MAKING SALSA

by Robin

Here are some of the main players, although I have to say that I ended up not using the yellow onion and added a yellow sweet bell pepper to the salsa verde.

RED SALSA

Here is the rough recipe:

1-2 c cut up tomatoes (peeled recommended but I didn't do it)

3/4 can tomato sauce

1/2 jalapeno

2 bunching onions (big size)

1 1/2 Hungarian wax pepper (like a banana pepper)

2 Tbl flat-leaf parsley (because my cilantro is reseeding itself & "out of season")

1 basil leaf (not necessary but it was next to the parsley)

2 cloves of garlic - more wouldn't hurt

2 Tbl of lemon juice, then added probably another 1/3 c later. It just needs this!

Several dashes of hot pepper sauce

Salt & pepper to taste.

Chop everything up and mix it. Refrigerate for 4 hrs if you think you can resist eating it before then. We couldn't.

Then, I made Salsa Verde because Jack is still at work and I was watching Giada & Paula on Food Network. (I was in the mood to chop.)

Pretty much it is everything from above, minus the tomatoes & tomato sauce, add a big yellow bell pepper for color. I could have done green but ........ the yellow one was screaming "Amarillo, Amarillo..." to me from the garden. I also added a whole jalapeno for more heat. We also added more Crystal's hot sauce too.

After tasting both, I have to say there is something addictive about the heat of the 2nd batch. I might have to back off on the tomato sauce on the red version.

I also had serrano chilis that I chickened out with using. I'm scared of my own peppers. I also have cayennes still drying on the string. I'm scared of them too.

*PLEASE NOTE* - use gloves when handling & deseeding your hot peppers!! I burned myself once very badly.

On a poultry side note, I let the chickens out this morning and totally forgot about them for HOURS. A big storm came up and it never dawned on me that they were out there in the back yard. Upon running out there, we could only find 2.

"Here Chickie" I called and then I heard a "bawk, bawk" from the gate. Simon Peter grabbed the key and we opened it up to find one very upset chicken. I hope she has learned her lesson to not fly over the fence. And hopefully I learned my lesson to not forget about chickens in the big yard.