Dark chocolate peppermint fudge

I saw a recipe for peppermint fudge on Chocolate & Carrots, and my mouth immediately began to water.  I altered the original recipe slightly to match up with what I had in the pantry, and it turned out fantastic.  Smooth, creamy, chocolaty and minty- perfect for Christmas, if I do say so myself! (Full disclosure: I'm eating a piece (or two) of this while I blog.  So good!!)

DARK CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT FUDGE

Ingredients:

1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk

1 Tbsp. unsalted butter (plus more for preparing pan)

1 1/2 cups dark chocolate and mint chips (Nestle seasonal)

1 cup dark chocolate chips

1 tsp. vanilla extract

12 soft peppermints, crushed, for topping

Instructions:

Prepare an 8x8 square pan by buttering the bottom, cover with parchment paper, then butter the paper as well.

In a glass bowl over a pot of simmering water, heat the Tbsp butter and sweetened condensed milk until the butter is melted.  Add all of the chocolate chips, stirring until melted.

Mix in the vanilla extract, then pour the fudge into the prepared pan (the batter will be thick).  Top with the crushed peppermints- I recommend pressing them into the fudge so they'll stick better.  Cool the fudge in the refrigerator for 3 hours, or until set.  Cut and serve.

Meatball sandwich

David Lebovitz is the author and creator of some of my favorite ice cream recipes, and lo and behold, he does savory dishes as well!  This meatball sandwich is delicious, hot, cheesy, tomato sauce-y goodness.  Yummmmmmmmmmmm!

MEATBALL SANDWICH

Yield: 4-6 sandwiches

Ingredients:

For the tomato sauce:

1 medium onion, peeled and minced
Olive oil
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
1 15 oz can crushed or diced tomatoes, with their juice
1 tablespoon tomato paste
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoons dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon sugar

For the meatballs:

1 medium onion, peeled and minced
Olive oil
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
1/2 pound ground beef (not too lean)
1/2 pound ground pork
2 large eggs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan, Asiago, or Pecorino cheese
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh herbs
1 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper
3/4 teaspoon whole fennel seeds
1 cup dried breadcrumbs or panko
4 tablespoons milk

-Mozzarella or provolone cheese for topping

-Crusty Italian or French bread

Instructions:

1. For the tomato sauce, sauté the minced onion in a good pour of olive oil in a Dutch oven or very large saucepan, seasoning them with a bit of salt and a few generous turns of black pepper, stirring frequently – until the onions start to wilt. Add the garlic and cook until the onions are completely soft and translucent.

2. Add the canned tomatoes, the tomato paste, 3/4 teaspoon salt, dried oregano, red pepper flakes, the bay leaf and the sugar, and let simmer for 10 to 12 minutes over low heat, stirring occasionally. Set aside.

3. To make the meatballs, sauté the onion in some olive oil in a large skillet, seasoning with a bit of salt and black pepper, stirring frequently, until the onions start to wilt. Add the garlic, and cook until the onions are completely soft and translucent. Remove from heat, scrape into a large bowl, and let cool to room temperature.

4. To the bowl, add the ground beef and pork, the eggs, cheese, parsley, herbs, 1 teaspoon salt, a few generous turns of black pepper, the fennel seeds, the breadcrumbs, and the milk. Use your hands to mix everything together thoroughly.

5. Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line two baking sheets with parchment paper, or grease them with olive oil.

6. Form meatballs slightly less than the size of unshelled walnuts, and space them evenly apart on the baking sheets. Bake the meatballs for 15 minutes, then remove from the oven, pluck out the bay leaf, and slide them into the tomato sauce.

7. Heat the sauce with the meatballs in it until everything is warmed through. If the sauce is very thick, it can be thinned with a bit of warm water.

8. To make sandwiches, take crusty French or Italian bread, cut it open almost all the way through. Slice some of the meatballs in half and put them between the bread, pressing down with a fork to meld them with the bread. Top with slices of cheese and heat in a hot oven (about 400ºF), or under a broiler, until the cheese melts.

Spinach and pepperoni quiche

We love quiche at this house, and sometimes it's hard to find a variety outside of the usual Quiche Lorraine, so I was excited when I came across this pepperoni version from Taste of Home. It has tons of flavor, and it makes excellent leftovers, too!!

