Homemade Salsa Tips

Although tomatoes are the most common base ingredients for salsas, vegetable salsas and fruit salsas have become more popular.

• Tomato Salsas: The most common ingredients for these tomato-based salsas are tomatoes, onions and chiles. Even though fresh tomatoes are available year-round, dried and even canned tomatoes can be used. These tomato salsas work well in any dish requiring a tomato product; they can also be used to top pasta or they can even be pureed and used as a sauce.
  
• Vegetable Salsas: Most vegetables work well as the base flavor of such a salsa. Popular choices include corn, beans, cucumber, artichokes and eggplants. Many can be warmed and served in place of a vegetable. Some of the lighter vegetable salsas work well as a salad dressing.
  
• Fruit Salsas: The combination of spicy and sweet is a favorite so it should not be surprising to find that fruit salsas are popular, especially pineapple, peach, mango and melon. Fruit salsas can be served hot or cold. Try them with fish or poultry. They work great as a topping for ice cream or as a filling for a pastry.

Zuni Gold Beans - Recipe

OLD FASHIONED BAKED BEANS
2 cups dry ZUNI GOLD BEANS
1/4 lb. BACON, cut in pieces
1 medium ONION, chopped
1 medium GREEN PEPPER, chopped
2 Tbsp. MESQUITE MEAL
1/2 cup KETCHUP
1/4 cup prepared MUSTARD
1/4 cup BROWN SUGAR

Rinse and sort beans. Cover with water and soak overnight: OR bring to a boil for 5 min., remove from heat, cover and let rest for 1 hour. Drain, rinse & cover beans with water. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer approximately 1-1/2 hours or until nearly tender. Set aside. In a skillet over medium heat, render bacon till crisp. Remove bacon and set aside. To skillet add onion and saute till transparent. Add onion, bacon grease and all remaining ingredients (including rendered bacon) to beans. Mix together. Place in an oven-proof dish and bake uncovered, in a 350º oven for approximately 1 hour. Serves 6-8.

Blue Corn Meal Griddle Cakes - Recipe

BLUE CORNMEAL GRIDDLE CAKES
1/2 cup BLUE CORNMEAL
2 tablespoons CORN OIL or MARGARINE
1/2 cup ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR
1/4 cup DRY MILK
1 teaspoon BAKING POWDER
1 cup WARM WATER

Combine dry ingredients well. Combine oil and water, add to dry ingredients and beat well. Heat griddle on medium heat. Drop cakes by small spoonfuls onto hot, greased griddle. Turn when underside is brown. Corn meal tends to settle to the bottom, so stir gently between cooking batches. May be necessary to add more oil to griddle between batches.

Anasazi Beans w/Sun-Dried Tomatoes - Recipe

ANASAZI BEANS W/SUN-DRIED TOMATOES
2 cups dried ANASAZI BEANS
2 Tbsp. OLIVE or VEGETABLE OIL
1 med. ONION, chopped, or 4 T. dried
1 clove GARLIC, minced, or 1 t. powder
1 can (4 oz.) chopped GREEN CHILE or 1 med. fresh, chopped
1/4 tsp. ground CLOVES
1/2 tsp. ground CINNAMON
1/4 tsp. ground CUMIN
2 Tbsp. SUN-DRIED TOMATOES
SALT & PEPPER to taste

Rinse & sort beans. Cover with water & soak overnight; OR bring to a boil for 5 minutes, remove from heat, cover & let rest for 1 hour. Drain, rinse & cover beans with water. Bring to a boil, cover & simmer approx. 1-1/2 hours or until nearly tender. In a skillet, saute onion & garlic in oil until transparent. Add this mixture & all remaining ingredients to beans. Simmer uncovered for 1 hour, until tender, stirring occasionally. May be necessary to add water during last hour of cooking. Serves 6.