Just because it’s too hot to cook doesn’t mean you can’t have pizza—or a very good substitute. This potluck dish will be gone before you know it, especially with kids around. Chill for several hours if you are traveling to a potluck dinner or family reunion.

Ingredients:

10 plum tomatoes, chopped

3 green bell peppers, chopped

2 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese

1 package of pepperoni slices (3.25 oz)

1 small can of chopped black olives, drained

1 small can of mushrooms, drained

¼ cup of chopped onion

1/3 cup of tomato juice

¼ cup of red wine vinegar

¼ cup of olive oil

1 clove of garlic, minced

½ teaspoon of dried basil

1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes

1 cup of salad croutons, Italian style

Preparation:

In a small bowl, blend the tomato juice, vinegar, oil, basil, garlic and red pepper flakes. Set aside. In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, mushrooms, bell pepper, pepperoni, olives, onions and mozzarella. Pour the olive oil dressing over the tomato mixture, cover and refrigerate for several hours. Wait until just before serving to add the croutons to keep them crisp.

Ingredients:

16 ounce jar of beets
1 ¾ cups of white vinegar
1 cup of sugar
1 ½ Tablespoon of whole allspice
1 stick of cinnamon, halved
8 eggs, hard boiled and peeled

Directions:

Using a saucepan large enough to lay the eggs in a single layer, cover them with an inch of cold water. Place a lid on the pot and bring water to a boil. Remove from heat and let eggs stand in the hot water for 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the size of the eggs. Cool completely with cold water and peel immediately. Gently crack the shell all over, rub egg between palms and, starting at the large end, remove the shell. Put the eggs into a quart jar with a tight fitting lid.

Keeping the juice, drain the beets and store them for another use. In a saucepan, combine the beet juice with the spices, sugar and vinegar. Bring to a slow boil, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Simmer for 5 minutes. Pour the hot liquid over the eggs and tightly screw on the lid. Let the jar sit on the counter until it cools and then refrigerate. Flavors will blend within several hours and eggs can be stored in the refrigerator for a week.

This recipe is quickly becoming one of my favorites. It’s so versatile & easy to make that you simply cannot mess it up. The ingredient combinations are endless so you can experiment with it until you find your favorite flavor.

Fruit salsa is light so it makes an excellent companion for steak, fried chicken and meals that tend to be heavy. It’s also a great dish to take to a cookout, a day at the lake or a potluck.

When certain fruits are not in season, you can use canned versions or make a combination of fruit and veggies salsa to liven up the flavors.

Fruit Salsa Ingredients

You can use any variety of fruit and amounts of each that you’d like. I selected fruits based on color, so the dish would display nicely. These are also some of my family’s favorite fruits and they blend well with one another.

2 fresh peaches (1 ¼ cup canned)

1 ½ cup blackberries

1 cup pineapple chunks

3 kiwi fruits

2 cups strawberries (about 12-15 whole berries)

½ cup orange juice

6 tbsp. apple jelly

Fruit Salsa Preparation:

If you are using canned fruits, drain them well.

Dice the fruit into bits about ½ inch square in size. Any smaller and they may turn to mush before serving.

Pour fruit into a bowl and carefully fold fruit together. Do not mix too long or too vigorously or it will cause the fruit to break down.

Next, in a separate bowl, combine the ½ cup of orange juice and 6 tablespoons of apple jelly.

Tip: Apple jelly and orange juice work well for the fruits I chose, however, you can sweeten this dish in a variety of ways. You might try using:

• Honey

• Powdered sugar

• Brown sugar

• Granulated sugar

• Sugar substitutes like sweet-n-low or stevia

• Agave nectar

• Other juice & jelly combinations

Using a whisk, blend the juice and jelly until the jelly is broken into small pieces.

Pour orange juice mixture over the fruit and stir to coat fruit.

Allow salsa to sit refrigerated for no less than 15 minutes and up to 1 day. As it rests, the fruit will start to break down and the natural juices will come out allowing the flavors to blend nicely.

Cinnamon Chips

Cinnamon Chips Ingredients:

6 flour tortillas (7 inches)

3 Tbsp. butter, melted

3 Tbsp. sugar

1½ tsp. cinnamon

Note: Tortillas shown are 12 inch size as 7 inch was not available. Cooking time does not change, however, larger tortillas will create ‘pizza slice’ looking chips as shown in this demonstration.

Cinnamon Chips Preparation:

In a small bowl, mix the cinnamon and sugar together.

Next, brush both sides of the tortilla with melted butter.

Sprinkle both sides of the tortilla with the cinnamon and sugar mixture.

Cut tortilla into chip size wedges (approximately 6 per tortilla). Place wedges on an ungreased baking sheet.

Bake at 400 degrees for about 6-7 minutes on each side or until chips are crisp.

Alternate method: Broil on high for 1-2 minutes per side, checking often to avoid burning.

Tips:

For a dry salsa, before serving, drain juice from salsa; reserve to add back to any leftover fruit.

Make a fresh fruit breakfast smoothie the next morning with remaining fruit and juice.

For individual treats, cut chips into larger sizes before baking. Then, place baked chips on a serving tray, top with a teaspoon of well-drained salsa and a dollop of whipped cream. Drizzle with strawberry glaze and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

What You Need:

2 small tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced
1/4 C almond slivers
1/4 C mild chile peppers, seeded and minced
1 green onion, chopped fine
1 1/2 C prepared Ranch dressing
1/2 C Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
Almond slices
Fresh Cilantro

How to Make It:

Place the tomatoes, almond slivers and peppers into a large mixing bowl.
Add the chopped green onion and toss to incorporate together.
Stir in the Ranch dressing being sure to completely cover the other ingredients.
Sprinkle in the cheese and stir to combine.
Cover the bowl tightly and chill.
Before serving garnish the top with the almond slices and cilantro.

Serving Size: 2 C

Serve with a variety of fresh vegetables.  Change the mild peppers to hot peppers and serve as a dip with taco flavored chips.