Salsa - Peach-Cilantro Salsa, 186 &187/365

When I first read the blend of ingredients, I wasn't so sure.   I love this over honey-dijon chicken.

4 Peaches (or nectarines), cubed
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 small red onion, chopped.
Fresh lime juice - to taste

Mix all the above!

Brush chicken with fat-free honey-Dijon, salt & pepper and cook in broiler for 4 minutes on each side.  (I pound the chicken to 1/4 inch thick and place 4-6 inches from the heat source.)  This really is EASY and very tastey.  I couldn't find any fresh peaches so I opted for nectarines.   This recipe is from "5-a-day" the better health cookbook.  I REALLY like this cookbook as it is chuck full of flavorful ideas for fruits and vegetables.

Salsa - Corn Salsa, 181-182/365

This corn salsa is very FAST.

2 cups corn kernals (3-4 ears of corn)
5 Tblspns chopped fresh cilantro
3 green onions, thinly sliced
3 Tbspns fresh lime juice
1 fresh jalepeno, seeded and minced

Boil water in a pan.  Add the corn kernals and cook for a minute or two.  Drain and let cool.   Add everything else and mix.  Add salt and pepper to taste if desired.  Serving size is between 2 - 3 cups.

I usually serve this over chicken & cheese quesadillas, but it goes well with fish quesadillas too.

This recipe was found in "Williams-Sonoma Complete Seasons Cookbook".  I bought it at a second hand book store for $4.00.  This salsa has become a family favorite.

Salsa - Caribbean Salsa, 172/365

This salsa certainly surprised me!  I thought the combination was certainly a recipe for disaster.  I did learn how to tell if a pineapple is ripe.  First of all, if it is fully green, it will never ripen - it should reflect a golden yellow color.  It should smell sweet, if it has NO scent, it is not ripe.  It should be firm to a gently press and only yield slightly.  I thought if a leaf removed easily it was ripe... not true!   I have never tasted a ripe pineapple before, only tasted from the DOLE can... and how unfortunate as I now love pineapple and can't believe what I have been missing!  Another tip is to turn the pineapple upside down to allow all the juices to run through it (for 20-30 minutes).

The following recipe is from 5 a day - the better health cookbook.  I changed it slightly by using a vidalia onion and used a very mild pepper (above).  The store was out of jalapeno peppers.  My son thought it needed a spicier kick and added medium peppers to it.

2 cups watermelon, seeded and chopped
1 cup fresh pineapple, chopped
1 cup onion, chopped - (I used vidalia)
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
2 oz orange juice (I used fresh squeeze)
1 Tbspn jalapeno peppers, chopped

Simply mix all the ingredients.  Cover and refrigerate for one hour in order for all the flavors to mix and blend.

Enjoy this taste explosion!

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This is for "Weekend Reflections"#78.   This was taken while at Disney in Florida last year.  Can't you just feel the summer sun and the lazy day feeling?

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This flower is for "Macro Monday".  I just love pink and orange together!

Salsa - another recipe AND Oriental Lily Photos For You, 165/365

We have a wonderful "grocery" store called The Fresh Market which I love!  But a trip to the local Farmer's Market with produce from local farmers (and not so local) is always fun.

The salsa recipe today is sweet & spicy.  The following are the ingredients:

Sweet Apple & Spicy Chile Salsa

1 orange bell pepper, quartered, deseeded and membranes cut out
1 green bell pepper, quartered, deseeded and membranes cut out
1 green apple, quartered, cored and peeled
2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1-2 fresh habanero chiles, halved, deseeded and membranes removed  (they are spicy and wear plastic disposable gloves when handling)
4 green onions, finely chopped
1 Tbsp maple syrup
2-3 tsp hot pepper sauce
1 Tbsp chopped fresh mint

Of course, the hot sauce and chile should be to taste - this mixture, to me, is rather spicy.

Preheat the broiler and line the broiler pan with foil. Take the quartered orange and green peppers and cook in the broiler for 10 minutes or until the skins are blistered.   Remove and put the peppers into a plastic bag.  let cool for 10-15 minutes.  The skin should peel away nicely.  Finely chop the "meat".

Grate the apple coarsely and put it into a bowl.  Add the lemon juice and stir well as this will keep the apple from turning brown.  Add the bell peppers.  Finely chop the habanero chili and add to the bowl.  Mix ingredients.

Lightly over and let it sit for 30 minutes - DO NOT refrigerate.   Stir again.

I served this with pork medallions.  I put a dash of white pepper, ground red pepper and salt on the meat (1/2 inch thick - I had the butcher slice them for me) and cooked them in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes on each side.  Removed the pork and added 1/2 cup water and 1/4 cup honey to what was in the pan.  Cooked this over medium heat for about 4 minutes or until it started to thicken.  Returned pork to pan and simmered about 2 minutes, turning once.

Of course, you can also eat these with tortillas.  Please come back and visit next Saturday for another Salsa Recipe.  If you missed last week's, click on the "In the Kitchen" Photo on my side bar.

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Help yourself to the photos below.  You may download them or copy them to your photo archive to use in any way you wish.  All I ask is give me credit for the photo.  Thank you.

