Sweet and Spicy Salsa Recipe

We're into the crock-pot season now, and I've been seeing some mighty good crock-pot recipes out in the blogland. Maybe you've been following this week's recipes at Kitchen Hospitality. If so you know about my crock-pot stewed tomato recipe. The stewed tomatoes were from my kitchen garden where the tomato vines are growing wild and huge. Most of the tomatoes have gone into homemade salsa recipes I make. The newest salsa recipe is a result of the stewed tomatoes. I had never made stewed tomatoes but have used canned stewed tomatoes in plenty of recipes. I cooked the tomatoes in the crock pot and let them set a couple of days in the fridge then made the salsa. This sweet and spicy salsa is delicious.
Enjoy my recipe:

Sweet and Spicy Salsa

Fresh Stewed Tomatoes (enough to fill a blender)

1 Jalapeno Pepper

1 Serrano Pepper

1 Red Chili Pepper

Red Chili Spice (to taste; look for the spices in small clear plastic bags)

Fresh Cilantro

Salt (to taste)

Garlic Powder or Fresh Garlic (to taste)

Onion Powder (to taste)

Chop peppers with cilantro in the blender. 

Mix in the Fresh Stewed Tomatoes. 

Ready to serve with chips or on burritos.

See those yellow specks in the salsa? It's not corn. It's yellow summer crookneck squash from the garden.
I'm linking up to

• Simply Link Party. 
• Tasty Tuesday 
• Tea Rose Home Link Party

Cinnamon Rolls

Treat yourself to a melt-in-your-mouth cinnamon roll for a delightful Panera Bread dessert. I walked into a Panera Bread with my husband and observed the desserts, but my eye was fixed on one set up on a high pedestal. A huge cinnamon roll. Ignoring my yearning for the sweets, I moved forward and placed our soup and sandwich order. We set our laptops in a cozy corner with a table and enjoyed our hot and tasty meal then got to work online. After awhile my husband amazed me when he asked, "Would you like a cinnamon roll?"
Of course, I had to answer, "Yes!"
I love cinnamon rolls. When I was a teen growing up in Texas, my family and I used to frequent a little family restaurant that had buttery cinnamon rolls. Just thinking about it makes me almost taste it. Another cozy feeling I like is to curl up in a comfy sofa or chair with a book, cup of coffee - and a hot, buttery cinnamon roll.
Imagine these tasty ones for autumn:
PUMPKIN CINNAMON ROLLS

Source: theblissfullycontentlife.blogspot.com via Melissa on Pinterest

CINNABON  CINNAMON ROLLS

Source: the-girl-who-ate-everything.com via Tracy on Pinterest

MAPLE CINNAMON ROLLS

Source: jamiecooksitup.blogspot.com via Carmen on Pinterest

Garden Stewed Tomatoes

Tomatoes from my kitchen garden have been plenteous, and I had to decide what to do with the ones still in the fridge. I decided to make stewed tomatoes in the crockpot so the tomatoes wouldn't spoil. Now I'll use the stewed tomatoes to make a spicy salsa. Here is the recipe for the stewed tomatoes:

Garden Tomatoes (enough to fill at least half of a crockpot)
1/2 cup sugar
Salt
Pepper
Onion powder
Garlic Powder
Garden Yellow Crookneck Squash (optional)

Slice the tomatoes and mix in the crockpot with the seasonings. I happened to have a squash from the garden and added it to the other ingredients. You can add any of your garden vegetables and cook with the tomatoes. Cook in crockpot 3-5 hours (I cooked my on high for that long.) Cool. Use for any tomato recipes.

When the tomatoes and squash were cooking, the aroma reminded me of stewed tomatoes and okra that my mother and grandmother used to cook. Another idea I had was to make tomato soup from the stewed tomatoes. Any other ideas on stewed tomato recipes? But what I'm going to do with this particular batch of stewed tomatoes is make my spicy salsa. The salsa should taste spicy and sweet!

The stewed tomatoes came from this batch of tomatoes!

