Hot Fudge Sauce

3oz semi-sweet chocolate* (3 squares of baking chocolate, or about 1/2 C chocolate chips)1 Can Sweetened Condensed Milk1/4 C butter (that's a half of a stick folks. Admit it, at least one of you didn't know that)
In a small saucepan, heat the butter and condensed milk over medium-low until the butter melts and the milk is warm. Add the chocolate and stir until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Serve as desired. Store leftovers in an airtight container for 1-2 weeks.
*I wouldn't use milk chocolate for this, it's way too sweet, however both dark and bittersweet are awesome
got this recipe from LDS Living magazine Our Best Bites

Roasted Garlic-Rosemary Potatoes

2 1/2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

About 5 cloves of garlic, minced or pressed

2 1/2 Tbsp. chopped fresh Rosemary (be sure and strip the needles from the stem before chopping them)

2 1/2 Tbsp. coarse-grain or Dijon mustard

Coarsely-ground black pepper

1 1/2 lb. fingerling (or other very small potatoes), washed; try and pick the potatoes that are as bite-sized as possible

Kosher salt

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  While the water is heating, combine olive oil, minced garlic, rosemary, mustard, and some black pepper.  Set aside.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. When the water is boiling, add the potatoes and boil for about 10 minutes or until they are easily pierced with a fork.  Drain, return the potatoes to the pan, and then toss with the mustard mixture.

Spread the potatoes out evenly and sprinkle with Kosher salt.  Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the skins begin to brown and sizzle.  For fancy presentation, place the roasted potatoes on a platter, scrape those delicious bits off the foil sprinkle them over the potatoes, and then garnish with a few sprigs of rosemary.

Note: You can do most of the work ahead of time and then refrigerate the potatoes until you're ready to finish them off or you can do it all at once.  Either way, you're not going to spend more than 30 minutes making these beauties and they're so elegant that you could seriously serve them at the fanciest dinner party.   

Baked Creamy Chicken Taquitos

This tacos made a great apetizer while watching the Super Bowl, they are baked not fried, you can use low carb flour tortillas etc.. you can make this as healthy as you want. They are really tasty especially if you use the creamy tomatillo ranch dressing...
1/3 cup (3oz) cream cheese
1/4 cup green salsa
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp granulated garlic (I use minced)
3 Tbsp chopped cilantro
2 Tbsp chopped green onions
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
1 cup grated pepper jack cheese
6-inch corn or flour tortillas (fresh)
nonstick cooking spray
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
Kosher salt

Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray it lightly with cooking spray. Heat cream cheese in the microwave 20-30 seconds so it's soft and easy to stir. Add green salsa, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, onion powder, and granulated garlic. Stir to combine and then add cilantro, green onions, chicken and pepper jack cheese.

Wrap 3 to 4 tortillas at a time in damp paper towels and microwave 20-30 seconds so they are soft and pliable. If you find your tortillas are cracking when rolled use damper paper towels and increase the microwave time.
Place 2 to 3 tablespoons of the chicken mixture of the chicken mixture on the lower third of each tortilla, and roll it up.
Place seam-side up down on the baking sheet in a single layer. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray or brush with vegetable oil. Sprinkle with a pinch of kosher salt on top. Place pan in the over and bake 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown.

Cool 5-10 minutes and then serve with sour cream, guacamole, salsa, or pico de gallo.

Make ahead: To make dinnertime a breeze, prepare filling up to 2 days ahead of time and store in the fridge in an airtight container.

I got this recipe from the LDS Living magazine Our Best Bites

Coconut Bread Pudding

Ingredients

• butter for dish
• 1 (16 to 20-inch loaf French bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 4 egg yolks
• 2 whole eggs
• 2 (13 1/2-ounce) cans unsweetened coconut milk
• 1 (13 1/2-ounce) can cream of coconut
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• Pinch mace
• 1 1/2 cups sweetened flaked coconut, plus 1/2 cup, toasted for garnish
• Chocolate Velvet Sauce, recipe follows

