RON'S SALSA

It is so hot here these days, I understand it is very hot all over the country. Salsa seems to be a hot weather favorite. I usually make fresh salsas this time of the year, using fresh tomatoes, chili's, onions, garlic and cilantro. My hair dresser Ron gave me his recipe. He always made up a large match every year and one year he send out questionnaires for people to judge the salsa. He received rave reviews, so he and his son considered putting it on the market. They decided against that, now he just shares with his friends. Ron and I talk everything from sports to food when I'm getting my hair cut and he was so kind to share the recipe.
If you want to make this up to give your friends, or just have on hand, I suggest you double or triple the recipe and bottle it in fruit jars.
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Ron's Salsa

28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 can original Rotel Tomatoes
3 tablespoon lemon juice
2/3 tsp onion powder
1/2 teaspoon dried cilantro*
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 cup chopped bottled jalapenos
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes

Mix together for serving or heat to boiling and put in sterile jars for canning.

*I like cilantro and I don't think dried has much flavor. If I were making to serve immediately I would add fresh cilantro.

BLACK-EYED PEA SALSA

This appetizer is often called Texas Caviar. I really don't have a recipe for this, but when I serve it I'm often asked for the recipe. So I'll write the basics. Actually that is a good way to cook. Learn the basic ingredients of any recipe and go from there. One of my favorite cooking shows on Food Network was 'Jamie at Home' with Jamie Oliver. He uses a knob of butter and handful of something else. If you practice measuring with your hand, such as how a teaspoon of salt looks and feels in the palm of your hand, you will never have to measure salt in a teaspoon again. Baking is a case where measuring is required, at least for me, but for most recipes, taste is the way to go.

This is a great Super Bowl dish.

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Black-Eyed Pea Salsa

1 large bag (about 4 cups) frozen black-eyed peas or purple hull peas

1 to 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped

1 clove garlic minced

cumin to taste ( try 1 to 1/2 teaspoon)

Olive oil

Lemon or lime juice

Salt to taste

Tomatoes, seeded and chopped

1 bunch of green onions, chopped

Cilantro

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Cook peas according to package directions (don't over cook). Drain .

Mix together, peppers, garlic, cumin, olive oil, lemon or lime juice, and salt.

Add to peas and blend.

Add tomatoes, green onions, cilantro and more salt, oil and/or lemon or lime juice to taste.

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Optional additions:

Black olives, sliced, chopped avocados and cooked fresh or frozen corn.

Serve at room temperature or chilled with corn chips or serve as a salad on lettuce.

CHEESE BISCUITS

In the 1980's I lived in Little Rock, Arkansas for 6 years.  In the 'Heights', a quaint neighborhood of homes build mostly in the 1940's, there were and are still some delightful shops and cafes.  One of those was 'A Very Special Tea Room', a tiny place run by two very fine caterers.   Cheese Biscuits were served with every dish at the tea room.  A Very Special Tea Room is no longer there, but fortunately for us the ladies wrote a cookbook.

CHEESE BISCUITS
From A Very Special Tea Room

1 cup margarine, softened
1/2 pound cheddar cheese, grated
2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Tabasco sauce to taste
2 cups Rice Krispies cereal

Mix margarine and cheese.  Add flour, salt, cayenne pepper and Tabasco sauce.  Stir in cereal.  Roll into small balls and place on a ungreased cookie sheet.  Flatten each ball with a fork.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until crisp.  Store in air-tight container.  The biscuits can be baked and frozen.

AVOCADO AND BLACK BEAN SALSA

I'm working my way through our family of pets, let me introduce you to Alistair, the alpha dog. This is a seven year old picture of Alistair our sixteen year old Jack Russell Terrier.  He isn't quite this handsome anymore, his hearing is going and he really doesn't care much about the squirrels anymore, but we still love him.  He jumped and twisted so much, when he was young, he slipped a few discs, but for a dog that will be seventeen in May, he is doing great.  He even tolerates the puppy Mytymo.

This recipe is not what I consider a winter dish, but it would be great for the Super Bowl or a Friday night get together.  Fresh corn isn't available and roma tomatoes may have more flavor in the winter.  I would use four or five.

Black Bean Corn Salsa

2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed

1 1/2 cup fresh corn cut from ears, cooked or frozen corn cooked

3 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced

1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped fine

2 or 3 Jalapenos, seeded and minced

1/4 cup fresh lime juice*

Salt

Freshly ground pepper

3 avocados, diced

Combine the beans, corn, tomatoes, cilantro, jalapenos and lime juice in a bowl.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Cover and chill.  Before serving add avocados.

Serve with corn chips.  My new favorite is an all natural corn chip with sea salt made by Margaritaville.

*I find a medium lime usually makes about 2 tablespoon juice. 

PIMIENTO CHEESE

I'm sure pimiento cheese sounds like a space filler for this blog, but this is a fantastic recipe. My friend since kindergarden, Martha from Harrison, Arkansas, gave this to me a couple of years ago and it has become a favorite with everyone that tries it. It makes a great sandwiches, but is just as great as a spread with crackers. Don't miss the two additions below the recipe.

Pimiento Cheese

1 1/2 cup Hellman's mayonnaise
1 (4-oz) jar diced pimiento, drained*
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon finely grated onion
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or to taste)
1 (8-oz) block extra-sharp Cheddar cheese, finely grated*
1 (8-oz) block extra- sharp Cheddar cheese, grated*

Stir together first 5 ingredients in a large bowl, add cheeses. Store in refrigerator up to 1 week.

*My friend Pam emailed me she tried this recipe, but she roasted peppers (peeled and chopped them) since she was out of pimientos. She and her husband thought it added an interesting flavor. Something fun to try.

*When I'm in a hurry, I use the pre-grated sharp cheeses from the grocery store, one (8-oz) package coarsely grated and one (8-oz) package finely grated. The extra-sharp is better, but in pinch, the pre-grated cheese will work.


Jalapeno Pimiento Cheese
Add 2 seeded and minced jalapeno peppers.

Pecan Pimiento Cheese
Stir in 3/4 cup toasted chopped pecans.


'Mytymo' pronounced mightymo, is our 9 month old, 9 pound Havanese.
He truly believes he's a really big dog. He loves all animals and all people. A real joy to live with, most of the time. Of course once I get the woodwork repaired and replace a few shoes, things will be better around here.