teacher by day - chef by night
We like things spicy around here. So last year when Rich decided that he wanted to grow habaneros, I supported him. Well, who knew that two little plants would produce so many peppers. I think that all year we used about 25 habaneros (and that …
I am not quite sure how I have waited this long to post this AMAZING Dip (or how I have not managed to take a better photo any of the times I have made this, sorry)!! Do you like Ranch? Do you like foods with …
If you are a regular reader here, you may remember that last year my fabulous fiance (who at that point was just a great boyfriend) planted two habanero plants. “Ok”, I thought to myself “how bad can that be”. WELL – two habanero plants led to about 3 million (maybe I exaggerate) habaneros being thrown out. These things were way too hot for most normal use. I mean, I was able to make some soup, and muffins, infused vodka, some delicious pepper flakes, and even a hot sauce that caused us to vacate the house – but we came to the conclusion that Habanero should not be planted at our house.
Fast forward to this year where we planted Jalapenos (not even sure how many plants we have – but it is a lot). Jalapeno Poppers are making regular appearances around here in different variations. Salsa is a common occurrence as well (best when eaten with a spoon – no extra calories then)! But when we were going to be away for a few days and had way too many of these beauties around, I figured why not pickle them!
Jalapeno Poppers are delicious. They also happen to be one of not only Rich’s but also his Father’s favorite snacks.
We had an issue with hot peppers this year, and by “issue” I mean Rich grew habaneros & I evacuated the house while making hot sauce, burned my skin a few times, and also was overwhelmed with the amount of spice and had no idea what to …
Just the other day I was wishing that I had some Tomatillos because I was craving a green salsa! That day just happened to be a Friday and I was getting ready to go over to our CSA. Lo & Behold we got a pound of tomatillos in our pick-up that day. I let out a little cheer and got to researching some recipes so I could make the most of my salsa without screwing it up! This is a mixture of dozens of websites worth of research on Tomatillo Salsa, including Jersey Girl & Tyler Florence.
Now, you may be asking yourself, “Self – what is a tomatillo”. I’m here to help! Tomatillos are a fruit (related to tomatoes) which grows in a paper-like husk that must be removed (and the fruit washed to remove the film from the husk) before using. They are most often picked and used green (although the husk often has a yellowish-brown color to it and like tomatoes, there are many different varieties with different colored fruits). When used fresh they have a slight lemony/acidic flavor to them so roasting them brings out the flavors and softens the skins, but also breaks them down (making them more soupy – not a problem for a salsa). Growing up working at Quiet Valley, we grew these things – but called them “Ground Cherries”. I do not remember what we used them for but I just recently found out they were the same thing! 
That was your lesson for the day, hope that you feel more educated & learned something new for the day (can we tell its back to school time & I will be once again just a “teacher by day” and only a “chef by night”).
This is awesome on chips, used to kick up your quesadilla, on top of grilled meats, eaten with a spoon, mixed into something to spice it up – just enjoy (we enjoyed it as an appetizer before my dad’s birthday dinner & cake celebration).
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Pre heat oven to 400 On a baking tray, roast tomatillos, onion, garlic and jalapenos for 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer the roasted vegetables and any juices on the bottom of the tray to a food processor. Add the cumin, salt, cilantro, and lime juice and pulse mixture until well combined but still chunky.
One year ago: Grilled Fresh Veggie Panini 
Oh yeah & have you checked out my ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY post from earlier his week about an AWESOME Chocolate Ice Cream Layer Cake I made to celebrate Dad’s Birthday and my Blog-iversary??
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And I leave you with this… What fruit/vegetable/etc have you seen at the market and have had no idea what to do with. (AND – did you buy it and experiment or just keep walking?)