yummy recipes

I mentioned a while back that I would post some yummy recipes on my blog. I finally finished up my Sociology final (I got an A in the class!) and am finally getting to it. So here are two of my favorites. (Click on the pictures to see them bigger if you want.)

Easy Roasted Potatoes
(These are so yummy and I almost always have people ask me for the recipe when I serve them. I started with a recipe in Better Homes and Gardens and altered it a little).

Here's what you need:


3 medium potatoes, quartered
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp lemon pepper
1/8 tsp paprika
lemon juice / lemons
cilantro (optional, to sprinkle on top after they come out of the oven)

1. Wash the potatoes and cut them into wedges (the thinner ones usually go first because they are a little crispy and extra yummy).

2. Place potatoes in a greased 9x9x2-inch baking pan (or use two pans depending on how many you're making). Combine oil, seasoning, and however much lemon juice you want (I usually use 1-2 lemons, which are very painful to buy here since we had a lemon tree in our backyard in Arizona. I miss that). Your sauce will look like this:

Drizzle over potatoes, tossing to coat. I also cut one lemon up and put the slices on top of the potatoes while they cook. Bake, covered, in a 325 degree oven for 45 minutes (or to speed it up, you can cook them uncovered at 450 degrees for 30 minutes, which is what I usually do). Stir potatoes. Bake, uncovered, 10 - 20 minutes more or until potatoes are tender and brown on edges. This makes 4 servings. They come out sizzling and yummy.

* I triple this recipe at least. I usually fill two full glass pans (or cookie sheets) with potatoes, which is at least 10 potatoes, and this recipe only calls for three potatoes, so I just keep tripling the ingredients for every three potatoes I add. They go fast, so you probably want to make more than what this recipe calls for.*

And now for the second recipe - salsa. This one came from my friend Kamarah, who became my hero as soon as I tasted this goodness.


Kamarah's Yummy Salsa

1 jalapeño (or if you don't want it too hot, substitute a few drops of Tabasco sauce instead. I've done this when forgetting to buy a jalapeño and it's yummy).
2 bunches of green onions (I've also used half green and half red onions for this)
7 roma tomatoes
1 6 oz. can of tomato paste
1/2 can El Pato sauce (8 oz.) (you can get this in the Hispanic food isle in the grocery store)
1/2 bunch of cilantro
1/2 tsp. salt (to taste)
1/2 tsp. garlic powder (to taste)
1 avocado (I added this because I adore avocados and I think it makes this salsa even yummier. Do what you wish).

(Kamarah tells me her friend from Mexico gave her this recipe and told her that it's important to hand cut everything. I personally don't have that kind of patience, so I hand cut most things. But I do put the cilantro and onion (if using one other than green) in a food chopper.)

So just cut everything up, pour in the tomato sauce and El Pato sauce (and I add a little water because it's kind of thick without it), cover and chill. This makes a lot (but doesn't last long if it's anywhere near me).

Enjoy!

P.S. I also wanted to point you to a very good cookie recipe.