• Salsa Roja

    April 8, 2024 Author: Rachel
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    Ingredients:

    • 8 Roma tomatoes
    • 3 jalapeno peppers
    • 1/2 onion
    • 3 garlic cloves
    • Olive oil
    • Salt, to taste
    • 1 bunch of cilantro, chopped
    • 1/4 c. lime juice

    Directions:

    1. Preheat oven to 400F.
    2. On a baking sheet, add the tomatoes, jalapenos, onion, and garlic and toss lightly with olive oil, then roast until tender. Check often so garlic doesn’t burn and remove garlic if it is tender but remaining veggies need more time. Once veggies are tender, remove from oven and cool.
    3. Add veggies and salt to a blender and blend until chunky; then add the cilantro and lime juice and combine. Taste and adjust salt, as necessary.

    Salsa Roja:

  • Sweet and Smoky Salmon with Mango (or Pineapple) Salsa

    September 25, 2023 Author: Rachel
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    Adapted from Pinch of Yum.

    Ingredients:

    Salmon Rub:

    • 1 lb. salmon
    • 1 TBSP brown sugar
    • 1 tsp. smoked paprika
    • 1 tsp. onion powder
    • 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
    • 1/4 tsp. chili powder
    • 1/4 tsp. salt
    • 1 TBSP olive oil

    Mango Salsa/Pineapple Salsa:

    • 2 mangoes, diced (or 1/2 pineapple, diced)
    • 1/4 c. cilantro, chopped
    • 1/4 c. red onion, minced
    • 1 jalapeno, minced
    • 1 tsp. honey
    • Zest of 1 lime
    • 2 TBSP lime juice
    • Salt to taste

    Directions:

    1. Mango salsa: Toss all ingredients in a bowl to combine. Taste, adjust seasoning.
    2. Cook your rice: Get your rice cooking according to package directions.
    3. Get the oven ready: Preheat the oven to 475F. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray.
    4. Salmon: Mix the spices and the olive oil to make a paste. Place the salmon skin side down on the baking sheet. Rub the paste liberally over the top part of the salmon. Bake 10-12 minutes depending on the thickness of your salmon and your desired doneness.
    5. Bowl it up: Pile up some rice, pull off some of salmon, and spoon that mango salsa over the whole thing.

    Sweet and Smoky Salmon with Mango (or Pineapple) Salsa:

  • Falafel Quinoa Salad

    June 19, 2023 Author: Rachel
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    Recipe adapted from Plays Well With Butter.

    Ingredients:

    • 1 1/2 c. – 3 c. cooked quinoa
    • 14 oz. can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
    • 1 small red onion, diced
    • 1 1/2 c. Persian cucumbers, diced)
    • 1 1/2 c. cherry tomatoes, halved
    • 1 bunch cilantro, chopped
    • 1 bunch parsley, chopped
    • 1/2 c. mint, chopped
    • Crumbled feta
    • Salad greens, optional

    Lemon-Cumin Dressing:

    • 5 TBSP olive oil
    • 2 lemons, zested and juiced (5 TBSP juice)
    • 3 garlic cloves, grated
    • 1 tsp. cumin
    • 1 tsp. coriander
    • 1 1/2 tsp. salt
    • 1/2 tsp. black pepper
    • Honey, to taste

    Directions:

    1. Prepare the the lemon-cumin dressing: Add all listed ingredients to a small bowl or jar. Whisk or shake to combine. Set aside, or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
    2. Prepare Quinoa: Cook according to package or using an Instant Pot — rinse the quinoa; spray the Instant Pot liner with cooking spray; add the rinsed quinoa; add the water (1:1.5 quinoa to water ratio); place lid on and cook for 2 minutes, and then allow a 10 minute natural release; remove lid and fluff. Quinoa triples in expansion after cooking.
    3. For the Instant Pot: 1/2 c. quinoa : 3/4 c. water = 1.5 c. cooked; 2/3 c. quinoa : 1 c. water = 2 c. cooked; 3/4 c. quinoa : 1 c. + 2TBSP water = 2.25 cooked; 1 c. quinoa : 1.5 c. water = 3 c. cooked.
    4. Assemble the falafel quinoa salad: Combine the quinoa, chickpeas, red onion, cucumber, tomatoes, chopped herbs in a large mixing bowl. Pour the dressing over top. Toss to combine, ensuring all of the quinoa is well coated in the dressing. Taste, seasoning with additional salt or ground black pepper as desired. Top with crumbled feta. Serve over salad greens, optional.

    Falafel Quinoa Salad:

  • Chipotle Salmon with Mango Salsa

    August 17, 2021 Author: Rachel
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    Recipe adapted from Carlsbad Cravings.

