Appetizers

Oven Baked Cheesy Sandwiches

These oven baked cheesy sandwiches are perfect for brunch or an appetizer. Super easy to throw together but packed with cheesy, yummy flavor. Very versatile, you can make these with your favorite deli meat, cheese and toppings.

Oven Baked Cheesy Sandwiches

sofiyababinov
These oven baked cheesy sandwiches are perfect for brunch or an appetizer. Super easy to throw together but packed with cheesy, yummy flavor. Very versatile, you can make these with your favorite deli meat, cheese and toppings.
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Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 10 mins
Total Time 25 mins
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Servings 4 people

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 French Baguette Bread thinly sliced
  • 1 Cup Deli Meat of choice cubed, I used Veal Bologna
  • 1/2 Tomato finely cubed
  • 1/2 Cup Mozzarella Cheese or any cheese of choice, shredded
  • Mayonnaise to taste
  • Ketchup to taste
  • Hot Sauce optional, to taste

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut French baguette bread into thin, long slices.
  • Spread mayonnaise onto each slice of bread.
  • Add cubed deli meat of choice.
  • Add cubed tomato.
  • Squirt a drop of ketchup onto each sandwich. You can also add a drop of hot sauce if you like a spicy kick.
  • Sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese on top of each sandwich.
  • Bake in 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes until cheese is melted and gooey and bread is slightly golden.
Keyword 30 minutes, appetizers, brunch, easy, sandwiches

Carrabba’s Restaurant Marinara Sauce

The official Carrabba’s Italian Restaurant Marinara Sauce from the Carrabba’s cookbook. Great for a pasta sauce or to use as a dip for appetizers like mozzarella sticks or fried calamari.

Carrabba’s Restaurant Marinara Sauce

sofiyababinov
The official Carrabba's Italian Restaurant Marinara Sauce from the Carrabba's cookbook. Great for a pasta sauce or to use as a dip for appetizers like mozzarella sticks or fried calamari.
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Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 30 mins
Total Time 40 mins
Course Sauce
Cuisine Italian

Ingredients
  

  • 2 TBS Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 Small Yellow Onion finely chopped
  • 2 Scallions both white/green part, finely chopped
  • 2 Anchovy Fillets in oil optional, drained and finely chopped
  • 4 Garlic Cloves minced
  • 1/4 Cup Hearty Red Wine such as Citra Montepulciano
  • 1 28 oz. Can Whole Tomatoes in juice
  • 1 tsp Dried Oregano
  • 1/2 tsp Hot, Crushed, Red Pepper Flakes
  • 1/4 tsp Ground Black Pepper

Instructions
 

  • Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the scallions, anchovies (if using), garlic and cook. Stirring occasionally until garlic is fragrant for about 1 minute.
  • Add the wine. Pour the tomatoes and their juices into a bowl. Crush the tomatoes between your fingers, and pour the mixture into the saucepan. Add the oregano, hot pepper flakes, ground pepper and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer, stirring often, until the tomato juices have thickened and the sauce has reduced slightly, about 30 minutes.

Notes

This Marinara Sauce can be cooled, covered, and refrigerated for up to 3 days. Or freeze for up to 2 months and thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using.
Keyword easy, Italian, Marinara, restaurant, Sauce

Crab and Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms

These Crab and Cheese stuffed mushrooms were on our Christmas menu. I came up with the idea for these because I was craving my crab salad and stuffed mushrooms. So I thought hmmm, what if I put the two together and add some cheese?…Needless to say, these turned out absolutely amazing! Another idea is you can double the stuffing and spread it out on slices of a fresh French baguette and bake it in the oven on 350 degrees for about 10 minutes. I experimented that recipe with some extra filling I had and ended up with delicious appetizer and breakfast sandwiches! So this recipe can easily be doubled to make another easy appetizer.