Directions

Lightly butter the bottom of a 9-inch square flameproof baking dish. Arrange the bread cubes evenly in the dish. In a large bowl, whisk together the yolks, whole eggs, coconut milk, cream of coconut, salt, nutmeg, and mace. Stir in 1 cup of the coconut flakes. Pour the custard over the bread cubes, pressing the bread cubes gently to soak up the custard. Let the mixture stand for 1 hour, covered, in the refrigerator.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Sprinkle the top of the pudding with the remaining 1/2 cup coconut flakes. Cover the baking dish with foil, poking a few holes in the top to release the steam. Put the baking dish into a roasting pan on the oven rack. Pour hot water into the roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the baking dish. Bake until the pudding is firm to the touch, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for 15 minutes more. Remove the baking dish from the water bath and run it under the broiler, at least 4 inches from the heat, until golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Let the pudding cool completely. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
Pour the sauce over individual pudding servings, as desired. Top with toasted coconut and serve.

Chocolate Velvet Sauce:

• 1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup heavy cream

Make the chocolate sauce right before serving the pudding. Put the chocolate chips in a medium heatproof bowl. In a small saucepan, bring the cream to a simmer over low heat; immediately remove it from the heat and pour it over the chocolate chips. Whisk until smooth.

Notes

****I left out the mace and chocolate sauce and it was still awesome...if you love coconut!!!
The chocolate sauce can be reheated in a saucepan over low heat. Add more cream, 1 tablespoon at a time as needed, to return it to the desired consistency.

Waffle Cones

 

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 1 stick butter, melted
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Pinch salt
• Nonstick cooking spray

Special Equipment:

• Pizzelle iron
• Cone-shaped mold

Directions

In a large bowl, add sugar, vanilla extract and eggs and beat until creamy with a hand held electric beater. Add butter and mix well.
In a medium bowl, add flour cinnamon and salt. Slowly blend into wet ingredients.
Spray pizzelle iron with nonstick cooking spray and allow to warm up. Pour 3/4 tablespoon of batter onto the iron and cook until baked and brown.
While still hot, quickly roll the waffle around a cone-shaped mold, sealing the point. (The cones will harden as they cool; remove from the mold when cool.) Repeat with remaining batter

this is one of Paula Deens recipes I got from a magazine...

Handy Lemon Tips

Stinky cutting board To help freshen up your cutting board (wood or plastic) slice a lemon in half and rub it on the board, cover the whole area well and let the board sit overnight. In the morning rinse your board well… the lemon will help neutralize the odors and also help disinfect it a bit Stinky Refridgerator Take a sponge and place on a small dish. Squeeze a lemon and absorb the juice into the sponge, give the sponge some good squirts and place the dish (and lemony sponge) in the refridgerator overnight. In the morning your refridgerator will smell much better… and guess what… rinse out the sponge and so will it! Air Freshner Make a mixture of an equal amount of lemon juice and water and add to an fine mist spay bottle. It's a green way to freshen up the air in your home Clean your microwave Slice a lemon and place them in a bowl of water, put them in the microwave and heat up for between :30 seconds to a full minute. When you open the microwave, stains should be easier to remove with a damp cloth or sponge and old food odors will also be neutralized Help remove blackheads Slice a lemon and rub over the area where you see the blackheads at night before you go to bed, be extra careful not to get lemon juice in your eyes! If it's easier, rub your finger on the lemon and then on your face. Let dray and sleep overnight… in the morning rinse well with water. Repeat every night if necessary until the blackhead dissappear. The citric acid in the the lemon juice help to naturally dissolve the oils which form the blackheads… it will also help brighten up your skin. Help relieve a dry patch of skin (like your elbow, knees or heels) Make a mask with equal parts lemon juice, honey, olive oil. Apply to the dry area of skin and let dry (takes about 10 minutes or so) rinse throughly with warm water. Your skin will feel fresh and moisturized. Sliced lemons for drinks, fish and cooking Fresh lemons are always great in drinks, to cook with and when eating fish, to insure you have a ready supply prep and keep in the freezer or in the refridgerator.. To freeze, cut the slices and wrap each one in some freezer paper and store in a freezer ziplock bag, the paper will keep them from sticking together. Frozen lemon wedges in a glass of water are even better then a new fresh cut lemon! You can also keep about 3 or 4 slices in a glass jar in the refridgerator. Freshen up the sink disposal After you have done all of these tips we've just given you.. Don't throw away your used lemons!... Chop them up and throw them in your sink disposal while it's running, not only will it help disinfect your disposal, but give it a fresh clean smell as well!