    Ingredients:

    Wet Rub for Salmon:

    • 2-3 lbs. of salmon
    • 2 TBSP butter
    • 2 TBSP honey
    • Zest of 1 lime
    • 2 TBSP lime juice
    • 1 tsp. salt
    • 1 tsp. chili powder
    • 1 tsp. ground cumin
    • 1 tsp. garlic powder
    • 1/2 tsp. smoke paprika
    • 1/2 tsp. onion powder
    • 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
    • 1/2 tsp. pepper
    • 1/2-1 tsp. chipotle powder

    Mango Salsa:

    • 3 mangos, chopped
    • 1 red bell pepper, diced
    • 1/3 red onion, diced
    • 1-3 jalapenos, seeded and minced
    • 1/3 c. cilantro, chopped
    • 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
    • 1/4 tsp. salt
    • 1/4 tsp. chili powder
    • 1/4 tsp. ground cumin
    • 1/8-1/4 tsp. pepper
    • 3 TBSP lime juice
    • 1 TBSP apple cider vinegar

    Directions:

    1. Prepare mango salsa: Add all Mango Salsa ingredients to a large bowl. Toss to evenly combine. Taste and add additional jalapenos, salt or lime juice. For best flavor, chill salsa in the refrigerator for 30-60 minutes.
    2. Preheat oven to 400* F.
    3. Line a large jelly roll pan with foil that extends 2” past the pan edge on each long side (so you can fold the sides up). Lightly spray foil with nonstick cooking spray. Place salmon in the center of the foil skin side down.
    4. Whisk all the Wet Rub ingredient together in a medium bowl. Pour rub on salmon and evenly rub all over the top. Fold up all the sides of the foil snugly around the salmon (but don’t cover salmon). Let salmon rest 15-30 minutes to come to room temperature (you can make the mango salsa during this time).
    5. Bake salmon uncovered at 400* F for 12-15 minutes (depending salmon thickness), then broil 3 minutes.
    6. Garnish salmon with fresh lime juice and mango salsa. Season with salt to taste.

    Chipotle Salmon with Mango Salsa:

  • Instant Pot Chicken Carnitas with Chipotle Peach Salsa

    July 2, 2021 Author: Rachel
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    Recipe from Half Baked Harvest.

    Ingredients:

    Crispy Chicken Carnitas:

    • 2 lbs. chicken breast
    • 5 garlic cloves, chopped
    • 1 TBSP chipotle chili powder
    • 2 tsp. smoked paprika
    • 1 tsp. dried oregano
    • Salt and pepper
    • 1 12 oz. bottle of Negra Modelo beer
    • 1 TBSP honey
    • Juice of lime
    • Warm tortillas and toppings: crema, avocado, feta, cilantro, pickled onion

    Chipotle Peach Salsa:

    • 1/2 c. salsa verde
    • 1/4 c. (or less to taste) chipotle peppers in adobo, finely chopped
    • 1/2 c. chopped ripe peaches
    • Salt

    Directions:

    1. In the bowl of the Instant pot, combine chicken through beer. Cover and cook on manual for 10 minutes; then quick release.
    2. Preheat broiler. Remove meat from the Instant pot and shred. Add meat to a baking sheet and then add 1/4 c. of the cooking liquid and lime juice. Drizzle hone. Broil for 2-5 minutes, until crispy. Add more cooking liquid if necessary. Watch closely.
    3. For the salsa: combine all ingredients in a blender and blitz until combined. Season with salt.
    4. To serve: add carnitas to tortilla and top with salsa and desired toppings.

    Instant Pot Chicken Carnitas with Chipotle Peach Salsa:

  • Jerk Chicken Sliders

    August 4, 2014 Author: Rachel
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    Oh man are these sliders delicious!!!!  Everyone devoured them, and asked for more!  I love finding new recipes that everyone enjoys.  Yay!!

    We’ve made these with the pineapple mango salsa (recipe below), with the pineapple salsa (recipe below minus the mango), and with just the mango salsa (recipe below minus the pineapple).  Use what you have on hand or what you like best.  It’s all good!

    Recipe adapted from Chef in Training.

    Ingredients:

    • 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
    • 4 dinner rolls (I used the King’s Hawaiian Sweet Rolls and you can use the leftover rolls for the Cinnamon Pull-Apart Rolls!)

    Jamaican Jerk Sauce

    • ½ bunch green onions, chopped
    • ½ c. peanut oil
    • ½ c. vinegar
    • 3 TBSP ground allspice
    • 5 cloves garlic, peeled
    • 2 limes, juiced
    • 1/4 c. dark brown sugar
    • 2 TBSP soy sauce
    • 2 TBSP Ketchup
    • 1 TBSP ground cinnamon

    Pineapple Salsa

    • ¼ pineapple, peel and diced
    • ¾ mango, diced
    • ½ red onion, finely diced
    • Fresh cilantro, chopped
    • juice from 1 lime
    • salt to taste

    Directions:

    1. Mix the Jamaican Jerk Sauce ingredients until smooth.  Place the sauce in a large Ziploc bag and then add the chicken.  Marinate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
    2. Prepare the Pineapple Salsa.
    3. Grill the chicken; then cut each breast in half (or smaller, if necessary).
    4. Slice each roll in half, place chicken on roll then top with Pineapple Salsa.

