April 13: Mary's Salsa

1/2 onion finely chopped
2 medium red tomatoes, chopped finely
2 medium yellow tomatoes, chopped finely
4 green onions, minced
2 cloves of garlic, pressed
juice of 1/2 small lemon or lime
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1/4 cup well chopped cilantro
2 Tbs. chopped fresh oregano
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 tsp. paprika
salt and pepper to taste
hot sauce or chiles to taste

Place the onion and tomatoes in a bowl. Mash them slightly to create a little juice. Add all of remaining ingredients and stir through. Let mixture sit at room temperature for an hour, then serve or chill in refrigerator. Use as a dip for chips, or as an accompaniment to any Mexican dish.

Conversation starter: Who is the biggest cheerleader or encourager in your life? Why?

January 13: Tomato Basil Soup. Yum!

Another picture at our dining table in Southern France. We spent many, many nights with friends around this table, and one of our favorite things to serve (in the winter) was soup.

Fresh Tomato Basil Soup

This soup is especially lovely with homemade garlic-olive oil croutons and a dollop of crème fraiche or sour cream.

½ red onion, chopped finely
6 cloves garlic, pressed
1 Tbs. Olive oil
4 cups fresh Roma tomatoes, chopped (Or you can use two cans of canned, chopped plum
tomatoes . . . just be sure they are uncooked, not stewed.)
1 ½ cup chicken broth
¼ cup chopped fresh basil
1 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste

Sauté onion and garlic over medium heat in soup pot until onions are starting to brown, about five minutes. Add tomatoes, broth and basil. Cook over medium heat until tomatoes are cooked through, fifteen minutes. Add cream. Cool soup to room temperature. In batches, puree soup in blender. (To eliminate the cooling step, puree the hot soup with a hand held blender.) Return soup to pan and add salt and pepper to taste. Simmer on low until ready to serve. Serves four.

Conversation starter: Describe the last time you built a snowman.