Tasty Tuesday: Homemade Freezer Salsa

Tomorrow is salsa making day. I was hoping to make my salsa with fresh tomatoes this year, but my tomato plants refuse to set with this ridiculous heat! Oh well, I have a salsa recipe I really like that uses canned tomatoes that will work just fine. Generally I don't make a large batch, but with plenty of time on my hands and room in my freezer, it seemed a good idea this year! This recipe is just a basic guideline. You can change parts of it to suit your families taste preferences and it will still taste better than any you buy at the grocery store. And it costs a lot less too!

Homemade Freezer Salsa

1 large can whole tomatoes, do NOT drain

1 small or medium onion

2-3 fresh Jalapeños, or Habaneros if you are very brave

Juice of 1 lime

2 cloves garlic

1/4 cup cilantro, or parsley if you prefer

1-2 teaspoons salt, or to taste

You may add any or all of the following to suit your taste:

Black Pepper

Cumin

Chili Powder

Tabasco

Oregano

Green Chili's

Green Bell Peppers

Pour juice from tomatoes into blender or food processor and add all other ingredients except onion and tomatoes. Blend just to mix, then add onion and tomatoes. Blend to desired consistency. 

This makes the equivalent of two store bought salsa jars. You may keep it in the refrigerator about one week. It keeps in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Bon appétit ~Marla

When Children Lead the Way

As adults it is our job to teach our children, right? We teach them rules, manners, morals, reading, math and science. But as any good parent or teacher can tell you, we can often learn much from them as well. We can learn to see the world through more innocent eyes, learn to live with joy, be reminded of the priorities in life. This week I heard two stories of children who could teach us all a lesson, and I want to share those stories here.

First is the story of Ian and Nicholas. Both boys were attending a baseball game in Arizona. Nicholas, a Brewers fan, was tossed a ball by one of the Brewers players. When he misses the ball a ballpark employee hands the ball to Ian, a Diamondback (the home team) fan. Ian is thrilled, Nicholas is devastated. As Ian runs back to his dad, elated, the employee realizes his mistake and points this out to Ian. Ian good-naturedly returns to Nicholas' row and hands him the ball. Anyone who attends major league sporting events can tell you this is a rare event. Most adults who attend would probably shrug, say "too bad", and keep the ball. This boy did returned it with a good attitude and made another little boys day.


Even within this sweet story, adults who simply cannot learn are putting their spin on it. Some say Ian did nothing special because it had to be pointed out to him that the ball was meant for someone else. Others complain that a younger boy who whined was rewarded. For myself I see the lesson that sometimes we do things impulsively, not aware of how our actions may effect someone else. But when it is pointed out to us, we should hurry to make things right, and do so with a generous heart.

The second story is a beautiful tribute to a young girl's giving heart. It is the story of Rachel, a girl who asked for gifts for her 9th birthday to be in the form of donations to a group that provides clean water to families in developing nations. She had hoped to raise $300, but was $80 short by her June 12th birthday. She planned to raise more money next year. Sadly, Rachel was critically injured in an accident near her home in the Seattle, Washington area. She was taken off life support Saturday. Since hearing of Rachel's story, more than $100,000 has been donated in her name to My Charity Water. 


What a legacy this little girl left! All because of one small act of selflessness...the willingness to give up a few toys or electronics so that other children could have clean water to drink. Wow. There is just so much we can learn from these tender little hearts.


Blessings ~Marla

Patience is a Virtue

Do you ever have problems peeling your boiled eggs? My mom always had beautiful boiled eggs. They peeled perfectly, never a blemish. As an adult whenever I boiled eggs for deviled eggs they looked like a rat had eaten part of them! I could never get the peel off without mangling the egg. I tried all kinds of tips to help with this and none seemed to work. Finally I started thinking about what my mom used to do. She sat her eggs out ahead of time for at least an hour. She used the boil then simmer method versus taking them off the heat and covering them after the boil. She chilled them after cooking with cold water and put them in the fridge. She peeled them after they had been in the fridge for awhile. I started using this method...worked like a charm, perfect eggs!


So what is the point here? Simply that being patient can sometimes make a huge difference in the desired outcome. When I made deviled eggs I wanted to achieve the end result as quickly as possible. My mom's way took a great deal more time and patience on my part. How many of us have seen people make one bad decision after another because they don't have the patience needed to wait for right person/job/education. Without foresight,planning and a little patience you end up with a mangled version of what you wanted in the first place. 


