Fruit Salsa

Fruit salsa is the perfect summer party food! I request it at any party thrown in my honor (birthday party, bridal shower) and I've made it myself for many parties (and as a birthday gift once too).

There are two ways to make it: one super easy and one a little more time consuming.

First, buy whatever fruit you like or whatever looks good or is on sale at the store. The salsa in the photo has pineapple and blueberries, both were BOGO this week, plus red grapes, kiwi and one large granny smith apple (to add a little tartness). Strawberries are also great and peaches add a surprising flavor that really stands out.

The quick and easy way: Wash and de-stem all the fruit then chop everything into large chunks. Put it all in a bowl and go to town on it with a biscuit cutter or a Pampered Chef crinkle cutter. (Or really, whatever works!) This is going to make a juicier salsa, more like a jarred salsa. It's really hard to get the grapes chopped this way because they slide out from under the blade, so you may want to hand cut them into halves so they are easier to eat.

The way I like to make it is to chop all the fruit into teeny, tiny little salsa-sized pieces. Crazy? I know, but it makes it much more like a fresh salsa consistency, which I prefer. I find that this method freezes better too which is great for me since I usually make way more than I need.

It has been so hot here lately and I must be dehydrated because I'm craving fruit. I made a huge bowl of fruit salsa this week and have been eating a bowl for lunch everyday with a spoon. 

A great compliment to a good fruit salsa is cinnamon sugar tortilla chips. I don't have photos of these because I didn't make them this time but they are sooo easy and so good! Take any size flour tortillas and cut them with kitchen scissors into whatever shape you want. I usually make a triangle shape, like a standard tortilla chip but I've also made strips too. In a small bowl mix up a little bit of cinnamon and some sugar. I can't give you quantities because I never measure and it really depends on how many chips you are making. Just mix until it looks good to you.

Place your chips on a baking sheet and sprinkle the sugar mixture over them. Bake at 350 degrees until.. um.. they look right? I know, I'm the worst recipe writer ever. I would guess its about 10-15 minutes. Maybe less? I usually poke them until they feel crispy and then take them out.

If you like the little bowl shaped tortilla chips you could cut circles out of your tortilla and push them down into a mini muffin pan to bake.

Are you hungry yet??