Salsa Verde

Printable Recipe

8 cups finely chopped and peeled green tomatoes (about 12 medium)
5 to 10 jalapeno, habanero or any mix of hot peppers finely chopped and seeded, if that is your preference
2 cups chopped onion (about 2 large)
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 cup lime juice
1/2 cup loosely packed finely chopped cilantro
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Prepare boiling water canner. Heat jars and lids in simmering water until ready for use. Do not boil. Set bands aside.

Combine tomatoes, peppers, onion, garlic and lime juice in a large saucepan, adding a little water if necessary. Bring to a boil. Stir in cilantro, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper. Reduce heat and simmer for about 15-20 minutes.

Ladle the hot salsa into hot jars leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe rim. Center hot lid on jar. Apply band and adjust until fit is fingertip tight.

Process filled jars in a boiling water canner for 20 minutes, adjusting for altitude. (I do it for 25.) Remove jars and cool. Check lids for seal after 24 hours. Lid should not flex up and down when center is pressed.

Makes about 6 pints.

Holly's Note:
2013 hasn't been the greatest summer for garden harvests here in our part of Idaho.  It was super hot and the tomatoes wouldn't ripen and then, overnight, it turned cold, and the tomatoes wouldn't ripen.  So, what do you do with tons of green tomatoes?

Salsa Verde.

Now, I know that traditional Salsa Verde is made with tomatillos, but this version is made with unripe, green tomatoes and I like the name, Salsa Verde! I found the original recipe at Ball.  This recipe shows my modifications which include cooking it down longer than the original recipe states.  We leave in all pepper seeds, but most people will want to remove all or at least part.

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Taste of Home: Recipes Across America...Preview

About the book:
Enjoy the flavors of the USA

One of the greatest pleasures of traveling is sampling the mouthwatering local foods. Do you recall an item that you would love to enjoy again, such as Chicago Deep-Dish Pizza, Southern Fried Chicken or Mississippi Mud Cake? You'll find those classic regional recipes right here in Taste of Home Recipes Across America.

Divided into five regions (Northeast, South, Midwest, Southwest, and West), Recipes Across America offers 735 delectable specialties enjoyed by locals, including unforgettable dishes using regional produce. You'll even discover ethnic specialties passed down through generations that became hometown favorites. Best of all, these dishes are shared by real family cooks just like you!

Here are just some of the highlights from each region.

Northeast: Philly Cheese Steak, Yankee Pot Roast, New Haven Clam Pizza, Authentic Boston Brown Bread, Buffalo Chicken Wings, Amish Sugar Cookies and Brooklyn Blackout Cake

South: Shrimp Po-Boys, South Carolina-Style Ribs, Bacon Collard Green, Cheese 'n' Grits Casserole, Georgia Peanut Salsa, Sweet Potato Fries, Banana Pudding and Hummingbird Cake

Midwest: Church Supper Hot Dish, Onion Loose Meat Sandwiches, Cherry Wild Rice Salad, German Potato Salad, Chocolate-Covered Buckeyes, Golden Apple Snack Cake and State Fair Cream Puffs

Southwest: Arizona Chicken, Barbecued Beef Brisket, Chicken-Fried Steaks, Sizzling Tex-Mex Fajitas, Armadillo Eggs, Texas Caviar, Dr Pepper Barbecue Sauce, Classic Fruit Kolaches, German Chocolate Cake and Tres Leches Cake

West: Buffalo Steak Salad, Chicken Long Rice, Pacific Rim Salmon, California Sushi Rolls, Green Goddess Salad Dressing, Romaine Caesar Salad, Utah Buttermilk Scones, Caramel-Frosted Potato Cake, Oregon's Best Marionberry Pie and Lemon Tart with Almond Crust

In addition, hundreds of snapshots of food festivals and landmarks are scattered among the pages.

And as a bonus, you'll also find food folklore, recipe histories and fun food facts.

For example, did you know that though Coney Island evokes images of amusement parks, the beach and New York, Chili Coney Dogs are not from New York. These hot dogs are actually natives of Detroit. The dogs are topped with beanless chili, some onions and yellow mustard. Cincinnatians top theirs with shredded cheese and call them cheesy Coneys.

You can plan a Southern summertime barbecue, feed hungry hands with Tex-Mex, enjoy the silky smoothness of maple syrup pie, have a German celebration for Okoberfest, or dine as the Hollywood stars do with a Classic Cobb Salad. With Recipes Across America, the country is yours from coast to coast.

