Scalloped Sweet Potato Stacks

If you like sweet potatoes you’ll love this recipe. If you don’t like sweet potatoes, you’ll love this recipe. It’s just that good. Cheese makes everything better!!

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 pounds small sweet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme, divided
• 1 cup (4 oz.) freshly shredded mozzarella cheese, divided OR Gruyère cheese
• 2/3 cup heavy cream
• 1 garlic clove, pressed
• 1/2 to 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• Garnish: fresh thyme

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 375°. Layer half of sweet potatoes in a lightly greased 12-cup muffin pan. Sprinkle with 1 1/2 tsp. thyme and 1/2 cup cheese. Top with remaining sweet potatoes. (Potatoes will come slightly above the rim of each cup.)

2. Microwave cream, next 3 ingredients, and remaining 1/2 tsp. thyme at HIGH 1 minute. Pour cream mixture into muffin cups (about 1 Tbsp. per cup).

3. Bake at 375°, covered with aluminum foil, 30 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Bake 5 to 7 minutes or until cheese is melted and slightly golden.

4. Let stand 5 minutes. Run a sharp knife around rim of each cup, and lift potato stacks from cups using a spoon or thin spatula. Transfer to a serving platter. Garnish, if desired.

Tips from a Kitchen of Reality:

- We made ours with Gruyère cheese… found it at Wal-Mart. Added a nice rich flavor that mozzarella doesn’t have.

- We made these in a bendy silicone baking pan, made it easy to remove them from pan without breaking the stacks.

 

** Original Recipe from: http://www.myrecipes.com**

Potato Parsnip Pancakes

Super easy recipe, great side to eat with soup!

 

Ingredients

- 2/3 cup light olive oil or peanut oil, for frying

- 3 medium Idaho potato, peeled and shredded

- 1 small parsnip, peeled and grated

- 1 small onion, peeled

- 1 egg, beaten

- 1 tablespoon flat-leaf parsley, chopped

- 1 tablespoon chives, finely sliced

- 1 tablespoon dill, chopped

- 3 tablespoons matzo meal, all-purpose flour, or cracker meal

- Salt and pepper

 

Directions

- Heat about 1/3 cup of oil over medium to medium-high heat.

- Drain the shredded potatoes and parsnip, pressing them down in a colander to get their moisture out.

- Place the mixture in a bowl; using a box grater, grate the onion directly into the potato mixture so the onion juices fall into the bowl as well. Add the egg, parsley, chives, dill and matzo meal to the bowl and season with salt and pepper.

- Combine and drop enough batter into hot oil to make 2 1/2-inch pancakes. Add more oil, as needed, and fry cakes in batches until deeply golden on each side.

- You will get about 16 pancakes. Drain cooked pancakes on paper towels and arrange on a platter.

 

Tips from a Kitchen of Reality:

- Actually followed this recipe as written, but did cheat with some dried herbs instead of fresh!

Roasted Corn Salsa

My friend Jenny made this recipe for us last year and I loved it. Never got around to making it last summer but have made it twice in the last few weeks! YUM!! Great reason to hit up the local Farmers Martket! Enjoy.

Ingredients

• 3 ears corn, shucked
• 4 medium tomatoes (about 1 1/2 lb.), chopped
• 2 onions, diced
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• salt and black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce (or to taste)
• 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

Directions

1. Grill corn, turning often, until kernels have softened and are lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Let cool, then cut off kernels from each ear (you'll have about 3 cups).
2. In a large bowl, combine corn kernels, tomatoes, onions, olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper and Tabasco sauce. Add parsley and stir well. Chill until ready to serve.

Tips from a Kitchen of Reality

- The last time I made this I actually used frozen corn. Cooked it in the microwave according to directions, drained it to remove as much water as possible and then threw it in a hot frying pan with a little bit of oil until it browned up. Not as good as fresh corn on the grill, but still really good, and a great time saver.

**Original recipe from www.myrecipes.com**

Bacon and Blue Cheese Potato Salad

Mark needed to take potato salad to work tomorrow, so I went for a new recipe. I get tired of the same old potato salad, you know?!?

Well, it turned out DELICIOUS!! Would be fabulous with burgers right off the grill. Try it, you’ll like it!

