Category: Dips and Things

If you love the zesty, fresh flavors of green salsa, you’re in for a treat. Salsa verde, a versatile Mexican condiment, can be the star of many meals. This green sauce is delicious with everything from tacos to grilled chicken, fish, or roasted vegetables. The beauty of a recipe for salsa verde lies in its adaptability—you can experiment with different peppers, adjust the acidity, and add herbs to make it uniquely yours. Here, we’ll explore the classic recipe for salsa verde, discuss the best peppers, and look at some variations you can try to create your ultimate version of this bright, tangy salsa.

Choosing the Best Peppers for Salsa Verde

The type of pepper you choose plays a crucial role in the overall flavor and heat of your salsa verde. Here are a few common options, with a guide on how they might affect your recipe:

1. Jalapeños: These are the most popular choice for a mild to moderate heat level. They’re widely available and bring a slightly grassy flavor that complements the tomatillos well.

2. Serranos: If you prefer a spicier salsa, go for serrano peppers. They are hotter than jalapeños and add a sharp, almost citrusy heat.

Basic Recipe for Salsa Verde

Here’s a classic recipe for salsa verde that yields about 2 cups. It’s simple to make, requiring only a few ingredients and basic cooking techniques. Feel free to tweak the measurements to suit your taste.

Instructions

1.Prepare the tomatillos and peppers: Preheat a skillet over medium-high heat. Place the tomatillos and peppers in the skillet and cook until they are slightly charred and soft. This takes about 5-7 minutes. Alternatively, you can roast them in the oven at 400°F for 15-20 minutes.

2. Blend the ingredients: Transfer the charred tomatillos and peppers to a blender or food processor. Add the onion, garlic, cilantro, and lime juice. Blend until smooth or leave it slightly chunky if you prefer a bit more texture.

3. Season: Taste the salsa and add salt as needed. You can add more lime juice for extra acidity or a splash of water if the salsa is too thick.

4. Serve: Pour your salsa verde into a bowl and enjoy it with tortilla chips, over tacos, or as a sauce for meats or vegetables. It stores well in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Variations on Salsa Verde

The recipe for salsa verde is highly adaptable, and small changes can lead to big differences in flavor. Here are a few variations to make it your own:

1. Add Lemon or Lime: While lime is more traditional, adding lemon juice instead of lime gives the salsa a slightly different, more rounded acidity. Try using a mix of both, or experiment with the ratios to find your perfect balance.

2. Roasted vs. Raw Ingredients: Roasting the ingredients, as in the basic recipe, adds a deeper flavor, but if you prefer a brighter, fresher taste, you can use raw ingredients instead. Simply blend raw tomatillos, peppers, onions, and garlic with lime juice and cilantro for a different take.

3. Add Avocado for Creaminess: If you enjoy a creamy salsa, add half an avocado to the blender. This makes the salsa richer and smooth, great for dipping or as a topping for tacos.

4. Use Different Herbs: While cilantro is classic, adding a few leaves of mint or basil can add a unique twist to your salsa verde. These herbs complement the freshness of the tomatillos and peppers beautifully.

5. Extra Spices and Seasonings: Some people like to add a pinch of cumin, a dash of oregano, or even a sprinkle of smoked paprika or boullion to deepen the flavor. These additions can give your salsa verde a more complex profile, making it ideal for grilled meats.

Tips for Perfecting Your Salsa Verde

– Texture: Decide whether you want a chunky or smooth salsa. Blending briefly gives you a chunkier salsa, while a longer blend will create a smoother sauce.

– Control the Heat: Always taste your peppers before blending. If a pepper is too spicy, you can use less of it or remove the seeds to reduce the heat.

– Balance the Acidity: Tomatillos bring a natural acidity to salsa verde, but lime (or lemon) juice enhances it further. Add the citrus in small amounts, tasting as you go.

