62. Warm-and-Spicy Salsa

From 1999 Southern Living Annual Recipes

One of my favorite parts of football season is having "carpet picnics," a la Pretty Woman. I love making a meal out of a bunch of appetizers.

So, for the kick-off Saturday, my friend Jenny and I cooked up a bunch of nibbles, starting with this recipe. Two more to come...

We went to the store on game day, and the Rotel section had taken a pretty good hit, so we had to get the Mexican variety. It kicked this salsa up big time!

There's a lot of acid in this dish, particularly from the vinegar, so it's not for the faint of heart, but I loved the slight crunch of the onions and celery. A warm salsa was new to me, and I really liked the variation.

1 cup white vinegar

1 large onion, diced
2 celery ribs, diced
3 garlic cloves, pressed
3 (10-ounce) cans diced tomatoes and green chiles, undrained
1 (16-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon pepper


Bring first 4 ingredients to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat; add tomatoes and green chiles and remaining ingredients. Return to a boil, stirring occasionally. Serve warm with tortilla chips.