Lime Salsa

We are still on a yeast free and sugar free diet. This means no vinegar is allowed, except for apple cider vinegar with the mother. We are not big fans of ACV, and so I made up a new salsa recipe that I could can and keep in my pantry. It is impossible to find a store bought salsa that is allowed for our diet. This is a great recipe. Even though it is canned, it still tastes like a fresh salsa because of the lime juice!

10 cups peeled and chopped tomatoes (I prefer Romas as they are more meaty and less juicy)
3 cups chopped onions
4 bell peppers chopped
3 jalapenos diced, removing about 1/2 the seeds
6 basket of fire hot peppers or any small hot peppers will work, diced and seeds included
1 scant tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
3 tsp. garlic powder
16.5 oz tomato paste
1.5 cups fresh lime juice (about 8 large limes)
2 tsp. pickling salt

Mix all of these together. Simmer for about 30 minutes or longer depending on how much liquid you want in your salsa. Put into hot sterilized jars, and put on hot sterilized lids. Put hot jars into boiling water in a water bath canner. Process for 15 minutes, makes about 8 pints.

Canned Tomato Sauce

3 ice cream pails of tomatoes
2 1/2 lbs onions
2 green peppers
1 or 2 red peppers
2 medium zucchini (optional)
1/2 cup pickling salt
1 cup sugar
3 tsp garlic powder
2 tbsp oregano
2 tbsp parsley flakes
2 tbsp basil
4 bay leaves
36 oz tomato paste

Blend tomatoes in a blender (saves you from peeling all the tomatoes). Add diced or blended onions, zucchini and peppers (depending if you want chunks in your sauce). Add rest of the ingredients. Simmer for one hour. To sterilise jars, place in a cold oven. Turn oven on to 225 F, heat jars for 20 minutes once oven is at correct temperature. Put sauce in hot jars and place in water bath canner. Can the pint jars for 35 minutes and quarts for 40 minutes. Times may change depending on altitude. Take out of canner and let cool. Lids will make a popping sound when they seal and will be concave in the middle. Makes 9 quart jars.

Meat Thukpa (Nepali Recipe)

1 lb. Tibetan noodles, similar to spaghetti, or cavatelli(I used regular spaghetti)
1/2 lb. Lamb, cut into ¼-in. slices (can be substituted with chicken or shrimps)
1/2 lb. Spinach, washed and cut into pieces
1 cup onion, chopped
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1 tablespoon ginger, minced (I used about 1 tsp. powdered ginger)
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon cumin powder
3 fresh chilies, julienned
1/2 teaspoon jwanu (lovage seeds)(I omitted this as I didn't have any)
1 bay leaf
1 cup tomatoes
1/2 cup yogurt
2 tablespoon soy sauce
2 cups lamb broth (I used beef broth)
2 tablespoons musturd oil (I used olive oil)
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro for garnish (optional)

Cook noodles in boiling salted water until slightly undercooked. Drain and rinse. In a sauce pan heat 2 tablespoons of musturd oil. Add onions, fry till light brown. Add turmeric, garlic, ginger, cumin powder, and chilies. Stir well for 1 min. Put the pieces of lamb and brown well. To the lamb mixture add tomatoes, soy sauce, yogurt, broth, jwanu seeds, bay leaf, salt and pepper and cook until the lamb is tender. Add the noodles and stew for 5-7 more minutes. At last, add spinach and fold into the stewed noodles for a minute or so, until wilted. Garnish with chopped cilantro. Serve with roti.

Lentil Soup with Lemon

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
14 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon chili powder, or to taste
1 (32 ounce) carton chicken broth
1 cup red lentils
1 large carrot, diced
2 tablespoons lemon juice, or to taste

Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Stir in the onion and garlic, and cook until the onion has turned golden brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, cumin, kosher salt, black pepper, and 1/8 teaspoon of chili powder. Cook and stir 2 minutes more until the spices are fragrant.
Stir in the chicken broth, lentils, and carrot. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the lentils are soft, about 30 minutes.
Pour half of the soup into a blender, filling the pitcher no more than halfway full. Hold down the lid of the blender with a folded kitchen towel, and carefully start the blender, using a few quick pulses to get the soup moving before leaving it on to puree. Puree in batches until smooth and pour into a clean pot. Alternately, you can use a stick blender and puree the soup right in the cooking pot. Do not puree all of the soup, leave it a little chunky.
Stir in the lemon juice and serve.

