SALSA baby!!

My tomatoes are starting to produce more than I can eat by myself. How did I land in this family of non tomato lovers? They like it on a sandwich or burger but that is about it. Unless...it is made into salsa.

A few years ago I really got into the canning thing and bottled about 120 pints of salsa. We blew through that in a winter and I kind of got sidetracked with fresh salsa so I haven't bottled any but with the tomatoes I picked the other day I thought I would break out the bottles and do a few.

Sadly, once I start canning I sort of let it consume me. I have bottled pears that my fam won't eat that I am thinking I can make into jam...but that's a post for another day.

This is the recipe that I used for this iteration of salsa. It's always a little different because I am the world's worst measurer but this is a good starting point. Looking at this I think the next time I will add some lime juice...

Salsa
10 quarts of tomatoes, skinned and chopped
6 c. onions chopped
4 cans (small) diced green chilies
1 large green pepper chopped
1 1/2 c. jalapeno peppers chopped fine (I usually leave most of the ribs and seeds)
1/2 c. vinegar
1/4 c. sugar (you may need more depending on how ripe your tomatoes are)
4 T. salt
4 t. oregano
4 t. cumin
1 large handful cilantro chopped (a couple T if using dried)
5-6 cloves garlic (sometimes I leave this out if I don't have fresh)
1/2 c. oil
12 oz. tomato paste
1 t. crushed red pepper
Tabasco (to fine tune the heat at the end if needed)

Blanch the tomatoes and slip the skins. Seed if desired. I run mine through the blender quickly because my family doesn't do chunks very well. Mix all together and simmer until desired consistency (1 1/2-2 hours). Fill jars and adjust lids. Process in water bath for 45 min or in a pressure cooker on 15 lbs for 10 minutes.


8-29-09 Update:
5 blenders full of tomatoes
6 c. onion
4 cans green chiles
4 small jalepenos-leave 2/3 of ribs and seeds
2 med Anaheim peppers
2 lg green peppers
1/2 c vinegar
1/2 c. sugar
4 T. salt
4 t. oregano
5 t. cumin
cilantro
4 heaping t. garlic powder
12 oz tomato paste
Has a really good flavor, is more hot than the recipe above. Randy liked it better...

10-2-10 Update
5 1/2  blenders full of tomatoes (1/2 bushel)
6 1/2 c. onion
4 cans green chiles
8 small jalepenos-leave ribs and seeds
2 med Anaheim peppers
4 Serano Peppers w/ribs and seeds
2 lg green peppers
1/2 c vinegar
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. oil
1/2 c. lime juice
4 T. salt
4 t. oregano
5 t. cumin
1 bunch cilantro chopped
 2 t. red pepper flakes
4 heaping t. garlic powder
12 oz tomato paste

Yum. :)

Wild Rice and Chicken Casserole

This is a recipe that we've used many times, both for our family and to take in for dinners for others. It is also one that lends itself to freezing very well and is good to stash in the freezer for those nights that you are in a hurry.

Wild Rice and Chicken Casserole
6 servings

2 cups cut up cooked chicken breast
2 1/2 cups boiling water
1/3 cup 1 % milk
4 medium green onions, sliced (1/4 cupish)
1 can fat free cream of mushroom soup
1 pkg original flavor long grain and wild rice mix (Rice a Roni or Uncle Ben's)

Heat oven to 350. Mix all ingredients, including seasoning packet from rice mix in ungreased 2 quart casserole.

Cover and bake 45-50 minutes or until rice is tender. Uncover and bake 10-15 minutes longer or until liquid is absorbed. Sprinkle with green onion.

*If you choose to do this as a freezer meal use dehydrated onion in place of the green onion and omit the boiling water. Mix everything else and put in a 1 quart freezer bag and freeze flat. When you are ready to use it thaw in the refrigerator overnight (or in the microwave). Then pour into the baking dish with the water. You will need to adjust the cooking time if it is not completely thawed.

NI per serving: Cal 155, Fat 5 g., Carb 14 g., Fiber 1 g., Protein 15 g.

