Salt And Pepper

kristinw@herald-mail.com Every day in Mexico, families head off to open-air markets to select foods for their daily meals. Along with the rice, beans and meat items, they choose the freshest tomatoes, onions, hot peppers and herbs to make the daily salsa. Salsa is as important to Mexican cuisine as salt and pepper is to traditional American food, explains Emanuel Muoz, co-owner of El Ranchero Restaurant in Hagerstown. "Everyone makes their own salsa in the house every day," he says.

Macaroni and Cheese 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded 1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese (sharp or mild), shredded 1/4 pound extra sharp cheddar cheese, cubed 3 eggs 1 1/2 cups milk 1 pound macaroni (elbow shaped) Salt and pepper to taste Coat the bottom of a 12-inch-by-8-inch (or similar) baking pan or casserole dish with 1/4 cup of shredded cheddar cheese. Boil the macaroni in salted water according to package directions. Drain pasta. Pour the hot pasta into the pan or casserole dish.

Charbroiled Swordfish with Citrus Salsa 4 (5-ounce) swordfish steaks 1 red grapefruit, peeled 2 oranges, peeled and sectioned 2 limes, peeled and sectioned 1 lemon, peeled and sectioned 1 cup red, green and yellow bell pepper, finely chopped 1 medium red onion, finely diced 1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped 1 tablespoon mint, chopped 1 ounce tequila 1 tablespoon corn oil 1 dash salt ...

Crockpot Beef Burgundy (Beef Bourguignon) 3 pounds beef chuck, boneless 2 ounces flour 1 large onion, cut into half-inch cubes 2 tablespoons garlic powder (optional) 1 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced 1 cup beef broth 1 cup burgundy wine 1 bay leaf 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme Salt and pepper, to taste Cut beef into 1-inch cubes or 2-inch strips, removing excess fat. Place flour in plate and lay meat on to coat on both sides.

Start to finish: 10 minutes 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons lemon juice 2 tablespoons strong black tea 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 2 teaspoons honey Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, lemon juice, tea, mustard and honey. Season with salt and pepper. Makes about 1/2 cup Nutrition information per tablespoon: 49 calories, 5 g total fat (1 g saturated), 0 g protein, 3 g carbohydrates, 0 g fiber, 118 mg sodium.

This recipe has loads of fresh ingredients, including peppers, onions, cilantro, green onions and tomatoes that are sandwiched between two grilled flour tortilla shells. They are served with grated vegetarian cheddar cheese to allow for proper binding and flavor. Also look for flour tortillas that don't use fat or lard from animals. - Scott C. Anderson is associate food service director and chef with Shepherd University dining services in Shepherdstown, W.Va., and Chef Ambassador to the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board.

The Herald-Mail would like to publish penny-pinching, tasty recipes by thrifty cooks in the Tri-State area on the Food page every week. Contact staff writer Julie Greene at 301-733-5131 or 800-626-6397, ext. 2320, or

2 tablespoons olive oil 1 medium onion, diced (about 1 cup) 4-ounce package sliced button mushrooms (about 2 cups) 12-ounce package cooked chicken sausages, mild Italian flavor, cut into chunks (about 5 sausages) 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary 1/2 bunch kale, stems removed, chopped (about 2 to 3 cups chopped) 12-ounce jar roasted red peppers, drained and chopped (about 4 peppers) 1 1/2 cups instant polenta 1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese Salt and pepper, to taste In a large saucepan, bring 6 cups of water to a boil.

3 medium-sized red peppers 1 small red onion 4 10-ounce to 15-ounce cans of black-eyed peas Two 10-ounce packages of frozen peas, thawed 1/3 cup cider vinegar 1/4 cup olive oil 2 teaspoons sugar 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme 1 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper 2 large tomatoes At least 3 1/2 hours before serving: Dice the red peppers. Chop the onion and rinse the black-eyed peas. Drain well.

Stuffed Sugar Pumpkin 1 (6- to 8-pound) pumpkin 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard 1 pound sausage 1 cup chopped onion 1 cup chopped celery 10 cups fresh white bread cubes 1 teaspoon fresh or dried sage 1/2 teaspoon thyme 1/4 teaspoon pepper 2 eggs, beaten 3/4 cup chicken broth Wash pumpkin. Cut and reserve top. Scoop seeds from pumpkin. Pick inside of cavity all over with fork. Rub cavity with salt and mustard.

