Fresh and Fabulous! Fire Roasted Green Chili and Onion Salsa Verde Recipe!!

Let's put some of those fresh, fire roasted green chlies to work for our dinner shall we?  This recipe for fire roasted green chili and onion salsa verde is delicious and super simple!  This goes together in no time and if you already took the time to roast your chilies, then this is doubly easy!

I used about six of the fire roasted chilies for this batch of salsa verde.  I put the chilies along with 1 sweet onion that I sliced and charred on the grill in the blender.  I added 2 or 3 cloves of garlic, a good handful or about 1/2 cup packed of fresh cilantro and a 2 tablespoons to 1/4 cup of lime juice and a teaspoon of salt.  You don't want to leave the salt out here or it will be very bland.

Blend that smooth.  Taste for seasoning.  You can add whatever you like here.  Cumin, lime powder and zest would be great or some oregano and even a pinch of chipotle or cayanne pepper would be nice depending on your heat tolerance.  

I took two additional peppers and one thick slice of charred onion and chopped them roughly.  I added them to the blended salsa and stirred well.  This will give some body and toothsomeness to the salsa and it will also give you a good hearty bite when you dip your chip in there.

You can use this to serve with chips, spoon over a burger or make some wicked chicken salsa verde or even green chili stew.  This is a great base as a cooking sauce for a slow cooker meal or even a quick green chili enchilada at the end of a long day.  I even like this spooned over scrambled eggs.  Divine!

You can also do this with canned, whole green chilies if you can find them, but that will not give you the delicious smoky flavor that you get from the fire roasting.  

So there is something amazing you can do with those roasted chilies we made.  I plan on spooning this over my green chili burger very soon.  I also plan on using this on some eggs for breakfast!  No matter what you use it for, you are not going to want to be without it once you give it a try!

So, as always, I hope you try this and I hope you love it!

Happy Eating!

Noreen's Kitchen

Fire Roasted Green Chili & Onion

Salsa Verde

Ingredients

6 anaheim chilies, fire roasted and peeled 1 large sweet onion, sliced and charred 1/4 cup lime juice

3 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 cup packed, fresh cilantro 1 teaspoon salt

Step by Step Instructions

Place 4 chilies and all but one slice of onion along with cilantro, garlic, lime juice and salt into the cup of a high powered blender or food processor. 

Process until pureed consistency.

Pour into a bowl and set aside.

Chop remaining green chili and slice of onion roughly.

Add chopped chilies and onion to the bowl of puree and stir well.

Taste for seasoning.

You can spice this up any way you like.  Add cumin, oregano, cayenne or even some chipotle powder for a kick.

Enjoy as a cooking sauce or served as a dip or spooned over a burger or in a taco or even over scrambled eggs.

Enjoy!

You can get a printable copy of this recipe here:  http://bit.ly/29rbV4p

You can see how I made this in my YouTube video:

A Twist On A Classic! Mango Pineapple Salsa!

Here is a delicious and fresh twist on salsa that you may not have considered!  Salsa directly translates to simply "sauce" in Spanish do just about anything qualifies.  However we have come to know and love salsa as a dip that is typically full of tomatoes, jalapenos and other peppers along with onions, lime juice and spices.  Today I want to share with you a different kind of salsa that I know you are going to love and that is perfect to take to summer gatherings.  Just as perfect on a chip as it is draped over a beautifully grilled piece of chicken, fish or pork, you are going to want to give this delicious mango and pineapple salsa a try!

I have always been a fan of fruit with grilled meats or even used in a glaze for chicken, pork or fish.  This is like a fresh chutney that will compliment a grilled chicken breast fabulously.  The sweet mango along with the sweet and tangy pineapple complimented by lime juice and the mild heat from both the red onion and jalapeno, this is a real winner.  

One of the secrets to making a fruit salsa like this that is both savory and sweet is the way you cut the ingredients.  I, personally feel that it is important to cut the fruit in a fairly small and even dice and the jalapeno and onion at a mince, which would be even smaller.  You don't want to bite into a big chunk of jalapeno so this will even out the flavors and make everything meld together really well.

This salsa is best when made fresh, but you can make this a day ahead and then store in the fridge until ready to serve.  That way if you are getting ready for a party you won't be chopping things at the last minute!

If you like yours a bit on the spicier side, you can always add a bit of minced habenero pepper if you dare, but be sure to warn guests that you have done that because they may get a very unpleasant surprise!  While a little would be  nice warm heat, a whole pepper may be too much so start off with just a little.  

This mango and pineapple salsa if perfect to take along to holiday picnics and barbecues or even as a nice alternative to a summer potluck or church gathering.  I always love to take something different and seasonal and fresh!  This certainly fits the bill!

