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Well we  planted our garden yesterday. That just gets me in the mood for some of my Homemade Salsa Recipe. Last year I found a good base recipe online and I have been tweaking it ever since. This brought me to the conclusion that  salsa is a recipe of ones individual taste. That means you start with a good base and add flavors you like. Experiment, because that is what will make it your family favorite.

Some of the ingredients that I have changed, added or substituted are simply a  matter of taste.  For instance, I substituted lemon juice for lime.  When at all possible I use fresh, not from a jar. I love the taste of a sweet vadalia onion  and Roma tomatoes so I use those whenever possible. I am not a person who likes the challenge of eating the most hot foods to the point  I appear to be having an allergy attack.  However, the right amount of addicting heat  to keep me eating is just right. I use a jalapeño along with some red pepper flakes. Most salsas don’t have olive oil but I add a small amount because I like the texture.

So whether you like tomatillos or red tomatoes, then go for it.  Find a good base and run with it.  Referring to my post on growing your own herbs, how much better will your salsa taste using jalapeño or cilantro picked fresh from your herb garden? Make it your recipe.

Summer harvest, here I come!

Suggestions: Salsa is delicious fresh or good after flavors marry for a day. Serve as a dip. Serve it over grilled fish with Mexican Rice. Enjoy it with or on your foods. Cut back on calories and use baked chips.

It is a good habit to cook and experiment with fresh herbs. When I am trying a recipe and it calls for a fresh herb, I love having it within reach. I have come to find that I usually like recipes with many of the same fresh herbs so I like to have my own home grown herb garden. Herbs are actually easy and fun to grow. You can buy herbs ready for transplanting in the spring like the rest of the vegetables. You can even buy kits and grow them inside during the winter. I was given a herb garden for Christmas so started it before spring to get a head start. Don’t wait for your grocery shopping day to make a recipe. Have what you need right in your very own garden.

Some recipes call for dried herbs for a reason which is usually so the herb or seasoning doesn’t steal all the flavor, but complement. More times than not, when something calls for a fresh herb, it is because that is what will make it magnifico! I like to make my own marinara to have at any given time and it always taste better after the seasoning has married. Try this Homemade Marinara Recipe with fresh parsely. Let me know what you think and good luck on the good habit of growing your very own herb garden.

I love family traditions. That includes getting together for family meals and events like the one coming up this week, Easter. Probably like most families, we eat certain things for some family traditions. This Easter Meal we are Breaking Out of the Proverbial Egg and trying something different. We will still have ham and the fixings but we are going to try new recipes.

Usually there is a family planner person for get togethers and I am that person for our family. What that means is that I have learned that I don’t have to make everything myself.  Now there can be an upside to taking on this sometimes daunting task. You can pick recipes and ask family members to make them.  For example, my mother-in-law usually makes a coconut cake so I am passing on a Yummy Coconut Cake Recipe for her to make this year.

So whether you do an Easter Brunch or Easter Meal, here are some menu ideas and recipes. Happy Easter Gathering!

Easter Brunch
Sauteed Mushroom and Cherry Tomatoes topped with Eggs Over Easy
Chocolate Strawberry Cookie Crisp with Cream
Maple Glazed Sour Cream Donut Holes
Champagne Limoncello**  Cocktail
Non-Alcohol Sun Rise Mimosa
Coffee

**Homemade Limoncello

Easter Meal
Baked Ham with Rosemary and Sweet Vermouth
Deviled Eggs with Smoked Salmon and Herb
Apricot Glazed Carrots
Sweet and Sour Green Beans
Garlic Herb Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes
No Knead Overnight Parmesan and Thyme Rolls
Fresh Coconut Cake
Iced Tea