Homemade salsa, y’all. Need I say more?

Okay, I’ll say more (since this is practically its own food group in my world). I don’t think I’ve met a salsa I don’t appreciate because, well, how could I? What is there not to appreciate? Blended tomatoes and peppers and onions and whatever else you want to throw in, really: that’s what I call perfection. However, I’ve never made it until this week. That was a major mistake on my part — the not making it until this week — since, oh my goodness, homemade salsa tops all of the salsas. I’m not even tooting my own horn here.

The feeling that comes with making something so tasty, yet so easy, is really insurmountable. I’ve made pico de gallo and guacamole for years, but this is a whole new level, you guys. If you don’t own a food processor, I demand that you go out and get one (or at least borrow one from a friend) and make this rendition of a tangy, mouth-on-fire-in-the-best-way salsa, like, yesterday. Put it on your eggs, dip your (homemade) chips in it, or just spoon it by the mouthful. However you eat it, you won’t be disappointed. And that’s a personal guarantee.

PS! These simple halfway-handmade chip recipe comes straight from my smarty-pants boyfriends’ brain, and I totally recommend it if you want to switch up your chip game. Another personal guarantee from yours truly that you’ll be more than pleased. And you’ll impress anyone you’re selfless enough to share these babies with.

Recipes below!

Salsa Ingredients:

• Coconut oil spray
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 serrano pepper
• 1 habanero pepper (skip this and use less jalapeños in exchange for 1 extra red bell pepper if you want a less spicy mix)
• 2 poblano peppers
• 3 jalapeño peppers
• 1 white onion, peeled and cut in half
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled
• 9 tomatoes on the vine, halved
• 2 limes, halved
• 1.5-inch piece of ginger, skins cut off
• 1 cup cilantro
• Black pepper and sea salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Wash all peppers and place on a coconut oil-sprayed baking sheet with the onion and garlic cloves. Bake for 10 minutes and remove from oven. Flip all vegetables over.

Arrange tomato halves and lime halves on another baking sheet. Sprinkle with black pepper. (It’s okay if you have to layer some of the tomatoes on top of the first layer if you run out of room.)

Place tomato/lime tray and pepper/onion/garlic tray in oven for 15 minutes. Remove pepper/onion/garlic tray from oven and let cool until touchable (5 minutes or so). Keep tomato/lime tray in oven and turn on broiler.

Add ginger piece to tray and broil tomatoes, lime, and ginger for 5-6 minutes. Remove from oven.

Cut stems off peppers. Peel serrano and poblano peppers by scraping a knife against the skins (it should flake off fairly easily).

Remove seeds from inside the red bell pepper and poblano peppers.

Place all vegetables in a food processor and blend as much as you can at a time. Squeeze the broiled lime halves over top of some vegetable you are about to blend. Pour processed veggies in a large bowl, and add more veggies to the processor, blending finely until everything’s been mixed thoroughly. Don’t forget to add the cilantro into the processor with the veggies.

After all’s been blended and poured into the bowl, grind black pepper and sea salt over top and mix salsa with a spoon.

It’ll still be warm from baking, so place bowl in fridge for at least two hours, and then serve!

Chip Ingredients:

• 12 pack of 6-inch corn tortillas, each cut into 6 triangles
• 1/2 c. canola oil
• Juice from half a lime
• Sea salt (as much as desired — a lot for me!)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Mix ingredients in a bowl so tortilla pieces are covered with oil, lime juice, and salt. Arrange on baking sheets so that the tortilla triangles lie flat and only barely overlap.

Bake for 10-15 minutes. (Check often after 10 minutes; the doneness depends on your oven and on your preferences. I prefer extra-crispy chips.)