Festive Cranberry Corn Salsa

Here is holiday side dish that we love. I make a fresh version when I have time, but using the few canned items in this recipe is a valuable time-saver around the holidays.

We love serving this salsa with organic blue corn chips. They look so pretty together. 

And it makes a great gift.

NOTE: I always gift it with a bag of organic blue corn chips so it can be used immediately because the salsa has not been preserved. So gift soon after making it (keep refrigerated for up to a week, and can be frozen for a few months). I always attach a nice note card with the gift explaining this.

Cranberry Corn Salsa Recipe:
I found this recipe in Cooking Light Magazine a few years ago, but can't find a direct link to it. It is featured on this website, check it out for a printable version of the recipe.

1/4 cup diced red onion
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro, or a little more to taste (can substitute with parsley)
1 16 oz can organic whole-berry cranberry sauce (or same amount of leftover fresh cranberry sauce)
1 15.25 oz can organic whole-kernel corn, drained (I use no salt; for less corn, use the 7 oz can)
1 4.5 oz can chopped mild green chili peppers

Combine all the ingredients then chill in refrigerator at least 30 minutes to build the flavors.

Also tastes great in sandwiches, with meals, and in cottage cheese! 

Happy Holidays!

For the fresh version of this Cranberry Corn Salsa, please see this post.

Split Pea and Ham Soup, A Holiday Comfort Food

Around the holidays we traditionally have a ham dinner on Christmas eve and from the leftovers we make this wonderful split pea and ham soup, that even our teenage children love.  My favorite recipe comes from the New Basics Cookbook.

The recipe has a lot of ingredients but it is relatively easy and quick (although, I always cook it about an hour longer than the time called for in the recipe to really break down the peas).  And fresh ingredients are a must for success!  We are careful about our salt intake so we use ham sparingly and don't add salt.  Low-sodium broth helps, or I use my own no-salt broth when I have it on hand.

This recipe is so good I deviate only a little from the original.  


It's even better the second day


Split Pea and Ham Soup

•  1 lb dried green split peas
•  5 cups chicken stock
•  5 cups water
•  1 meaty ham bone
•  2 ribs celery, diced
•  3 tbls chopped fresh Italian parsley
•  1/2 tsp crumbled, dried tarragon leaves
•  4 tbls unsalted butter (or olive oil, or half butter and half oil)
•  1 cup diced peeled carrots (I leave peel)
•  1 cup diced onion
•  1 leek, white part only, rinsed and sliced
•  1 cup slivered fresh spinach leaves
•  2 tbls dry sherry
  
  
  
  
  My method: Rinse the split peas in a strainer, and then combine with stock and water in a large pot. Bring to a boil.

• Add the ham bone, celery, 1 tbls of parsley and tarragon. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, partially covered, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes.
• Meanwhile, melt butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add carrots, onion, and leek. Cook until the vegetables soften, about 10 minutes, then add to the soup, along with spinach. Simmer, partially covered for 30 minutes.
• Remove the soup from the heat, remove the ham bone, and shred the meat from the bone, removing any excess fat. Return the meat to the soup, add sherry, pepper, and remaining 2 tablespoons of parsley. Stir and heat through. Serve immediately.