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 lbs red potatoes , cut into eighths
• 5 slices bacon
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 tablespoon vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 4 green onions , chopped
• 3 ounces blue cheese , crumbled

Directions:

1. Boil potatoes until tender.

2. Cook bacon until crisp, and cut into one inch pieces.

3. In a bowl, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, vinegar, salt and pepper.

4. Fold in green onions, cheese, potatoes and bacon.

5. Serve immediately or refrigerate.

Potato Parmesan Pie

Another Iron Turkey 2011 recipe, actually comes from weight watchers, only 4 points a serving, but you’d never know it. So good.

Ingredients

- 2 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes

- 1 Tbsp plain dried bread crumbs

- 1 Tbsp plus 2 tsp olive oil

- 1 chopped small onion

- 2 tsp chopped garlic

- 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese plus 1 Tbsp

- 1/2 tsp salt

- 1/4 tsp pepper

- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

- 2 beaten large egg whites

- 1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary

Directions

1. Peel and cube potatoes. Cover with water and cook until fork tender. About 20 minutes. Drain potatoes reserving 1/3 cup of the cooking liquid.

2. Spray spring form pan and dust with breadcrumbs.

3. In skillet heat 2 tsps olive oil and sauté chopped onion and garlic until golden. About 8 minutes.

4. To the potatoes, add reserved cooking liquid, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Mash well.

5. Cool 5 minutes and stir in onion/garlic mixture, cheddar cheese, egg whites, 1 Tbsp olive oil, and rosemary.

6 Spread in spring form, Sprinkle with 1 Tbsp Parmesan cheese.

4. Bake at 350 for 50 minutes, top with be golden.

5. Cool in pan 5 minutes, and cut in 8 wedges.

Tips from a Kitchen of Reality

- We did not use a whole onion, we thought that would be a bit too much.

- This can be made and refrigerated up to a day ahead of time then baked after letting stand at room temp for one hour.

Creamy BLT Coleslaw

Another Iron Chef recipe for 2011… this was a great alternate to the typical coleslaw recipe.

Ingredients

• 4 slices bacon
• 1 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon celery seeds
• 5 cups shredded green and/or red cabbage or packaged shredded broccoli (broccoli slaw)*
• 1 cup shredded carrots (2 medium)*
• 1/2 cup sunflower kernels
• 1/2 cup quartered cherry tomatoes
• 1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions

• Salt

• Ground black pepper

Directions

1. In a large skillet cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon and drain on paper towels, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings. Crumble bacon; set aside.

2. In a large bowl combine the reserved drippings, mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, and celery seeds. Add cabbage, carrots, sunflower kernels, tomatoes, and green onions; toss gently to coat. Stir in crumbled bacon. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer coleslaw to a bowl or storage container; cover and chill overnight.

3. Serve within 2 hours after removing coleslaw from refrigerator; discard any leftovers.

** Recipe comes from Better Homes and Garden.

Wild Rice and Cornbread Stuffing

Thank you Emeril, we loved the new stuffing recipe for Thanksgiving this year!!

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup wild rice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup finely chopped yellow onion
• 1/2 cup finely chopped celery
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Essence, recipe follows
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
• Basic Cornbread, recipe follows, or 4 cups crumbled leftover cornbread
• 3/4 cup chopped toasted pecans
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Lightly grease a 9-inch square baking dish and set aside.

To cook rice, combine 2 cups chicken stock, water, and rice in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook until tender, about 1 hour. Drain rice and transfer to a large bowl.

Heat olive oil in a medium skillet. Add onion and celery and season with salt, Essence, and black pepper. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add parsley and thyme and cook another minute. Remove from the heat and add to bowl with rice.

Add 4 cups of crumbled Basic Cornbread and pecans to the rice mixture and stir to combine. Transfer rice mixture to baking dish. Drizzle remaining 1/2 cup chicken stock and butter over mixture. Bake until cornbread is golden and crispy, about 20 minutes.

Emeril's ESSENCE Creole Seasoning (also referred to as Bayou Blast):

• 2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly.

Basic Cornbread:

• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
• 4 tablespoons melted unsalted butter, or bacon fat, plus 1/2 tablespoon, softened
• 1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Grease a 9-inch square baking dish with 1/2 tablespoon butter.

Combine eggs, buttermilk, and 4 tablespoons melted butter in a large mixing bowl, and whisk to combine. Combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and baking soda in a separate large bowl, and whisk to combine. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Pour batter into prepared baking dish. Bake until top is golden brown and edges have pulled away from sides of pan, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand for 5 minutes.

Tips from a Kitchen of Reality:

- My sister made this and said it was pretty easy. She didn’t put pecans in it and she used Jiffy cornbread instead of making the homemade.

