Easy Homemade Salsa & Guacamole

I LOVE salsa. I mean, I REALLY LOVE salsa. So much so, that when I make my own salsa, I make a really BIG batch and eat nothing but chips and salsa for the next few days. I like to call this "The Salsa Diet." If you are a salsa lover like me, you will totally understand this sentiment! With a good food processor or blender, making your own salsa is a snap and tastes WAY better than the jarred salsa sold at the grocery store. If you thought you were getting only my salsa recipe today, you are in for a special treat! What's better than fresh, homemade salsa? Fresh, homemade guacamole made with the homemade salsa! It's my secret ingredient that pumps up the flavor!

I teargassed us out of the apartment

When I was pregnant there wasn't a salsa out there that was too spicy for me. I was constantly adding more spice to everything that I made, but that was not enough, so I decided to try and make the grilled jalapenos that is a family favorite at a local family-owned Mexican restaurant here in Plano. I had never grilled jalapenos inside before, so when I grilled these on a skillet in the kitchen, I learned a big life lesson about smoke that comes from hot peppers. A little tip to those are who may not know, jalapeno smoke is just like tear gas, only it stings your eyes as if you had touched one and then rubbed your eyes. Needless to say, I ended up "teargassing" Micah, Andy, and myself out of the apartment when I grilled them on my cast iron skillet. We were forced out of our apartment and sat on the front porch waiting for all the spicy smoke to clear. I had nothing better to do than rest the plate on my pregnant belly and eat all of those tasty grilled jalapenos.

Christina's Sensational Salsa

This recipe makes a large amount of salsa that can be stored in the fridge for up to two weeks, or frozen for later use. The tomatoes, jalapenos, onions, and garlic can all be roasted under the broiler, in the oven, before using in this recipe! It will give a roasted flavor to the salsa.

INGREDIENTS

• 15 Roma tomatoes
• 1 large red onion
• 3 jalapenos, seeded (adjust more/less based on how much heat you want)
• 2 limes, zested and juiced
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 bunch cilantro, de-stemmed
• salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Blend/chop tomatoes in food processor or blender.  Pour tomatoes into a large bowl and set aside.
2. Add the cilantro, onion, garlic, jalapenos to your blender/food processor in the order given. This will help the mixture to blend evenly.
3. Pour the lime juice over the ingredients and then chop them finely with the blender/food processor. Add the mixture to the chopped tomatoes and stir until completely combined.
4. Mix in salt and pepper to taste! 

Christina's Glorious Guacamole

INGREDIENTS

• 4 avocados, cored and peeled
• 1/2 cup salsa (Don't you dare use that jarred stuff...I just taught you how to make really yummy salsa. Do it.)
• 1 Roma tomato, chopped
• 1/4 large red onion, chopped
• any amount of cilantro that seems appropriate to you, chopped
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1/4 tsp. smoked paprika
• salt, to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Mash avocados in a large bowl.
2. Mix in salsa, lime juice, salt, and smoked paprika.
3. Fold in cilantro, tomato, and onion.
4. Enjoy!