Frog's Eye Salad

 

Ingredients

• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 3/4 cups unsweetened pineapple juice
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 3 quarts water
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 (16 ounce) package acini di pepe pasta
• 3 (11 ounce) cans mandarin oranges, drained
• 2 (20 ounce) cans pineapple tidbits, drained
• 1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
• 1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
• 1 cup miniature marshmallows
• 1 cup shredded coconut

Directions

1. In a sauce pan, combine sugar, flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, pineapple juice and eggs. Stir and cook over medium heat until thickened. Remove from heat; add lemon juice and cool to room temperature.
2. Bring water to a boil, add oil, remaining salt and cook pasta until al dente. Rinse under cold water and drain.
3. In a large bowl, combine the pasta, egg mixture, mandarin oranges, pineapple and whipped topping. Mix well and refrigerate overnight or until chilled. Before serving add marshmallows and coconut. Toss and serve.

Serves 20
by allrecipes.com/Judy Awe

Whipped Cream with Orange Liqueur/ Crema Chantilly

• 2 cups (1 pint) cold heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon orange liqueur

Whip the cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. When it starts to thicken, add the sugar, vanilla and orange liqueur and continue to whip until the cream forms stiff peaks. Don't overbeat, or you'll end up with butter!

Stewed berries:

• 1 half-pint fresh blueberries
• 3 half-pints fresh raspberries, divided
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon orange zest
• 2 teaspoons framboise (raspberry brandy)

Combine the blueberries, one-half pint of raspberries, 1/3 cup water, the sugar and zest in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and cook uncovered over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes. The juice will become a syrup and the berries will be slightly cooked. Off the heat, stir in the remaining raspberries and the framboise. Set aside.
Yield: 8 servings

By Barefoot Contessa

Blueberry Muffins

Ingredients

• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 8 ounces (about 1 cup) sour cream
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 half-pints fresh blueberries, picked through for stems

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place 16 paper liners in muffin pans.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs 1 at a time, then add the vanilla, sour cream, and milk. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low speed add the flour mixture to the batter and beat until just mixed. Fold in the blueberries with a spatula and be sure the batter is completely mixed.
Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin pans, filling each cup just over the top, and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the muffins are lightly browned on top and a cake tester comes out clean.

by:Barefoot Contessa

Red Velvet Cake

Ingredients

Cake:

• 2 cups sugar
• 1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 2 ounces red food coloring
• 2 1/2 cups cake flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 tablespoon vinegar

Icing:

• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese
• 1 stick butter, softened
• 1 cup melted marshmallows
• 1 (1-pound) box confectioners' sugar
• 1 cup shredded coconut
• 1 cup chopped pecans

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a mixing bowl, cream the sugar and butter, beat until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and mix well after each addition. Mix cocoa and food coloring together and then add to sugar mixture; mix well. Sift together flour and salt. Add flour mixture to the creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk. Blend in vanilla. In a small bowl, combine baking soda and vinegar and add to mixture. Pour batter into 3 (8-inch) round greased and floured pans. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from heat and cool completely before frosting.

Icing:

Blend cream cheese and butter together in a mixing bowl. Add marshmallows and sugar and blend. Fold in coconut and nuts. Spread between layers and on top and sides of cooled cake.

by Paula Deen

Lemon Yogurt Cake

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
• 1 1/3 cups sugar, divided
• 3 extra-large eggs
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

For the glaze:

• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8 1/2 by 4 1/4 by 2 1/2-inch loaf pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper. Grease and flour the pan.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt into 1 bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the yogurt, 1 cup sugar, the eggs, lemon zest, and vanilla. Slowly whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. With a rubber spatula, fold the vegetable oil into the batter, making sure it's all incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 50 minutes, or until a cake tester placed in the center of the loaf comes out clean.
Meanwhile, cook the 1/3 cup lemon juice and remaining 1/3 cup sugar in a small pan until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is clear. Set aside.
When the cake is done, allow it to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Carefully place on a baking rack over a sheet pan. While the cake is still warm, pour the lemon-sugar mixture over the cake and allow it to soak in. Cool.
For the glaze, combine the confectioners' sugar and lemon juice and pour over the cake.