– Storage: Salsa verde tastes best fresh but can be refrigerated for up to a week. Store it in an airtight container, and remember that it may thicken slightly in the fridge, so add a splash of water to reach the desired consistency before serving.

Making Salsa Verde Your Own

One of the best things about salsa verde is that it’s a recipe you can make your own by experimenting with ingredients and textures until you find a version you want to eat over and over again. Whether you prefer it mild or spicy, smooth or chunky, there’s a salsa verde variation for every taste. Don’t be afraid to try different combinations of peppers, add an unexpected herb, or adjust the acidity to make a salsa verde that’s uniquely yours.

In the end, a recipe for salsa verde is more of a guideline than a strict set of rules. With a few core ingredients and the willingness to experiment, you’ll be able to create a delicious salsa verde that elevates your meals and keeps everyone coming back for more.

Fall is pumpkin season, a time for cozy flavors and seasonal kitchen projects. Pumpkins are incredibly versatile, and preparing them at home can make dishes fresher and more flavorful. Whether you’re looking to make a creamy pumpkin puree for soups and pies, crispy roasted pumpkin for salads and sides, or crunchy pumpkin seeds as a tasty snack, this guide on how to prepare pumpkins will add to your confidence in working with these beautiful garden jewels.

Choosing the Right Pumpkin

When it comes to cooking, not all pumpkins are created equal. For most culinary purposes, look for smaller “sugar pumpkins” or “pie pumpkins.” These pumpkins have a sweeter, smoother flesh and are easier to handle than large carving pumpkins, which tend to be stringy and bland. Choose a pumpkin that feels heavy for its size with a firm skin and no soft spots. I have chosen a jarrahdale pumpkin (isn’t she gorgeous?).

How to Bake Pumpkins for Pumpkin Puree

Pumpkin puree is the backbone of countless fall recipes, from pies to soups to muffins. While canned pumpkin puree is convenient, making it from scratch brings a deep, earthy flavor and natural sweetness.

 What You’ll Need:

– 2 small or one average sized pumpkin

– Baking sheet

– Parchment paper or Silpat liner

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Preheat the Oven: Set your oven to 400°F (200°C).

2. Slice the pumpkin in half using a sturdy knife. Be careful, as pumpkins can be tough to cut. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and fibrous strands. Save the seeds if you want to roast them later.

3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (optional for easier cleanup). Place the pumpkin halves cut-side down on the sheet.

4. Roast the pumpkin in the oven for 40-50 minutes, or until the flesh is soft when poked with a fork. The skin may start to collapse and pull away from the flesh.

5. Let the pumpkin cool for a few minutes, then scoop out the flesh. Discard the skin.

6. Add the cooked pumpkin flesh to a food processor or blender and puree until smooth. If the puree is too thick, add a small amount of water as needed.

Storing Your Puree

Fresh pumpkin puree can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week or frozen for up to three months. Portion it out in airtight containers or freezer bags, and you’ll have ready-to-use puree for soups, pies, or even smoothies.

How to Roast a Pumpkin

Roasted pumpkin cubes make a delicious side dish or a versatile ingredient to add to salads, grain bowls, or pasta dishes. Roasting caramelizes the natural sugars, bringing out a rich, nutty flavor.

Serving Ideas

Roasted pumpkin can be enjoyed on its own, tossed with greens and grains, or stirred into pasta. Leftovers can be refrigerated and added to meals throughout the week. Roasted beets pair beautifully with this preparation. Find Your Guide to Baking Beets Whole here.

How to Roast Pumpkin Seeds

Pumpkin seeds are nutritious and make for a crunchy, savory snack. They’re packed with protein, fiber, and healthy fats and can be easily seasoned to your liking.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Rinse the seeds thoroughly in a colander, removing as much of the pulp as possible. Spread them out on a paper towel or clean kitchen towel to dry.

2. Preheat the Oven: Set your oven to 300°F (150°C).

3. Once dry, place the seeds in a bowl. Drizzle with a small amount of olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and add any spices or seasonings you like. Toss to coat evenly.

