CREAMY JALAPENO SALSA

It is hard to believe there are only 4 ingredients in this very creamy and very spicy salsa. If you have ever eaten at Taco Deli in Austin, you know they are famous for their amazing salsas, including a sauce called Salsa Dona which I could literally lick off my plate. This recipe is my take on a salsa that really makes everything you put it on taste better. I make it every week, and my husband does not eat any meal without pulling out this sauce. If you do not like spicy hot things, you should walk away now.

---

You only need 4 ingredients….jalapenos, garlic, olive oil, and salt. The recipe calls for 5 jalapenos, but the jalapenos pictured above were really big so I only used 4. This is corona virus time and I have my groceries delivered so you get what you get.

---

Snap off stems off the jalapenos, peel garlic and cover all with water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, once boiling reduce heat to medium high and cook for 25 minutes or until jalapenos are tender. Half way through the cooking process flip the jalapenos over; since they float you need to roll them over so they can cook through both sides.

---

Remove jalapenos and garlic from the pan and place them in a blender. Add salt and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Start on a low speed and work up to a high speed blending for at least one minute. Scrape down sides of blender and blend once again on the highest blender setting. Test thickness of sauce and add additional second tablespoon of olive oil if needed. You do not want the sauce to be too thin, you want to be able to dip a chip and it clings to the chip.

---

I like to put my jalapeno sauce in a squirt bottle that I purchased from HEB. The squirt bottle makes it easy to squirt sauce on your eggs, your enchiladas, or if you are like my husband, you can put it on everything!

---

We can not eat eggs without drizzling jalapeno salsa on top!

---

Once you try dipping your chips into this creamy spicy sauce you will be addicted like we are.

---

CREAMY JALAPENO SAUCE RECIPE

---

Serves: 6 people at one sitting, or 2 people all week
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 25 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 5 jalapenos

• 3 cloves of garlic

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

PREPARATION

1. In a medium saucepan, place the jalapenos (stems snapped off) and peeled garlic cloves and cover with water.

2. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium high. After 15 minutes flip the jalapenos over, since they float they will only cook on one side. Cook for 25 minutes total or until jalapenos are tender and their color changes to a dull green.

3. Remove the jalapenos and garlic from the pan and place in a blender. Add the salt and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Blend on low speed and work up to a high speed. Blend for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the blender, and test for thickness of the salsa. If it is too thick add the 2nd tablespoon of olive oil and blend till smooth and creamy on highest blender setting.

4. Transfer to a squirt bottle for ease of use.

   Note: Store in the refrigerator. It will keep for 10 days. We like it on eggs, on our fish, really any and everything.

---

PRINT RECIPE

---

SALSA ROJA

Every week I make either red sauce or green sauce for my husband and I to enjoy during the week. My husband puts it on almost everything he eats. I like it best on eggs, fish and with tortilla chips. Once you make this and realize how easy it is you will never buy red sauce again. 

---

I prefer making salsa with fresh tomatoes, instead of canned tomatoes. It gives the sauce a better texture and fresher taste. Roma tomatoes work best for this recipe. I tested the recipe using vine ripened tomatoes, but the Roma's worked better since they are less juicy.  Roma tomatoes are oval and elongated. You can use a white or yellow onion. When I make the salsa I use equal numbers of peppers to tomatoes, but I know this is too spicy for most people.

---

Combine all the ingredients except the salt and cilantro to a medium sized pan. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium high and simmer for 10 minutes.

---

Drain the mixture well before adding to the blender. I would not recommend a Nutri bullet for this since the hot mixture will cause an explosion, plus it will blend it too much.

---

Add your salt to the mixture. Add one serrano at a time, and taste for hotness before adding more. Blend till combined, then add the cilantro and blend once more. Let the blender lid open a little, so the steam can escape and not cause a blender explosion. 

---

There is nothing better than warm salsa, chips and a margarita. Enjoy!

