Before I share my story, here are a couple of Mormon terms in case you’re not familiar: WARD: a ward is the group of Latter-day Saint members who live in a specific geographic area. For example, the people who live a few blocks from my house belong to the 16th ward. STAKE: a stake is a collection of multiple wards in a larger region. For example, the 8th ward is a neighboring ward, and both the 8th and 16th wards belong to the same stake.
I hope that helps you follow the story.
This month our church hosted a themed party they called a “Cruise.” It took place at the church building and included passports, photos taken as people “boarded,” live entertainment, and food. Each ward in our stake represented a different country and provided a small food sample. Our ward represented Mexico. I signed up to bring salsa because I wanted to make this specific recipe, and my husband had been asking me to try making salsa for a while. It seemed like the perfect opportunity to make some for the party and let him sample it.
The event was a lot of fun. Kids visited activity “ports” set up in several classrooms and had their passports stamped at each stop. Our kids loved hula dancing in the Hawaii area, and they made neat origami buildings in the China room. After visiting all nine countries, each child got to go to the captain’s table and choose a prize. It was a clever party idea and very well attended.
Now back to the recipe. This is an incredibly simple salsa: just a couple of cans of vegetables, half an onion, and a few seasonings. One of the best things about this salsa is that it develops more heat as it rests. It was medium-spicy the day I made it, but by the next day it had become noticeably hotter, so if you prefer a spicier salsa, let it sit in the fridge for a while. I also like the smooth, pureed texture—some people prefer chunky salsa, but I enjoy the silky consistency this makes. As for tasting like Chili’s salsa, it’s been a while since I’ve had theirs. This recipe is widely shared online as a copycat version, and based on reviews I’ve read, it seems credible. Try it and see how you think it compares!
{Copycat} Chili’s Salsa
Amber Brady
6 servings
Ingredients
-
2 (14.5oz)
cans whole tomatoes, drained -
1 (4oz)
can diced jalapeños -
½ cup
yellow or white onion, diced -
1 tsp
garlic powder -
1 tsp
salt -
1 tsp
ground cumin -
1 tsp
granulated sugar -
2 tsp
lime juice
Instructions
-
Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth.
-
Taste with a tortilla chip and add more salt if needed; you don’t want it overly salty, but tasting and adjusting the seasoning with a chip helps you determine the right amount since that’s how you’ll eat it. Enjoy!
Notes
Sharing this recipe with a link is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying/pasting and/or screenshots of full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Content and photographs are copyright protected.
Did you make this?
Don’t forget to leave a rating below and follow for more!