Crab and Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms

Crab and cheese stuffed mushrooms baked to golden gooey, cheesy, perfection! Super easy to make and the perfect Holiday appetizer.
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Prep Time 30 mins
Cook Time 30 mins
Total Time 1 hr
Course Appetizer
Cuisine Italian
Servings 12

Ingredients
  

  • 2 24 oz. White Mushrooms stems removed and finely chopped
  • 8 oz. Imitation Crab Meat finely chopped
  • 1 8 oz. Block Monterey Jack Cheese shredded
  • 1 8 oz. Block Mozzarella Cheese shredded
  • 4 Scallions green part only, finely chopped
  • 2 TBS Mayonnaise
  • 1 Garlic Clove minced
  • 2 TBS Olive Oil for frying mushroom stems and for baking tray
  • Salt to taste

Instructions
 

  • Wash the mushrooms thoroughly. Carefully take out stems from the mushrooms and finely chop the stems.
  • In a small skillet, heat 1 TBS olive oil on medium heat and cook the chopped up mushroom stems. When the mushroom stems are cooked through, add 1 minced garlic clove and stir to combine. Set cooked mushroom stems/garlic mixture aside.
  • Finely chop the imitation crab meat and put it in a large bowl. Finely chop the scallions and add to the bowl. Shred the Mozzarella and Monterey Jack cheeses and add to the bowl.
  • Add the cooked mushroom stem/garlic mixture to the bowl with crab meat, scallions, and cheese. Add 2 TBS Mayonnaise. Add a sprinkle of salt. Mix well to combine.
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a baking dish with some oil (so the mushrooms don't stick). Stuff each mushroom cap with the stuffing mixture. Pack each mushroom cap in with a lot of stuffing!
  • Bake stuffed mushrooms for 20-30 minutes until slightly golden brown on top and the cheese has all melted. These are best served hot!

Notes

To reheat, bake in the oven on 250 degrees for 5-10 minutes until warmed up.
If you made double the filling for the sandwiches, spread the filling out on top of fresh thinly sliced French baguette bread and bake on 350 degrees for about 10 minutes. The sandwiches should be slightly golden and the cheese should be super melty on top.
Keyword appetizers, mushrooms, seafood

Layered Smoked Salmon Salad (Shuba)

This Layered Smoked Salmon Salad is our family Holiday must have! Christmas, Easter, and Thanksgiving just wouldn’t be the same without this dish! This tradition Russian salad is usually made with herring fish but we prefer to use smoked salmon (just a taste preference). I love how simple this salad is and that it is made in advance which saves so much time, especially when I have a lot of other things to cook for the Holiday menu.

Layered Smoked Salmon Salad (Shuba)

This Layered Smoked Salmon Salad is a traditional Russian salad side dish. It's usually made with herring fish but we prefer to use smoked salmon (taste preference). I love how simple this salad is and that it's made in advance which saves so much time, especially when cooking for Holidays.
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Prep Time 30 mins
Cook Time 50 mins
Total Time 1 hr 20 mins
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Russian
Servings 12

Equipment

  • Grater

Ingredients
  

  • 12-16 oz. Smoked Salmon cut into small pieces
  • 3-4 Medium Gold Potatoes cooked, peeled, grated
  • 1 Small Sweet Onion finely chopped
  • 3-4 Beets cooked, peeled, grated
  • 2-3 Carrots cooked, peeled, grated
  • 5 Eggs cooked, peeled, finely grated
  • 1-1.5 Cups Hellman's Mayonnaise divided
  • Salt to taste

Instructions
 

  • Bring a large pot of water to boil, add the potatoes (whole, unpeeled), carrots (whole or cut in half, unpeeled) and cook on med-high heat until potatoes and carrots are cooked through, about 45 minutes. You can poke the potatoes/carrots with a fork to see if they're soft and cooked through. Once cooked drain out water from the pot and set potatoes/carrots aside to cool. Meanwhile move on to steps 2 and 3.
  • Bring a medium pot of water to boil, add the beets (Whole or cut in half if they're large, unpeeled) and cook on med-high heat until cooked through and soft, about 45-55 minutes. Once cooked, drain out water from the pot and set beets aside to cool.
  • Put eggs into a small pot, cover eggs with water and bring to a boil. Cook until eggs are hard boiled, about 10-15 minutes, then drain water out of the pot. Peel the eggs once cooled down and set aside. (I've found that the longer you wait to peel the eggs, the harder they will be to peel).
  • Cut the smoked salmon into small pieces. In a (16×3) casserole dish (or any dish you prefer) layer the smoked salmon in a single layer around the bottom of the casserole dish.
  • Once your potatoes have cooled down, peel the skin off, then grate them with a grater and sprinkle over the smoked salmon pieces. Sprinkle a little bit of salt on the grated potato layer. If using herring instead of smoked salmon then no salt is needed as herring is usually already very salty.
  • Sprinkle the finely chopped sweet onion over the layer of potatoes. Then add about 3/4 cup mayonnaise over the potato/onion layer and carefully spread it around to cover the entire layer evenly.
  • Peel and grate the beets (some people prefer to use kitchen gloves for this step because beets will stain your hands bright red for a few hours). Gently sprinkle the grated beets over the layer of mayonnaise.
  • Peel and grate the carrots. Gently sprinkle the carrots over the layer of grated beets. Add another about 3/4 cup mayonnaise over the beet/carrot layer and carefully spread it around to cover the entire layer evenly.
  • Grate the peeled eggs and gently sprinkle them over the top of the last mayonnaise layer to completely cover the entire salad. Cover the Layered Salad tightly with foil or a lid and refrigerate overnight or for at least 8 hours. Best served cold, right out of the fridge!

