I once told someone that I did not like mayonnaise, and they told me ‘that’s because you’ve never had homemade mayonnaise!’  That was the inspiration behind adding this item to my list of things to make – and man were they right.  Mayonnaise actually is very simple to make, yet very tasty and delicious – definitely adds a special something to a run-of-the mill sandwich.  In fact, I had the best ham sandwich of my life today, all because of homemade mayonnaise!  I honestly do not think I will go back to storebought after this – it just can’t compare.  The flavors are much more vibrant than the greasy slimy stuff that comes out of a shelf-stable jar.  I would imagine it will make a fantastic potato salad, tuna or chicken salad, and maybe it will even win me over for cole slaw.  That one I’m still not sure about.  Maybe it will be on my 31 things to make when I’m 31…just kidding.  Another pointer – this also involves raw eggs, so if you are a germ-a-phobe like me, use pasteurized eggs!

Mayonnaise

From Alton Brown, via The Food Network

• 1 egg yolk (this does not get cooked so you may wish to use pasteurized eggs!) 
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
• 2 pinches sugar
• 2 teaspoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon vinegar
• 1 cup oil (I used plain old vegetable, but I bet this would taste pretty good with olive or pretty much any other fairly bland oil.)

• In a small bowl, whisk together egg yolk, salt, mustard powder and sugar.  In a separate container mix together the lemon juice and vinegar.  Add about half of the lemon juice and vinegar to the egg yolk mixture.  Scrape the egg yolks into your food processor (if you are muscle-y and tenacious, you can use a whisk and make this by hand – but I’m not!) and turn on the food processor.  Drizzle in a few drops of the oil, until the mixture lightens in color a bit.  Then add about half of the oil in a thin steady stream.  Add the remaining lemon juice and vinegar next, and finally finish up by drizzling in the remaining oil.  Let sit for about an hour so the flavors meld.  Then spread on your favorite sandwich.  Enjoy!

New Englanders tend to swarm the grocery store anytime there’s snow in the forecast, clearing the shelves of bread, milk and other staples.  I guess memories of the Blizzard of ’78 die hard.  If there’s an approaching storm, I typically try to avoid the grocery store at all costs.  As a recent storm approached, I decided I wanted to take advantage of being snowed in the following day and make salsa, hummus and pita for our snacking enjoyment.   I was the crazy lady combing the aisles in search of tahini (found it with the olives!) and packing my basket with cilantro, jalapeños, garbanzo beans, canned tomato and a bag of flour…not exactly your typical snowstorm fare.

Alas, I was unable to carry out my culinary plans, as two downed telephone poles in the vicinity caused us to lose power for the better part of the day.   No internet or kitchen appliances…how unfortunate!  Tragic, even.

A few days later, I put my food processor through it’s paces and made all of the things that I had planned to enjoy on my snow day.  A dear friend described his wife’s stand mixer as something that “you put things in and food comes out.”  I have to say, this pretty much describes my sturdy 9-cup food processor too!  In mere minutes, I was able to throw together a tasty, custom batch of  hummus .  I used this recipe as a general basis for ingredients and quantities, but adjusted things quite a bit.

This really is the wonderful thing about making your own hummus – you can tweak the ingredients to your heart’s content.  Love garlic?  Throw in several cloves!  Prefer a tangier flavor?  Add some more lemon.   The options are endless.    Grab a can of garbanzo beans and tahini (try to avoid the snow storm crowds!) and get pureeing!

Hummus

1 14.5 oz can of garbanzo beans, drained (reserve the liquid)
2 tbsp tahini
1.5 tsp lemon juice
salt to taste
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 tsp ground cumin

1. Place the garbanzo beans, tahini, lemon juice, salt, garlic, olive oil and cumin in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth.
2. Add small amounts of water or liquid from the canned beans to the hummus, blending well to achieve desired consistency.

For some reason, I always found the idea of making guacamole intimidating until fairly recently.  I don’t know what it was, but the idea of peeling and mashing avocado just seemed too difficult.  But, for the 3rd recipe in my January dip series, I wanted to post my favorite guacamole recipe. 

Guacamole is one of those dishes that can be prepared in many ways to suit many tastes – I personally really enjoy the flavor of the avocado, so I try not to overwhelm it with many spices or other strong flavors, such as tomato.  Feel  free though to modify this however you see fit – I’ve tried it with the addition of diced tomato, with bacon, with cumin, and using lemon juice instead of lime.  You can make it spicy or tame.  No matter which modifications you make, it’s important to remember to make the guacamole shortly before you intend to eat it, or else it will develop a brown color like apples or bananas do when cut and then left out.  (Please note, though the color may be significantly less appetizing, it still tastes fine like this.)  Enjoy with chips or your favorite Mexican-inspired dish!