Baked Zucchini with Mozzarella

I'm always looking for a new way to eat vegetables-- after awhile you get sick of cooking them the same old way. And everything is better with cheese, right?! This one is super easy and we loved it. I think I baked mine a bit too long, I'd rather have them a bit crispy, but they were still yummy. Enjoy!


Ingredients:

2 medium sized (or about 5 small) zucchini

Your favorite salt seasoning-- I LOVE Krazy Jane's!!

2 C shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

1. Slice your zucchini into 1/2 inch rings.
2. Lay them out flat on a large greased cookie sheet. Sprinkle with seasoning.
3. Bake in the oven at 350 for about 10-15 minutes or until crisp tender.
4. Take the hot pan out of the oven and sprinkle the zucchini with cheese. Turn the oven to broil, put the cookie sheet back into the oven and let the cheese get all bubbly and a bit browned. This should only take about 3-5 minutes. Watch your oven, time will vary.

Apple and Sweet Potato Casserole

This recipe just sounded like fall to me so I gave it a try. I enjoyed a new twist with two of my favorite fall things, see what you think!

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
½ cup sugar (brown or white)
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. fine sea salt
3 medium sweet potatoes
3-4 sweet, crisp apples (Like Gala or Honey Crisp)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 35o°F. Butter a 9″ x 5″ loaf pan.
Stir together the sugar, cinnamon and salt; set aside.

Peel and thinly slice the potatoes, then the apples. Line the bottom of the pan with a layer of sweet potatoes, overlapping the slices to limit breaks/holes. Next, add a layer of apples. Sprinkle with the cinnamon mixture. Repeat the layers, potatoes, apples, cinnamon sugar, until the pan is filled.* Top with another sprinkle of cinnamon sugar.

Bake 35-45 minutes, until a knife can cut through without much resistance. Let sit for 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

Tips from a Kitchen of Reality:

Mine needed more baking time, but it was still really good.

Crispy Parmesan Asparagus Sticks

I'm usually an olive oil and Crazy Salt kinda girl when it comes to cooking my asparagus in the oven. Saw this recipe and decided to try it. It was tasty! We will definitely be having it again.

Ingredients:

1 bunch of asparagus

2 egg whites

1/4 cup flour

1 cup seasoned breadcrumbs

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

salt and pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lay a wire rack on a baking sheet and coat with non-stick spray.

Snap off the tough ends of each asparagus spear.

On two separate plates, add the eggs whites (lightly beaten) and the panko + flour + cheese.

Season the panko mixture with salt and pepper if desired.

Coat each asparagus spear in egg whites, then lay in the panko mixture and thoroughly cover. If the panko won’t stick, dip back in the egg whites and roll in panko once again.

Lay each spear on the wire rack.

Bake at 425 for 15 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy.

Potato Gratin with Rosemary

Mom made this while we were down in Raleigh for the week after Christmas and it was FABULOUS! I just watched her make it, but she said the only hard/time consuming part is peeling and slicing the potatoes. And although the picture below is not of the one she made... it did look this good! We wouldn't expect any less from Chef Diane!


Ingredients
1 (14.1-oz.) package refrigerated piecrusts (the ones with two crusts in a pkg)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 cups (8 oz.) shredded Gruyère cheese, divided
1 1/2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes
1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2/3 cup heavy cream
1 garlic clove, minced
Garnish: fresh rosemary sprigs

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450°. Unroll piecrusts on a lightly floured surface. Sprinkle rosemary, pepper, and 1/2 cup cheese over 1 piecrust; top with remaining piecrust. Roll into a 13-inch circle. Press on bottom and up sides of a 9-inch springform pan; fold edges under. Chill.

2. Meanwhile, peel and thinly slice Yukon gold and sweet potatoes.

3. Layer one-third each of Yukon gold potatoes, sweet potatoes, and salt in prepared crust. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup cheese. Repeat layers twice, pressing layers down slightly to fit.

4. Microwave cream and garlic in a 1-cup microwave-safe measuring cup at HIGH 45 seconds; pour over potato layers in pan. Sprinkle with remaining 3/4 cup cheese. Cover pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Place on a baking sheet.

5. Bake at 450° for 1 hour. Uncover and bake 25 minutes or until potatoes are done and crust is richly browned. Let stand 10 to 15 minutes. Carefully transfer to a serving plate, and remove sides of pan. If desired, carefully slide gratin off bottom of pan using a long knife or narrow spatula. Garnish, if desired.

