Name: Roasted Tomatillo Salsa with Avocados
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 15 min
Ingredients: Approximately 2 pounds Tomatillos, husked and washed; 2 large Jalapeno peppers, quartered lenngthwise, seeds and pith removed; Approximately 1/4 of a large red onion, large dice; 4 cloves of garlic; 3 or 4 ripe avocados; Juice of 1/2 lime; 2 Red peppers, I use hot hungarian; 1 bunch cilantro; Olive oil; Granulated garlic (to taste); Pepper (to taste); Salt (to taste); Sugar (to taste if needed)

Welcome to The Karney Family Recipe Site!

I have many vivid and wonderful memories of family and friends gathering around the table to celebrate holidays, special events, and just the companionship of one another. Meals were always a special event whether eaten at a table with cloth napkins, holiday decorations and the good china, or on a picnic table with a red checkered tablecloth on a balmy summer day.

Throughout history, meals have always occupied a special place in the world's great religions. As we gather for sustenance and companionship, we are in our most vulnerable human condition, and that's where the Divine enters. This is precisely why mealtime is sacred and shouldn't be subservient to television, texting, or other interruptions. We need each other's companionship and the opportunity to be fully human so much that we can't let distractions overwhelm us.

My wife, Natalie, and I have always enjoyed cooking. As our sons, Jared, Jeff, and Kevin got older they all became good cooks. I had been working on putting together a book of both traditional family recipes and favorite newer recipes, but how do you ever say such a thing is done? So, I decided that the best solution would be to put the recipes online where they would be available to friends and family and now, of course, to anyone else who is interested. Now we have added Izabella, Amie, and Katy, three wonderful daughters-in-law. With their extended families, I'm sure they will be contributing some wonderful recipes.

So! Make some great food, gather around the table with your loved ones and strangers as well, give thanks to God, share your stories, and celebrate life.

Bon appetit! - Mark Karney

Roasted Tomatillo Salsa with Avocados

Appetizers, Dips and Spreads, Mexican, Vegan, Vegetarian Comments Off

Sep 192016

Since I’ve been growing Tomatillos in the garden, I’ve been looking for new recipes to use them in. I found a couple interesting recipes on the web and adapted them to my own tastes and came up with this one. Grilling the Tomatillos, onions and peppers adds a delightful smokiness to the salsa, so you really need to make an effort to grill them. I made this recipe for our annual trip to the Vintage Illinois wine festival at Mattheissen state park and it disappeared quickly even with a lot of other food around, which let me know it was a hit. This is an interesting alternative to Guacamole, and a nice change when Tomatillos are in abundance.

Roasted Tomatillo Salsa with Avocados

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Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Category: Appetizers, Dips and Spreads, Mexican, Vegan, Vegetarian

Author: Mark Karney

Ingredients

Approximately 2 pounds Tomatillos, husked and washed
2 large Jalapeno peppers, quartered lenngthwise, seeds and pith removed
Approximately 1/4 of a large red onion, large dice
4 cloves of garlic
3 or 4 ripe avocados
Juice of 1/2 lime
2 Red peppers, I use hot hungarian
1 bunch cilantro
Olive oil
Granulated garlic (to taste)
Pepper (to taste)
Salt (to taste)
Sugar (to taste if needed)

Instructions

Halve and remove stem from the Tomatillos.
Put the Tomatillos, onions and peppers in a bowl and sprinkle generously with salt, pepper, granulated garlic and olive oil, mix well to coat evenly.
Grill this mixture on a very hot grill, in a grill pan until the vegetables start to brown a bit. If the grill isn't very hot the Tomatillos will turn to mush before they start to brown.*
When the mixture has cooled a bit, puree it in a food processor along with the garlic and lime juice.
Peel and seed the Avocados, and dice to about 1/2 inch cubes. Combine in a bowl with the Tomatillo puree. Add the chopped bunch of the cilantro to taste.
Seed the red peppers and remove the pith, chop fine and add to the mixture.**
Mix well, taste, and add salt as needed. You may want to add some sugar depending on the tartness of the Tomatillos.
Serve with cornchips.

Notes

*You could probably roast the vegetables in a 450 degree oven, but the grilling really adds a lot of flavor, so grill them if you can.

**Usually the grilled Jalapenos don't add a lot of heat so I add hot peppers to get a bit of spice in the sauce. The red peppers also add some color and flavor to the salsa, so use sweet ones if you want the dip very mild.

https://karneyfamilyrecipes.com/2016/09/19/roasted-tomatillo-salsa-with-avocados/

Tomato Salsa

Appetizers, Dips and Spreads, Mexican, Sauce & Condiment, Vegan, Vegetable, Vegetarian Comments Off

Oct 242014

Tomato Salsa and Salsa Verde.

