SOUTH OF THE BORDER HOT SAUCE

Serve this classic Mexican hot sauce with corn chips or tostados. It is also delicious with cooked fish. Garnish with avocados and jicama.

1 (15oz.) can stewed tomatoes
1/2 of a 4-oz. can mild jalapenos
2 fresh green chile or serrano peppers
1/4 of a sweet white onion
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
1 teaspoon sugar
2 to 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and give a whirl until blended.
Serves 8 

COOKS NOTE: Mix this sauce with sour cream to create a dip that has a smoother, cooler, and milder taste.

"Cooking is not simply in the tongue, in the palate. It is in the whole body flowing out of the groin and chest through arms and hands."~Edward Espe Brown

STRAWBERRY SALSA

It's strawberry time! This is one of the very best salsas ever....the flavors just burst forth in your mouth not only from the ripe berries but from all the other fresh ingredients. Use it to accompany toasted pita triangles, grilled fish, shrimp or chicken.

1/2 of a medium red onion, thinly sliced
1 jalapeno, sliced and minced
1/2 each of a red, yellow and green bell pepper-juilienned
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, shredded
1/2 pint fresh strawberries, sliced
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper

Combine all ingredients. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to 4 hours. Before serving, remove from refrigerator 15 minutes so it loses some of its chill.

COOKS NOTE: You may also substitute blackberries or blueberries.

FORBES SUMMER SALSA

Generous neighbors in the Globe below me share their summer bounties of fresh tomatoes and bell peppers every August and I put them to good use with this flavorful salsa. I never go by the 'per-say' ingredients but rather start with how ever many tomatoes I have and go from there. Use lots of fresh lime juice and cilantro.

2 cups peeled chopped tomato (red & yellow & Heirloom if you have them)
1/2 cup finely chopped Vidalia or other sweet onion
1/2 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
2 to 4 jalapenos, chopped
8oz. tomato sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon fresh oregano or 1/2 teaspoon dried
1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lime juice, don't dare use that 'stuff' in the bottle
1 tablespoon white vinegar

Combine all ingredients. cover and chill well. Becomes better each day as it mingles and marries.

Cooks Note: I make huge bowls of this and don't measure anything just throw everything in by sight and what I have to work with. If you are making large amounts of it to you can by all means throw it in the food processor as opposed to chopping it all up by hand. It is just as good and last years batch we even thought was better than some of the 'chopped' jars I canned. Either way, enjoy it year round this way with chips or in lots of different recipes...uuummm...my Mexican Fudge comes to mind and 'The Best Chicken Enchiladas".