I think perhaps what intimidated me in the past about making guacamole was not knowing how to choose and prepare avocados – I find it nearly impossible to find a perfectly ripe avocado in the grocery store.  If your grocery store is like mine, the avocados are all firm as can be when you pick them up.  The trickiest part of making guacamole then is timing your avocado purchase accordingly.  If all you can find are firm, unripe avocados – place them into a paper bag and wait for a day or two.  Do not refrigerate them, or they stop ripening!  (On the other hand, if you happen to find ripe avocados and want to keep them from spoiling – put them in the fridge to halt the ripening process.)  To retrieve the flesh – slice the avocado in half lengthwise around the sizeable pit in the center.  Twist the halves of the avocado in different directions – this ought to loosen up the pit and allow you to pull one side away.  To remove the pit – there are a lot of different methods out there, but I would say that the safest is to pry it out with a spoon.  Scoop the flesh out of the tough, leathery peel using a tablespoon. 

Guacamole – original recipe by Lisa!

• Flesh of 2 medium sized avocados
• 1/2 small onion, minced
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 2-3 tablespoons of chopped fresh cilantro (1 tsp of dried cilantro can be substituted – but the flavor just isn’t the same!)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Juice of 1/2 of a lime
• Salt and pepper to taste

Mash the avocado in a bowl prior to adding any other ingredients.  It’s ok if it’s a little lumpy, that will make your avocado have body and character!  Stir in the minced onion and garlic.  Add olive oil and lime juice, stirring until the texture is even.  Add cilantro and stir well.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Enjoy!

When we were engaged, my husband and I registered for the Cuisinart Duet, a combination food processor and blender. Beyond making frozen beverages, I had no idea what I would use these small appliances for, but I registered for them because it was the thing to do and they seemed potentially useful. While unpacking our shower gifts, I thumbed through the enclosed recipe booklet and was surprised to see that many recipes called for the blender, including salad dressings and (Mike’s favorite!) salsa. Thinking that Mike would be equally interested, I shared the news with him: “Guess what? We can use our blender to make more than just frozen margaritas!” Mike responded with “Like frozen daiquiris?” While I ended up using the food processor to make salsa, I often remember this exchange and smile.

We go through lots of salsa in our house. Not only does my husband love it, we often serve it as a simple appetizer when friends visit for dinner. While I think there are plenty of excellent jarred salsa, homemade salsas remain my favorite. I started making this particular salsa a few years ago based upon a Chili’s salsa copycat recipe. Over time, I’ve modified it to suit our particular tastes. That’s the beauty of salsa: it’s completely customizable, super-easy to make and almost impossible to run.

Now go grab your food processor or blender, a bag of chips and maybe even a frozen margarita!

Cumin & Lime Salsa

1 (14 1/2 ounce) can tomatoes and green chilies
1 (14 1/2 ounce) can whole canned tomatoes (plus the juice)
1 tbsp jalapeños chopped (I use more)
1/4 cup yellow onion, diced
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 – 2 tsp lime juice
1/4 tsp sugar

1. Pulse japapenos and onions in food processor.
2. Add both cans of tomatoes, garlic powder, cumin, chili powder, lime juice and sugar.
3. Process all ingredients until well blended, but do not puree.
4. Place in covered container and refrigerate for a few hours before serving.

Last summer, I started a small container garden that consisted of four basil plants. I thought it would be fun to have fresh basil available to top pizzas, pasta salads and other summer dishes. With very little attention from me, my basil grew like a weed. So much so, that I named it “my basil forest.” Since these massive plants yielded more leaves than I could ever hope to chiffonade and toss atop a favorite dish, I started making pesto.

I consulted Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything to learn how to make pesto. Reading his “Basics of Pesto” section, I learned that pesto is a traditional method of preserving herbs (not just basil!) in oil. Pesto can be frozen, without cheese, for several months or stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks (use your discretion).

Making pesto is an amazingly simple process. With five ingredients and a food processor, you can have bright, freshly-made pesto in a matter of minutes.

Pesto
Yields about 1 cup

2 loosely packed cups of basil leaves
salt to taste
1/2 – 2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tbsp pine nuts or walnuts
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (optional)

1. lightly toast the nuts in a dry skillet.
2. Rinse and dry the basil leaves, removing any large stems.
3. Place the basil, salt, garlic, nuts and about 1/2 of the olive oil in the work bowl of a food processor or blender.
4. Process the mixture, scraping down the sides occasionally to ensure that all of the ingredients are mixed uniformly.
5. Gradually add the rest of the olive oil. If you prefer a thinner pesto, add additional olive oil.
6. If cheese is desired, stir in by hand just before serving.

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.

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.