Garden Fresh Salsa

I made this salsa the other day, and it got my husband and I talking.  He said this was the first salsa he learned how to make during his summer in Colorado, 12 years ago.  I remember that summer after he came back from Colorado us running all over Madison looking for a Smart Chopper so we could make this salsa.  We got boxes of fresh tomatoes from the farmers market and made a ton of this stuff.  Might not seem all that strange now, but when you look back to where we were at that time.  I was 20, and going to college 2 hours away from where future husband was going to college.  I can't remember what we did with all the salsa, I just remember making it!

Well if we are still making it today, that has to mean it is good, right?  It is similar to what you would get at a good Mexican Restaurant.  It is fresh, and delicious! Until we moved to Iowa we used to grow everything we needed to make this salsa in our garden.

Garden Fresh Salsa
Printable Recipe

2 or 3 medium size tomatoes (I like Roma's)
1/4 med size onion
4 sprigs cilantro
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp garlic salt
2 Tbls lemon juice
1 jalapeno

Use a food processor to mix everything but the tomatoes.  Get it to a nice fine consistency.  Add in tomatoes, and pulse a couple times.  Leave slightly chunky.

Italian Turkey Cutlets

I love Turkey Cutlets.  They are super easy, fast, and affordable.  And best of all, they don't taste like Turkey.  Those of you that don't like Turkey will get what I am saying.  The Turkey you get at Thanksgiving is Turkey to me.  I am good with having that once a year, but after that, I am good.  Turkey Cutlets though, don't taste like that.  The texture is way different, and I just like them. 

In going through my freezer I found that I had 2 packs of Turkey Cutlets. Score!  I have 2 stand bys that I make with turkey cutlets.  One is you coat in seasoned flour, lightly brown in a tiny bit of oil, top with salsa and cheese.  The other is this Lemon Turkey.  Both good, but I wanted to do something different.  I had one lonely tomato from my garden to use, so I got to thinking.  Then I remembered I also had pesto in the freezer.  I like to freeze it in ice cube trays.  Once frozen pop them out of the tray, store in a bag, and you are good to go.  So this is what I came up with.  The name isn't all that great, but I couldn't come up with a better one!

Italian Turkey Cutlets
Printable Recipe

2 Turkey Cutlets
1 cube pesto (approx 1 Tbls)
1/4 cup diced tomato
1/4 cup Mozarella Cheese
Drizzle Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper

Heat skillet over medium heat.  Drizzle with olive oil.  Season both sides of turkey with salt and pepper.  Once the pan is hot, brown one side of the turkey.  Turn over and top with pesto, tomatoes and cheese.  Cover the pan, leaving a slight opening.  Cook until cheese is melted, and turkey is cooked through.  Approx 5 minutes per side. 

Enjoy with roasted potatoes and a salad for a yummy dinner!

 

Creamy Penne with Sausage

I saw this recipe on That Skinny Chick can Bake awhile ago.  I was immediately sold!  I had tomatoes and rosemary in my garden, and this was the perfect thing to use them in.  Well, I couldn't wait for my tomatoes - they just aren't turning red!  So I used canned tomatoes, and it awesome! As I told you the other day, I am cleaning my kitchen.  That doesn't just include getting rid of magazines and glasses that that were my parents, and haven't been used in 10 years.  That means my freezer and pantry as well.  So I had tomatoes that had been in the pantry forever, I have box upon box of pasta, and I had heavy cream from making this ice cream, that needed to get used.  So I was set! 

I wanted to lighten the recipe up just a tad - so I used turkey sausage, and cut back on the cream and cheese.  If you can't find Italian Turkey Sausage you can use just plain turkey sausage and add Italian seasoning while cooking.  I was out of onion, so I didn't use that part.  I will leave it in the recipe though, because normally I would have put it in!

My 6 year old absolutely LOVED this!  He was skeptical at first, took his first bite....immediately I heard "mmmm"!  I just started laughing, and he didn't get it.  He had no idea he vocally told me he liked it.  He told me he wanted me to dare him to eat leftovers the next day (he hates leftovers), but this he ate.  So thanks Liz for a great recipe!

Creamy Penne with Sausage
From That Skinny Chick Can Bake
Printable Recipe

1 small onion, diced
Drizzle Olive Oil
4 Links Italian Turkey Sausage, casings removed
1 Tbls fresh rosemary
2 bay leaves
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 can Diced Italian Tomatoes
1 pound Penne
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese

Cook Pasta according to the package directions. 

Saute the onion in the olive oil until soft.  Add the sausage.  Brown for a few minutes.  Add rosemary, bay leaves, and crushed red pepper.  Add the tomatoes.  Cook until bubbly and hot. 

Add the cooked pasta, cream and cheese to the tomatoes.  Toss until well combined.  Serve with additional cheese if desired.