Notes

This salad tastes best if you let it stand overnight (or for at least 8 hours) in the refrigerator before eating, so the flavors blend.
Keep the finished salad tightly covered when you store it in the refrigerator so it doesn’t dry out.
This salad can stay fresh for several days, tightly covered and refrigerated.
Keyword Russian, salad, Salmon, Shuba

Chinese Crab Rangoon’s

AE9DA459-EC22-4AD5-8B87-2D62E91655D9Another popular Chinese food item that I have been craving during Quarantine 2020 is Crab Rangoon’s so we decided to make them at home and I’m so glad we did! These are super easy to make and taste so much better then any Chinese restaurant we’ve tried them at. These make a great appetizer for homemade Chinese night and are the ultimate party appetizer!

Chinese Crab Rangoon’s

sofiyababinov
Better than Chinese restaurant Crab Rangoon's. Easy and simple recipe. The ultimate party appetizer! Great side for homemade Chinese night.
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Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 15 mins
Stuffing the Rangoon’s with filling 20 mins
Total Time 45 mins
Course Appetizer
Cuisine Chinese

Ingredients
  

  • 1 12 oz. Pack Nasoya Brand Won Ton Wraps found in refrigerator section in most grocery stores, near vegetables
  • Oil for frying Rangoon's
  • 3 TBS Water

For the Filling:

  • 1 8 oz. Cream Cheese softened
  • 1 8 oz. Pack Imitation Crab Meat Sticks finely chopped
  • 3-4 Scallions green part only, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
  • 1 tsp Soy Sauce
  • 2 tsp Sugar

Optional for dipping Rangoon's:

  • Chili Sauce optional, to serve as a dipping sauce

Instructions
 

  • Mix together all the ingredients for the filling in a big bowl.
  • Set up a Rangoon making station. I lay out a piece of foil, a small container with water and cooking brush, the won ton wraps, and the bowl with filling. Lay out the wonton wrap and put a teaspoon of filling in the middle.
  • Wet the edges of the won ton wrapper all around with water, using a cooking brush.
  • Fold the won ton wrapper over diagonally to form a triangle shape and press to seal tightly so the filling doesn’t come out during the frying process.
  • Once all Crab Rangoon's are filled and sealed, fill a pot with 1-2 inches of cooking oil and heat on low-medium heat.
  • Throw in a few Rangoon's at a time and fry them until golden, about 2 minutes per side (flip them from one side to the other as you fry).
  • Transfer fried Rangoon's to a plate lined with paper towels to drain excess oil.
  • Serve hot, optionally with a side of Chili sauce for dipping.

Notes

These reheat easily! Just stick them in the oven on 350 degrees for 5-10 minutes, flipping from one side to the other. These can definitely be made ahead of time and heated up in the oven right before serving!
Keyword appetizers, Chinese, crab, seafood

Homemade Lamb Deli Meat/Kielbasa

BACB1150-6BFD-4835-ABFB-833551D238CBThis homemade lamb deli meat is so savory and delicious! We like to make a big batch and keep it in the fridge for a quick appetizer, sandwich meat, charcuterie deli snack. This lamb deli meat is kind of like home made Spam so it stays fresh for a long time and can be eaten just like that (cut up in thin slices) or in many different ways (sandwiches, wraps, etc). This is a Bulgarian recipe. We first tried it at our friends house. We loved it and couldn’t get enough so we got the recipe and made it immediately! Recipe credit goes to our friend, Ivan. Recipe post and photo credit goes to my husband, Michael who made it and even took the pictures for me to share with you all! You can also use beef or Chicken but we love lamb for this recipe so that’s what we used (and that’s how our friend Ivan makes it too).

