We always make homemade salsa and in fact that is half the reason we grow a garden. Here is my super simple technique. It will take a bit longer if you don;t have a food processor, but just get a friend to help you chop. This will be enough to feed a small army.

• 12 med size fresh tomatoes
• 3 large peeled cloves of garlic
• 1 large onion
• 1 bunch of fresh cliantro
• large handful of peppers, 6-10 your choice, we use jalapenos, cayenne, gypsy, poblano, and Anaheim, sometimes habanera
• salt to taste

you will want chips to eat it with, we cook our own, see note below

Start by washing all of your ingredients. We will be using a food processor with the bottom mixing blade. Not the slicer or shredding disc. We will be using the pulse button.

Step #1 – Start with 6 of the tomatoes cut in half, cover and puree by pulsing several times, then put in mixing bowl.

Step #2 – Place garlic and cilantro in processor, cover and pulse until coarsely chopped.

Add to mixing bowl.

Step #3- Add all peppers, if big then cut in half or quarters, also add onion, peeled and quartered. Cover and pulse until chopped.

Add to mixing bowl.

Step #4 – Add remaining 6 tomatoes quartered, cover and pulse slightly only until diced in large chunks.

Add to mixing bowl.

Final step – Mix well and add salt to taste. Then refrigerate for 30 minutes to let flavors blend.

Homemade salsa is great on many things but best with home cooked tortillas. Take a stack of corn tortillas and cut the whole stack in 4ths using a butcher knife. Then separate and cook each in hot oil. We use a deep fryer and tongs. Be careful and only cook for a few seconds each. Drain on paper towels. You will think you are eating in a Mexican restaurant! Ole!

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use the same recipe as the vegetable burritos, but substitute fajita seasoning and use small tortillas and add a bit of cheese and sour cream on top

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this is another creative recipe – determine your own ingredients and amounts

you will need

• large flour tortillas, 1 per serving
• cooked rice, about 1/2 cup per serving
• diced veggies, squash, zucchini, green beans, mushrooms, onions, peppers, whatever you like or is growing in your garden
• diced fresh tomatoes
• olive oil or butter

combine and sauté or stir fry your diced veggies using the butter or oil, all except the tomatoes, set those aside, brown your tortillas in a skillet

on a tortilla add veggies, cooked rice and tomatoes, season with salt and pepper or maybe even teriyaki sauce and fold one end over slightly then roll like a burrito, or eat like a large taco

yummy, fast, healthy, and cheap! but be forewarned your family may want seconds

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• 7 eggs
• 2 bunches fresh spinach washed and stems removed
• 3 banana peppers chopped
• 1 bell pepper chopped
• 2 cups cooked white rice
• 9 oz shredded cheese, colby/jack mix
• 3 T butter

preheat oven to 350 degrees     

In a blender add all eggs, and peppers and 1 and 1/2 bunches of spinach. Blend well, then place in mixing bowl and add rice and remaining spinach, stir well. Take baking dish and add butter, place in oven until butter melts, then pour in mixture. Bake until firm, approx 20 minutes, remove and spread cheese on top, then bake until bubbly. Enjoy!

6-8 servings

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• 1 head green cabbage shredded
• 1/2 head red cabbage shredded
• 1/2 onion shredded
• 1 carrot shredded

mix well in very large bowl or pan, then proceed with dressing

add the following to blender and blend

• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 2 T sugar
• 1 T soul seasoning or some sort or pepper blend

mix well then pour over cabbage mixture, let set about three hours in fridge, mixing once per hour, serve cold

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I love salads but I do not especially love making them. I don’t like the bagged greens as much as the fresh in a bundle ones. I especially like fresh spinach and either butter lettuce or green leaf. One huge helper has been this trusty salad spinner. I got one for us and another for my married daughter. You simply rinse your greens then tear them up and put in the spinner, add more water and spin! It spins the excess water right off so you don’t have soggy greens and your dressing isn’t runny and watered down. Then you can add all of your chopped veggies and some dressing and wa la! A wonderful salad! We only like to make as much salad as will be eaten at the meal, but we do go ahead and do the whole amount of greens and keep them in the spinner in the fridge. They keep well this way without getting soggy . So yeah unsoggy salads work for me!

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Fried okra is a southern favorite! It is very simple to prepare.

• approximately 2 dozen pieces of okra
• 1 egg beaten
• 1 cup corn meal mix ( if you can’t buy it, make your own with equal parts flour and corn meal)
• vegetable oil about 2 T
• couple shakes of Cajun spice

Cut the ends off the okra and cut the okra into thick slices or chunks about 1 inch thick. Add to beaten egg in mixing bowl. Mix well. Then add Cajun spice and corn meal mix. stir well until evenly coated. Heat a skillet to med hot and add oil, then add okra, let cook for a minute or two then turn with spatula. Turn occasionally until evenly browned.  It cooks pretty fast. Serve and enjoy!

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This is one of those throw it in the pan recipes so there are no amounts. It is more a recipe idea. Don’t be afraid to get creative.

• diced yellow squash or zucchini
• diced red peppers
• sliced mushrooms
• diced fresh garlic
• chopped green onions
• about 2 T. olive oil
• cooked rice
• optional ~ pita pockets
• salt and pepper to taste or a little Cajun seasoning

Sauté all of the vegetables in the olive oil in a med hot skillet until the veggies are soft but not mushy. Serve over a bed of rice, or with rice in pita pocket. Really easy and very yummy.

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