I had been wanting to try my hand at tomatillo salsa for quite some time, but was unable to procure fresh or canned tomatillos at several local, suburban grocery stores. Last week while perusing the fresh produce, I excitedly spotted the small husked tomatillos alongside the vine-ripened tomatoes and assorted hot peppers. My purchase caused quite a stir at the front end, as it took awhile for several cashiers to come up with the correct produce code. Apparently my local Stop and Shop doesn’t move large volume of tomatillos.

Now that I had the produce in hand, I had to settle on a recipe. After looking over several recipes to get a general idea of standard ingredients and preparations, I settled on this recipe from on allrecipes.com. I was pleased with how quickly the salsa came together. While the tomatillos were cooking, I chopped and measured the rest of the ingredients into the food processor work bowl. Less than a minute after removing the tomatillos from the stove, the salsa was done.

I will definitely be making this again. The salsa had a tart fresh tang, with an aromatic hint of garlic. Just add chips and a frosty margarita and you have a perfect Mexican-inspired snack.

Tomatillo Salsa

1 pound tomatillos, husk and stem removed
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and roughly chopped
2 tbsp chopped cilantro
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
1 tbsp lime juice (juice of 1/2 lime)

1. Place husked, washed tomatillos in a saucepan. Fill the pan with enough water to cover the tomatillos and bring to a boil over high heat.
2. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until tomatillos are soft.
3. Transfer tomatillos to the work bowl of a food processor. Reserve cooking water in case additional water is needed to thin the salsa.
4. Add remaining ingredients onion, garlic, jalapeno, cilantro, oregano, cumin and salt) and process until smooth. If salsa is too thick, add small amounts of cooking water until desired consistency is reached.

I do not like tomatoes. While I love the taste of tomatoes, I won’t touch anything that resembles a fresh tomato. As you might imagine, this limits my options for fresh salsas. Enter corn salsa. When I tried it at Chipotle, it was love at first bite. It’s crisp, fresh, flavorful and contains no trace of tomato.

Inspired by my love of Chipotle’s corn salsa, I set out to create a reasonable approximation at home. When I first started making the salsa, I used this recipe from About.com as my guide, but now I just eyeball all of the ingredients. This is a non-particular recipe that can be easily adjusted to suit individual preference. I can safely say that I use more jalapeno, cilantro and onion than called for in the original recipe.

You can certainly use frozen corn to make this salsa, but it tastes even better with fresh, native corn stripped from the cob. When I use fresh corn, I boil a few ears as if I were going to serve it and then slice the kernels from the cob. The fresh corn lends a crisp sweetness to the salsa.

I’m growing jalapeno peppers this year, as well as cilantro. The starter pepper plants look good, as long as the squirrels leave the tiny peppers alone! I started the cilantro from seed, and it just sprouted a few days ago. Every few weeks, I plan to sow a new batch of cilantro so I will have a continuous supply. By the time my favorite farm stand is selling their native corn, I hope to have jalapenos and cilantro from my garden to use in this salsa!

Since it’s so easy to put together, this salsa has become a summer staple in my household. It’s delicious as an accompaniment to corn chips, or grilled meats. In face, it complements tequila lime chicken beautifully. However you sever it, this corn salsa is simple, fresh and flavorful.

Corn Salsa

2 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed (2-3 medium ears of fresh corn)
1/3 cup chopped red onion
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (juice of one lime)
1 to 2 tablespoons finely chopped jalapeno pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl.
2. Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours.
3. Can be served cold or at room temperature.

This fruit dip was so easy to make! It was a fun, tasty addition to my simple fruit platter. The dip was a little thicker than I would have preferred, but that didn’t stop us from eating it all!

I found the original recipe on allrecipes.com, but made some modifications. I halved the original recipe and tweaked some measurements. Even with the reduced measurements, I still had more than enough dip for the four of us. I used more cream cheese that called for, and added some confectioner’s sugar to make the dip a little sweeter. Based upon reviewer information, I made the dip the night before and allowed it to chill overnight. As the dip chilled, the sweetness became more pronounced and the dip thickened up a bit.

Creamy Fruit Dip

4 oz. fat free cream cheese
4 oz. reduced fat whipped topping
4 oz. marshmallow cream
2 tbsp. confectioner’s sugar

1. Combine the first three ingredients in a mixing bowl and beat together until smooth.
2. Add confectioner’s sugar as desired to attain desired sweetness.
3. Refrigerate in a covered container.

My husband and I are big fans of salsa. He’s been known to eat it by the spoonful, and his college roommates like to tease him about a time he ate an entire jar in one sitting. Needless to say, it’s hard to keep enough of it in the house.

This recipe for homemade salsa from Annie’s Eats is delicious and easy to make. With minimal effort, you can create flavorful, restaurant-style salsa at home. Using the food processor simplifies prep work, as you only need to rough chop the vegetables before processing them. I’m also submitting this post to the Tasty Tools: Food Processor blogging event hosted by Joelen’s Culinary Adventures.

My food processor is pretty small, so I had to work on this recipe in two separate batches. I processed the first 8 ingredients, and then removed half of the pureed mixture from the work bowl. Next, I added half of the fresh vegetable and herbs to the food processor, pulsing as instructed. Once the first batch was done, I moved onto the second.

The only jalapenos I could find were on the larger side, so I only used one. Next time, I’ll probably add about 50% more to increase the heat a bit. I opted to drain the diced tomatoes to prevent the salsa from becoming too watery.

The resulting homemade salsa isn’t chunky, but it has noticeable bits of vegetables. It’s is fresh and spicy, but not overwhelmingly so. After serving this to company last night, we have plenty of tasty salsa left over. It’s out mission to finish consuming the batch this week!