Tips from a Kitchen of Reality

Have someone else peel and slice your potatoes ahead of time. :)

Grape Salad

While this didn't sound appealing to me, I loved it when a coworker brought it to a potluck last week. I think I'll serve it in a pretty glass bowl instead of a 9 X 13 pan.


Ingredients:
4 cups each seedless red and green grapes

8 oz sour cream

8 oz cream cheese

½ cup sugar

1 Tbsp vanilla

¾ to 1 cup chopped pecans

1 cup light brown sugar


Directions:
Mix sour cream, cream cheese, sugar and vanilla. Stir in halved grapes. Place in 9 X 13 glass dish. Top with brown sugar and pecans.

Tomato, Mozzarella, Basil Couscous

We had this recipe a few weeks ago at a cookout and have made it twice since. If you like a cool "salad" of sorts for summertime, this is your recipe. Thanks Paige!

Ingredients:
2 cups diced tomatoes
3/4 cup diced fresh mozzarella cheese
3 tablespoons minced shallots
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon lemon juice or balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt, to taste
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 garlic clove, crushed and minced
1 1/4 cups water
1 cup uncooked couscous
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Directions:
-In a large bowl combine the tomato, mozzarella, shallots, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and garlic, toss well then refrigerate, covered, to marinate for 30 minutes.
-In a saucepan bring the water to a boil and gradually stir in the couscous; remove from the stove, cover, and set aside for 5 minutes.
-With a fork, fluff the couscous then let cool.
-Add the cooled couscous and chopped basil to the tomato mixture in the bowl and toss.

Tips from a Kitchen of Reality
- Couscous can be found by the rice and pastas in most stores. I got mine at Harris Teeter.
- Scallions... shallots... green onions. All pretty much the same thing, but green onions are easiest and cheapest to find.
- I used balsamic vinegar.
- I also used more mozzarella, tomatoes, and vinegar than it called for. It's a no fail recipe, so after you make it the first time, add more of what you like and less of what you don't! Less onions for me.

French Potato Salad

My friend Shannon made this for us while we were at the beach back in June, and I just tried my hand at making it. I love that it is a non-mayo potato salad recipe and the fresh herbs give it an awesome flavor. (Not to mention if you have an herb garden it makes you feel "super-gardeny" that you are able to use so much of your own ingredients!)

Thanks for the recipe Shannon... every time I make it I will remember the first time having it with you guys on the screen porch by the beach! YUM!!

Ingredients:
1 pound small white boiling potatoes
1 pound small red boiling potatoes
2 tablespoons dry white wine
2 tablespoons chicken stock
3 tablespoons Champagne vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
10 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup minced scallions (white and green parts)
2 tablespoons minced fresh dill
2 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons julienned fresh basil leaves

Directions:
Drop the white and red potatoes into a large pot of boiling salted water and cook for 20 to 30 minutes, until they are just cooked through. Drain in a colander and place a towel over the potatoes to allow them to steam for 10 more minutes. As soon as you can handle them, cut in 1/2 (quarters if the potatoes are larger) and place in a medium bowl. Toss gently with the wine and chicken stock. Allow the liquids to soak into the warm potatoes before proceeding.

Combine the vinegar, mustard, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and slowly whisk in the olive oil to make an emulsion. Add the vinaigrette to the potatoes. Add the scallions, dill, parsley, basil, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and toss. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Tips from a Kitchen of Reality:
- I used white wine vinegar instead of Champagne vinegar, that stuff is just too expensive.
- I couldn't find scallions at Harris Teeter, so I used green onions instead... and I didn't use as many because I don't especially care for a super onion flavor.
- I used all red potatoes instead of both kinds, because they come in 2 pound bags anyway.

Carrot Orzo

I bought a box of orzo a while back and have been waiting for the perfect recipe to try it in. Turns out this is it! This is a recipe from Southern Living. It's almost like a risotto but easier!


Prep and Cook time: 40 minutes
Servings: 6-8

Ingredients:

8 oz. carrots, cut into 1 inch pieces (about 2 cups)
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 Tbsp butter
1 small onion, chopped
2 cups uncooked orzo pasta
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
3 Tbsp chopped fresh chives
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme

1. Process carrots in a food processor 15 seconds or until finely chopped.
2. Combine 2 1/2 cups of water and chicken broth in a microwave safe measuring cup. Microwave on HIGH 5 minutes or until very hot.
3. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add carrots and onion, and cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes, or until tender. Add orzo and garlic, and cook 1 minute.
4. Add hot broth mixture, salt, and pepper into orzo mixture. Cook, stirring often, 15 to 18 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.
5. Stir in Parmesan cheese, chives, and thyme until blended. Serve immediately.

