365 in 365 - #74 - Grilled Salsa

Summer is a great time to play with your food.  As children, we were most likely told to not play with our food and that may have stuck with us throughout our lives......until now.  This home cook blesses you to go forth and play with your food, don't be shy, no one is watching and no one will make you stop.....

Cooking flings open the doors to experiment with different flavors, cooking techniques, new combinations, making a mess, throwing parties and just plain having fun.  

Grilled anything takes on a much different and deeper flavor.  This includes grilling all kinds of fruit.  If it can hold it's shape through cooking, it can be grilled.  

Any of the following fruits can be grilled and used in this recipe:

• Peaches
• Plumbs
• Pineapple
• Mango
• Papaya
• Star fruit
• Cherimoya (I'll have to check the spelling on this one)
• Granny Smith apples (with the skin on)

For the salsa:

1 fresh pineapple, trimmed and sliced into about 1/2 inch slices  and brushed with a bit of olive oil

1 purple onion, sliced, brushed with olive oil

2 limes, cut in half and brushed with a bit of olive oil

Grill the fruit and onion on each side until grill marks are nicely visible.  Limes need only be grilled on the "cut" side.  Time for cooking depends upon how hot your grill is.  Try to avoid direct flame on the fruit.

Jalapeno (1 - 3) and / or serrano peppers (1 - 3) washed and brushed with a bit of olive oil and grilled until charred.  For this part, be sure to wear gloves......peel off the outer charred skin, seed and mince.

1 bunch of cilantro, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper

Chop the pineapple and onion into about 1/2 inch pieces and combine with the remaining ingredients, squeeze in the lime juice, stir and serve. 

This works very nicely on baked / grilled fish, salmon burgers, with tortilla chips, on beef burgers, with turkey chicken and pork / ham.  

I simply know that you will enjoy this wonderful salsa.

Have a wonderful day!!!

S.

365 in 365 - #67 - Mashed Potatoes with Mojo de Ajo and Hatch Green Chiles

Here is a little something special for you......simple, yet very decadent, sweet, spicy and oh so very creamy.  This recipe is a contest winner.

5 - 7 lbs red bliss potatoes, peeled and diced into 1 inch pieces
Cook in a pot of salted water until tender, drain and place back in the pan
Add 1 stick of real butter and 1/2 cup to 1 cup of heavy cream, depends how you like your potatoes
Using a hand held blender, beat on low until blended
Add 1 can of Hatch chopped green chiles
1/2 cup of Mojo de Ajo - mainly the garlic with only a little oil (Recipe #43 on March 14)
Salt & peper to taste

These are guaranteed to please.  Don't worry about the garlic....if everyone eats these potatoes, no one will notice your breath...!!!  ::wink, wink::

Enjoy!!!
S.

Mexican Lasagna - ole`

One of Jason's favorites...and soooo very easy.

Susan's Sensational Mexican Lasagna

Preheat oven to 350’

13 X 9 inch pan

Lg jar of picante sauce

1 - 15 ounce can of tomato sauce

1 can of chopped green chiles

15 lasagna noodles (3 extra, just in case), cooked until al dente

2 rotisserie chickens, meat taken off the bones and shredded

1 - 15 ounce can of black olives, sliced

1 large onion, sliced very thin with rings separated

1 large green pepper, julienned

5 cups mixed cheese, shredded (2 cups Cheddar, 2 cups Monterrey Jack, 1 cup Mozzarella)

Mix the picante sauce, the tomato sauce and the chiles

Place enough sauce in the bottom of the baking dish to moisten it (about ½ cup)

Line the dish with 3 – 4 lasagna noodles, 

spread with 1/3 of the shredded chicken,

1/3 of the onions, 

1/3 of the green peppers

1/4 of the cheese

1/4 of the remaining sauce

Repeat layers, ending with noodles and cover with remaining sauce

Cover with tin foil and place on a baking sheet to catch any liquid that may bubble out

Bake for 1 hour, uncover and turn the broiler on

Spread the remaining cheese over the top and place back in the oven until the cheese is melted and bubbling

Let stand for 15 minutes before cutting.