Quick and Easy Salsa

Did you know that salsa is one of the top 2 condiments in the US? Depending on which report you read, salsa is either #1 or falls to #2 behind ketchup or mayonnaise. At first it surprised me that it was so high, but then I thought about how much salsa we go through. My husband and I definitely use way more salsa than we do ketchup or mayonnaise in our house. It's not so much as a condiment, though, we just really like chips and salsa! I do like it with tacos, of course. We have a few different canned salsas that we like, but they just don't seem to compare to what you get at the restaurants. We were talking about this the other day and I decided maybe we should try our hand at making our own salsa.

I don't know about you, but when I Google a new recipe there are certain people's recipes I search for. If I see they have a version of what I'm trying to find, I tend to go with their recipe. Most of the time it ends up being Food Network cooks and chefs, I've just had great luck with their recipes. One of my favorites, of course, is the Pioneer Woman. I would assume the wife of a cowboy in Oklahoma knows a thing or two about salsa, so I decided to try her recipe out. I made a few adjustments, but didn't stray to far from the recipe.

Now the funny thing is I'm not a huge fan of cilantro and her recipe called for quite a bit. In fact, having cilantro in the salsa is one of the reason she lists that this is better than canned salsa. I ended up really liking it, though. The cilantro didn't overpower and added a great flavor. The salsa definitely tastes more fresh than what you get in a store. I cut the recipe in half, her full recipe makes around 48 ounces! Here is my reduced, and slightly modified version of the salsa.

Quick and Easy Salsa ingredients (yields 24 oz):

• 14.5 oz can whole tomatoes (with juice)
• 10 oz can Rotel (diced tomatoes with green chiles)
• 1/8 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 jalapeno (sliced thin)
• 1/2 clove garlic, minced
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp sugar
• 1/4 cup cilantro
• 1/4 whole lime juice

Quick and Easy Salsa instructions:

• Pour the whole tomatoes and Rotel in a food processor or blender
• Dice onion

• Add onion to the food processor

• Cut jalapeno in half (lengthwise), saving one half for another use. Cut the half lengthwise again and then cut into thin slices. Leave the membrane and seeds.

(Probably didn't need gloves, but wasn't sure how sensitive I would be to it)

• Add the jalapenos to the mixture
• Mince garlic and add to the processor
• Add in the cilantro

• Finish with adding in the salt, sugar, and lime juice
• Pulse the food processor until you get the desired consistency. If you want it chunkier, check it after about 6-8 quick pulses. We did somewhere between 10-15 pulses (as per recipe). 

• Refrigerate for at least 1 hour

Enjoy this fresh salsa, perfect for snacking! Check back Wednesday for a delicious milkshake recipe.