JustRite Stampers will be releasing NINE new items next week on July 7th, and one of the new stamp sets is this Preserves Borders & Centers I used today. You'll be able to find it on July 7th at JustRite's website. You'll want to check out the JustRite blog this week to read more about the summer releases and have chances to win some of the new products!
This Preserves Borders & Centers set (pictured at left -- click on the photo for a larger view) is perfect for summertime canning, jelly/jam making or anytime gift-giving! They fit the 2-3/8" Wood Stamper.
I'd love to be able to grow my own garden but #1-I live in the city and #2 -here in Texas if you forget to water just one day, you'll have scorched and cooked veggies right on the vine, with the 100-plus degree heat we've been having already this year! :D
Since I don't trust myself to remember to water a garden each day (and really don't have the space for one anyway), I usually take the easy way out and make homemade salsa from canned goods I usually have on hand. With these ingredients, it's remarkably fresh & home-grown tasting!
This recipe would be good, too, if it's the dead of winter and you don't have any fresh veggies readily available or have run out of your own freshly canned vegetables.
I tried duplicating my favorite restaurant's salsa recipe and this comes pretty darn close! Here's the recipe I came up with (you can always substitute fresh ingredients, if you have them) -- I call it "City Girl / Out-of-Season Salsa"!
Here's a photo of the tomatoes I used, if you'd like to find the exact ones. I love the fire roasted flavor, but you can also find plain diced tomatoes from this Muir Glen brand:
If you can't find the Muir Glen Organic brand (I finally found it at Super Target but none of my local grocery stores carry it), you can substitute another diced tomato product. I just found this brand to be a little sweeter and less acidic than other brands.
I DO add a few fresh ingredients! Here they are:
Okay, so the garlic isn't fresh (again, YOU can use fresh!) -- those little cloves are just too much trouble, in my book, to mess with! I take the easy way out and let someone else peel and dice it for me!
Recipe for you to copy/paste/print:
Quick City Girl / Out-of-Season Salsa ~ from Sharon Harnist
28 oz Fire Roasted (or plain) Diced Tomatoes (I prefer Muir Glen Organic)
10 oz can Rotel® Tomatoes & Green Chilis (Original or Hot, per your heat preference. Caution: Hot contains habanero peppers.)
1 Tbl chopped Cilantro
2 tsp Garlic, minced (I use jarred)
1/4 Lime, juiced
1-1/2 Tbl Sugar
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Black Pepper
Jalapano pepper, seeded & chopped; for additional heat, if desired
Mix all ingredients in medium bowl. Spoon into pint-sized canning jars (makes 2 pints). Refrigerate. Will keep 7-10 days (if it lasts that long!).
*My recipe cards are 4"x6". The actual printed recipe is about 3"x4.75". Fonts used are Susie's Hand for the title, a free downloadable font found just about anywhere, and Batik Regular (comes with MS Word).
I stamped the Salsa image from JustRite's Preserves Set with Memento Rich Cocoa onto Neenah Classic Natural White cardstock and colored it with the Copic markers pictured above.
I decided to give the center a little bit different/smaller look than my jar label and cut it with a Spellbinders Classic Circle Nestabilities die, about 1-1/8". I matted it with Stampin' Up's Real Red cardstock cut with a Spellbinders Pinked Circle Nestabilities die.
6"x4" background paper is Cosmo Cricket Early Bird.
The salsa jar label was made from the Early Bird Elements sheet. I just stamped, colored, and die cut the JustRite center same as above. Isn't the artwork on this set wonderful? I love it!
The labels were adhered to the pint-sized canning jar with Scor-Tape double-sided adhesive -- this stuff will hold ANYthing!
The pinking circle die is a perfect match for the border on this pretty center, isn't it? We expect new neighbors to move in next door later this week, so with a jar of this fresh salsa to keep, I'll still have one to share with the neighbors! I hope you enjoy it, too!
This stamp set sure makes for some yummy blog hopping ... don't forget to check out JustRite's blog, where you'll find some wonderful recipes & links to several other projects using this set!
Sharon, your salsa looks delicious and the packaging you did for it is beautiful. Great job!
Joan
Posted by: Joan Fricker | June 30, 2009 at 05:42 AM
Sharon--you and Michelle Wooderson have the prettiest recipe cards in the country! I LOVE this! And thanks for the recipe---I can always try a new salsa recipe!
Posted by: Kathleen | June 30, 2009 at 06:22 AM
Lovely job on the salsa packaging Sharon! These labels look really interesting. I will have to check them out. I know what you mean about the scorched plants, my flowers have "baked" from the inside out these last few days, they kinda just gave up! I am in Austin. Thanks for the inspiration and recipe!
Posted by: chriss blagrave | June 30, 2009 at 06:41 AM
This is just way too cute, Sharon! :) Your coloring is perfect, as usual.
Posted by: Jenn E. | June 30, 2009 at 09:32 AM
mmmmmm, that sounds good. Your project is beautiful. love the recipe, city girl. ;)
Posted by: Lori Craig | June 30, 2009 at 11:57 AM
This sounds so yummy! Thanks for sharing your recipe. Love your recipe card and label too--great DP and beautiful job on the coloring!
Posted by: Heidi Blankenship | June 30, 2009 at 05:22 PM
WHOA, Sharon! This is fabulous! I love the salsa stamp, and you've made it shine!
Posted by: Debbie Olson | June 30, 2009 at 05:41 PM