My Favorite Salsa
from Annie’s Eats

Yields 4 cups

2 fresh jalapeno peppers, seeded and very coarsely chopped
4 cloves garlic, halved
juice of one lime
1 (28 0z.) can diced tomatoes (drained or not, depending on how much liquid you want in your salsa)
2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 tbsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground cayenne pepper
2 large vine-ripened tomatoes
1/2 sweet yellow onion, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup fresh cilantro

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the jalapenos and garlic. Process until finely chopped. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add all other ingredients to the food processor. Pulse in very brief pulses until the vegetables have reached the size you desire (it does not take many pulses so don?t overdo it). Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving to allow the flavors to blend.

Looking for some new appetizers for your Super Bowl party? Here’s a list of tried and true appetizer favorites that are sure to be a big hit this Sunday! I’ve included recipes submitted by friends, as well as my own go-to appetizers. Whatever you’re tuning in for – the game, the commercials, the half-time show – enjoy!

Black Bean Nachos

Mexican Confetti Pinwheels

Cheesy Nacho Dip

Black Bean and Corn Quesadillas

Crab Rangoon

Pesto Pinwheels

Bacon and Cheese Log

Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball

Spinach and Artichoke Dip

Stuffed Mushrooms

This is a quick appetizer that’s easy to throw together. It scales well for two people or for a crowd. If you want a more elaborate nacho plate, you could easily added ground beef, onions, peppers etc.

I like to prepare this nacho plate on a rimless cookie sheet because it makes transferring to a serving dish a breeze.

Black Bean Nachos

Tortilla chips
Cooking spray
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
Cumin
Salsa
Shredded Mexican-blend cheese or cheddar jack

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray
3. Cover cookie sheet with desired amount of tortilla chips.
4. Layer chips with desired amount of black beans. Sprinkle with cumin.
5. Cover black beans with salsa.
6. Sprinkle cheese over top.
7. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until cheese is melted and starting to brown lightly. Serve immediately.

Photo courtesy of www.Pillsbury.com

These bite-sized appetizers are flaky, spicy and easy to make! They always disappeared quickly when I brought them to Superbowl parties. Like the pesto pinwheels, it’s easier to slice these if you chill the rolled dough for at least an hour. The Mexican pinwheels can be make in advance and reheated prior to serving.

I clipped this recipe a few years ago, and it differs slightly from the one found on Pillsbury’s website.

Mexican Confetti Pinwheels

Yields 24 pieces

1 can (8 oz) refrigerated crescent rolls
1/4 cup nacho cheese dip
1/4 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped green onions

1. Unroll dough and separate into 4 rectangles; firmly press perforations to seal.
2. Spread dip on rectangles to within 1/4 inch of edges.
3. Sprinkle with bell pepper and onions.
4. Starting with short side, roll up each rectangle; press to seal.
5. If desired, wrap rolled dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour.
6. Preheat oven to 375.
7. Using a serrated knife, cut each roll into 6 slices; place on ungreased cookie sheet.
8. Bake 11-15 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Remove immediately and serve warm.

Meaghan sent me the recipe for her quick and easy Cheesy Nacho Dip. The creaminess of the cream cheese blends quite nicely with the spice of the salsa. It’s a breeze to put together and is quite the crowd-pleaser. This dip can be assembled in advance and heated immediately before serving. Serve warm with tortilla chips.

Cheesy Nacho Dip

8 oz. block of cream cheese
8 oz. bag of shredded cheese
one jar of salsa.

1. Spread the cream cheese across the bottom of a glass pie plate.
2. Spread your desired amount of salsa on top of the cream cheese.
3. Sprinkle the shredded cheese on top of the salsa.
4. Microwave on high for 3-5 minutes, until the cheese is melted.

Lisa sent me her favorite recipe for Crab Rangoon.

Here’s what she has to say about the recipe: “At least according to my Chinese food connoisseur husband, this version tastes just as great as the restaurant kind, and it is MUCH MUCH healthier. We usually use imitation crab meat rather than real crab meat. We also have tried it without crab altogether and it comes out very tasty as well. Wonton wrappers can usually be found in the produce section of the supermarket.”

According to the Taste of Home website, you can enjoy two of these crap rangoon appetizers for only 83 calories!

Crab Rangoon

Yields 7 servings (2 appetizers per serving)

3 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese
1/8 teaspoon garlic salt
1/8 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 pouch (3.53 ounces) premium crabmeat or imitation crabmeat, drained
1 green onion, chopped
14 wonton wrappers

1. In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese, garlic salt and Worcestershire sauce until smooth.
2. Stir in crab and onion.
3. Place 2 teaspoonfuls in the center of each wonton wrapper. Moisten edges with water; bring corners to center over filling and press edges together to seal.
4. Place on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Lightly spray wontons with cooking spray.
5. Bake at 425? for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.

My cousin Sue regularly brings these pesto pinwheel appetizers to family gatherings. These appetizers are light and flaky and have a delicious pesto and Parmesan flavor. They’re best when served warm. However, they can be made ahead of time and reheated immediately before serving.

Pesto Pinwheels

Pepperidge Farm puff pastry sheets (package of 2)
7 oz. container of pesto
Grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg, lightly beaten
water

1. Let pastry sheets thaw until soft, then roll out flat.
2. Spread 1/2 of the pesto onto each sheet.
3. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over pesto.
4. Roll pastry sheet up, wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least an hour.
5. Preheat oven to 350
6. Slice rolled pastry sheet in 1/4 inch slices.
7. Place slices on baking sheet, about 1 inch apart.
8. Mix lightly beaten egg with a small amount of water to make an egg wash.
9. Brush slices with egg wash.
10. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until pastry starts to brown.