by barefoot contessa

Fish Tacos

I love making fish tacos they are so, so good. This tartar sauce is divine and makes the tacos complete! If you do not want to deep fry the fish (too oily) bake or broil.  Just add salt and pepper and pop your fish in the oven until it's flaky.  Sorry I didn't take a picture of this meal, I will make this tacos next week and will post some then.


For the tartar sauce:


2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1-2 chipotles in adobo sauce seeds removed, finely chopped (I only use 1 chile chipotle & it gives it enough heat for me. If you don't want any heat just use the adobo for the flavor not the chiles.)
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1-2 Tbsp fresh lime juice


For the tacos:


2 pounds skinless red snapper fillets (or other firm, flaky white fish)
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups vegetable oil, for frying
8 8-inch corn tortillas
1 cucumber, peeled, quartered lengthwise, seeded and sliced into 1/2-inch pieces
2 cups arugula leaves
1 cup fresh cilantro
zest of 2 oranges
lime wedges, for serving


Combine all the tartar sauce ingredients in a small bowl, using salt to taste. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.


Rinse the fish under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. cut into 1-inch pieces and put in a bowl with the Worcestershire sauce, garlic, salt and pepper. Turn the fish to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes or up to 4 hours. Place the flour in a shallow dish and toss the fish pieces in it, a few at a time, until evenly coated. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Carefully add a few pieces of fish at a time, shaking off excess flour before placing them in the oil. Fry until golden brown, 4-6 minutes; transfer to a paper towel lined plate.
Meanwhile, heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add a tortilla and warm for 10-20 seconds on each side. Place and cover with a kitchen towel; repeat with the remaining tortillas.


Spread a dollop of the chipotle tartar sauce on a warmed tortilla. Add a few pieces of cucumber and top with 3-4 pieces of fish, a few arugula and cilantro leaves and a little orange zest. Serve with lime wedges and more tartar sauce on the side. 

Lamp Shade

I've been wanting to redecorate my sitting room on a budget. The first thing I decided to do that wouldn't cost much was to give my lamps an updated look. With some fabric, fabric glue, scissors, and some trim I covered my sad looking lamp shades. I also spray painted the base of the lamps black. I did not follow any instructions nor had any patterns to look at, I just eyeballed it. They look very good and the best part is, it only costed me pennies...

I used the scraps from this project to do the flower rosettes...

Poultry Seasoning Mix

 Most everyone has all this spices on hand, save yourself a trip to the supermarket and make your own poultry seasoning. I doubled my batch and stored it in an air tight container.

2 Tbsp ground sage (ground)
1 1/2 tsp ground thyme (ground
1 tsp marjoram (ground)
3/4 tsp rosemary (ground)
1/2 tsp nutmeg (ground)
1/2 tsp black pepper (ground)

Place all ingredients in a small container and mix well.

If your spices are not grounded make sure you ground them, I grounded mine with a wooden stick.

Good Old Country Stuffing Recipe

• 2 loaves oven-dried white bread (recommended: Pepperidge Farm)
• 2 cups cooked white rice
• 1 sleeve crushed saltines
• 1 pound bulk breakfast sausage
• 2 cups chopped celery
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 7 cups chicken stock
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried sage leaves
• 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1/4 stick butter, melted
• Mushroom Giblet Gravy, recipe follows

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Crumble oven-dried bread into a large bowl. Add rice and saltines.

Cook sausage in a large skillet until it starts to brown. Add celery and onion and saute until transparent, 5 to 10 minutes. Pour over bread and rice mixture. Add stock and mix well. Add salt, pepper, sage, and poultry seasoning. Mix well. Add the beaten eggs and melted butter. Mix well. Pour stuffing into a greased pan and bake until cooked through and golden brown, about 45 minutes.