---

SALSA ROJA RECIPE

---

Serves: 8-10 servings
Prep Time: 5 Minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 pounds roma tomatoes (about 6 tomatoes)
• 3-5 serrano peppers, stems snapped off
• 1/2 medium onion, peeled and sliced in half
• 3 cloves of garlic, peeled
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 cup packed cilantro, long stems chopped off

PREPARATION

1. In a medium sized saucepan combine tomatoes, serrano peppers, onion, and garlic and add enough water to cover.
2. Bring mixture to a boil on high heat.
3. Once it boils, reduce heat to medium high and let simmer for 10 minutes.
4. Remove tomatoes, onions, garlic and one serrano with a slotted spoon and place in blender. Add salt and blend till smooth. (If the mixture is hot, let the blender top open up a little bit to allow the steam to escape.) Taste the mixture for spiciness, and add more serranos as your taste buds allow. 
5. Add the cilantro and blend once again.
6. Let cool and store in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Note: I like to microwave the salsa, just to warm it up before I serve it, especially if has been in the fridge and I'm serving it on something warm like eggs.

---

PRINT RECIPE

---

CHIMICHURRI SAUCE

Chimichurri is an uncooked sauce that comes from Argentina that is traditionally used as a marinade and sauce for grilled beef. But I love it on fish, chicken, turkey burgers and even vegetables. It is also yummy as a dip served with plantain chips. For years I have used chimichurri to marinate chunks of beef tenderloin, which I later grilled and slathered with more chimichurri during the grilling process...amazingly delicious!  I was trying to replicate a dish we enjoyed during many years of my children's birthday celebrations at a restaurant here in Houston called Churrascos. Now that we are trying to eat less beef, I have been experimenting using chimichurri on salmon, grilled chicken, portobello mushrooms, and turkey burgers. Not only is the green color amazing dripping off salmon or turkey burgers but it adds a garlicky tangy kick to otherwise boring meats and fish.

---

You will need fresh parsley, cilantro, garlic, lemon juice and a shallot. You will also need a food processor. You could also finely dice all the ingredients if you have both the patience and time. I did experiment with making this sauce in my nutri bullet and my vitamix blender, but both methods over processed the mixture which made the herbs bitter.

---

Wash both the cilantro and parsley and dry off the herbs in paper towels. Cut the stems off the bunch. Since they will be going in the food processor, it is OK to have some stems in your bunch.

---

Pack the cilantro into a one cup measuring cup. Repeat with the parsley and put them in the food processor.

---

Peel the shallot and cut the ends off. Then roughly chop the shallot into small chunks. Place in the food processor.

---

Peel and garlic and again roughly chop the garlic and place in the food processor.

---

Add 1 tablespoon lemon juice, the olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper, and red pepper flakes to the food processor.

---

Now you are ready for the food processor to do the work.

---

Blend the mixture till it is smooth and no chunks of shallot or garlic are remaining. At this point you can pour the sauce in a serving dish and cover with plastic wrap. Make sure the plastic wrap is touching the sauce so it will not lose its color. You can leave it at room temperature till ready to serve. The sauce is best the same day, but I have been known to save the leftovers for the next day. The herbs turn darker overnight, but I like to make it and use it for 2 nights in a row.

---

This is my new favorite way to use chimichurri... on a turkey burger with veggies... a healthy, delicious and pretty meal! (The recipe for my turkey burger can be found here.)

---

CHIMICHURRI SAUCE RECIPE

---

Serves: 4 people
Prep Time: 15 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 1 packed cup parsley (large stems removed)
• 1 packed cup cilantro (large stems removed)
• 1 shallot (roughly chopped)
• 3 garlic cloves (roughly chopped)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• black pepper

PREPARATION

1. Wash both the cilantro and parsley. Dry off in paper towels.
2. Gather the cilantro and cut the large stems off. Do the same with the parsley.  (It is fine if some stems remain since they are going in the food processor) 
3. Pack the cilantro into a one cup measuring cup. Place the cilantro in the food processor. Measure the parsley and add it as well.
4. Cut the ends of the shallot and peel the shallot. Cut the shallot into small chunks, and add to the food processor.
5. Peel and roughly chop the garlic and add to the processor.
6. Add the fresh lemon, vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper and red pepper flakes to the processor.
7. Blend the ingredients till smooth and all the chunks have dissolved.
8. You can store at room temperature in a small bowl covered with plastic wrap making sure the plastic touches the sauce, so it will not discolor. Chimichurri sauce is best consumed the same day. It turns a little darker overnight but it tastes the same.

Note: If you do not have a food processor, you can finely mince all the herbs, garlic, and shallots and combine with the remaining ingredients.

---

PRINT RECIPE

---