Spend your money on beer, not salsa!

I know this isn't a picture of salsa, I just wanted to use it because my cat is up to no good in the background. Anyway, on with the salsa!

A friend of mine (Shout out to APB!) handed down this easy salsa recipe years ago, and I haven't bought salsa since. Okay, that's a lie. But I only rarely buy it.

Here's What You're Gonna Need:
(all measurements are "about...")

1 big clove of garlic, smashed
1 jalapeno (seeds and ribs in or out--it's up to you!), diced
1 small green chile, diced*
a palmful of cilantro
2 cups of diced tomatoes* (A smaller tomato like Roma works best. Scoop out seeds.)

*If you don't have fresh tomatoes and chiles, you can also use a can of diced tomatoes with chiles, or just leave the chile out.

And Here's What You're Gonna Do:

Put all of the ingredients together and either use a stick blender on it like I do, or pulse it in the food processor. THE END. It's really that easy. Why would you ever buy salsa again???

For a lighter salsa, try adding lime (garlic optional here) or, for a smokier taste, substitute a chile in adobo for the jalapeno.

A Bok Choy and a Soba walked into a bar... and I was all, who the hell are you???

Okay, I kind of recognized the Soba from an earlier rendezvous involving some mushrooms and spinach in a soup, but when I reached into my weekly CSA grab bag and pulled out the bok choy, I was stumped. The Grand Master of the Crops told me it was bok choy and to treat it like any other green. So I told it off. Then I turned it into something delicious. That'll show it.

Bok Choy and Soba Noodles with Spicy Peanut Sauce

Here's what you're going to need:
(split into as needed groups for those of us with kitchen ADD)

1/4 cup orange juice
1/3 cup smooth peanut butter
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 Tbsp lime juice (fresh squeezed, if you got it)
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 garlic clove, smashed
1 tsp dried red pepper seeds
---
1/4 cup canola oil

4 oz soba noodles (You can usually find these in the Asian cooking aisle of the grocery store. Buckwheat noodles will work fine if that's all you see.)
Asian sesame oil

1-2 cups of mixed baby greens
1 head of bok choy, baby or regular, thinly sliced

1/2 fancy pants (I believe people in the know call them "English") cucumber, cut into think strips
1 palmful (gun to my head=1/4ish cup?) chopped cilantro
1 tsp dried red pepper seeds

salted peanuts (optional)


And here's what you're gonna do:

Put the first group of ingredients (o.j., peanut butter, rice vinegar, lime juice, soy sauce, garlic, red pepper seeds) in the blender and turn it on. Now you can either take off the lid here and watch the fun unfold as you dump the canola oil in, or you can take the boring route and drizzle the oil in through the little hole thingy the blender people put in the top of the lid for just such an occasion. As always, it's up to you. Blend until it's... well, blended, I suppose.
If you're into planning ahead and smartness and whatnot, you can do this the day before and put the sauce in the fridge. Warm it up a little before you use it. Never in my life have I been prepared enough to do such a thing.

Break the soba noodles into thirds and cook them in a large pot of salted water according to the directions. You want them to be al dente. Drain, and hit them with some cold water when they're done. Drain again and then toss them with a little sesame oil.

Put the bok choy, greens, cucumber, and chopped cilantro in large bowl. Add the spicy peanut sauce from your blender (or from the ceiling, depending upon which method you chose), the noodles, and another sprinkling of red pepper. Toss. Season to taste with salt and pepper and top with a fistful of peanuts if you're so inclined.

Now aren't you worldly?