    Jerk Chicken Sliders:
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  • TT’s Salsa

    August 11, 2013 Author: Rachel
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    We had some friends over the other night for taco/nacho bar, and TT (9 yo) wanted to make a salsa, so he researched online and printed out a recipe.  We adapted the recipe to what we had on hand, and it was so good, and we’ll definitely make this one again. This recipe makes a lot of salsa, so you might want to halve the recipe.

    Recipe adapted from Food Network.

    Ingredients:

    • 2 (14.5 oz.) cans of fire roasted tomatoes
    • 2 (14.5 oz.) cans of Mexican stewed tomatoes
    • 1/2 c. cilantro
    • 1/2 onion
    • 1 garlic clove
    • 1 jalapeno, seeds and membranes removed
    • 1/4 tsp. cumin
    • 1/4 tsp salt
    • 1/4 tsp. sugar
    • 1 lime, juiced

    Directions:

    1. Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until all ingredients are combined and the salsa is at a consistency you like.
    2. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.
    3. Refrigerate at least an hour before serving.

    TT’s Salsa:

  • Tomatillo-Serrano Salsa

    November 9, 2009 Author: Rachel
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    Tila’s in Houston has the most delicious tomatillo sauce.  Luckily we found a recipe that tastes pretty much identical to Tila’s, and we’ve been making this sauce ever since we lived in Houston…almost 9 years ago!

    This recipe is from Rick Bayless’s Mexican Kitchen (the photo on my cookbook is different, but I assume it’s all the same recipes).

    This sauce is excellent for just about anything: with chips, enchilada sauce, tamale sauce etc.

    Ingredients:

    • 1 lb. tomatillos, husked and rinsed
    • 1 to 3 serranos
    • 1 1/2 TBSP olive oil
    • 1 medium white onion, roughly chopped
    • 2 large garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
    • 2 c. chicken stock
    • 1/3 c. roughly chopped cilantro
    • salt, 1/2 to 3/4 tsp., depending on the saltiness of the broth

    Directions:

    1. The tomatillos and chiles: lay the tomatillos and chiles on a baking sheet and place about 4 inches below a very hot broiler.  when tomatillos and chiles blister, blacken and soften on one side, about 5 minutes, turn them over and roast the other side.  When all sides are roasted, transfer tomatillos, chiles and any accumulated juices to a food processor or blender.
    2. The puree: heat 1 TBSP oil in a deep skillet.  Add the onion and cook, stirring often until deep and golden, about 8 minutes.  Stir in garlic and cook a minute longer; then scrape the browned mixture into the processor or blender. Pulse to a rough looking puree–smooth enough to hold together but rough enough to keep it from being too smooth.
    3. Finishing the sauce: Heat the remaining oil over medium high heat. Add the Puree and stir constantly for 4 or 5 minutes. The sauce base sears and sizzles into a darker and thicker mass. Stir in the broth, return to a boil, reduce heat to medium and simmer briskly until thick enough to coat a spoon, about 10 minutes. Stir in cilantro, then taste and season with salt.

    Tomatillo-Serrano Salsa:

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  • Spicy Chicken Tacos

    September 4, 2009 Author: Rachel
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    I so love salsa fresca, and I thought it would taste really good with some chicken tacos. And not just as a condiment, but as part of the flavor of the chicken.

    I was right.  It was delicious!

    Ingredients:

    • 1 TBSP olive oil
    • 3 1/2 c. cooked shredded chicken
    • 3/4 c. salsa fresca
    • Tortillas and guacamole

    Directions:

    1. Heat olive oil in nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken and salsa and simmer until chicken is nicely coated and heated through.
    2. Serve with desired taco condiments.

    Spicy Chicken Tacos:

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  • Salsa Fresca

    July 20, 2009 Author: Rachel
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    We love salsa…all salsas.  I think the hardest salsa to make is red salsa–I’m not sure why, but most of the time when we make red salsa at home it’s good but just not memorable good.  Green salsas on the other hand almost always turns out great…go figure!  Anyway, I got this recipe from my friend Mary, who got the recipe from a lady in El Paso, and it really is excellent—yes it’s that good….FINALLY!!!!

    Start slowly with the jalapenos as all jalapenos vary in heat.  You may also want to add more lime juice and/or salt.  The flavors definitely meld after the salsa has been refrigerated for hours, so try to make this one in advance—it’s worth it!
    Ingredients:

    • 1 package of grape tomatoes (about 1 pound)
    • 1-2 jalapenos (more or less to taste)
    • Handful of cilantro, chopped
    • 1 14.5 can of tomatoes, diced, whole or stewed (I used diced with mild green chiles)
    • Juice from 1 lime (add more if necessary)
    • 1 tsp. minced garlic
    • salt to taste

    Directions:

    1. Blend all ingredients. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary.
    2. Refrigerate….tastes better with “age.”

    Salsa Fresca:

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