SPINACH AND PEPPERONI QUICHE

Ingredients:

1 refrigerated pie crust

1 large red bell pepper, chopped

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 garlic clove, minced

5 eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

1/4 cup sliced pepperoni, cut into strips

1/4 cup half-and-half cream

2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

1 Tbsp minced fresh parsley

1 Tbsp minced fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried basil

Salt and black pepper, to taste

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Place refrigerated pie crust in a 9" pie plate.  

In a small skillet, saute bell pepper in oil until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Remove from the heat. In another small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients; add bell pepper mixture. Pour into crust.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Let stand for 5 minutes before cutting. 

Pumpkin Sriracha soup

Did you know pumpkin isn't just for baking?  We discovered it makes a great soup, too, when we made this pumpkin Sriracha soup from Noble Pig a few weeks ago.  It's creamy and spicy, and Robert is always game when there's fried sage involved.  It's a great comfort food on these cold nights!

PUMPKIN SRIRACHA SOUP

Serves: 4

Ingredients

1/4 cup olive oil

12 fresh sage leaves, divided (1 Tbsp chopped for soup, fry additional leaves for garnish)

1/2 cup finely diced onion

1 Tablespoon minced garic

1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

2 cups chicken stock or vegetable broth

1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree

1/4 cup dry white wine

1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish

Salt and black pepper, to taste

1/4 cup heavy cream

1-2 Tablespoons Sriracha (this is a hot sauce typically found on the Asian foods aisle)

1 Tablespoon white wine vinegar

Instructions

Heat olive oil in a saute pan until it shimmers. Fry whole sage leaves in batches until crispy, about 30 seconds. Transfer sage leaves to a paper-towel lined plate; season with salt. Reserve 2 Tablespoons of this oil.

In a large pot, saute onion in reserved oil over medium heat, about 10 minutes.. Add minced sage, garlic and paprika, saute for about one minute. Stir in broth, pumpkin and wine, bring to a slight, slight boil. Add Parmesan cheese and stir until melted. Simmer soup covered for about 15-20 minutes.

Stir in heavy cream. Stir in Sriracha 1 Tablespoon at a time. Taste after first addition, and add additional Sriracha to desired spiciness. Add the vinegar and serve immediately.  Garnish with extra Parmesan and fried sage leaves.

Pumpkin fudge

It's no secret that I LOVE pumpkin desserts.  I recently made this pumpkin fudge from Brown Eyed Baker and it was fabulous, as expected.  But here's a warning- this makes a 9x13 pan, and that is a LOT of rich, fudgy goodness.  Even our family of five couldn't eat this all ourselves, so I suggest passing some out to family and friends!  Also, I made half the pan with nuts and half without, and we preferred the nutty version- it adds to the flavor and texture.

PUMPKIN FUDGE

Ingredients

2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
¾ cup unsalted butter
2/3 cup or 5-ounce can evaporated milk
½ cup canned pumpkin
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
2 cups white chocolate chips
1 (7 oz.) jar marshmallow creme
1 cup chopped pecans
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with foil or parchment paper, leaving some hanging over the sides for easy removal.

2. Combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar, evaporated milk, pumpkin, butter and spice in a medium saucepan. Bring to a full rolling boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil, stirring constantly, for 10 to 12 minutes or until candy thermometer reaches 234° to 240º F.

3. Quickly stir in the white chocolate chips, marshmallow creme, pecans and vanilla extract. Stir vigoriously for 1 minute or until the chocolate chips are melted. Immediately pour into the prepared pan. Let stand on wire rack for 2 hours or until completely cooled. Refrigerate tightly covered overnight. Cut into 1 inch pieces.

Chicken soup with avocado relish

We made this chicken soup from Cooking Light last week and it is FANTASTIC!  The guacamole on top was an a-ha moment- why didn't I think of that??  Try it- you'll love it.

CHICKEN SOUP WITH AVOCADO RELISH
Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients

Spice blend:

2 1/2 teaspoons chili powder

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Soup:

1 tablespoon canola oil, divided 

1 1/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips

2 cups chopped sweet onion

1 cup chopped red bell pepper 

1 cup chopped green bell pepper 

1 cup chopped yellow bell pepper 

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups fresh corn kernels

1 32-ounce carton fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth 

1 28-ounce can fire-roasted crushed or diced tomatoes, undrained

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Relish:

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

1/3 cup chopped green onions

1 teaspoon grated lime rind

1/3 cup shredded cheese of your choice

1 diced avocado 

Instructions

1. Prepare spice blend: combine first 6 ingredients in a small bowl.

2. To prepare soup, heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick saucepan over medium-high heat. Add chicken; sprinkle 1 1/2 tablespoons spice blend over chicken. Sauté 8 minutes or until done; cool. Shred chicken; set aside.

3. Heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil in pan over medium-high heat; add onion, bell peppers, garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Sprinkle vegetable mixture with remaining spice blend; sauté 8 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir in chicken, corn, broth, and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 15 minutes. Add lime juice.

4. To prepare relish, combine chopped cilantro and next 4 ingredients (through avocado).

5. Serve soup topped with avocado relish.

Fried ravioli

This fried ravioli from Giada de Laurentiis is so simple, but so delicious!  It isn't as much a recipe as it is just throwing some things together - and the end result is hot, crispy ravioli smothered in marinara goodness.  Mmmmmm! 

FRIED RAVIOLI

Ingredients

Olive oil, for frying

1 cup buttermilk

2 cups Italian-style bread crumbs or panko

1 package store-bought ravioli (from the refrigerated section; we used spinach and cheese, but anything would work)

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

marinara sauce, heated, for dipping (jarred or homemade)

Instructions

Pour enough olive oil into a large frying pan to reach a depth of 2 inches. Heat the oil over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 325 degrees F.

While the oil is heating, put the buttermilk and the bread crumbs in separate shallow bowls. Working in batches, dip ravioli in buttermilk to coat completely. Allow the excess buttermilk to drip back into the bowl. Dredge ravioli in the bread crumbs. Place the ravioli on a baking sheet, and continue with the remaining ravioli.

When the oil is hot, fry the ravioli in batches, turning occasionally, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fried ravioli to paper towels to drain.

Sprinkle the fried ravioli with Parmesan and serve with a bowl of warmed marinara sauce for dipping.

Crunchy black bean tacos

We made these crunchy black bean tacos from Endless Simmer a few weeks ago for a quick, delicious dinner.  There's a chance you already have these ingredients on hand, and you can whip these up pretty quickly- perfect for a busy weeknight!!

CRUNCHY BLACK BEAN TACOS

Yield: 8 tacos

Ingredients

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1/3 cup red onion, minced
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. paprika
2 Tbsp. cilantro, chopped
1 1/2 cups pepper jack cheese, grated
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 avocado, sliced
Pinch of salt and pepper
8 tortillas (corn or flour, your preference)
Optional toppings: Hot sauce, salsa, and sour cream

Instructions

In a medium bowl, add beans along with red onion, cilantro, and spices. Add a pinch of salt and lightly mash all of the ingredients together. Grate your cheese and have it ready as well.

In a large, non-stick skillet or cast iron skillet, add a few tablespoons of oil and heat over medium-high heat.  Add one tortilla at a time and let get hot in the oil for a few seconds. Then add about 1/4 cup of the bean mixture to one half of the tortilla. Top with a sprinkle of grated cheese.  Using a spatula, carefully fold the tortilla over so it forms a shell. Press down lightly on the tortilla so it holds its shape.

As the first tortilla cooks, move it to the side and do a second one. Depending on the size of your pan, you should be able to get 2 or 3 tacos at once. Cook each taco for about 3 minutes per side until they are nicely browned and crispy. (When flipping the taco to cook on the other side, use a spatula and flip the taco toward the fold so the filling doesn’t fall out).

Top tacos with avocado, and serve with hot sauce, salsa, and/or sour cream.

Pumpkin nutella muffins

'Tis the season to bake an endless supply of pumpkin goodies- I just can't help myself!  These pumpkin Nutella muffins from A Feast for the Eyes are a great addition to my regular rotation.  It's easy to half the recipe for 6 muffins, which makes it a great candidate to use the end of a can of pumpkin leftover from another recipe. Delicious!!

PUMPKIN NUTELLA MUFFINS

Ingredients

1 – 15 oz can pure pumpkin puree (not pie filling)

½ cup vegetable oil

2 large eggs

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

¼ cup light brown sugar, packed

¼ cup sugar

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons cocoa powder

12 heaping teaspoons Nutella, for topping

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line or spray a 12-cup muffin pan, set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder. Set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, oil, eggs, vanilla and brown sugar. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and whisk to combine.

Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin cups evenly (will be about 3/4 full). Scoop a heaping teaspoon of Nutella onto the top of each muffin. Use a toothpick or skewer to swirl the Nutella slightly around the top of the batter.

Bake the muffins for 18-22 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.  Serve warm or at room temperature. Store in an airtight container.