Homemade Lamb Deli Meat/Kielbasa

sofiyababinov
This homemade lamb deli meat is so savory and delicious! We like to make a big batch and keep it in the fridge for a quick appetizer, sandwich meat, charcuterie deli snack. This lamb deli meat is kind of like Spam so it stays fresh in the fridge for a long time and can be eaten just like that (cut up in thin slices) or in many different ways (sandwiches, wraps, etc).
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Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 4 hrs
Resting time 2 hrs
Total Time 6 hrs 15 mins
Course Side Dish
Cuisine European
Servings 20

Ingredients
  

  • 6.5 LB Lamb (or Beef) Meat with a good amount of fat
  • 1.5 Lamb (or Beef) Bone
  • 1 Jalapeño or Red Chili Pepper (Very finely chopped) very finely chopped
  • 2 Bay Leaves
  • Salt/Pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • Wash the lamb meat and bones, pat dry with paper towels. Cut up the meat into small, about 1/2 inch pieces.
  • Put lamb meat, lamb bones and 2 bay leaves into a large wok or pot on low heat. Cook on low, mixing every once in a while so the meat doesn’t burn, for 4 hours or until the meat is very tender and falling apart. There will be some water from the fat of the meat and that’s fine.
  • When the meat is tender and falling apart, discard the bones and bay leaves. Add the very finely chopped jalapeño or red chili pepper, salt and pepper to taste, and continue to cook an additional 30 minutes until most of the water boils down.
  • Put the lamb meat mixture into a glass tray and evenly spread it out. Let it cool down an hour or two, then cover and refrigerate.
  • Best served chilled, after it has been refrigerated overnight or at least a few hours.
  • To serve cut into thin slices like deli meat. Yum!
Keyword appetizers, easy, lamb, meat, side dish

Chinese Teriyaki Chicken Skewers

266C81C2-976A-41A9-BE10-ECF4E953430BThese Chinese Teriyaki Chicken Skewers are absolutely delicious! They taste like the Authentic Chinese restaurant/takeout kind. It’s important to get all the right ingredients for this recipe which I will have pictured below and that can be found at an Asian or International store. Also note that this recipe is best if you let the chicken marinate overnight or for at least 6 hours. It literally makes a huge difference and tastes much better and more flavorful if marinated overnight! We had these for dinner 2 days ago and my boys requested them again for dinner tonight. These are great as an appetizer or as part of a homemade Chinese meal. I like to pair them with vegetable fried rice and some steamed veggies on the side.

Chinese Teriyaki Chicken Skewers

sofiyababinov
These Chinese Teriyaki Chicken Skewers are absolutely delicious! They taste like the Authentic Chinese restaurant/takeout kind. It’s important to get all the right ingredients for this recipe which I will have pictured below and that can be found at an Asian market or International store. Also note that this recipe is best if you let the chicken marinate overnight. It literally makes a huge difference and tastes much better and much more flavorful if marinated overnight!
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Prep Time 30 mins
Cook Time 1 hr
Marinate time 12 hrs
Course Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine Chinese
Servings 6

Ingredients
  

  • 3 LB Chicken Thighs boneless/skinless
  • 1 TBS Soy Sauce
  • 1 TBS Sherry Wine
  • 1 TBS Oyster Sauce
  • 1 TBS Hoisin Sauce
  • 1.5 tsp Sesame Oil
  • 4 TBS Bull Head BBQ Sauce Vegetarian one, there are a few different types
  • 3 TBS Pineapple Juice
  • 1/3 Cup Granulated Sugar
  • 3/4 tsp Curry Powder
  • 1/4 tsp Salt
  • 1/4 tsp Garlic Powder
  • 1/4 tsp Chinese Five Spice Powder
  • 1/4 tsp Ground White Pepper
  • Oil for frying, preferably Peanut Oil

