Lirio's Famous Salsa

I have an unbelievable sister-in-law. Her name is Lirio, and she is from Mexico. She has given me an education on real Mexican cuisine, and one of my favorites is her salsa. I love fresh salsa in Mexican restaurants, and this is like that.

Lirio's Salsa:
First, take 2-4 dried whole chiles and bring them to a boil in a little water, enough to cover the chiles by an inch or two.

(Before boiling, this is what they look like.) You can find these in the Mexican food aisle of Walmart or any large grocer. Simmer them until they are soft and a lighter shade of red, anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes. 2 peppers will give you mild salsa, 4 will give you hot salsa. Plan accordingly.

Then, in a blender, combine:

the softened chiles, 2 small cans of tomato sauce, 1 small onion, 1 large tomato, 1-2 cloves of garlic, salt and pepper to taste. Blend well. (If you are me, you will also put in a squeeze of lime juice and about 1 tablespoon of cider vinegar.)

This is the base. You can stop here if you want. But, if you like the chunky salsa, you can add additional diced tomatoes, diced onion, green chiles, diced jalapenos, or fresh cilantro to your liking. This is tastiest the next day. And the day after that. And the day after that.