Recipe: Salsa-y Salsa Fresca

Let's talk salsa! When I was growing up we used to always have an inordinate amount of tomatoes growing in the backyard during the summer. At some point, you can only eat so many tomato salads before you need to branch out, and fast. I thought a lot of people in So Cal made their own salsa but when I asked some of my girlfriends for their recipes they laughed and said they buy stuff from a jar. To be fair, growing up in Southern California means you can get really really good salsa from a jar - not that Tostitos stuff (though secretly that's yummy in a pinch).  I guess we used to make our own because of the WAY TOO MANY TOMATOES thing happening in our backyard.  

Have you ever wondered the difference between pico de gallo (also known as salsa fresca) and regular salsa are? I never really thought about it much until a few months ago when we were talking about it with some friends. I decided to Google it and find out exactly what the difference is. Here's what I found: Salsa tends to have ingredients in it that are cooked in some capacity, and it also tends to have much more liquid. Pico de gallo, tends to be used as toppings on tacos etc. and is made with ingredients that are not cooked. It also tends to be chunkier.  

In the grand scheme of things I like my salsa to have a bit more chunks in it than the blended style. I like to chew it a bit more than slurp it up with a chip.  My recipe isn't a true salsa fresca nor a true salsa which is why I'm calling it the ridiculous name: Salsa-y Salsa Fresca. I've been making variations of this salsa recipe since I was in high school and the recipe has developed over the years. For instance, the roasted corn is now a must have in nachos or in salsa for me.  The nice thing about the recipe, too, is that it's totally modifiable to your tastes. I tend to not use jalapenos because they're too hot for me, but I do use cayenne. I also sometimes add half a cup of black beans to the recipe to make it a black bean salsa.  

*Why is it always overcast on the days I decide to do a food tutorial?? 

*This photo has orange cherry tomatoes in it. I added them because they're so pretty! 

Salsa-y Salsa Fresca

Ingredients: 

3/4 cup diced red onion
3 cups Roma tomatoes diced - remove the seeds and inside stems
3/4 cup corn - frozen or fresh
1 Tbs chives - fresh
Juice of 1 lime
Parsley - fresh or dried
Cayenne pepper - or a jalapeno (too hot for me)
Cumin
Garlic Powder (or you can use fresh)
Salt
Pepper

This salsa develops it's flavors - so I would recommend making it the night before you're going to serve it or at least several hours in advance. Using kitchen scissors cut up your chives so they're 1 cm pieces or smaller and toss them into a large bowl.  Next, heat up a pan. When it's good and hot toss in your corn and shake the pan so the corn makes a single layer in the pan.  Once you've got a good single layer don't touch or stir the corn. What you're trying to do here is roast the corn so it's important to let it sit still. It will take a few minutes (or more if your corn is frozen) to start to get the brown sear marks. You can tell that the corn is really starting to cook when you start to smell what sort of smells like pop corn.  If you're concerned you're burning the corn use a spoon and push around some corn in just one small space.  You can start on your tomatoes while this is cooking.

Okay, so while that's cooking cut your tomatoes in half and scoop out the seeds and centers. You don't want to add the seeds and pulp because it will make the salsa too watery - no bueno. Dice them up and toss them into your bowl.

Check your corn and stir it once when it's gotten a bit brown. You'll want to then let it cook a bit more once you've stirred it so try getting a single layer again.  

Pour your corn into the bowl and then put the pan back on the heat.  Now, it's up to you if you'd like to cook the onion just a bit or not. I like onion, but I don't like the taste to linger around in my mouth for-ever (it feels like forever.) So if you cook your onion for 20 seconds (seriously, 20 seconds, it doesn't need to be longer) it helps the onion maintain most of its crunch while not leaving an onion taste in your mouth all day.  If you use fresh garlic you can also add it in with the onions.  Toss them into the bowl.  You'll want to cut your lime in half and juice that into the bowl too. Zest in a little lime peel too if you want to up the fresh flavor of lime!!

Now to add your spices. Start with your salt and pepper and add a pinch of each. The rest of the spices are based on personal taste so you can add as little or as much as you'd like. I add about 1/4 cumin, 1/8 cayenne pepper, 1/4 garlic powder, and 1/4 parsley.  Usually I let the salsa sit over night and then the next day I taste it to make sure it tastes how I want it. If it's not quite right I add more spices.

This recipe is really flexible.  You can add and remove most ingredients (aside from the tomatoes obviously), and you could also add cilantro. Real Mexican salsa has cilantro, but I can't get over cilantro tasting like soap so I don't add it.