Roasted tomato basil soup

When Fall comes around and the temperatures drop, I go on a soup making frenzy.  And tomato is one of our favorites.  Hot, cold, creamy, soupy... we like it all.  And this roasted tomato basil recipe from Ina Garten is a new favorite.  The original recipe is a chunkier version finished off through the coarse setting of a food mill, but we use our immersion blender and smooth it out a bit more.  I love the combination of fresh, roasted tomatoes and the canned variety- simple and delicious!!

ROASTED TOMATO BASIL SOUP

Ingredients

3 pounds ripe plum tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions)

6 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 (28-ounce) canned plum tomatoes, with their juice

4 cups fresh basil leaves, packed

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

1 quart chicken stock or water

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Toss together the tomatoes, 1/4 cup olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread the tomatoes in 1 layer on a baking sheet and roast for 45 minutes.

In an 8-quart stockpot over medium heat, saute the onions and garlic with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the butter, and red pepper flakes for 10 minutes, until the onions start to brown. Add the canned tomatoes, basil, thyme, and chicken stock. Add the oven-roasted tomatoes, including the liquid on the baking sheet. Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered for 40 minutes. Pass through a food mill fitted with the coarsest blade or puree in a blender, depending on texture you desire. Taste for seasonings. Serve hot or cold.

Poblano and pepper jack pizza

We made this tasty pizza from Every Day with Rachael Ray for dinner a few weeks ago.  The poblano peppers and pepper jack cheese give it a little kick, but it isn't super-spicy, so don't be afraid. The cool avocado on top is a nice touch, too.  We looooove pizza at this house, and this one is a winner!

POBLANO AND PEPPER JACK PIZZA

Ingredients

3 tablespoons EVOO

2 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled

1 teaspoons ground cumin

Salt and pepper

1 large poblano pepper, quartered and seeded

1 medium red onion, peeled and cut into wedges (root ends attached)

Pizza dough, store-bought or homemade

1/4 cup store-bought salsa verde

1 1/2 cups coarsely grated pepper jack cheese

1 ripe avocado, sliced

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Lime wedges, for squeezing

Instructions

1. Preheat a grill to 500 degrees . In a small bowl, mix together the EVOO, garlic and cumin; season with salt.  Place the poblano and onions on a baking sheet; brush with 1 tbsp. of the cumin oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill, turning with tongs, until the vegetables are charred in spots, about 5 minutes. Return the poblano and onions to the baking sheet. Cut the poblano into 1/4- to 1/3-inch strips.

2. Lower the heat on one side of the the grill to low. Oil the grate on that side of the grill. Move the shaped dough to the grill. Lower the edge of the dough onto the oiled grill, draping the dough perpendicular to the grate. Cover the grill and cook until the crust begins to bubble and brown, about 3 minutes. Loosen the crust with a metal spatula; cover and cook for 1 minute more. Flip the crust over; cook until beginning to brown on the bottom, about 2 minutes. Invert the crusts flat side down onto a baking sheet.

3. Brush the crust generously with the cumin oil. Spread the crust with the salsa verde, then top with the pepper jack cheese, poblano slices, and onions. Place the baking sheet on the cooler side of grill, cover and cook until the cheese melts, 2 to 3 minutes (or in a 450 degree oven).  Off the heat, top the pizzas with the avocado and cilantro. Serve with the lime wedges.

** Alternatively you can cook this in the oven instead of on the grill.  Char the oiled poblano pepper and onions on broil, then prebake your pizza crust for a 6-8 minutes at 450 degrees.  Then pick-up at step 3...

Brownie batter dip

You've probably seen this mouthwatering concoction on Pinterest or another food blog (I got my version from Mel's Kitchen Cafe), and it's as good as advertised.  I whipped it up for one of our Bachelorette watch parties, and everyone loved taking a dip!

BROWNIE BATTER DIP

Ingredients

8 ounces cream cheese, light or regular, softened to room temperature
1/4 cup butter, softened to room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar (plus more for a stiffer consistency, if needed)
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
5 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2-4 tablespoons milk
Chocolate chips for garnish

For serving: Pretzels, strawberries, graham crackers, animal crackers, and apples

Instructions

In a large bowl with a handheld electric mixer or in the bowl of an electric stand mixer, whip together the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy, 1-2 minutes. Add 2 cups of the powdered sugar. Mix well. Add the flour, cocoa powder, brown sugar, vanilla and 2 tablespoons milk. Mix until fluffy and smooth. Add additional powdered sugar and/or milk, if needed, until desired consistency is reached. The dip should be soft enough to easily dip a pretzel in (without breaking the pretzel!) but not so soft that it spreads out instead of holding it’s shape in a fluffy cloud of brownie batter goodness. Garnish with chocolate chips.