This summer I grew tomatillos and made a great Salsa Verde. At the same time I made some traditional Red Salsa from the Roma tomatoes in the garden. This is a cooked salsa and closely approximates the salsa we are served at our favorite Mexican restaurant. The trick is to peel the Roma tomatoes. I’ve used canned tomatoes and it’s almost as good. In fact you are probably better off with good canned Roma tomatoes than the typical anemic Roma tomatoes that you find in the grocery stores off season.

Tomato Salsa

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Category: Appetizers, Dips and Spreads, Mexican, Sauce & Condiment, Vegan, Vegetable, Vegetarian

Author: Mark Karney

Ingredients

1 ½ lbs. (Approx. 8 large) Ripe Roma tomatoes or canned whole peeled Roma tomatoes.
1/2 large white onion or more to taste, chopped coarsely
4 large cloves garlic
2 jalapeno peppers or more to taste, chopped coarsely
¼ cup chopped cilantro
2 tablespoon fresh oregano
3/4 teaspoons salt, or to taste

Instructions

If you are using fresh tomatoes, wash tomatoes and slice off the stem end. Cut an “X” through the peel on the other end. Put the tomatoes into rapidly boiling water. Leave them in a couple of minutes until the skin starts to split and remove them with a slotted spoon.
Let them cool a bit and then pull off the skin.
Place peeled tomatoes or canned tomatoes, garlic, and oregano into a food processor. Process until pureed.
Place the mixture in a heavy pan over high heat.
Finely chop 1/2 onion and 2 jalapenos in the food processor and add to the pan.
Bring to boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until the mixture starts to thicken, about 15 - 20 minutes.
Remove from heat. Cool and then add cilantro and salt to taste. Add additional chopped jalapeno and onion to taste.

Notes

I've used canned tomatoes and it's almost as good. In fact you are probably better off with good canned Roma tomatoes than the typical anemic Roma tomatoes that you find in the grocery stores off season.

https://karneyfamilyrecipes.com/2014/10/24/tomato-salsa/

Black Bean & Corn Salsa

Appetizers, Mexican, Vegan, Vegetable, Vegetarian Comments Off

Dec 132011

Most appetizer recipes are not all that healthy, usually being laced with cheese and other fats. So, here’s a healthy recipe for black bean salsa can be served with corn chips. In the summer I grill the onions and roast the peppers and corn outside on the Weber. The winter recipe is done in the frying pan and is almost as good, but lacks the smokiness added by cooking on the grill. Try this one for a lighter, healthier appetizer recipe.

Black Bean & Corn Salsa

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Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Category: Appetizers, Mexican, Vegan, Vegetable, Vegetarian

Author: Mark Karney

Ingredients

2 Jalapeno Peppers
1 16 oz. can black beans
1 16 oz. bag frozen corn kernels
1 12 oz. jar roasted red sweet peppers
1 Medium red onion - chopped
1/4 C Chopped cilantro
Juice of 2 small limes
2 tsp. Sugar (to taste)
1/2 tsp. Salt (to taste)
2 tsp. Olive oil

Instructions

Heat oil in hot frying pan.
Saute onion with red & Jalapeno peppers for a couple minutes.
Add corn and cook over high heat until corn browns a bit.
Remove from heat and cool.
Add lime juice and cilantro, and then salt and sugar to taste.
Mix together and serve with corn chips.

Notes

This is really better if you can cook the vegetables on your grill. Grill corn-on-the-cob until brown and then cut from the cob. Grill peppers until black and then peel and chop. Grill the onions and chop. This makes for a smokier, grilled flavor.

https://karneyfamilyrecipes.com/2011/12/13/black-bean-salsa/

Salmon With Mark’s Soon to Be Famous Salsa

Main Entrees, Seafood Comments Off

Dec 082011

I came up with this one a few summers ago when we started cooking salmon on the grill. Natalie likes spicy, and this recipe can be as spicy as you like depending on the amount of jalapenos that you add. It is almost as good prepared in the oven. This works well for a large group and we have done that a couple of times.

Salmon With Mark’s Soon to Be Famous Salsa

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Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Category: Main Entrees, Seafood

Author: Mark Karney

Servings: 6 servings

Ingredients

6 Salmon steaks – approx. 6 oz. each
1 Large sweet red pepper
½ Large onion
4 Jalapeño peppers
½ lbs Mushrooms
10 Garlic Cloves
2 Limes
2 Tbsp Olive oil
Black pepper

Instructions

Dice onion and peppers fine, press garlic and sauté all in the olive oil for 5 minutes.
Add the finely chopped mushrooms and sauté until the mushrooms soften.
Add the juice of two limes.
Arrange the salmon on a pan or foil, sprinkle with black pepper, and then cover with the salsa.
Bake in a 350° oven or grill over indirect heat until flaky. (About 20 min.)

https://karneyfamilyrecipes.com/2011/12/08/7/