Here's the full recipe. Just copy and paste it into a document and you can print it out!

Salsa-y Salsa Fresca

Ingredients: 

3/4 cup diced red onion
3 cups Roma tomatoes diced - remove the seeds and inside stems
3/4 cup corn - frozen or fresh
1 Tbs chives - fresh
Juice of 1 lime
Parsley - fresh or dried
Cayenne pepper - or a jalapeno (too hot for me)
Cumin
Garlic Powder (or you can use fresh)
Salt
Pepper

This salsa develops it's flavors - so I would recommend making it the night before you're going to serve it or at least several hours in advance. Using kitchen scissors cut up your chives so they're 1 cm pieces or smaller and toss them into a large bowl.  Next, heat up a pan. When it's good and hot toss in your corn and shake the pan so the corn makes a single layer in the pan.  Once you've got a good single layer don't touch or stir the corn. What you're trying to do here is roast the corn so it's important to let it sit still. It will take a few minutes (or more if your corn is frozen) to start to get the brown sear marks. You can tell that the corn is really starting to cook when you start to smell what sort of smells like pop corn.  If you're concerned you're burning the corn use a spoon and push around some corn in just one small space.  You can start on your tomatoes while this is cooking.

Okay, so while that's cooking cut your tomatoes in half and scoop out the seeds and centers. You don't want to add the seeds and pulp because it will make the salsa too watery - no bueno. Dice them up and toss them into your bowl. Check your corn and stir it once when it's gotten a bit brown. You'll want to then let it cook a bit more once you've stirred it so try getting a single layer again.  

Pour your corn into the bowl and then put the pan back on the heat.  Now, it's up to you if you'd like to cook the onion just a bit or not. I like onion, but I don't like the taste to linger around in my mouth for-ever (it feels like forever.) So if you cook your onion for 20 seconds (seriously, 20 seconds, it doesn't need to be longer) it helps the onion maintain most of its crunch while not leaving an onion taste in your mouth all day.  If you use fresh garlic you can also add it in with the onions.  Toss them into the bowl.  You'll want to cut your lime in half and juice that into the bowl too. Zest in a little lime peel too if you want to up the fresh flavor of lime!!

Now to add your spices. Start with your salt and pepper and add a pinch of each. The rest of the spices are based on personal taste so you can add as little or as much as you'd like. I add about 1/4 cumin, 1/8 cayenne pepper, 1/4 garlic powder, and 1/4 parsley.  Usually I let the salsa sit over night and then the next day I taste it to make sure it tastes how I want it. If it's not quite right I add more spices.

This recipe is really flexible.  You can add and remove most ingredients (aside from the tomatoes obviously), and you could also add cilantro. Real Mexican salsa has cilantro, but I can't get over cilantro tasting like soap so I don't add it.

New Bow Tie Patterns!

I've recently added a few more bow ties to my Etsy shop Lavender Paper Hearts and I thought I'd take a minute to share them here today!

The first pattern is a green and blue plaid fabric. If you follow me on Instagram you noticed that I took an order of in-progress bow ties with me on a road trip to a wedding in Pennsylvania. It was a long drive and perfect for finishing these beauties up!

Here are the finished bow ties: a large, two mediums, and a small. They're perfect for pups of all sizes.

Green and Blue Plaid Pet Bow Tie

This fabric I found when I was walking past the remnant bin at Jo-Ann's. It totally caught my eye and I HAD to have it. It's also an optical illusion of sorts. What do you notice first? Do you see the blue soft diamond shape? (Technically called hypocycloids. My husband would want me to point out.) Do you notice the white X shape? That's what I tend to focus on first when I look at this fabric. :) 

  Navy Diamond Pet Bow Tie

I also was working on a navy satin bow tie this week and picked up some black satin too!! So both fancy fabric bow ties are now available in the shop for your fancy pet needs.

DIY Elastic Belt

I don't know about you, but sometimes I find it hard to track down the right belt for certain outfits.  I don't know if that's because the belts I'm envisioning just don't exist or I'm incredibly picky, but I got it in my head that I wanted to try and make my own and the bonus was that it was actually wayyy cheaper than buying one!!  I decided to make a belt with elastic material. I like the gentle stretch of the material and it's easy to work with.  

This process ended up being pretty easy and after a trial and error run (during which I discovered that the clear plastic snaps that seemed like a good idea, were actually defective.) I thought I'd share this super easy tutorial with you!! 

I made this belt from some colorful elastic, like I mentioned earlier, but I also made it snap on (and off) so that it could be swapped out for a different colored elastic depending on how I was feeling and or how it would compliment an outfit. Multiple belts in one!! And even with the purchase of two different colors of elastic, it was still cheaper than buying a belt. 

