Salsa picante!

Salsa in Latin culture...well at least in my upbringing is like the sixth food group. I eat salsa with almost everything...even cereal. Well not really but you get the point. In this recipe I used jalapeno peppers, serrano peppers, tomatoes and a garlic clove. I used two kinds of peppers because that’s what I had on hand. You can stick to just one type…but let me warn you serrano peppers most of the times have more of a kick than jalapenos.

 

You will need the following:

2 Jalapenos Peppers

5 Serrano Peppers

4 Roma Tomatoes-any tomato should work just watch my ratio of 2 peppers to every 1 tomato. If using large slicing tomatoes use 3 peppers.

1 garlic clove

¾ tbsp salt

Yields: 3 1/2 cups of salsa that is tastier than the jar kind!!!!!

 

“So how do I know what is a jalapeno and what is a serrano pepper?” you may ask. Well I am a fudging pepper expert that’s why… well maybe expert is a slight embellishment but I know my chiles. But pictured below are a serrano pepper (top) and a jalapeno (bottom).

 

 

There now you are the pepper expert!
Dont let the size of the serrano pepper fool you. They pack a nice punch.

 

Here is the before picture:

 

So obviously wash your fruit. Yes tomato and peppers are fruit. Well I Googled jalapenos and it’s a fruit. I didn’t know that… thanks google now I can stop losing sleep wondering is it a fruit or a vegetable. Why must you torture me you dam pepper? Why? Now I must roast you….

 

 

So roast your peppers on a comal/griddle until blackened all over. Whiles you are roasting the peppers put tomatoes and garlic in pot and bring to a boil. Once everything is nice and roasted/boiled toss in blender with salt and blend. OOOOPPPPPSSSS i forgot to mention reserve about 1/2 cup -3/4 cup of the water you boiled your tomatoes in and add in blender too.

You can also just boil peppers and all but the roasting adds a nice flavor to salsa. And how cool is it to roast anything....ummm super cool! You will enjoy the roasted pepper aroma as well. Win win!

 

Here is the after picture:

 

 

Taste to ensure correct salt usage. It’s best if you add more when it’s hot so it blends well with salsa. And you now have salsa…. Serve on tacos, burritos, and/or cereal. Enjoy!

Hand over the chocolate and no one will get hurt!

If you want to be my friend…just hand over the chocolate!

Many of you that know me well know that I “have an unhealthy obsession with chocolate” (as I was told at work). Hey there’s no arguing with that statement. Ever see that commercial that asks ‘"Do you dream in chocolate?"

When I see that commercial I always reply
“I WISH”! But I probably would wake up trying to eat my pillow.

So if you want to never be on my shit list here is a little insight to make this sugar and spice and everything nice not hate u…

Hersheys with almond

Turtles-Last xmas my brother Carlos gave me two boxes of this. Best gift!

Milky Way Midnight Dark

Dove Dark chocolate

Worlds Finest Chocolate-Almond

Frangos-Mint

Ferrero Rocher

Silver Dipper’s ZANZIBAR ICE CREAM

(Note the SHOUTY<-not a real word I know-capitals, but I mean real business) Zanzibar ice cream…I mean ZANZIBAR ice cream is a gift from heaven. By far the best chocolate ice cream EVER!!!!

So yeah the above chocolate I can’t resist. But believe me I do not discriminate I LOVE all chocolate except for white chocolate. When Hershey's came out with Cookies & Cream, I had like a marathon of eating those. So its my least favorite, unless drizzled on pretzels.

And I know you are probably wondering…..Do they pay her to name all those chocolates? Does she moonlight as a chocolate sales representative? What is her problem anyway?

No they don’t but if the offer ever came up I would suggest my payment be solely in chocolate. I guess now my secret is out to the masses I am obsessed with chocolate. Lucky for me my name is not Hansel nor Gretel and the cottage is constructed of cake and candy not solely chocolate.

~ME

I’m sure this will not be the last you will see a post about my “unhealthy obsession with chocolate”

Chile Rellenos

Chile Rellenos/Stuffed poblano peppers

I love me some chile rellenos! MMmmmmm I am craving these again as I get this recipe down. So here is what you need for some yummy in your tummy chile rellenos:

Poblano Peppers

Cheese for stuffing (I used the same combo used in my enchilada recipe)

 1 cup of oil

Eggs separated (about 1 for every 2 peppers)

1 tsp salt

1 cup of flour

 Poblano Pepper

So first you will heat up your comal or griddle. We are going to roast the poblano peppers.  If you don’t have either and have gas range stove you can put the peppers right on the flame. We have an electric stove which blows but you get use to it. So roast peppers until almost black all over.

Once all peppers are roasted I put them in a pot and cover pot. This will make the peppers easy to handle for the next step. After about 5 minutes or 300 Mississippi’s remove the lid and start peeling the outer skin and removing seeds from peppers. Leave stem on. I suggest wearing gloves some peppers can be very deceiving and then burn your hands even after about 30 washes. And under no circumstance touch your eyes. Don’t ask! So peppers should look like the following:

Okay peppers are ready to stuff. So stuff your chiles with the cheese mixture. You can also use different filling. I have used chorizo with potatoes once and they were fucking delicious! Anyhow so I use a toothpick to maintain pepper shut so the deliciousness won’t fall out. I then place the stuffed peppers in the fridge to chill them and this makes them easier to handle for the next couple of steps too.

So next put oil over heat at about med heat. Then beat your egg whites until fluffy add salt and then the yolks and beat again.

Take peppers out of the fridge and roll in flour. This can be challenging. I usually bust out my fine street talk to get the peppers to cooperate here! I suggest the same.

Once the peppers are floured up dip in egg fluffiness and insert in oil until golden brown and flip. Note my chile relleno station to repeat process. 

And drum roll please…..

Top off with favorite salsa. Sometime I sautéed onions and green peppers and add a can of Salsa de Pato (spicy tomato sauce) and top off my stuffed chile with that. Serve with rice and beans if you like. Enjoy!