Fresh Salsa

I used this for a party and it was excellent. I love fresh salsa, and this was a great recipe. I would definitely make it again. This was from the newer Fannie Farmer Cookbook, and this is my adaptation, not the exact recipe.

I used:

Tomatoes from my garden.

4 medium tomatoes, about 4 c. when chopped
1 small onion, chopped fine
2 jalepenos, diced, seeds removed
Juice of 1 lime
2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. salt
half a bunch of cilantro, chopped (about 1/2 c. chopped)
pinch of oregano (I didn't have this, so I used a dash of Italian seasoning, and it wasn't noticeable).

Mix all ingredients in a bowl, and voila. Salsa. 

This recipe was really great. She calls for 2 cloves of garlic, too, which I would use next time but I was all out. She also uses a can of green chillies, which is just weird to me. So I left those out. It still turned out great, and everyone at the party liked it, especially with the tomatoes from my garden that were super sweet. Even my son ate it, onions and all, which must be some kind of miracle. The only thing I'd change is that it wasn't at all hot, so next time, I might leave the seeds in one of the jalepenos.

Guacamole

Okay, Fannie is usually the cooking bible when it comes to basic recipes. But sometimes, it's just not quite as good as expected.

This is one that, after making once, I will definitely revert to my old recipe. Here's Fannie's advice.

Mash avocado with silver fork.
Season with onion juice, lemon juice, salt and pepper
Mix in mayo and tomato pulp and beat until whipped-cream consistency
Optional add-in: chili powder

I'm used to my guac with a heavy dose of cilantro and garlic, which are notably absent here. After following her recipe, I tasted it and found it way too bland. So I blended in half an onion and 2 cloves of garlic, but it was still a bit bland for me. Plus, it was a really weird, not-green color.

Maybe it's because I've lived in NWA for too long, but I need my Mexican restaurant-style guac!