I just finished 11 half-pints of this chile salsa and I love it! I guess Ive never tasted a salsa with so many peppers in it (hot ones anyway). When I have cooked with Ro-Tels, I guess I never tasted the Ro-tel by itself, just in the finished recipe. So I can't compare. But I love this hot salsa. It will suit me just fine in the winter months where there is no fresh tomatoes and peppers for a Mexican dish. As is, I've been using canned whole tomatoes and pickled jalapenos for these meals. This salsa gives me those ingredients in one jar!

A recipe for salsa? Nah, you just throw stuff in. Tomato salsa: Hand cut tasty ripe tomatoes into cubes 1/2 inch, or so. Be sure to save the juice and add that into the salsa. Do it by hand, not machine, it makes a difference. Mince onion really fine, add to taste. You can add green onion tops, sliced, if you have them Lots of fresh cilantro, chopped. That's a critical flavor. Lots of Anaheim chilies, roasted, peeled, and diced. Or poblanos. Then dice your hot chilies and add enough to make the salsa as hot as you like it. Squeeze of fresh lime juice, salt to taste. You can substitute cantaloupe or mango for the tomato. I like salsa made with cooked nopalitos, either in addition to or substitute for, the tomatoes.

This is my version of a Jalapeno Cafe recipe. We keep a dollar store squeeze bottle of it in the fridge and DH eats it on everything. I increased the vinegar because the original recipe was a bit too close to the pH line for me and the last batch using these proportions was 3.6. We've used all sorts of combinations of hot and sweet peppers. Sometimes it's Muddy Brownish Red Dragon Sauce. I quadruple the recipe to can. * Exported from MasterCook * Green Dragon Sauce Recipe By : Serving Size : 0 Preparation Time :0:00 Categories : Condiments Preserving Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- 20 jalapenos -- stems removed, coarsely chopped (2 1/2 cups) 1 medium onion -- coarsely chopped 4 cloves garlic -- sliced 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil 2 cups water 1 1/4 cups white vinegar -- or more, to taste Combine the jalapenos, onion, garlic, salt and oil in a non-reactive saucepan over high heat. Saute' for 3 minutes. Add the water and continue to cook for about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to steep until mixture has cooled. Place mixture in food processor and puree until smooth. With the processor running, pour the vinegar through the feed tube in a steady stream. To refrigerate: Pour into sterilized pint jar and seal. Let age at least 2 weeks before using. *Katie's note: To can-- Pour into clean, hot half-pint or pint jars and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes at 0-1000 ft., 15 min. at 1001-6000 ft., and 20 min. above 6000 ft. Source: "Jalapeno Cafe" - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Here is a link that might be useful: Green Dragon Sauce

Lizzy, that sounds really good and I'm saving it. When you get time please tell us how you cook red beans. It's one of my favorite meals. I use an abbreviated version I got from the Gumbo Pages website.