Collector of Stories | Faith and Family
What amazing gifts I see daily in the spring! As Phillip Keller said, “Whenever I am afield or outdoors, there steals over me the acute consciousness that I am confronted on every hand by the superb workmanship of my Father. It is as if every tree, rock, river, flower, mountain, bird, or blade of grass had stamped upon it the indelible label, Made by God.” I agree!
To say my husband likes salsa is an understatement. He has been known to eat a half gallon of salsa all by himself in one week. He can eat salsa on almost anything! Anyone who knows him knows his love for salsa and nachos. Chips are an excuse to eat more salsa. We have salsa making parties where the whole family gets involved chopping onions, tomatoes, peppers, and cilantro. It’s a happy day for the whole family when Lawrence decides to make salsa. Today I am going to share Lawrence’s salsa recipe that he developed from lots of salsa making!
Small Batch Salsa
4 cups chopped tomatoes
3/4 cup chopped onion
2 Tablespoons fresh jalapeno pepper
1/2 cup fresh cilantro
1/2 cup of lime juice
Big Batch of Salsa
4 quarts chopped tomatoes
4 cups chopped onions
1/4 cup chopped fresh jalapeno peppers
2 cups cilantro chopped
2 cups lime juice
Whichever batch you make you just chop all the veggies and mix in a bowl. Then dig in. Or wait a bit It only gets better and better.
By the way, did you notice my amazing bowl? A gift from my dear friend Betty!
There are many reasons to make your own seasoning mixes. First, it is much more economical to put together your own seasoning mixes. You should check for places that sell herbs and spices in bulk for added savings. You may want to divide the cost with a friend. You can make a whole lot of taco seasoning in a few minutes and save some money too. Secondly, you know the ingredients and can adjust for those who have allergies. Many taco seasoning packets have gluten in them.
Today I will share a couple of Taco Seasoning recipes.
Taco Seasoning Mix (Recipe I believe originally came from Gentle Spirit Magazine back in the early 1990’s )
Ingredients:
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 teaspoons minced onions dried
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano or Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch ( I would omit this)
This was the original recipe I used. I multiply this and keep it in a glass jar.
This will season 1 lb. of ground beef which has been cooked and drained. Add 1/2 cup of water and original recipe of the seasoning blend. ( About 2 Tablespoons) Simmer 10 minutes. This will make enough meat for 8-10 tacos
Here is the latest recipe I have started using. You can find it at the web address below.
https://neighborfoodblog.com/2015/04/taco-seasoning-recipe.html
I still multiply it and keep it stored in a glass pint jar. It can be used to season taco meat or chicken or pinto beans.
You may remember my sanity garden from last year. ** Well, my herbs are growing again. I actually had the oregano all winter but it is growing and spreading with spring. So happy to see my mint again too. Old friends. Planting perennials is a gift that keeps on giving. Plant perennials herbs, strawberries, apples, grapes, etc.
**In case you missed my post about my sanity garden last spring here it is!