We are society of impatience; fast food, instant mashed potatoes, microwave pizza, 24 hour grocery stores, movies on demand, and of course, credit cards and loans. Not that these by themselves are bad, but as adults we practice patience so rarely that our young people have few examples from which to learn it anymore. A wise man once said...

Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish.  ~John Quincy Adams

This is what we need to be teaching our youth. Maybe it is time to take his advice to heart.

~Marla

Shaking off the Dust

I do not like to argue or debate with people. It is frustrating, raises my blood pressure, and it doesn’t change anyone’s mind or position on a subject. That is why on social network sites I am amazed at the people who are goaded into an online debate by others. If I post something and another person just can’t let my opinion stand without putting in their two cents worth, I ignore their post. I don’t feel the need to have the last word. Nor do I have to assert myself by seeking out posts I don’t agree with and posting a rebuttal.

As a Christian I used to struggle with this. Didn’t I have to keep after people who hadn’t accepted God’s plan of salvation? I mean, what about the Great Commission?

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”  Matthew 28:19-20 NIV

Over the years and with maturity I have come to the realization that most people are unlikely to be moved to change on any topic until they are ready. Be it religion, politics, or any other subject. Constantly yelling my opinion every time they assert their own only serves to annoy them and make me look argumentative.  Once someone knows where you stand on an issue, little purpose is served by constantly reminding them of the fact. Now if they don’t agree I shake off the dust and move on.

“If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town."  Matthew 10:14

One last thought… If you would win a man to your cause, first convince him that you are his sincere friend. ~Abraham Lincoln. In other words, if the person has little respect for you, they will not listen to anything you have to say. Just some food for thought.

~Marla

Tasty Tuesday: Shrimp Boil

Todays post is borrowed from a blog I follow called Skip to my Lou. It is an adorable site with lots of craft and sewing projects and the occasional recipe. I love shrimp and I love eating with my fingers, so this is a wonderful idea as far as I am concerned. Though the party is a shrimp boil, you could use any shellfish you desired for your party. Just please invite me! Please check out Skip to my Lou for more fun ideas! Bon Appetit ~Marla

Shrimp Boil

posted by cindylouh on August 27th, 2007 

A shrimp boil is one of my favorite parties -----no dirty dishes. This is also a completely portable party. My favorite spot is on the beach. When we have a large crowd, we borrow an extra turkey fryer or two. The following recipe uses 1 large 34 quart turkey fryer with a strainer basket that goes almost to the top of the pot. One pot serves about 10-12 people.

First cover your entire table with freezer paper, shiny side up. Let the cooking begin!

Printable Shopping List and Instructions

Fill turkey fryer about 2/3 full of water. Bring to a boil and add 2 pkgs of Zatarain's Crawfish, Shrimp and Crab Boil in a Bag, 1/4 - 1/2 bottle Zatarain's Shrimp and Crab oil, 1 cup of salt and garlic. Boil for 15 minutes

Add potatoes, boil for 7-8 minutes

Corn goes in next for 5 minutes (if corn is frozen you might need to turn up the heat for a minute to get your water boiling again)

Add kielbasa, cook for 8 minutes

Add onions, and squeeze lemon juice into pot and then toss the lemons into the water, boil 3- 4 minutes (oops picture is wrong - add the garlic at the beginning!)

Add shrimp and cook 5 minutes or just until shrimp turns pink.

Turn off the heat, immediately pull basket from the water and let drain.

Pour contents of basket onto your freezer paper covered table

Serve with sliced baguette sprinkled down the table and bottles of squeeze butter, cocktail sauce and spicy mustard. Remember NO knives, forks, spoons or plates allowed! This is all finger food and condiments are squeezed directly onto the table! When finished just roll up the paper and give everyone a finger wipe! A big thanks to our dear friends Jeff and Cathy for showing us how to have the best party ever!

Put on some Zydeco

(zi-dee-coe) music and have a great time!

Deep in the Heart of Texas

I'm not as young as I used to be. After a whirlwind trip to San Antonio, filled with activity, it took me a full day to recuperate! I have also discovered that along with the exhaustion came a great deal of back pain following 10 hour plus car rides. Used to be 16 hours in a car was not even an issue. I am definitely starting to feel older. All that aside, the trip was actually a wonderful experience.