Spicy Orange Beef with Vegetables

Once again I am in search of a healthy substitute for Chinese take out. I LOVE Chinese take out, I could eat it every single day and never get tired of it. It doesn't even have to be good necessarily, I still like it. I know, I am pathetic. :D

I've done this recipe several times. It's a modified WW recipe so it was pretty healthy to begin with if a little bland. So with a few additions and tweaks it has turned out to be a pretty good substitute on a Chinese food craving night. We like this over rice. Count the rice NI separately.

A couple of tips to make it taste more authentic:

1. partially freeze your steak so that you can slice it thin
2. do all the prep work (chopping veggies and making your sauce) prior to cooking. If you can just quickly dump and cook you will avoid overcooking anything. Nothing says "homemade impostor" like overcooked vegetables.
   

Spicy Orange Beef with Vegetables
4 - 1.5 cup servings

3/4-1 lb top sirloin steak, sliced thin and trimmed of all visible fat
2 T. cornstarch
2 t. orange zest (if you don't have an orange just add extra orange juice concentrate)
1/2 C. beef broth
2 T. low sodium soy sauce
1/4 C. water
2 T. orange juice concentrate
1 T sugar
1 1/2 t. Srircha sauce (if you don't want to buy a whole bottle of this use a little minced garlic and don't leave out the crushed red pepper)
1/4 t. crushed red pepper
4 t. canola oil
1 T. minced fresh ginger (the stuff you can get in the produce section in the tube also works well)
Green Beans (a couple of big handfuls) sliced on the diagonal in 1" pieces
1/2 red bell pepper sliced into strips
1/2 yellow pepper sliced into strips
1/2 orange pepper sliced into strips
2 large carrots cut into matchsticks
1 4 oz. can water chestnuts rough chopped
1/2 small zuchinni chopped into strips

1. Combine the meat, 1 T of the cornstarch and the orange zest in a bowl. Mix around so that all of the meat is lightly coated with the cornstarch. Set aside.
2. Combine the remaining cornstarch, broth, water, orange juice concentrate, soy sauce, Sriricha sauce, sugar, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl. Mix well with a fork. Set aside.
3. Chop all the vegetables and set aside.
4. Heat a wok or a large skillet over medium high heat. Swirl in 2 t. of the oil, then add the meat. Stir fry until cooked through, 2-3 minutes; transfer to a plate. Swirl the remaining 2 t. oil, then add the ginger. Stir-fry until fragrant, about 10 seconds (you will be able to smell when it's ready). Add the vegetables. Stir fry until crisp tender, 2-4 minutes. Add the broth mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture boils and thickens, about 1 minute. Add the beef back in and heat through, about 1 minute.
   

Nutritional Information: Cal 227; Fat 8 g; Fiber 4 g; Sodium 441 mg; Carb 16 g; Protein 22 g;

Grilled Pork Tenderloin

The last month has been crazy busy and we've been living on quick, easy dinners like cereal and take out. Yesterday Randy asked me to pick up some pork tenderloin and to grill it today after church. This is a recipe I found in a Taste of Home magazine years ago and have used over and over. It's super easy to do on the grill and tastes just as good if you bake it in the oven. I am a fan of fewer dishes so I usually grill it.

The seasoning is pretty tasty on chicken as well so I usually triple the recipe for the rub and put the extra in a shaker and use it on pork chops or chicken breasts. Also, leftover sliced tenderloin, simmered in barbecue sauce and seasoned to taste with reserved seasoning blend, makes great sandwiches. (Although there is rarely anything leftover!)

Grilled Pork Tenderloin

Ingredients:
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 pork tenderloins (3/4 to 1 pound each)

Directions:
Combine the first seven ingredients; sprinkle 4 to 5 teaspoons on all sides of pork (reserve remaining seasoning blend for future use). Prepare grill for indirect heat. Grill pork, covered, over indirect heat for 20-30 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 160°. Let stand for 5 minutes before slicing.

Serves 6-8

Cal 52; Fat 1 g; Cholesterol 24 mg; Sodium 329 mg; Carbohydrate 1 g; Fiber 0 g; Protein 9 g