4. Spread the seeds in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally (every 10 minutes) to prevent burning. The seeds should be golden and crispy when done.

Storage

Once cooled, store roasted pumpkin seeds in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. They make a great snack on their own or a crunchy topping for soups and salads.

Tips for Working with Pumpkins

– Save the Skin: In some recipes, you can leave the skin on, especially if you’re roasting thin wedges. Pumpkin skin becomes tender and adds fiber and a subtle earthiness to the dish.

– Experiment with Seasonings: While pumpkins have a sweet, mild flavor, they pair well with both sweet and savory spices. For a sweet treat, try cinnamon, nutmeg, or brown sugar; for savory dishes, experiment with garlic, rosemary, or cayenne.

– Use Different Cooking Methods: Besides baking and roasting, pumpkin can also be steamed, boiled, or sautéed. However, baking and roasting are best for bringing out a concentrated flavor.

Nutritional Benefits of Pumpkin

Pumpkin is packed with nutrients and is relatively low in calories. Here are some of the health benefits:

– High in Beta-Carotene: The bright orange color of pumpkin is due to beta-carotene, an antioxidant that the body converts to vitamin A. This nutrient is essential for immune health, vision, and skin.

– Good Source of Fiber: Pumpkin contains both soluble and insoluble fiber, which helps with digestion, blood sugar regulation, and satiety.

– Rich in Vitamins and Minerals: Pumpkins are loaded with vitamins C, E, potassium, and magnesium, all of which support cardiovascular health, immune function, and overall well-being.

Final Thoughts

Learning how to prepare pumpkins at home is rewarding and allows you to enjoy its fresh, vibrant flavors in various dishes. Whether you’re aiming for a smooth puree, caramelized roasted cubes, or crispy seeds, these methods will help you make the most out of this seasonal favorite. Enjoy the warmth, color, and taste that pumpkin brings to your autumn meals! For more information on delicious fall eats, see our guide to baking beats whole.

Apple butter is one of those timeless kitchen creations that carries the warmth of home in each spoonful. For many of us, the scent of simmering apples brings back cherished memories, like watching my grandmother slowly cook apples until they transformed into a deep, rich spread. I loved her apple butter for its simplicity, its versatility, and the way it made everything from morning toast to a bowl of vanilla ice cream taste like a cozy, spiced celebration of autumn.

The Beauty of a Simple Recipe

Sometimes, the simplest recipes are the best. Apple butter requires only a few ingredients and some time to allow the apples to cook down and caramelize. Unlike some recipes that rely on lemon to keep the apples from browning, apple butter skips that step, embracing the natural color change that occurs as the apples simmer. In the end, everything will turn a lovely shade of brown, creating a spread that tastes even better than it looks.

Beyond being easy to make, apple butter is also a fantastic way to use up an abundance of apples. Whether you have apples from a trip to an orchard or just a surplus from the grocery store, apple butter allows you to transform those apples into something that will last for weeks, even months. Let’s dive into the essentials for making apple butter and look at a few ways to put a unique spin on this comforting classic.

A Basic Apple Butter Recipe

The key to a good apple butter recipe lies in cooking the apples low and slow, allowing the natural sugars to caramelize and the flavors to deepen. While each family has its own take, the following recipe provides a solid foundation.

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Apples: Core and chop the apples; you can leave the skins on, as they’ll break down during cooking or can be blended later for a smoother texture.
2. Cook the Apples: Place the chopped apples in a large pot or slow cooker with the apple cider or water. Cook on medium heat until the apples start to soften, then lower the heat and cover, letting them cook until they are very soft, stirring occasionally.
3. Add the Sugar and Spices: Once the apples have broken down, add sugar, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt. Adjust the amount of sugar based on how sweet you like your apple butter and the flavor profile of your apples.
4. Reduce the Mixture: Uncover the pot, stirring occasionally, and continue cooking on low heat. As the mixture thickens and darkens, you’ll see it turning into that classic apple butter consistency.
5. Blend to Perfection: Use an immersion blender or a regular blender (carefully, if hot) to blend the apple mixture until smooth. If you prefer a chunky apple butter, skip this step.
6. Continue Cooking: To achieve a thicker consistency, continue cooking after blending, stirring regularly to prevent sticking. The longer it cooks, the richer and thicker the butter will become.
7. Cool and Store: Once done, allow the apple butter to cool. Transfer it to sterilized jars and store in the fridge for up to three weeks, or process in a water bath for longer storage.

