I was food shopping and I try to stick with whole foods(not to be confused with the swanky food store). Things that are in their simplest state which meals most processed and convenience foods aren't allowed access into my exclusive kitchen. I was going to make 2 different meals this week that required salsa and tomato pasta sauce. I had the jars of sauce in my hands, reading their ingredients, trying to find the best but cheapest choice when a nagging voice in my head said "Girrrlllll, you can make these for less money than you can buy them, PUT THOSE DOWN!" That voice was right, I was being lazy. Technically I can make a tastier product, more of it for less money than the prepared stuff but I was feeling tired. Being cheap won out this time as I only needed to buy 1 can of plum tomatoes since I had all the other ingredients at home. I was already going to be in the kitchen cooking other things, what's 2 more items?
Typically I NEVER make tomato pasta sauce, I always buy it. How hard can it be to make? I cracked open my JOY of Cooking and found a recipe that looked easy enough. I will tell you right now it did not turn out the way I imagined. For starters I didn't measure anything. I ended up going heavy of the chopped veggies and in end I didn't have enough tomato product to balance it out. Nevertheless I did not freak out. I sacrificed one of my jars of HOMEMADE canned tomatoes (they're practically worth their weight in gold because they taste so delish) and attacked the pot with my immersion blender. You can leave it as smooth or chunky as you like. I needed to pulverize it because I used celery in my veggie base which is on the forbidden list of foods that Nate will not eat. I am hoping that by blending it with other stuff it will disguise it's true nature and I will have successfully tricked Nate into eating celery. MWAHAHAHAHA (Bad Girlfriend of the Year nominee)
It's a hearty tomato and veggie sauce that will work fine on my chicken parm, other pasta dishes and there is leftover for a possible pizza in the near future or I can stick it in the freezer for a rainy day. In the end I spent $1.50 on the canned tomatoes and ended up with way more than what a jar would have given me. It's almost like that children's story "Rock Soup".
Mom please don't kill me. I needed to make salsa and your recipe is SO DAMN GOOD! I have made this salsa for work functions, Superbowl parties, etc. It's popular and easy to make. One time someone asked for the recipe but I said I couldn't share it because my Mom would be mad. Well I'm sharing it now because people deserve to have this magical Mexican sauce in their own homes. It's like having C.Diff, I can't just keep it in any longer (gross nurse humor) Again I had all the ingredients in my pantry and it makes a whole quart which is way cheaper than the $2.00 I was about to pay for 1/2 c of pico de gallo at the pre-made produce section. It also freezes well. This may be my last post for a bit because I will surely need to join the Witness Protection Program once Mom gets wind of this. I hope I get to choose my new name. I kinda like the ring of Yolanda, very exotic. Am I a stripper or a store clerk, maybe neither. HAHAHAHAHAHA.
Mom's Garden Salsa
28 oz can of whole tomatoes, drained
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp chopped red onion
2 Tbsp lime juice
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cilantro
1 garlic clove
1 small jalapeno
4 oz chopped green chilis
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp cumin
Throw everything into a food processor and pulse until you like the consistancy.
Note: I don't measure the cilantro or red onion, it's more like a big chunk of onion and a few handfuls of cilantro. It's whatever you like. Mom sometimes adds spicier peppers for increase the heat of the salsa for Dad or omit the jalapeno for kiddos eating the salsa.
Joy of Cooking Tomato Sauce
2 Tbsp EVOO
1 small onion chopped
1 small carrot chopped
1 celery rib chopped
2 Tbsp parsley chopped
Add all of this to a pot with EVOO over medium heat. Cook until veggies are soft (15mins) over lowish heat.
Add 2 cloves garlic chopped
1 Tbsp chopped rosemary, basil, sage or thyme
Stir in
1.75 lbs ripe tomatoes peeled, seeded and chopped or 28oz canned tomatoes
2 tsp tomato paste
s&p
Simmer for 20 mins and then pulverize.
** I added a spash of wine while cooking the veggies and in addition to basil I added 1/2 tsp of crushed red peppers**
Typically I NEVER make tomato pasta sauce, I always buy it. How hard can it be to make? I cracked open my JOY of Cooking and found a recipe that looked easy enough. I will tell you right now it did not turn out the way I imagined. For starters I didn't measure anything. I ended up going heavy of the chopped veggies and in end I didn't have enough tomato product to balance it out. Nevertheless I did not freak out. I sacrificed one of my jars of HOMEMADE canned tomatoes (they're practically worth their weight in gold because they taste so delish) and attacked the pot with my immersion blender. You can leave it as smooth or chunky as you like. I needed to pulverize it because I used celery in my veggie base which is on the forbidden list of foods that Nate will not eat. I am hoping that by blending it with other stuff it will disguise it's true nature and I will have successfully tricked Nate into eating celery. MWAHAHAHAHA (Bad Girlfriend of the Year nominee)
It's a hearty tomato and veggie sauce that will work fine on my chicken parm, other pasta dishes and there is leftover for a possible pizza in the near future or I can stick it in the freezer for a rainy day. In the end I spent $1.50 on the canned tomatoes and ended up with way more than what a jar would have given me. It's almost like that children's story "Rock Soup".
Mom please don't kill me. I needed to make salsa and your recipe is SO DAMN GOOD! I have made this salsa for work functions, Superbowl parties, etc. It's popular and easy to make. One time someone asked for the recipe but I said I couldn't share it because my Mom would be mad. Well I'm sharing it now because people deserve to have this magical Mexican sauce in their own homes. It's like having C.Diff, I can't just keep it in any longer (gross nurse humor) Again I had all the ingredients in my pantry and it makes a whole quart which is way cheaper than the $2.00 I was about to pay for 1/2 c of pico de gallo at the pre-made produce section. It also freezes well. This may be my last post for a bit because I will surely need to join the Witness Protection Program once Mom gets wind of this. I hope I get to choose my new name. I kinda like the ring of Yolanda, very exotic. Am I a stripper or a store clerk, maybe neither. HAHAHAHAHAHA.
Mom's Garden Salsa
28 oz can of whole tomatoes, drained
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp chopped red onion
2 Tbsp lime juice
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cilantro
1 garlic clove
1 small jalapeno
4 oz chopped green chilis
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp cumin
Throw everything into a food processor and pulse until you like the consistancy.
Note: I don't measure the cilantro or red onion, it's more like a big chunk of onion and a few handfuls of cilantro. It's whatever you like. Mom sometimes adds spicier peppers for increase the heat of the salsa for Dad or omit the jalapeno for kiddos eating the salsa.
Joy of Cooking Tomato Sauce
2 Tbsp EVOO
1 small onion chopped
1 small carrot chopped
1 celery rib chopped
2 Tbsp parsley chopped
Add all of this to a pot with EVOO over medium heat. Cook until veggies are soft (15mins) over lowish heat.
Add 2 cloves garlic chopped
1 Tbsp chopped rosemary, basil, sage or thyme
Stir in
1.75 lbs ripe tomatoes peeled, seeded and chopped or 28oz canned tomatoes
2 tsp tomato paste
s&p
Simmer for 20 mins and then pulverize.
** I added a spash of wine while cooking the veggies and in addition to basil I added 1/2 tsp of crushed red peppers**
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