Supplies: 

Fashion Belt Buckle Notion - The one I used comes in gold, but I painted it silver

Knit Elastic

E-6000 Glue

Toothpick

4 Sew-on Snaps

Thread

Needle

Lighter

You can find all of these items at Jo-Ann's fabrics. Don't forget to use a coupon. If you have an smart phone, download the app and you'll never be without one! 

First, measure out the length you want by wrapping the knit elastic around your waist. You'll want it to be just a little bit smaller than your waste so that the belt has a little give when it's hooked together (this will help it stay on). Also be sure to then add 2 inches back on so that you have a space to add on the sew-on snaps.

You'll need to use your lighter here to lightly seal the edges. Quickly swipe the edge of the elastic through the flame and it should do the trick. 

Next you're going to glue on the pointy side of the snaps. I recommend E-6000 glue because it's strong and sturdy!

I've chosen to glue the snaps on one side, and then sew them on the inside edge so that you won't see the stitch marks when you're wearing the belt. You can see in the photo below that the belt from the front doesn't have any visible marks - the magic is in gluing!!

I eye-balled and ended up putting my glue 1 1/8th inches from the end of the elastic. I used a toothpick to plop down two blobs of glue and then used tweezers to set the nipple side of the snaps (with nipple up) into the glue.

You'll do this with all 4 snaps, making sure they're well-seated into the glue. Let the glue dry for at least a few hours before starting the other side.

Next you're going to hand sew on the other side of the snap. I folded the elastic in half and used the nipples to sort of mark the elastic to show me where I needed to sew on the secondary snap.  Also, be sure to experiment a bit to make sure the snap is the correct side. I accidentally sewed my first one on backwards (which you can see in the photo below)!!

Once you've sewed on all 4 snaps you're basically done. You'll need to just snap your belt notion in place (with the sewed side on the inside) and magic - you're done!

Here's a quick step by step video I made for Instagram. It's fast, only 13 seconds, but it's always a fun challenge to see if it's possible to convey everything in 15 seconds max, and when not having the ability to delete anything or re-record.

Custom Baby Mobile: Family Fun

In July I was commissioned to make a super-duper custom mobile for a special little baby.  Baby's aunt asked me to make a mobile that reflected mom and dad, and their three dogs!

The specifics: Auntie requested that baby's parents be dressed in jerseys from their favorite college football teams - Oklahoma University and Louisiana State University. I was told mom loves to wear black eye liner and fierce eye lashes so I was sure to do them up, and I was told that dad loves to rock a goatee and has bright blue eyes!

*I usually throw in a toothpick to give a sense of the mobile figure's size. 

Look at this teeny tiny jersey!

This gives you a sense of how I built their faces. It takes a lot of layering to get the features just right. 

Here is a photo of two of the puppies in progress. I worked hard to make them as three dimensional as possible.

Here are the photos of the dogs that my buyer sent me: 

 

Bear is a Newfoundland and is a big boy at 200 lbs. 

Drake, a Clumber Spaniel, is actually the smallest at 65 lbs. 

Nancy Reagan is a Great Pyrenees and weighs 130 lbs. 

I did my best to incorporate each puppies specific spots, coat textures, and other details.  

I ended up adding a shopping bag above mom since she loves to shop, and a football above dad.  Did you know footballs have 8 laces? Google told me.  

I included some of my homemade dog treats to the package for the dogs and shipped it off. It's being given to the new parents at their family baby debut party and I hope they love it!! 

You can check out my other baby mobiles in my shop: HERE. Do you have a custom mobile idea you'd like to see come to life? Contact me on Etsy at Lavender Paper Hearts or you can drop me an email at LavenderPaperHearts at gmail dot com. 

Dulce de Leche Ice Cream

It's summertime and officially ice cream season. If I'm honest, it's ALWAYS ice cream season in our house, but summer always seems a bit more legitimate than, say, February.  My dad used to make ice cream when I was younger so making it always reminds me of him. It was always made in the summer months, and often around the 4th of July if we were home (instead of in Indiana). He used to make strawberry and chocolate and sometimes he would mix it up with peach too. I don't even like peaches, but his homemade peach ice cream was always like heaven.  We had a classic ice cream machine that required adding ice and salt around the edge of the ice cream pot and it always seemed to take hours to make... though that could just have been my impatience.  I use a Kitchen Aid ice cream bowl attachment that we got as a wedding present. My pro-tip for using this is to wrap a clean towel around the top of the bowl to help separate the churning ice cream's exposure to the temperature in your kitchen. It helps it set up faster. We were also given a Cuisinart ice cream maker last year when our friends were moving out of the country. Yes, having 2 ice cream makers makes life even more dangerous.