Courtesy Paula Deen

Kneaders Cranberry Orange Stuffing

• 1 Tbsp. oil, 1 turn of the pan
• 2 Tbsp. butter, cut into small pieces
• 2 ribs celery, with greens, from the heart of the stalk, chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 bay leaf, fresh or dried
• Salt and pepper
• 1 loaf cranberry orange bread from Kneaders Bakery
• 2 Tbsp. fresh thyme leaves, a few springs, stems removed
• 1 cup chicken stock

Directions
1- Heat oil and butter in a medium skillet over moderate heat. When the butter melts, add the celery, onion, and bay leaf.
2- Season with salt and pepper.
3- Crumble the bread into the pan and combine with the vegetables.
4- Add thyme and chicken stock.
5- Cook stuffing 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, then remove from heat and let stand in the warm pan for 5 minutes.


recipe by Kneaders

Pecan Pancakes

2 large eggs
1 3/4 cups flour
1 3/4 cups buttermilk
2 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 cup butter (melted then cooled to room temperature)
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup pecans

Beat all wet ingredients in a bowl, whisk together dry ingredients in a seperate bowl. Fold in the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, scoop batter onto a hot oiled skillet.  Place desired amount of pecans over scooped batter, when it bubbles turn over and cook other side. etc...
Recipe by Kneaders

How to can Salsa

Last Summer I decided to start a garden, I planted tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, green bell peppers, serrano peppers, basil, and oregano. Oh, what a joy it was to see my veggies grow, the tiny little peppers were the cutest things ever and my bell peppers were amazing. I knew from the start that I wanted to can salsa with my home grown veggies. Thanks to my sister Martha and her visiting teacher who helped us and guided us through the entire process below is what I ended up with. I can eat a whole jar just by myself! Challenge yourself and can some salsa this summer. 

Ingredients

· Tomatoes - 10 cups peeled, cored, chopped tomatoes, which takes about about 8 lbs (remove the skins, seeds and a lot of the water)

This makes about 6 pints of salsa! · 4 to 5 cups seeded, chopped long green chile peppers (about 2 lbs worth, less if you want a milder salsa)

· 1/4 cup seeded, chopped jalapeno peppers

· 5 cups chopped onions (about 1.5 lbs)

· 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

· 1.5 cups cider vinegar and 2Tbls. lemon juice

· 1 teaspoon ground cumin*

· 1 tablespoon oregano leaves*

· 2 or 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro*

· 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
 

IMPORTANT: Follow the directions carefully for each recipe. Use the amounts of each vegetable listed in the recipe. Add the amount of vinegar listed. You may change the amount of spices, if desired. Do not can salsas that do not follow these or other research tested recipes. (They may be frozen or stored in the refrigerator). Do not thicken salsas with flour or cornstarch before canning. After you open a jar to use, you may pour off some of the liquid, add tomato paste or thicken with cornstarch.

Process - How to Make Salsa from Fresh Tomatoes

Step 1 - Selecting the tomatoes

Its fun to go pick your own and you can obviously get better quality tomatoes! The best variety of tomato to use: Roma; also called paste tomatoes. they have fewer sides, thicker, meatier walls, and less water. Also, you don't want mushy or rotten tomatoes!

Step 2 - Removing the tomato skins

Here's a trick you may not know: put the tomatoes, a few at a time in a large pot of boiling water for no more than 1 minute (30 - 45 seconds is usually enough) then....Plunge them into a waiting bowl of ice water. This makes the skins slide right off of the tomatoes! If you leave the skins in, they become tough and chewy in the sauce, not very pleasant.

 Step 3 - Removing seeds and water

After you have peeled the skins off the tomatoes, cut the tomatoes in half. Now we need to remove the seeds and excess water.

Step 4 - Squeeze of the seeds and water

Just like it sounds: wash your hands then squeeze each tomato and use your finger or a spoon to scoop and shake out most of the seeds. You don't need to get fanatical about it; removing just most will do.

Step 5 - Drain the tomatoes

Toss the squeezed (Squozen? :) tomatoes into a colander or drainer, while you work on others. This helps more of the water to drain off. You may want to save the liquid: if you then pass it through a sieve, screen or cheesecloth, you have fresh tomato juice; great to drink cold or use in cooking! By draining the water off now, you'll end up with a thicker spaghetti sauce in less cooking time! And that preserves vitamins (and your sanity).