Customizing Your Apple Butter

The beauty of apple butter lies in its adaptability. While cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg are classic spices for this spread, you can play with different spice blends to make it your own. Here are a few variations:

How to Enjoy Apple Butter

One of the best things about apple butter is its versatility. Here are a few ways to enjoy it beyond the classic toast:

• On Breakfast Foods: Spread it on warm toast, muffins, pancakes, or waffles. It’s a fantastic topping for oatmeal or overnight oats, adding natural sweetness and flavor.
• As a Dessert Topping: Apple butter pairs beautifully with vanilla ice cream, pound cake, or crepes. Swirl a spoonful into yogurt for a quick, fall-inspired treat.
• In Savory Dishes: Use it as a glaze for roasted meats like pork or chicken. The sweetness of the apple butter adds depth and complexity to savory dishes.
• In Baking: Apple butter works as a filling for thumbprint cookies, a spread for pastries, or even as an ingredient in cakes and muffins.

Preserving and Sharing Apple Butter

Since apple butter is often made in larger batches, it’s a wonderful gift for friends and family. You can preserve apple butter by canning it in sterilized jars, making it a lasting treat that you can enjoy throughout the year. Plus, gifting a homemade jar of apple butter is a thoughtful way to share the season’s bounty and your love of homemade traditions.

Tips for Perfect Apple Butter

• Choosing the Right Apples: A blend of apples works best for apple butter. Tart apples like Granny Smith or McIntosh add a bit of tang, while sweeter varieties like Fuji or Honeycrisp bring natural sweetness.
• Adjusting for Thickness: If you want a thicker apple butter, you can cook it down longer or even cook it uncovered for the final hour to evaporate more moisture.
• Sweetness and Spice Levels: Feel free to adjust the sugar and spices to suit your taste. Taste as you go, especially if you’re trying a new spice blend.

A Tradition Worth Keeping

For me, apple butter is more than just a spread; it’s a reminder of family and simpler times. Watching my grandmother carefully simmer her apple butter, tasting it as it thickened, and filling jars with the fragrant, spiced spread was an experience filled with warmth and nostalgia. And now, each time I make apple butter, I get to recreate those memories and pass them along.

Thinking of preserving your apple butter? Check out our introduction to canning jars, lids and pressure cookers here.

When I started gardening, it all seemed fairly simple. Bury the seed, grow the seed, store the winnings. But it quickly became evident that the winnings I was accruing were being produced in numbers that my freezer just could not accommodate. Green beans, peas, carrots, and dozens of other crops were ready in the garden. Without another freezer and without a cold storage area, I was really going to miss out on sustained enjoyment. And that was the point of all this effort in the first place – food security! All at once I realized that I would need to have a future in canning if I wanted to make this work. But canning jars, lids, and ‘debubbling’ were all so foreign to me. Finally, I went on Marketplace and bought what seemed like a garage full of canning supplies from an older lady who was scaling back, and began the process of making mistakes, learning, and doing it all again. Here are three things I wish I knew when I started learning about canning meat and produce.

