A couple of recipes

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas--time with loved ones, good food, and good things from Santa! Santa was good to me this year--I got a 32 inch flat screen TV. Awesome! I didn't realize how bad the picture was on my old TV until now. I also get all these HD stations that are just amazing. Now I just need to get satellite or cable so I can start watching all of my science/history/food channels again!

I came upon a hot sauce of a friend's recently, and asked him how he made it. It's surprisingly simple, and oh so easy to make. It's also super hot, but you can adjust it to your liking. It's addictive.

Hot Salsa
12 jalapenos
1 can whole tomatoes (Muir Glen Fire Roasted are best, but not necessary)
1 t. salt
1 t. garlic powder (or to taste)

Cut stems off of jalapenos and boil in water for 1 1/2-2 hours, until they are falling apart tender. Drain. Add to food processor with the other ingredients and pulse until the right consistency is achieved. Adjust salt and garlic as needed.

That's it. The hardest part is breathing when the jalapenos are boiling!
This is really good and will be the salsa I turn to from now on. I do want to try smoking the jalapenos soon--I have a huge grill and they'd be good this way to.

The other recipe is for peppermint fudge. It's addictive as well. I came across some Andes Peppermint Crunch chips a while back. They make a slightly minty pink fudge; a crushed peppermint topping gives them some crunch.

Peppermint Fudge
1/2 stick butter
6 oz. evaporated milk
1 1/2 c. sugar

Bring above to boil. Boil for exactly 7 minutes.
Stir in 10 oz. bag of peppermint chips and 1 jar of marshmallow creme. You can add about 1/8 t. peppermint extract if desired. Stir until blended. Spread onto parchment lined baking sheet. Top with crumbled peppermint candy. Let set for 2 hours; slice and serve.

**You can also use the Andes mint creme de' menthe chips for a slightly different flavor and brown fudge.