I love San Antonio and have been there several times. My brother was stationed there twice while in the Air Force, and my husband and I honeymooned on the Palacio del Rio 28 years ago. Our last visit was two years ago. This visit was with my soon-to-be daughter-in-law, her mother and my son to attend a couples shower in their honor, given by her family. The weekend was jam packed with plans, including my meeting this large extended family.

I had a blast! I have never met a group of people so warm and accepting and with such a sense of fun. They made this gringo feel like one of the family, helping me learn a few new Spanish words via Mexican Bingo and restaurant menus! They reminded me of the family I grew up in. A family that played cards and ate big meals together, where Aunts and Uncles and cousins never worried about the little things, disagreements were quickly forgotten, grudges were never held, and you were accepted and loved no matter what. It was like coming home.

I made sure that my son understood how very blessed he is to be marrying in to such a warm, loving family. They are rare, and he is lucky. He is gaining a wonderful new set of grandparents and aunts, uncles and cousins who will love him like their very own family members. My future grandchildren are very lucky!
It was a reminder of what family should be. Eager to spend time together, not from a sense of duty, but because they truly enjoy each others company. Gracias a mis nuevos amigos. Ustedes son gente maravillosa.Te bendiga!


~Marla

Tasty Tuesday:Adventures in Foods

How adventurous are you when it comes to food? I think of myself as being pretty adventurous, but maybe not as much as some of my friends who have lived in other countries. I will try almost anything, though not quite to the level of Andrew Zimmern from Bizarre Foods. So for this Tasty Tuesday I thought it would fun to take a look at some foods I enjoy that may not be mainstream yet, though some have become significantly more mainstream than when first tried them. There are also a few foods that I have tried that were not on my list of enjoyable experiences!

Sushi/Sashimi
When I first tried sushi it was around the late 1970's. My #1 brother had me try a piece of tuna. It was raw, and I was totally turned off sushi until the early 1990's when my #2 brother talked me into giving it another try. He started with California rolls and sushi containing cooked items first (sushi is NOT always raw fish), and worked toward the milder raw fish. I have loved it ever since. (With the major exception of Uni, Sea Urchin, bleh!)

Escargot
My first cruise in 2004 was also my first taste of escargot. YUM! It was love at first bite! No, the thought of eating snails does not bother me one little bit!

Rabbit (Domestic)
This was actually a staple for me growing up. We raised show rabbits and usually had about 200 rabbits at any given time. Those not good enough to show or breed made their way to our table. My mother fixed and served rabbit like other moms did chicken. Chicken was a treat I ate at restaurants, not at home. Guess what? It really does taste similar to chicken! I have never eaten wild rabbit and have absolutely no desire to do so.

Venison (Deer), Elk, Moose
These all came to our house via relatives in the northwest who traded with us for rabbit. We sent them rabbit, they sent us all kinds of yummy goodies.

Raw Oysters
Sorry, not a fan. Found them to be slippery, salty, and made me gag. Now if you want to grill them, bake them, or make them into soup, I am right there. Just don't care to have them raw.

Rocky Mountain Oysters/Lamb Fries
Two different names, same part of the anatomy, different donor animal. Actually quite good, but I admit, this is one I have trouble getting past the thought of. #2 brother introduced me to this and to the raw oysters mentioned above, as well as...

Chocolate Covered Ants
Actually pretty tasty! Just goes to show that you can put chocolate on anything and make it taste good!

Rattlesnake
Nice mild taste, reminiscent of quail. An uncle from Oklahoma provided this treat.

Frog Legs
Watching my brothers Bull Frog hunt was half the fun of this dish. The other half was watching them jump all over the skillet as mom fried them! Yummy!

Beef Tongue/Kidneys/Heart
Great if cooked properly! Which my mom did quite well!

Black Caviar
Not impressed. I much prefer red salmon roe sushi style. 


Well those are just a few items that came to mind. I have tried lots of different dishes when I  travel, in fact I tend to seek them out. Ceviche, lamb, duck, goose, pheasant, quail, and chicken gizzards to name just a few. This weekend I hope to try goat at a Mexican restaurant we are going to. I haven't tried Alligator yet either...but it is on my list. Two items I absolutely will not eat? Liver...nasty no matter what animal source or how it is cooked. Veal...will not order it since I was 14 and read about how the calves live out their lives. 


I would be interested in hearing about any different foods you have tried....please share!


Bon appétit  ~Marla