Instructions
 

  • Wash the chicken thighs. Pat them dry with paper towels. Cut into 2 to 3 inch pieces. Set aside in a big bowl.
  • Mix all the marinade ingredients together in a separate big bowl.
  • Pour the marinade mixture into the bowl of chicken. Mix the chicken well with the marinade mixture. Cover the bowl and let it stand and marinate in the fridge for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight for the chicken to be flavorful and very soft. The longer you let it marinate the better it will taste!
  • Let the bamboo skewers soak in water for at least 30 minutes, so they don’t burn while cooking in the oven/pan.
  • Pat the bamboo skewers dry with paper towels. Put the marinated chicken thigh pieces on the skewers.
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking rack with foil, spray it with non stick spray or use a brush to spread some oil on the foil.  Put the chicken skewers on the baking sheet and bake on 350 degrees for 20 minutes, then flip the skewers oven to the other side and bake an additional 20 minutes.
  • Heat a pan with peanut oil (or any oil would work, but peanut oil works especially well for this recipe) on medium-high heat and fry each chicken skewer for 1 minute on each side. Set aside on a plate lined with paper towels to drain any  excess oil. Serve hot! If you need to serve later, just keep them warm in the oven on the warm setting or low heat setting.
  • I like to serve these with vegetable fried rice.
  • These are the sauces from the Asian market:
  • These are the spices from the Asian market:
Keyword appetizers, chicken, Chinese, meat

Chicken Potato Salad (Olivier Salad)

4FBC6F99-638D-4262-B795-EA5D7B5615FCThis is the classic Russian Olivier salad recipe, but with chicken instead of bologna as traditionally made. I got this Chicken Olivier salad recipe from my friend Inna. We tried it at her house once, it was the first time we tried it with chicken and we absolutely loved it this way! This is basically a fancy potato salad with chicken and it is served cold so it’s a great make ahead dish or potluck dish to bring. I also enjoy it served in a croissant for quick lunch/dinner sandwich!

Chicken Potato Salad (Olivier Salad)

This is the classic Russian Olivier salad recipe, but with chicken instead of bologna. This is basically a fancy potato salad with chicken in it and it is served cold so it’s a great make ahead dish or potluck dish. I also enjoy it served in a croissant for a quick lunch/dinner sandwich.
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Prep Time 30 mins
Cook Time 30 mins
Total Time 1 hr
Course Side Dish
Cuisine European
Servings 12

Ingredients
  

  • 2-2.5 LB Chicken Breasts (4 large breasts) cooked, diced
  • 3 Potatoes cooked, peeled, diced
  • 4 Carrots cooked, peeled, diced
  • 8 Eggs hardboiled. peeled, diced
  • 1 710 mL Can kosher dill pickles
  • 1 Bunch Scallions
  • 1 Bunch Dill
  • 1 15 oz. Can Peas
  • 1 Small Onion peeled
  • 2 Bay Leaves
  • 6 Whole Peppercorns
  • 1.5 Cups Mayonnaise
  • Salt/Pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • Wash and pat dry the chicken breasts. Bring a medium sized pot of water to boil. When the water comes to a boil, throw in 1 whole peeled onion, 6 peppercorns, 2 bay leaves and chicken breasts. Cook on medium-high for 30 minutes. Then turn the burner off and let the pot stand on the burner for 10 minutes, afterwards take out the chicken breasts and put them on a plate to cool. Meanwhile move on to steps 2 and 3.
  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the washed carrots and potatoes. Cook until the carrots and potatoes are both tender when poked with a fork (about 25-30 minutes) but do not over cook. In another small pot, bring water to a boil and hard-boil the eggs.
  • When the chicken breasts have cooled down, cut them into small cubes. When the carrots and potatoes have cooled down, peel them and also cut them into small cubes. When the hard boiled eggs have cooled down, peel them thoroughly and cut them into small cubes.
  • Add the cut chicken, carrots, potatoes, and hard boiled eggs to a big mixing bowl. Drain out and discard liquid from the pickles and dice the pickles into cubes then add them to the bowl. Wash and finely chop the scallions (both green and white part) and add to the bowl.
  • Add the mayonnaise to the bowl according to taste and texture preferences. I added 1.5 cups mayonnaise. Add salt and pepper to taste, I added about 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper. Mix well to incorporate mayo.
  • Lastly add the (drained) can of peas and finely chopped dill to the bowl. Gently mix again. *I add the peas in last because they are very delicate, I don’t want to squash them by overmixing. You can add a can of (drained) corn instead if you don’t like peas.
  • Refrigerate overnight or at least 4 hours and enjoy! Great as a side dish, potluck dish and makes a great croissant sandwich too! Can be made the day before and tastes best if refrigerated overnight.

