Maybe you can’t make your entire menu an organic one, but we found this organic salsa recipe that is terrific.

Ingredients:
4 med-large ripe organic tomatoes. 2 organic Jalapeno peppers (less for milder salsa and/or slice in half and de-seed for mild salsa) 1/2 organic yellow onion. Handful of organic cilantro. 1 organic vegetarian bullion cube. 1 clove of finely chopped garlic. Salt / pepper. Olive oil

Directions
1.    Rub the tomatoes with olive oil.
2.    Cut the 1/2 onion into thirds (three chunks) and rub with olive oil
3.    Rub the Jalapenos with olive oil
4.    Put them on a baking sheet or a pan on the stove over medium heat
5.    Turn them frequently. They will sizzle and turn dark brown. Do not be alarmed, and do not take them off! You have to keep browning them darker and darker….
6.    When all sides of the tomatoes, peppers and onions are pretty darn dark… put them in the blender, add the handful of cilantro, and blend to your viscosity preference.
7.    Meantime, put a few tablespoons of olive oil in a small pot and saute the garlic.
8.    Add the mixture from the blender along with one bullion cube.
9.    Cook on med to med-low heat (do not boil), stirring and making sure the bullion cube dissolves.
Salt and pepper to taste.

Accompany the salsa with Organic Tortilla Chips from Trader Joe’s. Ole!

Do you have a favorite organic recipe that you would like to share? We would love to post it on our website.

Are you planning a summer gathering this weekend? Take advantage of cherries being in-season with a new twist on the traditional Mojito. We bet your guests will smile with ever sip.

Ingredients

Serves 12

•    1 1/4 cups sugar

•    1 1/4 cups freshly squeezed lime juice, about 9 limes

•    3 pounds Bing cherries

•    18 ounces best-quality black cherry or plain vodka

•    1 bottle sparkling water (750 mL)

Directions

1.    Bring sugar and 1 1/4 cups water to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat; let cool completely. (Makes about 2 cups syrup.) Syrup can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 1 month.

2.    Put lime juice into a medium nonreactive bowl. Halve and pit cherries; add to lime juice. Stir in syrup. Refrigerate at least 1 hour (up to overnight).

3.    Stir cherry mixture and vodka in a large serving bowl. Fill 12 glasses with ice. Spoon 1/2 cup cherry-vodka mixture into each glass. Top off with sparkling water. Serve immediately.

Cheers!

Cool, delicious cucumber salad. For a pretty salad, peel only half of each cucumber, leaving strips of skin on each. Don’t make the vinegar solution first and then chop the cucumber because it’s important that the vinegar solution be hot to ensure proper flavoring.”

INGREDIENTS

4 cucumbers, thinly sliced
1 small white onion, thinly sliced
1 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup water
3/4 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon dried dill, or to taste

DIRECTIONS
Toss together the cucumbers and onion in a large bowl. Combine the vinegar, water and sugar in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, and pour over the cucumber and onions. Stir in dill, cover, and refrigerate until cold. This can also be eaten at room temperature, but be sure to allow the cucumbers to marinate for at least 1 hour.