photo © 2009 Ginny | more info (via: Wylio)

What is fruit salsa? Does it contain hot peppers? I assumed it would so I never bothered to look at any of the recipes before. I confess, I’m not a fan of hot food. It turns out fruit salsa is basically chopped up fruit that can be eaten as an appetizer, snack or condiment!! Who knew?

I’m going to surprise hubby with fruit salsa and cinnamon chips this weekend. We both enjoy fruit and he’s always looking for something to snack on so I think it will be a great treat. Here’s the recipe:

2 cups fresh strawberries hulled and chopped
1 fresh mango, peeled and chopped
3/4 cup green grapes, halved
1 cup blueberries
3/4 cup pineapple (fresh or canned)
2 tsp of fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon honey

Directions: Add all chopped fruit to a serving bowl. Sprinkle with lime juice, drizzle with honey and mix gently. Chill for a few hours to allow the flavors to develop. Serve with cinnamon chips.

Cinnamon Chips
4-6 whole wheat flour tortillas
2 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoon honey
Watkins cinnamon

Directions: Melt butter and honey, brush on one side of the tortillas, place on a cookie sheet butter side up and sprinkle with a little cinnamon. Use a pizza cutter to cut the tortillas into wedges. Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Tip: use what ever seasonal fruits and berries you have available, or your favorites, you don’t need to stick to the one’s listed above.

So are you a fan of fruit salsa? Go ahead tell me what I’ve been missing!

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/4 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed

2 teaspoons Watkins baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 teaspoon Watkins cinnamon

4 large eggs, beaten

1 cup milk

1 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup butter, melted

2 cups cooked mashed pumpkin or 1 15 ounce can pumpkin

Directions:

Sift together the flour and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl. Add the baking powder, baking soda and salt and stir to combine all the ingredients together. In a separate bowl add the milk to the beaten eggs and mix slightly. Pour in the buttermilk and melted butter. Mix to incorporate. Fold in the pumpkin and mix until all the ingredients are incorporated together and mixture is smooth. Add the dry ingredients to the smooth mixture. Blend together making sure all the dry ingredients are moistened well. Heat the waffle iron. Pour a scant amount of the batter onto the waffle iron and cook according to the waffle iron directions. Set the oven temperature to 200 degrees. When the waffle is done place it on the preheated oven rack to keep hot. Continue cooking the waffles until all the batter has been used. Serve with warm Apple Spice Breakfast Syrup, recipe below.

Apple Spice Breakfast Syrup

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup apple cider, unsweetened or apple juice

1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed

5 Watkins cloves

1/4 teaspoon Watkins cinnamon

Directions:

Place the apple cider into a saucepan over medium heat. Add the brown sugar and stir until starting to melt. Add the cloves and cinnamon. Stir often cook the mixture for 15 minutes or until it begins to thicken and is reduced to just shy of 1 cup of liquid. Serve warm over pancakes or waffles.

Did you know? You can substitute cooked, mashed squash in any recipe that calls for pumpkin. You’ll find the best tasting spices in the Watkins US catalog or the Watkins Canadian catalog.

Directions: In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients. In a small bowl, combine the eggs, egg white, cider, yogurt, oil and vanilla. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in the apple, raisins and orange peel.

Transfer to a greased 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 to 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center come out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack. Yield: 1 loaf

You can order your Watkins spices and other ingredients fresh from the factory in the Watkins US online store or the Watkins Canadian online store.

Ingredients:
4-5 medium sized apples, peeled and cored
1/3 -1/2 cup /75-125 ml sugar, depending on tartness of apples
1 teaspoon/5 ml Watkins cinnamon

Ingredients for topping:
2/3 cup /150 ml flour, all purpose or whole wheat
2/3 cup /150 ml oatmeal
1/2 cup/125 ml brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon/1 ml Watkins nutmeg
1/2 cup/125 ml butter, softened

Directions: Mix together prepared apples, sugar and cinnamon and place in a 8″/20 cm square pan. Combine topping ingredients in a bowl cutting in butter until well blended and crumbly. Sprinkle topping over apples and bake at 375° F/190° C for about 30 minutes or until apples are tender. Serve warm or cold. Great with ice cream or whipped cream.

Tips from the kitchen:

• Double the recipe, make two and freeze one baked or unbaked to enjoy another time when you are too busy to make dessert. If unbaked, reduce heat to 350° F and allow extra baking time when baking from frozen. Thaw baked apple crisp in the fridge, then reheat in oven for 10 -15 minutes.
• Substitute 2 cups of fresh or frozen berries or other fruit for the apples to create a totally new dessert. Or use a mixture of apples with other fruit.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons sugar
1 egg or 2 egg whites
1 2/3 cups flour (sifted)
3 teaspoons Watkins Baking Powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon Watkins Vanilla
1 cup sweetened cooked apricots, peaches, diced or applesauce
1/4 teaspoon Watkins lemon Extract

Directions: Cream together the butter and sugar, add the egg and beat well. Sift together the dry ingredients and add alternately with the milk. Add Watkins Vanilla. Place in an oiled pan and cover the dough with the fruit, adding Watkins Lemon Extract to the fruit really brings out the flavor. Sprinkle with topping, recipe below and bake 30 minutes in a 375 degree oven.

Cinnamon topping ingredients:
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1/4 cup flour, sifted
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons Watkins Cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon Watkins Vanilla

Blend all the ingredients thoroughly, sprinkle or spread over the unbaked fruit and batter.