Notes from Kitchen of Reality:
-I cut this recipe in half and felt like it was about 6 servings. I can't imagine how HUGE of a serving you would get if you made the full recipe and made it into 6 servings.
-I used store bought pre-shredded Parmesan cheese.
-I didn't have fresh herbs so I omitted the chives and used a few sprinkles of dried thyme. I would LOVE to try it with both fresh but I didn't have them and didn't want to pay that much money for them either.
-This is an easy way to sneak veggies into picky kids diets because you can't even really taste the carrots, it just has a wonderful flavor.
-The recipe didn't really say what temperature to cook on once you added the broth mixture. I kept mine at a slow simmer (medium to medium high heat) and it worked well. Make sure you stir often because it will stick to the pot especially toward the end as the broth is absorbed.

Rhina's Tomato Basil Salad

4 medium tomatoes, sliced
2 tbsp chopped fresh basil or 2 tsp dried basil
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp pepper
2 tbsp shredded mozzarella cheese
2 tsp shredded or grated Parmesan cheese

Arrange tomatoes on plate. Sprinkle with basil.

In small bowl, whisk together vinegar, oil, sugar and pepper - pour over tomatoes.

Sprinkle Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses on top. Cover and refrigerate.

Asian Slaw

Here is a great alternative to the traditional slaw recipes.

Ingredients:
1 lb shredded cabbage
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1 cup sunflower seeds
2 pkgs. crushed uncooked Ramen noodles (beef flavor)
1 cup olive oil
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar

Directions:
- In a small bowl mix oil, sugar, vinegar, and Ramen seasoning packets.
- Refrigerate marinade for a few hours or overnight.
- Mix cabbage, carrots, sunflower seeds, and Ramen noodles in large bowl and pour marinade over the top.
- Toss together and serve.

Notes from a Kitchen of Reality:
- After making this recipe the first time, I quickly realized that the marinade makes a lot more than I think the recipe needs. I prefer a little less, so I scale back that part of the recipe by half when I make it. But try it and you decide.
- Bagged cabbage mixes can be substituted for fresh cabbage and carrots -- as well as broccoli slaw mix which we LOVE!!
- The marinade doesn't have to sit long if it's needed in a hurry-- just make sure the sugar and seasonings are well dissolved in the oil.
- A lot of people add slivered almonds-- but I've got the nut allergy so you won't find that here!

Corn Casserole

Thanksgiving- my favorite holiday- is quickly approaching and I thought that this would be a great time to share some holiday favorites. This is my absolute favorite side dish every Thanksgiving, but I actually like it more as leftovers for Friday lunch after a long day of Black Friday shopping.


Ingredients:
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
1 can cream style corn
1 small box Jiffy cornbread mix
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup melted butter

Directions:
Mix all ingredients together and pour in 9 X 13 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes. It should be a little brown on top and pulling away from the edges of the pan.

Notes from a Kitchen of Reality:
- For some reason this is the slowest baking thing in a full oven when preparing all your other Thanksgiving sides. We like to put it in 2 smaller shallow pans, so it cooks faster and is actually done with everything else.

Fresh Salsa

8 large tomatoes (peeled - if you put in boiling hot water for ~5 minutes, they will crack open to peel easier)
3 bell peppers
1 medium onion
2-3 jalapenos (remove seeds)
1 bunch fresh cilantro
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
3 tbsp fresh lime juice
salt to taste

Chop individually in food processor and combine. Can keep in fridge for ~ 1 week (this is not a canning recipe).

Reality Notes: I never follow the amounts exactly - I just make it to taste. If you like hotter salsa, add more peppers. If you like the taste of cilantro, add the whole bunch. If you like oniony salsa, add more onion. Or less of course. Sometimes I add in some hot banana peppers instead of a few jalapeno peppers.

Katherine's Summer Salad

I make this to use up all of those tomatoes and cukes from the garden.

Cut up cukes, tomatoes & onions in bite-sized chunks
Add Parmesan and/or mozzarella cheese (freshly grated is always better)
Toss in Italian dressing
Add S&P to taste

Serve chilled.

Reality Note: I do not like raw onions but it is so good in this recipe.