FYI, the 20 pounds of raw, fresh, whole tomatoes you started with should produce about 7 - 9 pints of "squeezed" tomatoes

Step 6 - Get the jars and lids sterilizing

The dishwasher is fine for the jars; especially if it has a "sterilize" cycle. I get that going while I'm preparing everything else, so it's done by the time I'm ready to fill the jars.  Be sure to let it go through the rinse cycle to get rid of any soap!

Lids: Put the lids into a pan of boiling water for at least several minutes.

***Note: everything gets sterilized in the water bath (step 7)

anyway, so this just helps to ensure there is no spoilage later!)

Step 7. Make your own seasonings?

I use an electric chopper (food processor) to dice the seasonings fairly fine, about 1/8 inch cubes.

· 4 to 5 cups seeded, chopped long green chile peppers (about 2 lbs worth -less if you want a milder salsa)

· 1/4 cup seeded, chopped jalapeno peppers

· 5 cups chopped onions (about 1.5 lbs)

· 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

· 1.5 cups cider vinegar

· 1 teaspoon ground cumin* optional

· 1 tablespoon oregano leaves* optional

· 2 or 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro* optional

· 1 and 1/2 teaspoons salt* optional

· Chili powder or hot sauce - 1 teaspoon * optional

** Optional Spices: The optional spices add flavoring to salsas. The amounts of spices and herbs may be altered in these recipes. Cilantro and cumin are often used in spicy salsas. You may leave them out if you prefer a salsa with a milder taste. For a stronger cilantro flavor, add fresh cilantro just before serving the salsa.

Step 8 - Mix ingredients in the pot and bring the sauce to a gentle simmer

<-- Start with the chopped tomatoes in the pot...Add the seasonings and bring to a gentle simmer/boil, just to get it hot (180 F, if you have a thermometer) there's no need to cook it; only to get it hot enough to ready it for water bath processing to kill any bacteria and enzymes.. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Taste it as it cooks. If you like the sauce hotter, add 1teaspoon of

chili powder.

Step 9 - Fill the jars with sauces and put the lid and rings on

Fill them to within ¼-inch of the top, seat the lid and hand-tighten the ring around them.  Be sure the contact surfaces (top of the jar and underside of the ring) are clean to get a good seal!

Step 10 - Process (Boil) the jars in the canner

Put them in the canner and keep them covered with at least 1 inch of water. Keep the water boiling.  Process the pint (or smaller) jars in a boiling-water bath for

· 15 minutes at 0-1,000 feet altitude;

· 20 minutes if you are at 1,001-6,000 feet; OR

· 25 minutes if you are above 6,000 feet.

Step 11 - Done

Lift the jars out of the water and let them cool without touching or bumping them in a draft-free place (usually takes overnight) You can then remove the rings if you like.  Once the jars are cool, you can check that they are sealed verifying that the lid has been sucked down. Just press in the center, gently, with your finger. If it pops up and down (often making a popping sound), it is not sealed. If you put the jar in the refrigerator right away, you can still use it. Some people replace the lid and reprocess the jar, then that's a bit iffy. If you heat the contents back up, re-jar them (with a new lid) and the full time in the canner, it's usually ok.

http://www.PickYourOwn.org/salsa_withcilantro.htm

Tomatoes are on the border between the high-acid fruits that can be preserved in a boiling-water bath and the low acid fruits, vegetables and meats that need pressure canning.

Chocolate Cinnamon Crepes

• 2 large eggs
• Pinch of salt
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons oil or melted butter, plus extra for greasing the pan
• 3-ounce chocolate bar
• Ground cinnamon

Instructions
In a large bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients except the chocolate and cinnamon. Place the bowl in the refrigerator and allow the batter to sit for an hour.
Heat a 10-inch skillet over medium heat and coat it lightly with oil or butter. Place a scant 1/3 cup of the batter in the center of the skillet, and then tilt the skillet so the batter spreads out to the edges. If you don’t have enough batter to cover the skillet, add a little more wherever there is a hole or an empty space.

