Spicy Mango Salsa Recipe ~ Homemade Goodness

I love salsa.

Spicy salsa ~

Chunky salsa ~

Burn-your-tongue hot salsa!

I've even been known to go out to our favorite Mexican restaurant JUST to get some of their warm-from-the-oven-fresh chips and salsa.  (Okay, so I probably had a margarita too.)

Store bought salsa is okay...but...homemade is so much better.  And when you make it yourself you can cater to your own personal taste preferences.  I like spicy, but I also like my salsa a tiny bit sweet, so that's where the Mango comes in.

Here's my "recipe"... you won't find exact measurements here because I literally throw it together and adjust as I go.  Really, it's easy and you probably can't go wrong:

INGREDIENTS:

• fresh tomatoes (mine came from my little garden - I got loads of them!)
• onion
• fresh cilantro
• fresh lime juice
• jalapenos
• mango
• salt to taste
• fresh minced garlic
• sugar or sweetener to taste (optional)

I canned this batch of salsa so I did a hot water/cold water bath to remove the tomato skins.  *Immerse tomatoes in boiling hot water and then quickly in cold water and the skins peel right off amazingly easy.  *Don't leave the tomatoes in hot water for more than a few seconds or you'll cook 'em!

After the skin is removed dice the tomatoes (I used a big mixing bowl full of tomatoes for this batch)...





...and the onions (about 1/2 large sweet white used)...





...chop the cilantro ~ it's not salsa without cilantro in my book...
(I used 1/2 a bunch)





...dice the jalapenos (use gloves please!!!) and leave some seeds if you like spicy hot or remove the seeds if you like mild...





...mince a clove or two of garlic (I used 2)...





...I said I like my salsa a little sweet, right?  I added about a Tablespoon of sugar to up that sweet factor.  Sometimes I just add a packet of zero calorie sweetener...it's up to you, it's your salsa, remember!?





Since I was canning this batch I submerged my canning jars in boiling hot water to sterilize.





I put my salsa ingredients into my big skillet/saute pan and simmered...including a couple pinches of salt, the juice of a lime or two, and see the added mango...that's the secret ingredient here!  ;)





I simmered the salsa on med-low for a couple of hours to reduce the liquid and very important ~ since I was canning this batch I needed the ingredients to be cooked.





Once it was done simmering I ladled it into my jars, leaving about 1/2 inch of head space.  I wiped the rims of the jars to make sure they were clean and followed this canning tutorial from Pamela the Canning Granny. 


(I'm fairly new to canning so I just followed her expert advice!)




This is great on burritos, nachos, tacos, as a dressing on taco salad, omelets, quesadillas, or just as a dip with corn or pita chips...especially those warm-from-the-oven-fresh kind  ;)  If you aren't up for canning you can prepare all of the same ingredients fresh and skip the cooking/canning part.  It will keep in the fridge for a few days of fresh salsa goodness.  Mine never lasts more than a few days...it gets gobbled up quick.  :)

Enjoy some spice in your life!