I'm linking up to:

• Fresh From The Farm Recipe Swap 1

Garden Vegetable Goulash

Make goulash using your garden vegetables like yellow squash and tomatoes with hamburger. Like spicy? Try this recipe:

• Garden Tomatoes (5-6, more or less)
• Yellow Summer Squash, quartered and sliced
• Jalapeno Peppers (1)
• Red Chili Pepper (1)
• Green Onions, chopped
• Dried red chili pepper spice (comes in a bag)
• Garlic Powder
• Salt (to taste)

My kitchen tomato garden has been producing an enormous amount of tomatoes. Some are big round ones - I think those are the Better Boy tomatoes that I planted. The ones that really took off in abundance are the Roma tomatoes. They are the funniest looking Romas I've ever seen. Some of them curve on the end, making them look deformed. No matter. They are tasty and perfect for goulash and salsa. The recipe listed above was made yesterday. It can be served with crackers or tortillas as a delicious meal. This week's Garden Vegetable Goulash was especially tasty because it included fresh garden tomatoes and yellow summer squash, the longest squash that has come from my square foot garden yet.

To top it off I made salsa with the garden tomatoes. Then I mixed a little of the salsa into the remainder of Velveeta cheese I had on hand. If you like cheese dip, do try this one. It is delicious and spicy, and it's hard to stop once you delve in.
Angie's Homemade Salsa
Garden Tomatoes (enough to fill approx. 3/4 of a blender)
Jalapenos (2)
Red Chili Pepper (1)
Red Spicy Chili Seasoning, measured to taste (in a bag)
Cilantro (to taste)
Garlic Powder
Green Onions (1/2 of a batch)
Chop peppers in blender first. Add tomatoes, onions, and spices and mix. Serve with Garden Vegetable Goulash or mix with Velveeta cheese as a dip.

I'm linking to:

• It's a Blog Party

Autumn Squash

Yellow summer squash tastes good in any season. My mother often planted a garden and always made sure she had plenty of yellow summer squash. Her favorite way to cook them was to slice them thin and pan fry them according to these ingredients:

• Yellow summer squash
• Butter (to taste)
• Onions (sweet yellow), chopped fine
• 1-2 T sugar
• Salt and pepper (to taste)
• Wash the squash well, and slice thin.

Put all ingredients into pan. Barely cover with water and boil until vegetables are soft. Serve while hot, or place in freezer containers and put in the freezer for a later time.

My squash garden

Close up photo of my squash garden

My second HUGE squash from the garden the first week of October!

The one that grew quickly!

There is a story that goes with the one that grew quickly. I have a square foot garden, and we have had to water it constantly through the heat of summer. The first squash was good but not very big. I had been noticing that the squash looked so scrawny. My husband added a netting over the garden, and it seems like within only a couple of days the squash took off on a growing spurt. Water and sun are good for a garden, but the desert heat can wipe out a garden if you don't have adequate covering, at least in the case of my squash garden.

Orange Dishes for Autumn

Two delectable dishes that I love look colorful and inviting on an autumn tablescape, Tangy Sweet Yams...

and Orange Cow Ice Cream...

 This

Source: google.com via Stinkweed on Pinterest

Plus This.....

                                              

Makes the Best Dessert!

Source: annies-eats.net via Dana on Pinterest

What makes them both tangy and orange? Orange juice. These dishes can easily be served at home for one or two or for a crowd. Though the yams satisfy a sweet tooth from marshmallows and brown sugar, who could resist a dish of ice cream topped with orange juice poured over it?

Tangy Sweet Yams

5-6 yams, peeled and cut in small chunks 1/3 can frozen orange juice (no water added) 1/2 large bag mini marshmallows 2 cups brown sugar Boil yams 'til tender in electric skillet or large pot on stove. Drain most of the liquid. Add the frozen orange juice, brown sugar, and marshmallows. If it's too tangy, add more brown sugar and marshmallows.

 

HAPPY AUTUMN!

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• It's a Keeper

 

Broccoli and Grape Salad

A salad is the easiest, most fun dish to bring to a gathering.
Today I visited one of my favorite blogs, Beatrice Banks. She is a gracious hostess, an elegant designer, and a wonderful cook. I love creating new and different salads. This one caught my attention today - Broccoli and Grape Salad. The picture of it made me want a bite right then. If you've been looking for a way to serve broccoli in a way your family would love, you must try this one:

Broccoli & Grape Salad

1 head of broccoli cut in small pieces
2 cups seedless red grapes- halved
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1 cup celery- chopped
green onions- chopped

Dressing-
1 cup real mayo
1/3 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon vinegar

Mix together and chill.

I'm so happy that you dropped by to visit today.