salsa-shark and guaca-mole

making your own salsa and guacamole is so gratifying. it tastes better than the kind you buy at the market, it's cheaper, it doesn't have any preservatives, and lets face it, it feels great when someone says, "wow, this is soooo good," and you get to say with a coy smile, "oh, i made it." 

let's start with the salsa. this salsa is the best! it reminds me of my favorite salsa at one of my favorite hole in the wall mexican joints. and it's super easy to make because you just toss everything in the blender. my mr is mildly obsessed with it, and is a really happy guy when i make it. oh and it makes kind of a lot - a little over 4 cups. so you'll have plenty to enjoy. it's great to take to parties (who doesn't love salsa and chips before dinner?), or just to enjoy as a daily snack by yourself. do i even need to mention that this is adapted from a recipe i found it on pinterest? or is that implied at this point?  

Blender Salsa

1 - 14oz can diced tomatoes

1 - 10oz can original Rotel

1/2 small onion, roughly chopped

3 cloves garlic, peeled

1 jalapeno (seeded or not - depending on how spicy you are)

1 tsp honey

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground cumin

handful of cilantro, washed

juice of 1 lime

put all ingredients into a blender and pulse to combine for ~30 seconds or until all ingredients are finely chopped and salsa is desired consistency. taste for seasoning and adjust as needed. best if you let sit for at least 30 minutes before serving.

i was *this* close to buying guacamole at the bulk store today. i stopped myself, because it was about $10. i know it was a lot of guac, but i decided making it would be a much better idea (for the above mentioned reasons). plus, i would already have some of the ingredients because i was making salsa!

Guacamole
2 avocados
1/4 cup light sour cream
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 onion chopped
handful of cilantro, washed and chopped
juice of 1/2 lime
1-2 tbs salsa
salt and pepper to taste

mash avocados to desired consistency (like like mine mostly smooth, but with a few lumps). mix in sour cream, garlic, onion, cilantro, lime juice, salsa, and salt and pepper. best if you let sit for at least 30 minutes before serving. cover with plastic wrap (touching the guacamole to prevent browning).

fajita me!

i seem to be on a mission to try a new slow cooker recipe as often as i can, which is nearly weekly. i think i've only done one repeat recipe so far. but not because i don't like all these recipes. just because there are so many to try. 

but i think i may need to make this one again fairly soon. it was so easy. and very tasty. i adapted this from a recipe i found on pinterest, of couse. that site is so addicting. but i must say, it has really expanded the variety of my weeknight dinners! sorry, i didn't take pictures until we were cleaning up, so I only have one. i was feeling a little sketchy about of the fajitas would turn out, so i wasn't 100% sure i was going to post this one. but it got a big thumbs up all around the table, even from the two-year old. 

Slow Cooker Chicken Fajitas

3 large chicken breasts (2.5-3 lbs)
1 each - green, red, and yellow bell peppers, sliced
1 onion, sliced

1 lime (juice)
2 pkts taco seasoning
flour or corn tortillas
toppings – sour cream, salsa and guacamole (recipes here), cheese

slice peppers and onions then place them on the bottom of the crock pot. put chicken on top of peppers and onions. pour lime juice over chicken, then sprinkle taco seasoning on top. cook on low for 6-8 hrs (or high for 3-4). 
shred the chicken and mix in the sauce. serve with tortillas and desired toppings.

churro-licious!

i'm kind of a sucker for churros. i'm not sure exactly what it is about them that makes me smile. the sugar? the cinnamon? the fried crunchy goodness of it all? whatever it is, i have to use a lot of self-control to just keep walking when i see them all sugary & toasty in those little warming cabinets. unlucky for me (but i guess lucky for my waistline), i don't see them around too often anymore.

tonight i decided to make a slow cooker chicken fajita recipe that i found on pinterest (blog post on that to follow). and i thought, why not make some salsa and guacamole to go along with it? (blog to follow) i felt like i was on a roll with adding fun things to my mexican meal (not to mention i happened to have the day off), so i thought i'd finish it off with some delicious churros.

one of the things i love about this recipe is it calls for adding some lime juice to the frying oil, which gives the churros an extra little refreshing boost. it's awesome. and since i'm making these at home, i feel less guilty about consuming them, because they're not a foot long! the recipe is adapted from the great big cookie book.

Churros

1 cup water

4 tbs sugar

pinch of salt

1.5 cups all purpose flour

1 egg

oil for deep frying

1/2 lime (juice)

1 tbs cinnamon

bring the water, 1tbs sugar, and salt to a boil. remove from heat and beat in flour until smooth. beat in the egg with a wooden spoon until the mixture is smooth and satiny. set the batter aside.

pour the oil into a deep frying pan (my 4qt dutch oven worked well) to a depth of ~2 inches. add the lime and heat oil to 375 degrees F. in a small bowl, mix together the remaining sugar and cinnamon and set aside. 

put batter into a pastry bag fitted with a fluted nozzle. pipe 2-3 inch strips of batter and add to the oil a few at a time. fry for 3-4 minutes, until golden brown. remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. roll the hot churros in the sugar / cinnamon mixture.