I've been making ice cream for a few years now but I'm always in search of new and inventive recipes. I tend to rely on my 1978 5 ring red binder Betty Crocker cookbook (FAR superior to the newer versions where the recipes have changed) to start the base for my ice cream. My parents got this when they got married and it was used so much when I was growing up. I found mine on Ebay - and they don't go for cheap either because I think people recognize they're superior!!  I've tried other ice cream recipes but the vanilla ice cream is the one I tend to go back to - at least as far as the ingredient ratios are concerned.  I'd also seen a recipe online from the blog My Big Fat Cuban Family for Dulce de Leche ice cream so I borrowed her method of incorporating the actual dulce de leche into the ice cream.

The third thing I tried was trying to lighten up the recipe. I know you're saying, but you dumped in a whole can of dulce de leche, but the base of the ice cream was in fact lighter - I swear!! I'd been reading ice cream recipes over at Cooking Light and they recommended substituting light or fat free Evaporated milk for whole milk in ice cream recipes and also substituting whipping cream with half and half.  Both of the new substitutions are lighter in calories, but still have a heavy milk weight feel in your mouth so your brain doesn't exactly know what it's missing (the calories - do we ever miss calories?).

A couple of days before you want to make your ice cream (or even a week in advance) make your dulce de leche.  There are TONS of methods to make this that you can find online. I tend to do the lazy/quick version where you just dump a can of sweet and condensed milk into a sauce pan at medium heat and stir CONSTANTLY (all over in the pan - don't miss a side or corner) for 10-15 minutes until it gets a caramel color and covers the back of a spoon.  Put it in a glass bowl and cover it with plastic wrap and put it in your fridge to use later.

The night before you'll need to put your ice cream canister in the freezer (if this is the method you're using). While you're at it you might as well make your ice cream custard. You need to your ice cream base to be cold before you put it into your canister. The custard takes maybe 15 minutes to make.

Here's my recipe:

Dulce de Leche Ice Cream 

3 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1 cup Fat Free/Light Evaporated Milk
Dulce de Leche
2 cups Half and Half

In a sauce pan at medium low heat mix together egg yolks, sugar, salt and Evaporated milk. Make sure it's well combined before you then spoon in 3/4 of the dulce de leche.  Whisk constantly - you don't want your eggs to cook like scrambled eggs, you want the whole liquidy goodness to heat up slowly and together. You'll also need the dulce de leche to melt into the milky mixture so make sure you keep stirring.  When the mixture starts to thicken and you see small bubbles start to form along the outside edge of the pan is when the ice cream mixture is done. This is essentially the ice cream starting to boiling - but don't let it really boil a ton. This takes a while, but when it's ready it happens fast.

Another obstacle is that the dulce de leche makes the mixture froth a bit, so make sure you stop once in a while and check to see if you can find the bubbles along the outside of the pan.  Look in the middle though. Do you see the caramel colored ice cream base goodness in the middle? Yum.

Once the base starts to thicken you'll want to take it off the stove and strain it thought a strainer if you have one fine enough. If you don't, drape some cheese cloth over your strainer and it'll help catch some of the imperfections in the base. Pour the ice cream base into a container with a lid and put it in the fridge. Once it's cool you'll want to add in the half and half and then put the base back in the fridge to continue to cool.

Once your base is cold you can start to make your ice cream. I recommend you chill it for at least 5 hours or over night. Now it's ICE CREAM TIMEEEE!!! Follow your ice cream maker's directions for making your ice cream. For mine, I put my frozen bowl in place, add the churning mechanism, and turn on the machine. Then I slowly pour in the ice cream base and then cover the top with a towel. In 20 minutes I've got ice cream!!  A few minutes before the ice cream is done, I spooned in the leftover dulce de leche and let it incorporate into the ice cream. (If your dulce de leche is too thick, try stirring in some evaporated milk to thin it out a bit.)  Scoop the ice cream into a freezer safe container and pop it in the freezer for a few hours to harden up a bit more.  The only problem you might have at this point is not eating it all at once.  If your ice cream is a bit hard when you're ready to eat it - let it sit on the counter for 5-10 minutes or put it in the fridge for 20 minutes before scooping.

Now I know this isn't the greatest photo ever, but we were more focused on getting the yummy goodness in our bellies. Make some and I promise you won't be disappointed. 

What's your favorite ice cream flavor??