Notes

You can substitute cubed chicken breasts with cubed Bologna. You can substitute the can of peas with a can of corn if you don’t like peas. This dish tastes best if refrigerated overnight to let the flavors blend!
Keyword appetizers, European, salad, side dish

Tomato, Cheese, Black Olive Appetizer Salad/Spread

93670225-FD1C-4A14-8DCD-8C2291CF7917This tomato, cheese, and black olive salad is so delicious! It can be eaten as a traditional European side salad or a spread on some baked baguette bread. No cooking required and can be made a day in advance or right before you eat it, however I prefer to make it at least a few hours in advance to give the flavors time to blend.

Tomato, Cheese, Black Olive Appetizer Salad/Spread

sofiyababinov
This tomato, cheese, and black olive salad is so delicious! It can be eaten as a traditional European side salad or as a spread on some baked baguette bread. No cooking required and can be made a day in advance or right before you eat it, however I prefer to make it at least a few hours in advance to give the flavors time to blend.
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Prep Time 15 mins
Course Side Dish
Cuisine European

Ingredients
  

  • 1 8 oz. Block Mozzarella Cheese shredded
  • 1 10 oz. Pack Baby Tomatoes
  • 1 6 oz. Can Large Pitted Black Olives
  • 4-6 TBS Mayonnaise to taste
  • 1-2 Garlic Cloves minced

Instructions
 

  • Wash tomatoes and add them to a big bowl. Add (drained) can of olives, shredded mozzarella cheese, minced garlic, mayonnaise and mix gently together. Cover bowl and refrigerate overnight or until ready to serve.
  • Serve as a side dish salad, or on some baked baguette bread as side sandwiches. Delicious either way!
Keyword appetizers, European, side dish

The Best Home Made Salsa

IMG_0441

This authentic Mexican restaurant style Salsa is dangerously delicious! Try this super easy homemade Salsa and you will never go back to store bought Salsa again! Great appetizer for Mexican or taco night or a side sauce for Mexican dishes. It’s my favorite dish to bring to game nights or a cook out and the dish that is always requested.

The Best Homemade Salsa

sofiyababinov
This authentic Mexican restaurant style Salsa is dangerously delicious! Try this super easy homemade Salsa and you will never go back to store bought Salsa again! Great appetizer for Mexican or taco night or a side sauce for Mexican dishes. It's my favorite dish to bring to game nights or a cook out and the dish that is always requested.
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Prep Time 15 mins
Course Appetizer
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 12 Cups Salsa

Ingredients
  

  • 1 28 oz. Can peeled tomatoes
  • 2 10 oz Cans Rotel Brand Tomatoes and Green Chilies Mild
  • 1 Bunch Cilantro finely chopped
  • 1 Garlic Clove minced
  • 1 Small Onion finely chopped
  • 1/2-1 Jalapeño Pepper
  • 1/2 Lime Juiced
  • 1/4 tsp Salt
  • 1/4 tsp Sugar
  • 1/4 tsp Cumin

Instructions
 

  • Do all the prep work first. Open the cans of tomatoes and tomatoes with green chilies. Wash and finely chop the cilantro leaves. Deseed and finely chop the jalapeño pepper. Finely chop the onion. Finely mince garlic clove.
  • Put the can of tomatoes, can of Rotel tomatoes & chilies, cilantro, garlic, onion, and jalapeño pepper into a big bowl and puree with an immersion blender (a regular blender or food processor also works) Puree it a little bit if you prefer chunky salsa or more if you want a smooth consistency, depending on how you like your salsa.
  • Add lime juice, salt, sugar, and cumin. Mix and refrigerate for at least a few hours (to let the flavors blend) for best taste.
  • Serve chilled from the refrigerator with your favorite brand of tortilla chips. Our favorite is the Trader Joe's no salt tortilla chips.

Notes

Let Salsa chill in the refrigerator for a few hours for best taste. Serve chilled with your favorite brand of tortilla chips! 
Keyword appetizers, Mexican, under 15 minutes