Cheesy Pepperoni Bake

1 - 3.5 oz. package sliced pepperoni, divided (I have used farmer sausage cubed or summer sausage sliced instead of pepperoni)
1 - 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 - 10.5 oz. can cream of mushroom soup
1 - 8 oz. package of elbow macaroni (I've used what ever small sized pasta I have)
1 - 8 oz. package shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup water

Reserving several pepperoni slices for garnish, combine remaining pepperoni, tomatoes, soup, uncooked macaroni, 1 cup cheese and water in a 2 quart baking dish. Sprinkle remaining 1 cup cheese on top. Garnish with reserved pepperoni. Cover and refrigerate overnight or at least 6 hours ( I usually prepare this around 10 am and am able to have supper around 5 pm) to allow macaroni to absorb liquids. Bake covered casserole in a 350 degree oven for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake 15 minutes longer or until heated through and cheese is bubbly. Serves about 6.

Pumpkin Chili - Friesen Style

1 lb. ground beef
2 cups pureed pumpkin
2 cans kidney beans (or beans of choice)
1/2 green pepper chopped
1 onion chopped
1 cup salsa
16 oz. canned tomatoes (more if desired, this was all I had on hand)
1 cup tomato sauce
1 tbsp. pumpkin spice
1 tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. minced garlic (equivalent to 2 garlic cloves minced)
1/8 cup sugar

Cook beef in frying pan with onion and garlic. Drain off fat. Put into pot and add the rest of the ingredients. Simmer 1/2 to 1 hour. Serve with bread or biscuits (we enjoyed fresh biscuits with this meal). Top with shredded cheddar cheese if desired.

Homemade Salsa

10 cups diced peeled tomatoes (I prefer Roma tomatoes for salsa, more meaty and less juicy)
1 medium onion
3 bell peppers (red, green or whatever color you have on hand)
4 jalepeno peppers
3/4 cup vinegar
10 Tbsp. Epicure Fruit Salsa spice (the mild spice)
1 1/2 - 13oz. can of tomato paste


Cook all ingredients together for 50 minutes. While this is cooking heat and sterilize jars in a 200 degree oven for at least 20 minutes. Put salsa into jars and seal. Makes 8-9 small jars.

Note: This salsa falls into the mild-medium spicy range. It's spicier than a store bought mild but depending on how long it stands it may or may not fit a medium category. The longer it sits the spicier it becomes. If you like it hotter use Epicure's medium or hot salsa spice.

Taco Soup

1 lb. ground beef
1 onion large
1 pkg taco seasoning (I used 2 tsp. Epicure taco seasoning and 1 tsp. Epicure Louisiana Hot and Spicy Dip Mix)
1 can (19 oz.) white kidney beans
1 can (14 oz.) red kidney beans
1 tin kernel corn
1 can (28 oz.) tomato pieces
2 cups salsa
4 cups water
pinch of salt and pepper
1 pkg (1 oz.) Ranch dressing mix (I used 1 tbsp. Epicure Ranch dressing mix)

cheddar cheese
homemade yogurt or sour cream
tortilla chips

Brown ground beef in frying pan, add onion and taco seasoning. Transfer to large pot. Add remaining ingredients except cheese, chips and yogurt. Simmer half an hour. Serve, garnish with cheese, yogurt and crushed tortilla chips.

Zucchini Skillet

1 lb. ground beef
2 cups zucchini, thinly sliced
1 onion, diced
1 green pepper, sliced
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. basil
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
2 tomatoes peeled and diced or 1 - 8 oz. can tomato sauce (I use fresh or canned diced tomatoes)
1 - 8 oz. pkg. shredded cheddar or mozzarella cheese

Brown meat in skillet, drain off excess fat. Add the remaining ingredients, except the cheese. Mix, simmer over low heat till bubbly (20-25 minutes). Sprinkle cheese just before serving. Serve over rice. Serves 4-6. I've also added chopped carrots to this as well. This is a great meal to make in summer when you have fresh produce from the garden!