Alisha Hanlin, 27, is owner and chef for Pressed Flour, a baked goods business in Shepherdstown, W.Va. She got her start in cooking when she was young. Her mother invited her to work with her in the kitchen. "I did small tasks around the kitchen at home," she said. "I picked up a lot more from my mother in cooking with her as a child than I realized until I was in the professional kitchen and I was applying this knowledge that I had gotten from her. " Hanlin was until recently the pastry chef for LJ's and the Kat Lounge, a high-end restaurant in Hagerstown.

This recipe has loads of fresh ingredients, including peppers, onions, cilantro, green onions and tomatoes that are sandwiched between two grilled flour tortilla shells. They are served with grated vegetarian cheddar cheese to allow for proper binding and flavor. Also look for flour tortillas that don't use fat or lard from animals. - Scott C. Anderson is associate food service director and chef with Shepherd University dining services in Shepherdstown, W.Va., and Chef Ambassador to the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board.

Pretax cost is $2.59 per serving for eight servings. Prices are from Martin's Food Market on Wesel Boulevard in Hagerstown. Prices include the optional herbs. The salt, pepper and flour were not included in the price per serving. Summer vegetable pasta stew 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 large onion, diced 1 clove garlic, minced 1 red or green pepper, cut into strips 1 eggplant (about 1 pound), cubed 2 tablespoons flour Salt and pepper, to taste 2 yellow summer squashes, sliced 1 zucchini, cut into thin spears 1 cup ripe or canned tomatoes, diced; reserve juice if using canned tomatoes Sprig of rosemary (optional)

The Herald-Mail would like to publish penny-pinching, tasty recipes by thrifty cooks in the Tri-State area on the Food page every week. Contact staff writer Julie Greene at 301-733-5131 or 800-626-6397, ext. 2320, or

3 medium-sized red peppers 1 small red onion 4 10-ounce to 15-ounce cans of black-eyed peas Two 10-ounce packages of frozen peas, thawed 1/3 cup cider vinegar 1/4 cup olive oil 2 teaspoons sugar 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme 1 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper 2 large tomatoes At least 3 1/2 hours before serving: Dice the red peppers. Chop the onion and rinse the black-eyed peas. Drain well.

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 small red or green bell pepper, diced 1 cup medium-diced onion (about 1 medium) 1 medium bulb of fennel, julienned 14-ounce can crushed whole tomatoes with liquid 1/2 cup dry white wine 1 teaspoon dried basil 1 teaspoon dried thyme 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1/8 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon white pepper 1 1/2 pounds cod fillet (or any white fish) or six individual-sized fillets 6 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced and divided Heat a heavy-bottom pan over medium-high heat and add the oil, coating the pan. Add the garlic, bell pepper, onion and fennel, sauting for 3 to 4 minutes or until soft.

2 tablespoons olive oil 1 medium onion, diced (about 1 cup) 4-ounce package sliced button mushrooms (about 2 cups) 12-ounce package cooked chicken sausages, mild Italian flavor, cut into chunks (about 5 sausages) 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary 1/2 bunch kale, stems removed, chopped (about 2 to 3 cups chopped) 12-ounce jar roasted red peppers, drained and chopped (about 4 peppers) 1 1/2 cups instant polenta 1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese Salt and pepper, to taste In a large saucepan, bring 6 cups of water to a boil.

6 firm Roma tomatoes 1 large jalapeo chili 1/2 medium white onion 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced 12 large sprigs of cilantro (about 1/3 cup of loosely packed, chopped leaves) Juice from 2 limes 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper Cut each tomato in half and use a spoon to gently scoop out and discard the watery pulp and seeds. Use a knife to finely dice the tomatoes into pieces that are about 1/16-inch thick.

8 large tomatoes, peeled, seeded and finely chopped (about 5 cups) 3 cloves of garlic, minced 2 yellow bell peppers, seeded and coarsely chopped 1 large Vidalia onion, diced 1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped (about 1 cup) 2 jalapeo peppers, seeded and minced 3 tablespoons sherry wine vinegar Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste Cayenne pepper, to taste (optional) 1 cup croutons Extra-virgin olive oil In a large mixing bowl, combine the tomatoes and garlic.

Start to finish: 10 minutes 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons lemon juice 2 tablespoons strong black tea 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 2 teaspoons honey Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, lemon juice, tea, mustard and honey. Season with salt and pepper. Makes about 1/2 cup Nutrition information per tablespoon: 49 calories, 5 g total fat (1 g saturated), 0 g protein, 3 g carbohydrates, 0 g fiber, 118 mg sodium.