No one should be afraid of getting in the kitchen and whipping up something more than a bowl of cereal. If you can read, you can follow a recipe. Once you've constructed an edible masterpiece, it's time to branch out and try omitting or adding to the recipe you've made, making it your own. You cook to please yourself or those you're serving. The beauty of cooking is to get all the "ohhhs" you can from those you're feeding, even if it's just you.
I will be offering basic recipes for you to try and adjust to your own taste. If you like what I have to share, I have a complete recipe cookbook I'd be willing to sell for a few clams.
Today I begin what I've wanted to do for a long time: share my favorite recipes with my favorite people!
This is a recipe I've been recreating since the time I first tried it. See what you can do with it!

Hot Sauce

Finally, a recipe where there is no right or wrong. Hot sauce is whatever you dream it to be. I often make two batches, with the same base ingredients, but one will turn out mild and the other hot.To me hot sauce is a fancy tomato sauce if my tongue isn’t on fire. Take what I offer and change or add or delete whatever you think you might like. If it helps, I rarely make it the same. Sometimes I want more chunks and other times I like it more liquified. Do what pleases you; you’re the cook!

4 whole Tomatoes

6 Jalapenos

1/2 small yellow Onion

Small bunch of Cilantro

1 Tbsp minced Garlic

1 can El Pato jalapeno tomato sauce

dash of Garlic salt

In a large pot add enough water that it’s about 3/4 full. Heat on high until you get a rolling boil. Gently add tomatoes, one at a time. With a wooden or slotted spoon, gently stir for the next 7-10 minutes. When the skin on the tomatoes begin to split, it’s time to remove them from the water. Discard boiling water.

Once the tomatoes have cooled off, core and peel them. Cut them into quarters and add them to a food processor. You can process them to your desired consistency. I don’t like the bigger chunks, but you’re in charge.

Process or hand chop the jalapenos, onion, cilantro and add to the tomatoes. Add garlic and garlic salt to taste.  Sometimes I like to add a small squirt of lime juice. Sometimes I add the tomato sauce and sometimes not.

Adjust all ingredients to your taste. Less jalapenos make it milder. Adding tomatillo sauce gives it a different flavor; not hotter, just different. Don’t be shy about using canned tomatoes if that’s all you have. It will still taste great. Canned jalapenos are just as okay.  Do what it takes to make the salsa of the gods. It’s great as a dip or on top of tamales, nachos, burritos, eggs, everything! I like to keep old jars, of hot sauce or pickles, handy to store my hot sauce in. You could also buy Mason jars in the store.

Takes about 45 minutes to make. Happy cooking!