Easy Home Made Salsa Recipe Every Party Needs

It’s summertime! It’s a great time for backyard barbecues and pool parties. Home made salsa is a must have at all parties. Dip those chips. Smother your burger with it. Salsa tastes great on steak or chicken. Heck, you can even use salsa to marinate your proteins.

I must admit, I am a store-bought salsa guy and I don’t know why really. You will find that I do most of the cooking in our home. That's because I love eating. Therefore,  I do most of the cooking to make sure I eat what I want. So, prep work doesn’t really bother me. Not sure why I haven’t tried to make my own home made salsa yet.

The great thing about making home made salsa is that you get to control the taste. If you like it hot, add more jalapeno or serrano peppers. Prefer your salsa sweet and tangy? Then add more lime juice. Are you a garlic lover? Go ahead and add more than the recipe calls for. It’s all based on your taste.

I have always been a red, or tomato-based, salsa guy. But lately, I’ve really been enjoying a particular green store-bought salsa. Actually, it’s tomatillo salsa mixed with guacamole. It’s made by Herdez. Man, I’ve been putting it on everything. Fish, pulled pork, smoked chicken. Even veggies. I’m hooked on the stuff.

However, when it comes to dipping those tortilla chips while sipping an ice cold beverage on a hot summer day, I do love tomato-based, red salsa.

The experts at WrenKitchens.com were nice enough to share this easy, home made salsa recipe with me. The ingredients are very common: 4 or 5 ripe tomatoes. 1 small onion. 2 or 3 garlic cloves. 1 or 2 jalapeño or serrano peppers, depending on how hot you like your salsa. The juice of 1 or 2 limes. Fresh, chopped cilantro leaves. When it’s all combined, add salt to taste.

You can also add other tasty seasonings to your recipe such as cumin, ground black pepper, or chili powder. It’s all based on your particular tastes.

If you like chunky salsa, then do a rough chop on the tomatoes and onions. If you prefer a smoother salsa, then you can pulse the tomatoes and onion in a food processor or blender.

I would recommend wearing plastic gloves when chopping the jalapeño or serrano peppers. Do a fine chop on the peppers. Remove the membranes and seeds and discard them unless you like lots of heat in your salsa. Do not touch your eyes until you have thoroughly washed your hands. That stuff burns! You can do a rough chop on the cilantro leaves.

Then, combine the chopped tomatoes, onion, cilantro and peppers in a mixing bowl. Mix the ingredients together well, and then squeeze the juice of your limes into the mixture. Add salt and seasonings to taste. Mix well once again, and then let the salsa sit in your refrigerator for 15-20 minutes to let the flavors combine.

After the resting period, taste your homemade salsa. Adjust your seasonings if necessary. Mix well, transfer to a clean serving bowl, and enjoy!

East Las Vegas is a central hub for all things flavor. If you live in the 89101, 89015, 89121 or anywhere around that area you know what we're talking about.

Summerlin is cool and Henderson is nice but East Las Vegas is really where heart, love and soul come into play. Many outsiders see run down streets and old buildings but behind the cosmetic imperfections lives a part of the city that thrives on culture. A large part of the Latin X community live on the east side which sources family recipes and hidden gems.

The restaurants in the area know how to cook up a mean plate of food. From carnitas tacos, flautas el paso, carne asada and some of the most refreshing aguas frescas. What's also impressive is the amount of food that these restaurants serve. They don't skimp on the meats or sides.

Not all but many of the restaurants stay open late catering for those night time hunger cravings. Check local listing times for any updates or changes.

Customers are valued which is why these restaurants stay in business and have continued their success on the east side. We also want to mention that many of the places listed are fair with their prices. It won't cost a whole pay check to eat at any of these restaurants.

Vegas is one of those cities where you can drive past a business without ever realizing who or what they're about. Residents of the area understand the struggle of getting their name out there for the masses.

Each of the Mexican restaurants below were rated on Google with a 4.2+ in star ratings. Each of the eateries that were chosen have at least 200 or more reviews.

We wanted to highlight the businesses below that are known for making people smile. We hope you enjoy.

Address: 23 N Mojave Rd, Las Vegas, NV 89101

Address: 4262 E. Charleston Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89104

Address: 2655 East Desert In Rd, Las Vegas, NV 89121

*Images from the Summerlin location Instagram

Address: 6055 E. Lake Mead, Las Vegas, NV, 89156

Address: 5750 E. Sahara Ave, Las Vegas, NV, 89142

Address: 1724 E. Charleston Blvd, Las Vegas 89104

Address: 712 N Eastern Ave, Las Vegas, NV 89101

Address: 552 N Eastern Ave #A, Las Vegas, NV 89101

Larry Martino is the long-time afternoon drive personality on 96.3 KKLZ. The views and opinions expressed in this blog are those of Larry Martino and not necessarily those of Beasley Media Group, LLC.

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