Purple Tomatillos Salsa

You eat with your eyes first, so presentation is key to the level of enjoyment you have when you eat. When food is colorful, you will feel more satisfied with what you eat (and it will give you a bigger following at potlucks).

Salsa is an easy way to create colorful and delicious food. It is a healthy condiment that will enhance many dishes. You can't go wrong when making it either. Use what's on hand, and as long as it is fresh it will create a tasty salsa combination. Here's a preview of the final result:



Ingredients:
8 purple Tomatillos (or regular green ones...we were just excited to find purple ones at the FM)
3 cloves Garlic
3 tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 1/2 jalapeno peppers
2 purple bell peppers
1 chipotle pepper
1 wax pepper

1 Tbsp kosher salt
2 tsp chili powder
2 tsp Cumin
2 Tbsp lime juice

Directions
Chop all ingredients (exempting the already small ones such as salt and spices) finely. Combine all ingredients in bowl and serve. Please do not cut off part of the tip of your finger (as John did) while chopping with the fancy new knives you received as a wedding present because it is gross.

Here's the salsa topping some filling and delicious nachos/taco salad:


To make this, we put down a layer of corn chips then fresh lettuce/greens, vegetarian black been refried beans, some cooked chicken or seasoned ground beef (optional because you already have protein from the beans, sliced tomatoes, a sprinkle of cheese, a large helping of the tomatillo salsa and some slices of avacado. This will be the most filling nacho/taco salad you have ever had and it is relatively healthy too. The tomatillos have less mosture then tomatoes, so you don't run the risk of the salsa making your chips s or lettuce soggy. Best of all it is colorful and full of delicous frest flavors.

The uses for this salsa is endless. Try it on eggs, top baked potatoes with it or eat it plain. We love to stuff omlettes full of it or use it for a mexican flavored pizza. Enjoy!

Okra Tomato Corn Soup

Longing for the okra of his youth, my husband made this Cajun flavored okra tomato corn soup.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
3 clove garlic, minced
3 rib celery, sliced
2 cups chicken broth
4 cups diced fresh tomatoes
10-15 okra
3 cobs worth of corn kernels (cut fresh off the cob)
3 teaspoon Cajun seasoning (we use Penzy's Cajun Seasoning)
dash freshly ground black pepper
salt, to taste

Directions:
In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil and butter over medium-low heat.

Add onion, garlic, and celery; sauté, stirring, until celery is tender.

Add chicken broth, tomatoes, sliced okra, corn kernels, Cajun seasoning, and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, or until okra is tender.


Add salt to taste.

Okra is a fun ingredient that isn't used much in the Midwest. I love that okra has a star shape when sliced.

This Weekend's Garden Harvest

The harvest from our garden was plentiful on Sunday: