I have been really lazy when it comes to keeping up with my blog. Nothing interesting has really happened that I felt I need to write about. Until today. The mail lady brought my copy of Walk Off Weight, along with my cookbook. I have never had to diet before. Then came my kids! I love em, but I sure don't love the extra 50 pounds they came with! I've thought about Weight Watchers, but I don't have the time to get out my calculator and figure out how many points I just consumed. And Jenny Craig, I'm not paying for meals, when I still have to cook for Ben and the girls. I don't think walking is gonna be that hard, and the recipes in the cookbook are things I would actually eat. They have a potato soup recipe, and a broccoli soup recipe which both look great. So, I'm just healtifying things I already cook. I'm excited and hopefully I will be able to feel better about myself. And it's just the right thing to update my blog about!!

Bucket List

We have all seen the movie, The Bucket List. How can you go wrong. Ole Jackie boy and God. As 30 is approaching, ever so quickly, I realize I did not follow through on my 30th bucket list. I made one when I was 20. Married to my first husband, I was young and full of crazy dreams. I never saved the paper we wrote, but I remember a few things. Now, I know, they are not big dreams. but at 20, I thought fully accomplish-able. 1-Go to Mardi Gras 2-Drive a brand new Land Rover 3-Live in a gigantic house 4-Live in a big exciting city 5-Be famous Let's look at number one. No, I have yet to be in the bayou during it's version of Christmas! But I have visited New Orleans, done the whole Bourbon street thing, visited some voodoo shops, and the French Market. And it was wonderful! I even received beads from the guys on the rooftops. No, not by flashing the girls, but but showing off my wonderful Robo-boot!! The day after we came home, the doctor turned said Robo-boot into a wonderful bright pink cast for 6 weeks. That's what you get when you are in your late 20s and walk up and down the streets of Nawlins for 3 days. I believe the highlight of my trip was the food. Crawfish and alligator! It's absolutely heaven. I also discovered my first taste of that special New Orleans sauce. AKA Tarter Sauce! So add that to my things accomplished before 30. Eating alligator with delicious tarter sauce in the great city of New Orleans. That may not beat Mardis Gras, but it's good enough for me. I'm going to include 2 and 3 together. I mean, though I would still love to have a Land Rover, I don't foresee myself needing to rove any land anytime soon. No, I haven't succumbed to the mini van calling as of yet! I have a sensible 3rd row bad ass Jeep Commander. Used. Who wants to pay the payment or taxes on those things? Not me. I'll save that extra 250 a month for something useful. Like food! Same goes for the house. Taxes man, taxes. Also, if I did have a 'gigantic house' who would clean it? I barely keep our modest 3 bed 2 bath house clean. I couldn't imagine any more than that. Also, I think if I did need that Land Rover, or gigantic house, my husband would make me go to work. And THAT AIN'T HAPPENING!! So, I'll take my 3 year old SUV, and my little house, and the ability to stay home with my girls any day! I don't have much to say about 4 and 5, I mean I could still see myself doing those, but not by 30. I guess they are still up in the air. But, now they would depend on Ben and his job. If we stay here in Podunk, I will never be famous. But if he gets a better job, it could be in a big city. Just have to figure out what special talent I have to become famous. As long as I'm not Paris Hilton famous. Who wants all that attention. I'll take Rachel Ray famous. At least the paps aren't on her 24-7. Now that I have thought about those, I can tell you what I have accomplished. I have a wonderful husband who treats me like a princess. He gives me all I could ever want and need. I also have two precious little girls who are my whole world. I find it funny that having children never made it to my list at 20. I honestly can't imagine my life without them. I have friends and family, who would sell their eyes to protect me and support me. And to me, these are the most important things to have on a bucket list. How strange your priorities change in just 10 years. Now, I guess I should get started on my 40 bucket list. Ugh, but I don't want to think that far. Maybe 35!!

Whistle Stop Cafe

After lots of hard work and love, our garden is starting to resemble that of someone who knows what they are doing. The cucumbers are producing around 4 a day, the watermelon is growing, the peppers are multiplying, and the squash is gourding! The only problem I seem to have is the tomatoes aren't ripening. After a little research, googling, and yahoo answering, the only consensus I could find out of hundreds of pages is picking the larger green tomatoes will help the others to ripen on the vine. So, I just picked about 4 lbs of them. All the pages suggested some recipe or another, using the tomatoes. And one even suggested to put said tomatoes in a paper sack with an over ripe banana. Since Monkey eats all of our bananas in 1.2 seconds, they never get over ripe! Don't get me wrong, I love fried green tomatoes, the movie and the food, as much as the next guy. But seriously, I don't foresee that recipe in the "I need to lose tons of babyfat diet". So I think I will make some sort of salsa out of them. Seeing as my jalapenos are as bountiful as my muffin tops, salsa seems to be the healthiest option for me! Although, I may still make a few slices fried, to go along with the grilled chicken and boiled squash for dinner tonight! I'm sure the hubby would be happy, and it might just score me a few brownie points!

Here is the recipe I am going to use for my salsa. hopefully it will taste as good as it sounds. Though, I will be adding cilantro, and probably substituting lime juice for lemon!

Green Salsa

Yield: 5 pints

5 cups chopped green tomatoes
1 1/2 cups seeded, chopped long green chiles
1/2 cup seeded finely chopped jalapeños
4 cups chopped onions
1 cup bottled lemon juice
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 Tbsp ground cumin*
3 Tbsp oregano leaves *
1 Tbsp salt
1 tsp black pepper

Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan and stir frequently over high heat until mixture begins to boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Ladle hot salsa into pint jars, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Adjust lids and process in a boiling water canner 15 minutes at 0-1,000 feet altitude; 20 minutes at 1,001-6,000 feet; 25 minutes above 6,000 feet.