Fresh Homemade Salsa

Homemade Fresh Salsa

What an awesome weekend so far. We have been enjoying the last few weeks of summer and the last couple of weeks of the summer slow down at work. My job should be revving up within the next couple of weeks and E will be changing to a new job in a couple of weeks. I think after these two things happen it will nose to the grind until late October when we finally take our honeymoon…YAY!!

We took off early from work on Friday afternoon and headed up to the Lost Creek Wilderness, part of beautiful Colorado that I had yet to explore. The Lost Creek Wilderness Area protects nearly 120,000 acres including the Tarryall, Platte River, and Kenosha mountain ranges in central Colorado. This wilderness area is loaded with hiking, backpacking, and fishing. Also in our experience is one of the least utilized areas in Colorado, which means few weekend crowds—just one more reason to move the Lost Creek Wilderness to the top of our exploring list.

Upon closer views, it is clear that the Lost Creek Wilderness, and specifically Bison Peak has its own character, one filled with the most bizarre rock formations one could ever hope to see. I thought I was walking into scene from Jurassic Park, I half expected a big Brachiosaurus to poke it’s head around the ginormous rock formations. I hope you enjoy a few of the pictures we took…Once again the pictures just do not do this beautifully unique place justice.

Now onto the food! With our garden in full producing mood, I had a ton of tomatoes to use. Too small to make sauce with, but the perfect size to put in the Cuisinart and make salsa. I have already had the salsa man take a tester bite, his response, “that might be the best thing you have ever made.” Point for the wifey! See the recipe and the instructions below and enjoy!

Garden Fresh Tomatoes

Fresh Homemade Salsa

*10-12 Small to medium sized Tomatoes (adjust quantity based on size, see above picture for sizing)

2 Cans Rotel diced tomatoes & green chilies (I used one hot and one original)

¾ Onion, chopped

4 Cloves of garlic, minced

2 Jalapenos, quartered and sliced keep all membranes and seeds!

½ tsp Sugar

½ tsp Salt (Kosher)

½ tsp Cumin

½ cup Cilantro, chopped

Lime Juice from one Lime

*This made enough for two 3 cup sized Tupperware (one to eat and one to freeze!)

Molding Vine Ripened Tomatoes into “Canned” Tomatoes

**I think this step is a necessary evil. This will transform the fresh tomatoes into ones that would come in the can which are best used for this type of restaurant style salsa.

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Place all tomatoes in for 1 minute. Remove from boiling water and place immediately into a bowl of iced water.

Remove all tomato skins, cut out top of tomato and squeeze (yes you read it right, just like is sounds) each tomatoes individually to remove excess juices and tomato seeds.

Fresh Homemade Salsa

Combine whole tomatoes, Rotel, onion, jalapeno, garlic, sugar, salt, cumin, lime juice, and cilantro in a food processor (if you don’t have one, you can also use a blender). Pulse about 20 times. This gives the salsa a perfect consistency and is still enough to mix all ingredients.

Refrigerate salsa for at least an hour before serving. Serve with Anything!

E’s Rating

10 out 5 (off the charts he says!)

e&e

Double Chocolate Caramel Bars

Double Chocolate Caramel Bars

I am happy to be blogging my first sweet recipe. It has not been because of a lack of desire, believe me, I have been craving homemade desert goodness for some time. I just had no real reason to turn on the oven—and in 100-degree heat I need a very very enticing reason. This weekend we were invited to a barbecue by one of E’s coworkers and apparently he loves all my baking. Not wanting to show up empty handed, I decided I would turn on the oven…and what a great idea it was. Behold Double Chocolate Caramel Bars. I am not a big chocolate fan, but the plate was emptied at the party before I could even entertain trying a bite. Find the recipe below and for all you chocolate lovers out there…Enjoy!

Double Chocolate Caramel Bars

1 cup butter

12 oz. semisweet chocolate chopped

1 ½ cups sugar

4 eggs

1 tbsp. vanilla extract

1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

½ tsp. salt

1 cup pecans chopped (optional)

1 ½ cups semisweet chocolate chips

Camel Filling:

14 oz. caramel candies, unwrapped

¼ cup heavy cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with foil and grease the foil & sides with butter. Allow for extra foil to help with lifting the brownies once they have been baked.

Combine, in a large bowl, the chopped chocolate and butter. Microwave at 50% for intervals of 1 minute until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth (stir to aid in the melting process and to avoid burning). Be sure to check between each 1-minute interval.

Whisk in the sugar, eggs, and vanilla until incorporated. Stir in flour and salt until combined. The mixture should appear thick!

Spread about half of the brownie mixture in the bottom of the prepared pan, distribute evenly throughout pan. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven (but keeping the oven on and at 350) let the brownies cool for 15-20 minutes (or as I did, as long as it take to complete the rest of the steps!).

Toast pecans in a skillet over medium heat, stirring to avoid burning about 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside (I didn’t have pre-chopped pecans so I chopped them up after they were done toasting).

Combine caramels and heavy cream in a small-medium sized bowl. Microwave at 50% for intervals of 1 minute until the caramel is melted and the mixture is smooth (stir to aid in the melting process and to avoid burning). Be sure to check between each 1-minute interval.

Stir in half of the pecans to the caramel mixture and pour the caramel mixture over the cooked brownie “bottom” (this step needs to happen immediately). Spread the caramel layer evenly throughout the pan and brownie “bottom.”

Scoop remaining brownie mixture and spread evenly throughout brownie “bottom” and caramel middle.

Spread the remaining pecans and chocolate chips on top. Bake for 18-20 minutes.

After the pan cools, put the brownies in the refrigerator or the freezer until cool (I let mine sit for an hour). This will help with cutting the brownies and getting them out of the pan. I found it much easier after they had cooled the freezer than after sitting out on the counter for several hours. Cut into squares or desired shape and lift brownies out of the pan with the foil edges. Peal foil and break or cut apart brownies.  

E’s rating

4 out of 5

e&e