I hope you give this fresh and fruity mango and pineapple salsa a try and I hope you love it!

Happy eating!

Noreen's Kitchen

Mango Pineapple Salsa

Ingredients

1 cup diced fresh mango 1 cup diced fresh pineapple 2 tablespoons fresh jalapeno, minced 1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped

1/2 cup red onion, minced 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice 1 tablespoon honey 1/2 teaspoon salt

Step by Step Instructions

Combine all ingredients together in a large bowl and stir to combine. 

Serve with chips or over grilled meats.

Store unused portion in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.

This is best made and eaten fresh so only make what you think you will use in a few days.

You can see how I made this in my YouTube video here:

A Fiesta At Your Table! Pico De Guaco! Fresh Homemade Guacamole!

Many of you know I grew up in Arizona.  Born in New Jersey, but moved to Az. when I was 10 we moved from the pastoral beauty of the garden state to the foothills of the grand canyon state.  That is where my family lived until 10 years ago.  Now we live in North Carolina, the gateway to the south.  While I love where I live now, I love Arizona and I miss her especially when it comes to good Mexican food!  So today I am going to share with you my way of making a great guacamole. 

The name comes from an Aztec dialect via Nahuatl āhuacamolli [aːwakaˈmolːi], which literally translates to "avocado sauce".  Avocados were first cultivated in South Central Mexico to Central America and as far south as Peru.  They made their way into Mexican cuisine and have been a staple ever since.

My version of guacamole is kind of like a combination of two of my favorite things on every Mexican restaurant table.  Guacamole and pico de gallo.  The first you know, the latter, if you don't is a delicious fresh salsa made with tomato, onion, jalapeno, cilantro and lime juice.   You can sometimes purchase this premade, but trust me, fresh made is best.  Take the two dips and mix them together for an amazing, fresh and creamy dip that will have you reaching for the chips or the tortillas or anything else you can think of to dip or smear this heavenly concoction.

The combination is quite simple really.  Mashed avocados, tomato, white onion, jalapenos or if you prefer, finely diced bell pepper, garlic, cilantro, lime juice and salt.  You can also throw in a dash of black pepper, and even some hot sauce.  You control the heat level here so add more or less jalapeno or none at all.  Garlic also provides a bit of heat so you can adjust that as well.  Mash the avocado, mix in everything else and you are all set.  Voila!  Pico -de-guaco!  Grab the chips and enjoy!

A word of warning.  I have seen a lot of recipes where people include either mayonnaise or sour cream as part of the guacamole.  I am hear to tell you that this is just wrong, wrong, wrong.  Guacamole, does not need the addition of a creamy ingredient to be creamy.  Sour cream may be pushing it for me, but mayo is just stepping over a culinary line that one should never go over!  Mayo has it's place in many things, but guacamole is not one of them.  If you are one of those mayo including folks,  this is not a way to call you out.  I will not apologize for this one though!  Keep the mayo for the tuna and keep it out of the guac!  This will conclude the warning part of my blog!  LOL!

This dip is really best made and eaten right away, however you can store this in the fridge for up to three days in an airtight container.  The avocado may tend to brown a little, but you can add a bit more lime juice, but not too much or it will be much too runny to enjoy.  Do that right before you put it away. 

Dipping is the most popular way to enjoy my pico-de-guaco, but for a light lunch think about making a quick wrap with some of the spread on a flour tortilla, topped with more tomatoes, onion and some shredded lettuce.  If you have some leftover grilled chicken or steak, this would be a great addition as well.  Roll that up, cut it in half and you have an amazing lunch ready to go in no time.  Also great for packing to take to work or school for a quick meal on the go! 

I think you are going to love this version of guacamole, my pico-de-guaco is an awesome way to enjoy a southwestern favorite like the kind I grew up eating in Arizona!  I hope you will give this a try and I hope you love it!

Happy Eating!

Noreen's Kitchen

Pico De Guaco

2 ripe avocados, mashed 1 cup diced roma tomato 1/2 cup diced white onion 2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons fresh jalapeno, minced 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, minced 2 to 4 tablespoons fresh lime juice Salt to taste

Ingredients

Combine avocado, tomato, onion, jalapeno, garlic and cilantro together in a bowl.  Blend well.

Add lime juice a tablespoon at a time until you get the right consistency and flavor.  You want this to be thick but not runny. 

Add salt to taste and even some cracked black pepper and or hot sauce if you are so inclined.

Serve with tortilla chips, flour or corn tortillas or as an addition to a guacamole salad like you get on the side at a Mexican restaurant!

You can get a printable copy of the recipe on my website:

http://bit.ly/1OKkHMI

You can see how to pick the perfect avocado in my video here:

http://bit.ly/1To4VpJ

See how I made this in my YouTube video!