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Golden Apple Bundles
Excerpted from Taste of Home Recipes Across America: 735 of the Best Recipes from Across the Nation

This recipe is an interesting way to use apples. I usually make them on Fridays, so when family and friends drop in on the weekend, I have a nice dessert to serve. They bake up flaky and golden brown outside and moist inside. -- Lila Eller, Everett, Washington

Prep: 20 Min.
Bake: 25 Min.
Makes: 10-12 Servings

2 cups chopped peeled apples
⅓ cup chopped walnuts
¼ cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup raisins
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon lemon peel
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pastry for double-crust pie
Milk
Sugar

1. In a large bowl, combine apples, walnuts, brown sugar, raisins, flour, lemon peel and cinnamon; set aside.

2. Roll pastry to ⅛-in. thickness. Cut into 5-in. circles. Spoon about ¼ cup apple mixture into center of each circle. Moisten edges of the pastry with water. Fold over and seal edges with a fork.

3. Place on a greased baking sheet. Bake at 450° for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 400°; bake 10 minutes longer. Brush each with milk and sprinkle with the sugar. Return to oven; bake 5 minutes longer.
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Thanks to Leyane from FSB Associates for the opportunity to preview this book.  You can see more about Taste of Home here.  You can purchase your own copy here.

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Red Enchilada Sauce

Printable Recipe

2 T. olive oil
2 T. flour
4 T. chili powder
1/2 t. garlic powder
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. cumin
1/4 t. oregano
2 cups chicken broth
1 to 1 1/2 cups water (optional)

Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add flour and blend together into a roux for about one minute. Stir in seasonings. Gradually add in the chicken broth and water, whisking constantly to remove lumps. Reduce heat and simmer 10-15 minutes until thick.  (I added some cornstarch/water to thicken it even further).

Use immediately or refrigerate in an air-tight container for up to two weeks.

Holly's Notes:
I found the original recipe at Gimme Some Oven.  I'd always wanted to make my own enchilada sauce and I had run out of canned this week, so it was the perfect opportunity.  This was fantastic. I also wanted more sauce without actually doubling it, because the chili powders I used were spicy. The addition of 1 1/2 cups of water was fine and I added a cornstarch/water mixture to thicken it further. The sauce is a gorgeous rust color and was super easy to make.  It was perfect with my Beef Enchiladas.  I don't think I'll ever buy canned enchilada sauce again.  This recipe reflects my adaptations.

One of the things I love best about this recipe is that everything in it is usually in my pantry.  It doesn't need special ingredients.

It's as good as your chili powder is and sometimes I use three different kinds of chili powder: regular, chipotle and ancho.

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Slimmer: The Mediterranean Way to Lose Weight...Preview

About the book:
In just one year, Harry Papas gained 110 pounds. Then he lost it all for life. Papas, a certified dietitian in Greece, shed the pounds by creating a simple yet revolutionary nutrition plan: a delicious, low-fat Mediterranean diet coupled with the self-awareness he needed to combat the triggers that contributed to his weight gain.

Unlike other diets, Slimmer's three-cycle, richly varied meal plan doesn't restrict you from enjoying carbs, sugars, or fats, and it doesn't enforce calorie counting. Rather, the nine-week program is designed to help you stay slim while actually enjoying what you eat, encouraging you to adopt a simpler lifestyle and lifelong healthy habits. This easy-to-follow plan will allow you to get rid of those unwanted pounds with incredibly flavorful and satisfying meals, full of sustaining, wholesome foods—such as fresh fruits and vegetables, olive oil, and yogurt—that have been enjoyed for centuries by those in the Mediterranean.

Packed with recipes and practical nutritional advice, Slimmer also helps you understand why you gained weight and provides the psychological support and encouragement you need to successfully lose weight and permanently retain the loss.

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About the author:
Harry Papas, author of Slimmer: The New Mediterranean Way to Lost Weight, is a leading certified dietician and bestselling author in Greece, specializing in overweight and obesity issues. The founder of one of Greece's top diet and weight-loss centers located in Athens, Papas created the Slimmer nutrition system to lose weight permanently, maintain a healthy lifestyle, and help others do the same.

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Mediterranean Chickpea Salad

Full of fresh flavor with a hint of spice, not to mention a good amount of healthy fiber, this salad will satisfy any size appetite, just as it has at Maria and Eleni's Taverna for years!

One 15 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 scallion, trimmed and thinly sliced
½ small cucumber, seeded and diced
2 Tablespoons diced green bell pepper
1 plum tomato, cored, seeded, and diced
2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon capers, drained and rinsed
A dash of cayenne pepper
Juice of ½ a lemon
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon prepared mustard
A pinch of dried oregano

1. In a medium bowl toss together the chickpeas, scallion, cucumber, bell pepper, tomato, parsley, capers, cayenne pepper, and lemon juice. Set aside.

2. In a small bowl stir together the remaining ingredients and pour over the chickpea mixture. Toss well to coat and allow to marinate, stirring occasionally, for at least 1 hour before serving.

Makes 1 serving

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Thanks to Leyane at FSB Associates for the opportunity to preview this book.  You can learn more about Harry Papas here.  You can purchase your own copy here.

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