Around here we are big on snacking. Over the course of the last couple of years I have been trying to make homemade all of our favorite snacks. By making everything myself I can get away from all of the preservatives they pack into everything and I can choose exactly what I want to put in and use as many fresh ingredients as I can.

We really love chips and salsa and when I found this recipe one day on the Pioneer Woman, I knew that I would never buy salsa pre-made again. One of my favorite things about some restaurants is having chips and salsa as an appetizer. I like salsa that isn’t chunky, which is why I love the kind they serve in most restaurants. This recipe is so good and every time I make it everyone loves it. It is so easy to make and only takes about 10 minutes to prepare.

I changed the recipe just slightly from the Pioneer Woman’s recipe. The first change came as an accident. I was making it the first time and things were so crazy in here that I miss read the recipe and put in 1 tablespoon of sugar instead of 1 teaspoon of it. I didn’t realize it until I had dumped it in. However, I loved the extra little bit of sweetness it added, so I just always use that same amount. The last time I made it over the weekend, I added a can of chopped green chili’s to it and I liked what it added to the flavor.

You can make this mild by leaving out the jalepeno and using mild Rotel tomatoes and mild green chili’s, or you can make it super spicy by using the hot Rotel tomatoes, the whole jalepeno and hot green chili’s.

When I first started making this I used my food processor which was not big enough to hold the whole recipe at once, so I had to process it in two batches. Now I have one of those Ninja blenders, which I LOVE, and it will hold the entire recipe at once. You need something that holds 9 cups or more to make it all at once. I saved a large pickle jar and it works perfectly to hold the whole batch once it’s made.

Notice that I used a heaping 1/4 cup of chopped onion!

Salsa

• 1 can (28 ounce) whole tomatoes with juice
• 2 cans (10 ounce) Rotel tomatoes
• 1 (4 ounce) can of chopped green chili’s
• 1/4 cup chopped 0nion
• 1 clove garlic, minced (or 1/2 tsp minced garlic)
• 1 whole jalapeno, quartered, seeded and sliced thin
• 1 tablespoon white sugar, (you can use less if you like)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin, (I usually add a couple of shakes more)
• 1/2 cup cilantro (more if you like it)
• juice from 1/2 of a lime

Combine whole tomatoes, Rotel, green chili’s, onion, jalapeno, garlic, sugar, salt, cumin, lime juice, and cilantro in a blender or food processor.

Pulse until you get the salsa to the consistency you’d like. Test seasonings with a tortilla chip and adjust as needed.

Refrigerate salsa for at least an hour and then serve with tortilla chips or use in your favorite recipe. Should last up to a week when stored in the refrigerator.

I found these chips at Sams Club awhile back and we love them. They contain a lot of healthy ingredients and the flavor is amazing. The bonus is that they are less than $3 for this entire bag. Notice they are also gluten-free.