Heather loves to get in the kitchen with her kids, and she wants you in the kitchen with your kids too! Kids in the Kitchen with Girl in the Kitchen shares tips, recipes, and ideas to get you and your kids cooking together.
Kids in the Kitchen: Mango Salsa
It dawned on me recently that summer is over.
Well, in the real world, summer doesn’t actually end until September 22nd (I totally googled that). In my world, right now, summer is pretty much over.
Why you ask?
Well, there are many reasons, but let’s start with some errands I had to run yesterday.
I innocently walked into Target needing to pick up one thing but prepared to spend over $100 since that is usually what happens. As I was strolling past the girls’ clothing, I noticed something quite disturbing.
Brace yourself.
Sweaters were being showcased in this section. Really? Sweaters? Isn’t it like eighty degrees outside? They weren’t just light, summery sweaters either. You know? The ones you wear when the air conditioning is too high, and you pull on a summer sweater that you immediately shed when you walk outside? Yeah, not those.
I could not get out of there fast enough!
Kohl’s was next on my list. I had some returns to do, and on the way to the back of the store, I unwillingly passed a decorative display bursting with fall scented candles.
Wait, what?
Yes, fall scented candles. They had names like, “Falling Leaves”, and “Apple Pie”, and even…”Pumpkin Spice”.
The ones with names like “Summer Breeze,” “Strawberry Shortcake,” and “Fresh Linen”? Yeah, they had a clearance sticker stuck on them. A CLEARANCE STICKER STUCK ON THEM.
IN AUGUST.
Last stop. Hobby Lobby.
I know, I know. Hobby Lobby is notorious for its early bird ways. But I was not prepared for fall and CHRISTMAS stuff.
Did I mention my kids start school in a week? A WEEK. A Halloween costume catalog came in the mail the other day.
Blasphemy.
I could not take anymore. I decided I was staging a rebellion. A summer rebellion.
My kids were in agreement. We immediately left for the pool.
When we came home, I declared all meals would be eaten outside. No exceptions.
I let them have a popsicle BEFORE dinner.
We heard some popping noises in the neighborhood, and I laughed, trying to convince us all that they were fireworks. (It was probably someone firing up their snowblower…you know, getting things ready.)
I made a margarita for myself.
And then, I made this salsa.
(Ha! I bet you were wondering when the food part was getting here?)
A friend of ours made this amazing salsa for us a few times. Each time, she attached a recipe. Each time, I lost it.
This time, I could not bring myself to ask her for the recipe again, so I decided to wing it.
The result?
Pretty close to what I remember and absolutely delicious. My kids loved it and had fun helping me make it. We devoured it very quickly and decided that our dinner was what you do in the summer.
Easy, breezy.
Ahhh…the simple tastes of summer.
Mango Salsa Recipe
*I made a lot of this. If you want a smaller recipe, just cut everything in half. Adjust ingredients to your tastes. It is a very forgiving recipe and will go really fast!*
- 4 mangoes, pitted and diced small (I bought pre-sliced mango at the grocery store, blame it on summer laziness)
- 2 ripe but firm avocados, diced small
- 1/2 cup red onion, diced small
- 2 tbsp jalapeño, seeds removed, diced very small
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 limes, juiced
- sea salt
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped and loosely packed
- Add mango and avocado to a serving dish.
- Add red onion and jalapeño. Drizzle olive oil and lime juice over the top and stir very, very gently as to not mash the avocado. You want to make sure the avocado stays intact but is coated with the lime juice so it is preserved.
- Sprinkle with sea salt and cilantro.
- Serve with chips.
Store leftovers tightly covered in the refrigerator. Stir gently before re-serving. Enjoy!
Can’t get enough of summer? Head over to Girl and Her Kitchen for another one of our favorite SUMMER salsa recipes! It is great without the chips too as a simple summer salad. Enjoy!
By: Heather Williams
Mundelein
Heather is a busy mom of three who loves exploring Lake County with her kids. When she, her husband, and kids are not embarking on new adventures, you will most likely find her cooking and posting some great family-friendly recipes at Girl and Her Kitchen.
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