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And last, but NOT least

I don't usually accept blog awards anymore, because they often require me to list blogs I enjoy and HOW do I select from all the ones I LOVE?  But this award is from a special blog "Shine the Divine".  I have linked you to her "Welcome" page which explains her blog and what it is about - so after reading it, please click on her "Home" page for the most recent posts.  She is traveling a challenging and tough road but her insights to life and its struggles have inspired me and made me reflect upon my own life.   For me, to follow her blog is like a prayer.

I have decided to highlight NEW blogs of which I have recently become a follower.  I do NOT require that you list 8 blogs that you enjoy in order to accept the above reward, although that is what is "expected".  It is up to you.  If you do not wish to participate, there is NO need to let me know.  Just realize  I admire your words and work.  Note:  I noticed at least one of  you just recieved this award.  Consider it a double honor and just know you were double tapped and don't do the extra work of finding 8 more blogs!  Don't you like how I make up the rules as I go along?  ;)

8 New Blogs I Admire: (Click on each title to be transported to their blog)
The Run *A* Round Ranch Report
A Beautiful life in Texas - I used to live their for 3 years and I was a farmgirl growing up.  This blog is a breath of fresh air and creativity.

Kim Klassen Cafe
I have had this blog on my sidebar for a while, but just recently joined a Photoshop internet class that starts Monday.  I have a feeling it will change the way I approach what I do with my photographs!

Artistic Renderings by David Patterson
An artist that I greatly admire and hope to learn a lot from by following his work.

A Year with Rilke
I follow both hosts of this blog which is set up to follow the poet Rainer Maria Rilke.  The daily art work and comments are so inspiring and I have learned a lot about poetry... and life.

Mr. Know It All
This man knows how to have fun and has a "Friday Flash 55" creative writing challenge each Friday.  I have thoroughly enjoyed being a part of this fun!!

Artistic Adventures
Okay, I break my own rule here because she is my daughter!  :)

Songs for a New Millennium
... because he is my son!  :)

Fridge Soup
This blog is a very new find of mine, but many of the people who are the "cooks" I have followed for quite a while.  It is a compliation of whit and charm and I often loudly "gafaw" when reading this site, so beware if you are in public reading it.  Honestly, if nothing else was ever added to this site, it would be worth going through the archives!

Salsa, a recipe and poem, 155-156/365

These are my selections for this weekend's "Movement in March".  Believe it or not, this carp pond is at a doggie "bed & biscuit".  Beautiful place and my doggies go there every once in a while to "socialize" and play with other dogs.

The photo above isn't the best as far as clarity, but I think it is a great idea for a painting.  It is also my selection for "Weekend Reflections".

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I also want to take a moment to highlight a blog that left me in tears (laughter) and one I will follow faithfully form now on.  It is Fridge Soup.  Please click on it and ENJOY!  (and I think it partners along nicely with my photos and poem below!)

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On this day in 1912, the "evil" Oreo Cookie was first sold.  For this weekend's "March Challenge" one of the choices of reflection is something delicious.  I decided to focus on something a little more healthy than the "I can't eat just one" Oreo cookie.  

Salsa

Indigenous Mexican Sauce
Roje, verde, cocida, fresco
(Tomatoes, gooseberry, cooked, uncooked)
Inherited flavor of the Mayans and Aztecs
Colorful, textured, fragrant and spicy
Cilantro, citrus, chili, and corn
Tomatillo, Tequila, and mint
Classic Mexican relish, inspiring others:
Exotic Jamaican, bananas and guavas
Asian peaches, Far East anise
Turkish delight, pomegranate, honey, and figs
Delectable all!  Join me, will you, each Saturday
as I explore this versatile "sauce" for us to
comer y disfrutar!

I was inspired by my trip last week to the farmers market.  I forgot to bring my camera - I was so upset as the beauty just spilled out on the tables even at the end of March!  I didn't ask, but these farmers must have greenhouses or something in which they grow their produce.  My quick "poem" above is not a masterpiece, that's for sure, but I hope it tempted you with checking in next Saturday for my new recipe.  Today's recipe is at the bottom of this post.  Oh, and by the way, "comer y disfrutar" means "Eat and Enjoy".

Ingredients before mixing

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Tomato Salsa

4 ripe tomatoes, seeded, chopped - (about 8 - 10 oz)
1 red onion, finely chopped
1 red jalapeno chile, seeded, finely chopped (size depends upon you!)
1 or 2 garlic cloves (again, up to you), crushed
1 peeled cucumber, seeded, finely chopped
honey to taste (1 - 2 tsp)
1 Tbsp cilantro, chopped
dash of lime juice
pepper

Makes about 1 cup (I doubled this recipe and it was gone in two days!)

Prepare all ingredients and add to a bowl. The fresher the ingredients are, of course, the better tasting the dish will be.  Stir well.  Cover and let stand to let the flavors mix.  Do NOT put in the refrigerator, as the flavor will not sufficiently blend.  Eat with tortilla chips, of course, but this can also be served upon meats or seafood.