Keep an eye on the crepe. The batter will form small bubbles as it cooks. After about 2 minutes, loosen the edges with a spatula and peek underneath. The crepe should be lightly browned. Flip and cook on the other side for 1-2 minutes, then slide onto a plate. Lightly grease the pan and repeat with the remaining batter.

Melt the chocolate in a microwave or in the top of a double boiler. Place the crepes on a serving platter and drizzle with the chocolate. Sprinkle with cinnamon and serve.

Blueberry Lemon Crepes with Custard Sauce

Crepes:

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 lemon, zested
• Pinch kosher salt
• 1 1/4 cups milk
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted, divided

Blueberry Filling:

• 2/3 cup blueberry jam or preserves
• 1/2 lemon, juiced

Custard Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• Pinch kosher salt
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar, for garnish

Directions

To make the crepes: Whisk the flour, sugar, lemon zest and salt in a medium bowl. In a measuring cup, whisk together the milk, egg and 1 tablespoon of butter. Slowly whisk the egg mixture into the flour mixture until smooth.
In a heavy small saute pan or crepe pan, lightly brush the pan with a layer of melted butter and heat over medium-high heat. Working quickly, pour in about 3 tablespoons of batter and tilt the pan to coat. Cook for 1 or 2 minutes and then flip with a thin metal spatula to finish cooking the other side, another minute. Repeat with remaining batter. Keep the crepes warm while preparing the rest of the dessert.

To make the Blueberry Filling: Heat the jam in a small pan over low heat or microwave until warm and syrupy. Whisk in the lemon juice and set aside.
To make the Custard Sauce: In a small saucepan, whisk the sugar, cornstarch and salt together until well blended. Whisk in the milk and cook over low heat until almost boiling, then remove from the heat. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolk and vanilla until well blended. Add a couple of tablespoons of the hot milk from the saucepan and whisk to temper the egg. Add resulting egg mixture to the rest of the warm milk in the pan, whisking to combine. Cook over low heat until the sauce begins to thicken (do not boil). Let the sauce cool slightly while assembling the crepes.

To assemble: Spread some of the blueberry filling in a line down the center of each crepe and roll up. Spoon a few tablespoons of the custard sauce on each dessert plate and lay 2 crepes on top. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar and serve.

Recipe courtesy Melissa d'Arabian

Alfajores

1/4 pound butter (1 stick) at room temperature
4 egg yolks, lightly beaten
2 tablespoon brandy or cognac
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon lemon or lime zest
2 cups flour
1 cup corn starch
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 recipe for dulce de leche (or one jar of it)
1 cup grated coconut

Using good quality butter, beat butter and sugar until fluffy and creamy. Add one by one the egg yolks, vanilla, brandy and mix well. Combine flour, cornstarch, salt, baking soda and baking powder in a bowl. Add the flour mixture over the butter mixture and work with your hands until the dough becomes soft. Do not add extra flour chill for 2 hours. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. On a floured work surface, roll out dough to a thickness of 1/4 inch. Cut into 2-inch rounds and transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 15 minutes or until done. The cookies will be dry but not brown. When the cookies are cool, spread a spoonful of dulce de leche in one cookie and top it with another. Press together gently; roll the seam of the alfajor in grated coconut.

Dulce de Leche (safe recipe) Pour 1 can sweetened condensed milk into 9-inch pie plate. Cover with aluminum foil; place in larger shallow pan. Fill larger pan with hot water. Bake at 425 degrees F for 1 hour or until thick and caramel-colored. Beat until smooth.
I got this recipe from my dear friend Mariana

Sugar Cookies

3/4 C butter

1 C sugar

2 eggs

1/2 t. vanilla

2 1/2 C flour

1 t. baking powder

1/2 t. salt

Cream butter and sugar until fluffy.  Beat in eggs and flavoring.  Sift together dry ingredients and blend into creamed mixture.  Chill at least 1 hour.  Roll out 1/8 inch think.  Bake at 400 degrees F for 6-8 minutes.   Makes 2 dozen.