1: Used Lids Are Too Risky

When I bought boxes full of canning jars, lids and rings, I thought I was all set! The result was losing several jars to a poor seal. What I learned is that while it is perfectly fine to reuse rings and canning jars, lids (the flat top to your jar), and rings should be new. The reason is that the ring relies on achieving a seal between the glass and the rubber that lines the underside of the ring. After being used, or after being stored for too long, the rubber on the lid can dry out and become too rigid to hold a perfect seal. This results in much cussing from yours truly – after hours of canning work this is disappointment that I cannot bear and you shouldn’t either. If you’re new, buy new lids unless you have a seasoned canner in your life who can check them and advise. If your lid doesn’t seal, it will pop up and down when you press on it and, eventually, you will see signs of mold or other signs of spoilage on the food itself. If you don’t have a good seal on a jar – put it in the fridge to be used right away. Do not put this jar into storage, because the spoilage is a risk to anyone who eats it. And no one wants to die of a pickled beet.

2: You Can’t Water-Bath Everything

When I was young, I’d watch my grandmother water bath apple juice after picking the absolute abundance of apples in her modest yard. The process looked fairly simple, though there were lots of opportunities to burn myself so my involvement was limited to peeling apples. If I had been older, I’d have asked more questions and found out that, while you can water bath many things, you can’t water bath just as many – and it all comes down to the acidity of the item you’re canning and how much it needs to be cooked.

What is water-bath canning?

Water bath canning means that the sterile jars are packed with produce and then immersed in boiling water to process. This process is preferable (in my opinion) to pressure canning because you don’t need to mess with a pressure canner, weights, etc. Fruits and vegetables often have enough acidic properties (4.6 or below) to effectively kill bacteria in a water bath. Some things, like tomatoes, may need some added acid in the form of lemon juice, vinegar or citric acid before being water-bathed.

3: You’ll Need Some Hardware (canning jars, lids, seals…)

Anyone who tells you it’s cheap to get started with gardening and canning hasn’t purchased a pressure cooker, large stock pot, or the propane to run the show. While these are one-time expenses, it’s important to be aware of what you’ll need to ensure that you’ll have everything ready when you are. Remember, you’re saving a ton of money at the grocery store by canning your own meat and produce and you’ll be able to use it again and again. At minimum you’ll need:

• A canning funnel
• A stainless ladle (choose one that will be well-proportioned to the funnel you’re using)
• A magnetic jar lifter (get one that’s rubberized to reduce slips)
• A large stock pot or pressure cooker
• A guide to canning times etc. (Ball makes a good one) or see this video of best canning and preserving books!

Embarking on a journey to master the use of canning jars, lids, and rings, can seem intimidating but it is a simpler process that you’ve likely conjured in your head. The real challenge is the time it takes to complete! Regardless, I’ve come to love canning and look forward to seeing all my jars neatly lined up in the pantry. It’s pretty, it’s easy to identify, and it is ready when you are – no thawing required!

Unexpected Advantages of Canning Jars, Lids and Pressure Cookers

Embarking on a journey to master the use of canning jars, lids, and rings, can seem intimidating but it is a simpler process that you’ve likely conjured in your head. The real challenge is the time it takes to complete! Regardless, I’ve come to love canning and look forward to seeing all my jars neatly lined up in the pantry. It’s pretty, it’s easy to identify, and it is ready when you are – no thawing required!

Expanding your canning skills can lead to unanticipated successes in the kitchen! Experimenting with different spices, herbs, and flavor combinations can turn ordinary produce into extraordinary treats.

Canning allows for the preservation of seasonal abundance, ensuring that the flavors of summer can be savored during the colder months.

Finally, mastering the art of canning opens up opportunities for sharing homemade gifts with friends and family. Handing someone a jar of homemade salsa or pickles, knowing that it was crafted with care and expertise, adds a personal touch to gift-giving occasions. It’s a way to share not only food but also the joy and satisfaction that comes from creating something with one’s own hands.

In conclusion, while the journey into the world of canning may seem daunting at first, the rewards far outweigh the initial challenges. With patience, practice, and a willingness to learn, anyone can become proficient in the art of preserving food. So, roll up your sleeves, gather your supplies, and embark on a culinary adventure that will enrich your meals and bring joy to those around you.