Slow-cooked Salsa

I love the fresh taste of homemade salsa, but as a working mother, I don’t have much time to make it. So I came up with this easy version that practically makes itself! Yep, it only uses five ingredients! —Toni Menard, Lompoc, CA

Prep: 15 min.

Cook: 21/2 hours + cooling Makes: about 2 cups

10 plum tomatoes

2 garlic cloves

1 small onion, cut into wedges 2 jalapeno peppers

1/4 cup cilantro leaves

1/2 tsp. salt, optional

1. Core tomatoes. Cut a small slit in 2 tomatoes; insert a garlic clove into each slit. Place tomatoes and onion in a 3-qt. slow cooker.

2. Cut stems off jalapenos; remove the seeds if a milder salsa is desired. Place jalapenos in the slow cooker.

3. Cover and cook on high until the vegetables are softened (some vegetables may brown slightly),

21/2-3 hours; cool.

4. In a blender, combine the tomato mixture, cilantro and, if desired, salt; cover and process salsa until blended. Refrigerate leftovers.

1/4 CUP 20 cal., 0 fat (0 sat. fat ) ,

0 chol., 5mg sod., 4g carb. (3g sugars, 1g fiber), 1g pro.

DIABETIC EXCHANGES 1 free food.