Pimiento cheese bacon burger

As soon as we saw these pimiento cheese bacon burgers on Bobby Flay's BBQ Addiction, I knew they would quickly be on our menu.  It's hard to resist a juicy burger topped with ooey gooey pimiento cheese- so delicious!

PIMIENTO CHEESE BACON BURGER

Yield: 4 burgers

Ingredients

1 cup mayonnaise

1/2 teaspoon cayenne powder

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 cup drained and finely diced roasted red peppers (I used jarred pimientos)

12 ounces extra-sharp white Cheddar cheese, coarsely grated

12 ounces extra-sharp yellow Cheddar cheese, coarsely grated

1 1/2 pounds ground chuck

2 tablespoons canola oil

4 hamburger buns, split and toasted

8 slices bacon, cooked until crisp

4 slices Vidalia or other sweet onion, grilled

4 thin slices beefsteak tomato

1 large dill pickle, thinly sliced

Instructions

Whisk the mayonnaise, cayenne, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper in a large bowl. Add the pimientos, white Cheddar and yellow Cheddar and gently fold until combined. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before using.

Meanwhile, preheat a grill to high. Divide the ground chuck into four equal portions. Form each portion into a 3/4-inch burger and make a deep depression in the center with your thumb. Brush both sides of the burgers with the oil and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Grill the burgers until golden brown and slightly charred on both sides and cooked to desired doneness, about 4 minutes each side for medium doneness. During the last minute of cooking, place a dollop of the pimiento cheese mixture on top of each burger and close the grill lid. Cook until the cheese has just melted, about 1 minute.

Place the burgers on the buns and top with the bacon, onions, tomatoes, and pickles.

Cake batter truffles

These cake batter truffles from The Girl who Ate Everything are perfect for game-day (or any day)- bite-sized and perfect for snacking!

CAKE BATTER TRUFFLES

Yield: 24-30 truffles

Ingredients

For the truffles:

1 ½ cups flour

1 cup yellow cake mix

½ cup unsalted butter, softened

½ cup white sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/8 teaspoon salt

3-4 Tablespoons milk

2 Tablespoons sprinkles

Truffle Coating:

16 ounces white chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate (I used both)

4 Tablespoons yellow cake mix

sprinkles

Instructions

For the truffles:
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Beat butter and sugar using an electric mixer until combined. Add cake mix, flour, salt, and vanilla, and mix thoroughly. Add 3 tablespoons of milk (more if needed) to make a dough consistency. Mix in sprinkles by hand. Place on cookie sheet and chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to firm up.

For the truffle coating:

While dough balls are chilling, melt chocolate coating in microwave in 30 second intervals until smooth. Stir between intervals. Once melted, quickly stir in cake mix until incorporated completely. Using a fork, dip truffles into almond bark and shake off excess bark by tapping the bottom of the fork on the side of your bowl. Place truffle back on the cookie sheet and top with sprinkles. Repeat with remaining balls until finished.  Chill cake batter truffles in the refrigerator until serving. 

Restaurant style salsa

I made the Pioneer Woman's restaurant style salsa for a party a few weeks ago, and I loved, loved, loved it!  It is so simple to throw all the ingredients into a (large) food processor, and it tastes much better than anything I've had out of a jar.  It's so delicious, and with football season around the corner, it's a great one to feed a crowd!!

RESTAURANT STYLE SALSA

Yield: a lot

Ingredients

1 can (28 Ounce) whole tomatoes with juice

2 cans (10 Ounce) Rotel (diced tomatoes And green chilies)

1/4 cup chopped onion

1 clove garlic, minced

1 whole jalapeno, quartered and sliced thin

1/4 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 cup cilantro (more to taste)

1/2 lime, juiced

Instructions

Note: this is a very large batch. Recommend using a 12-cup food processor, or you can process the ingredients in batches and then mix everything together in a large mixing bowl.

Combine whole tomatoes, Rotel, onion, jalapeno, garlic, sugar, salt, cumin, lime juice, and cilantro in a blender or food processor. Pulse until you get the salsa to the consistency you'd like---(about 10 to 15 pulses). Test seasonings with a tortilla chip and adjust as needed.

Refrigerate salsa for at least an hour before serving.