Salsas use abundance from gardens

Now that school is back in session, that seems to be the hot topic everywhere I go. "How's school going?" is the question of the day for our children, with the usual response of "OK." The questions really should be directed to the parent. When school begins, it's like the parent starting a part-time job. The homework, PTA meetings and various volunteer duties keep parents hopping.

Whether you want to or not, starting back to school forces the family into a routine real fast.

Back to school also means fall is right around the corner and the end of garden-fresh produce is in our future. A great way to use some of that end-of-the-garden bounty is in salsa. Salsa of every kind is so popular now. All of our recipes today are for salsa and you might be surprised by a couple of them.

Keep this savory sauce on hand as a dip for taco chips, a topping for scrambled eggs, or an accompaniment for Tex-Mex dishes.

Basic Salsa

1 whole clove garlic

1 pound ripe plum tomatoes, cored and finely diced but not peeled

1/2 small red onion, finely chopped

1/4 cup minced fresh coriander or 1/4 cup minced flat leaf parsley, plus 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1 tablespoon lime juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

Combine all ingredients and store tightly covered in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

---

At your next party, try this spread, and in place of the commercial salsa, try the above recipe for basic salsa in its place.

Classic Cream Cheese Salsa Spread

1 (8-ounce) package regular or light cream cheese

1 jar Pace Thick & Chunky Salsa

Chopped fresh cilantro, optional

Place cream cheese on rimmed plate; let stand at room temperature about 30 minutes to soften. Pour Pace Thick & Chunky Salsa over and around cream cheese. Garnish with cilantro, if desired. Serve with vegetable dippers, crackers or chips.

Buckaroo Bean and Bacon Salsa

Vegetable cooking spray

1 cup onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 (15-ounce) can black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained

1 (14.5-ounce) can salsa with chipotle pepper

1 (14.5-ounce) can salsa with cilantro

4 slices bacon, cooked, drained and crumbled

2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped

Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray; place over medium heat. Add onion; sauté 5 minutes or until tender. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute.

Add peas, beans, salsas and bacon; cover and cook until thoroughly heated. Remove from heat; stir in cilantro. Serve warm with fat-free tortilla chips.

The next recipe calls for Sucanat. I was not familiar with it, so looked it up on the Internet. It is a natural sweetener and can be substituted by brown sugar in equal portions.

Citrus Salsa

1 medium navel orange, peeled and chopped

1 large lemon, peeled and chopped

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoons Sucanat brand sweetener or brown sugar

This is quite tasty on baked potatoes, jicama and butterhead or Boston lettuce salad or green veggies.

Mango Salsa

2 mangos, ripe, peeled and chopped

1 medium red onion, chopped

1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves

4 fresh jalapenos, chopped

1 lime, juiced, about 2 tablespoons, with rind grated

Dash salt

Mix together and let chill for at least an hour.

Salsa (low calorie)

3 tablespoons instant minced onion

1 (16-ounce) can tomatoes, crushed

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 dash red pepper, ground

3 tablespoons water

1/4 cup chopped green pepper

1/4 garlic powder

In medium-sized bowl, combine all ingredients; mix well. Place in covered container; chill until ready to serve.

---

Need to use up your cucumbers? Try this cucumber salsa and make a big batch.

Spicy Cucumber Salsa

2 whole cucumbers, seedless

2 medium shallots, peeled and minced

1 1/2 tablespoons jalapeno pepper, minced

1 1/2 cups fresh mint, loosely packed, chopped medium

2 tablespoons Champagne wine vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 teaspoons olive oil

Peel cucumbers in strips for a striped effect. Cut in half lengthwise; remove any seeds. Cut crosswise into 1/8-inch slices. Combine cucumbers, shallots, jalapeno and mint. In a small bowl, combine vinegar, salt and pepper. Gradually whisk in olive oil until combined. Pour over cucumbers and toss gently to combine.

Pineapple Salsa

2 cups minced pineapple

2 medium cloves garlic, minced

3 tablespoons minced fresh mint

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cumin cayenne, to taste

Combine everything, cover tightly and refrigerate.

Strawberry Salsa

1 pint fresh strawberries

3 sweet red pepper

2 green bell pepper

2 tomatoes

1 Anaheim pepper

1/4 cup cilantro

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup lemon juice

1/4 cup Triple Sec

2 tablespoons tequila

1 teaspoon dried red chili pepper

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Combine all ingredients; mix well. Refrigerate overnight to allow flavors to blend.

Last week I mentioned if you knew of any community cookbooks in the area that were available to please let me know so we can tell you about them and how to get one for your collection. I was thrilled to have received several responses. Over the next few weeks we will be sharing recipes from local cooks in their fund-raising efforts.

So, until next time, have a wonderful Labor Day holiday weekend and happy cooking.

Susan McClanahan is administrator at the Cape Girardeau Senior Center. Send recipes to her at smcclanahan@semissourian.com or by mail at P.O. Box 699, Cape Girardeau, Mo. 63701. Recipes published have not been kitchen-tested by the Southeast Missourian staff.