever since.


-1 (28 oz) can whole, peeled tomatoes, undrained
-2 (10 oz) cans Rotel tomatoes with green chiles, drained
-1/4 small white onion
-1 cup fresh cilantro
-1 jalapeno (keep the seeds in for heat)
-1/4 tsp sugar
-1/4 tsp salt
-1/4 tsp cumin
-juice of one lime

Throw all ingredients in your food processor and let 'er rip. I like my salsa pretty smooth, but you could leave it a little chunkier if that's how you roll. ENJOY!

Black Bean & Corn Salsa

A few years ago, my friend Abby brought this into the Governor's office with tortilla chips and I've been making it every spring/summer since. Hallie makes a similar version and serves it as a side dish. It is also great on top of grilled chicken or fish. Really, you could put whatever vegetables you like in it. It's a lot of chopping, but very worth it in the end. This salsa is also always better the second day.

-1 can of yellow corn, drained (I guess you could use frozen)

-1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

-1 red pepper, diced fine

-1 orange pepper, diced fine

-2 or 3 jalapenos, diced fine (leave the seeds if you want some heat)

-1 small red onion, diced fine

-1 pkg cherry tomatoes, cut in quarters or halves

-1 bunch of cilantro, chopped

-juice of 1 or 2 limes

-salt and pepper to taste

Dice everything and combine in a large bowl. Chill and serve. This feeds and army! I have also started zesting the limes and adding that as well. YUM!

Cranberry Salsa

I wanted to hurry and get this recipe posted in case anyone was looking for a festive and unique appetizer for Thanksgiving Day. My new friend, Sherrill, made this and I couldn't stop eating it. Everyone was raving about it. I love salsa, but really only make it during the summer months. The cranberries make it perfect for fall and winter. You can really taste the fresh lime juice, and the jalapeno gives it the perfect amount of heat. Not too spicy. Sherrill served it with tortilla chips, and it was incredible just like that. But we agreed the possibilities were endless - over chicken or fish, poured over a block of cream cheese with crackers, sprinkled with pecans, even spread on a leftover-Thanksgiving-turkey sandwich.

I will definitely be making this a lot over the next few months.

1 (12 ounce) bag cranberries, fresh or frozen
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
1 bunch green onions, cut into 3 inch lengths (reserve and chop some for sprinkling on top)
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
2 limes, juiced
1/2 cup white sugar
1 pinch salt

Combine cranberries, cilantro, green onions, jalapeno pepper, lime juice, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a medium blade. Chop to medium consistency. Sprinkle with chopped green onions.

I love making new friends; especially ones that make killer food and share the recipes! Thanks, Sherrill!! :o)