Tip: I always pull them out at no longer than 8 minutes--even if they look a little undone.  Then I leave them on the cookie sheet for a few minutes and they are firm but so soft and light.  I also add about 2-3 tsp of almond extract to my frosting (like my mom does) and it is the secret ingredient that makes them amazing!

Southwest White Chicken chili

1 Tbsp vegetable
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts halves (1lb.) cut into cubes
4 tsp chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin
1 large onion, chopped
1 medium green pepper chopped
1 can cream of chicken (10 3/4oz)
3/4 cup water
1 1/2 cups frozen corn
2 cans white kidney beans (cannellini) rinsed and drained
2 Tbsp shredded cheddar cheese

1. Heat the oil in a 4-quart saucepan over medium-heat. Add the chicken, chili powder, cumin, onion and pepper and cook until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender, stirring often.
2. Stir the soup, water, corn and beans in the saucepan and heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with the cheese.

Pork Tenderloin with Chimichurri

***Use Chimichurri Dressing*** find the recipe in my dressing folder
2 pork tenderloins (about 1 pound each), trimmed off excess fat, patted dry (you can use beef)

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Extra-virgin olive oil

Lime juice, for drizzling

Parsley sprigs, for garnish

Use 1/2 of the chimichurri dressing to marinate the pork. Put the pork and marinade in a sealable plastic bag and set aside in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Preheat an outdoor charcoal grill or oven broiler to high.
Remove the pork from the marinade, wiping off any excess. Season both sides with a generous amount of salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil and place on the grill. Grill the pork on the hottest part of the barbecue for 4 minutes per side, until well charred. Allow the tenderloin to rest for about 5 minutes prior to slicing. Spoon some chimichurri over the meat, drizzle with lime juice, garnish with parsley, and serve with the remaining sauce at the table.


recipe by Tyler Florence

Chimichurri

Ingredients

• 6 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• 2 jalapenos, seeded and minced
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• About 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• About 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh oregano leaves
• 3 limes, juiced
• 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

Combine the garlic, jalapeno and vinegar in a bowl. Stir in the parsley, oregano, and lime juice. Whisk in the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Mix well and set aside at room temperature to allow the flavors to marry.

recipe by Tyler Florence

Mango Chimichurri

12 oz. olive oil
10 oz. chopped parseley
8 oz. white vinegar
1 bay leaf
1/2 oz. salt
2 jalapenos finely chopped
2 shallots finely chopped
3 garlic cloves minced
6 oz. fresh mango finely chopped
ground black pepper

Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix together.  Serve over grilled steak, also great over a green salad.

recipe from Univision

Pineapple Cleansing Water

Want an quick and easy way to cleanse your body and loose some of that bloating.. Well, try this drink.

1 Pineapple peel
4 cups water

In a large pot place the entire peel of a whole pineapple with the 4 cups of water and bring to a boil.  DO NOT add any sugar or anything else.  Drink this pineapple juice through out the day and feel and look less bloated.

Chocolate Cake

• 1 (18.25 ounce) package devil's food cake mix
• 1 (5.9 ounce) package instant chocolate pudding mix
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup warm water

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

In a large bowl, mix together the cake and pudding mix, sour cream, oil, beaten eggs and water. Pour into prepared 8” pans.

Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until top is springy to the touch and a wooden toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool cake thoroughly in pans before inverting onto a plate.

courtesy of Sugar Daisy Bakery

Brazilian Limeade

2 limes

3 Tbsp sweetened condensed milk

1/2 cup sugar

3 cups water

1-2 trays of ice

Cut off the ends of your limes and then cut each into 6 pieces. Place limes, sweetened condensed milk, sugar, and water in a blender. Blend for about 20 seconds. Place through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing down to get all the liquid out. Discard lime pulp. Return liquid to blender with ice. Blend desired consistency. Serve.

Makes 4 servings (or 2 of those glasses pictured plus a little leftover).

Tips:
When blending it with the ice, I like to do it in 2 batches, I have less overflowing (and therefore wasted) juice. If you want a slushy type drink, or if you want to stretch your drink a little further - use 2 trays of ice. If you want a nice cold drink - just do one. (Pictured is one.) If you want to make this ahead, prepare your juice and then blend with ice just before serving.

courtesy of Redhead Recipes