{spice up a bit of regular life} Salsa

Hey there!  I don't know how much time I have this afternoon but I'm abandoning the messy kitchen and leaving the living room littered with toys so I can blog just a little while the little ones are napping! =)
I know it's been really quiet here, and I'm postive everyone who may have been following has abandoned me  because there haven't been anything for so long!  So sorry =(  I have been trying to be more intentional on doing less online socialness including blogging, less movie-watching and WAY more playing with the kids, cleaning house, doing things with friends, etc.  Not sure if I have been doing any better in the one area but i do know that I fee like I've been neglecting my blogs =(  So, if you think of it and are a fellow Christ-follower, please pray that I can be a good wife and mother and keep up with those callings BUT also am able to write and do my blogs, because honestly writing helps me work out the kinks of life; it helps me express myself even though my attempts are sloppy, feeble, and disorganized at best; it helps to remind me of the joys and pleasures in the mundane; and of course, I really do love sharing pictures, stories, and on here... recipes! with all of you! =)

So.  Salsa. Homemade salsa.  Oh yeah!

A couple weeks ago I got this bountiful basket that had some tomatoes, peppers, and avocados in it, and I immediately thought: FRESH SALSA!  I finally got to it at least a week and half later! =)

 I did have to buy a few things for it (cilantro, limes, tomatillos) but everything else came in that basket!  Impressive huh!?  =)
Isn't the picture pretty with all those colors?!  I just love homemade fresh salsa!  Growing up my parents would often make batch upon batch of fresh salsa come late summer and early autumn.  I remember they would always split the batch, lots of hot stuff for them and some for us kids with much less heat! =)  I also remember one day, by accident on purpose I have no recollection but, I took a bite or two of some salsa that was labeled 'dad's' and just about died!  IT WAS HOT!
As a teenager I finally had worked my way up to liking salsa a little hotter, but I definitely would not have considered myself as liking "hot" salsa.... then as a young adult (21 exactly =) I went out to Tennessee and volunteered at Above Rubies as a secretary and office helper, and the Campbells who run the ministry and who I also stayed with had 4 Liberian teenagers who made most of our dinners.  Oh.my.goodness, do they like their food HOT!  Wow!  The food, overall, was very different than I was use to (perhaps a combination of African stew/soup and gumbo?!), and it was spicy!  It was good, but definitely took a little while getting use to.  =)
When I came back home after those 4 months away, guess what I discovered?!  Yeah, I now liked my food AND SALSA much hotter than my dad!!!  =)  Not sure if that was ever a future accomplishment I dreamed of attaining as a kid, but if so, I had certainly had achieved it! Hehe!

By the way, I met my (future) husband the day I arrived home and soon found out, that he loves hot food; in fact, I don't think I have seen him eat anything (yet?! =) that was too spicy!  But it was fun getting to eat spicy stuff all the time after we got married ........................  but then ....................

......... I got pregnant ........... twice.
And quickly found out that, at least while in the womb, both of my children do NOT like mommy eating anything remotely spicy/hot!!!!  Boo =(  I was so incredibly shocked and sad.  Although the saddest part, is that since then, I am not as use to the spice and just can't seem to eat as hot of food anymore.  =(
However, so far, this little baby has done "okay" with salsa and spicy stuff, so cross-my-fingers-hope that perhaps I can get through the whole pregnancy not having to give up beloved Mexican dishes! =)

This little guy was keeping me supplied with company while I made the salsa! =)  Isn't he cute?!  hehe! 

So confession time:  

I only took these two pictures of my recent salsa!  Is that incredibly silly and sad?!  I tell you, it has been really difficult for me to balance the mommy part of myself and the blogger/food photographer part!  =D  Lol!  I so would love to know how these other mommy/wife bloggers do it!  Are their youngest kids older than 5 or something?!?!?  Because I have not figured out how to take pictures non-stop and of every step while making a recipe AND keep up with the numerous non-stop interupptions from my darling little kids! Whew.  It's a full time job, and obviously the photographer part is miserably failing =P  

So.  I promise next time I make some homemade salsa I will try really, really hard to get some finished pics! =)  Of course I guess I will have to re-blog about salsa/spicy food, huh?!  If so, then I will make sure and tell you about the two times when I got too much Liberian spice when in Tennessee!  It will make your eyes water... probably with tears over my brave attempts... errrr um, stupidity!  =) lol!  

But until then.... 

.... go get some yummy salsa- veggies and make yourself some homemade goodness!  Just don't forget the chips .... or the cilantro and limes (like I originally did this past week =) 

8 med-large tomatoes, chopped or diced (to your preference)

3-4 tomatillos, rough chopped and then pureed with the chili peppers/jalapenos

1-2 medium onions, finely diced

1-2, or 3-7 (lol!) hot peppers, chili peppers, jalapenos - (all depending upon how hot you'd like it),

finely diced or roughly chopped and pureed with the tomatillos 

optional for really delicious heat: 1-2 serrano pepper, seeded and finely diced

1-4 garlic cloves, finely diced or throw in with those other hot peppers and puree 

(by the way, we like garlic, so for this batch amount, I would at least use 2 or 3)

cilantro, finely diced, one half to entire bunch

1-2 limes, squeezed/juiced

a pinch or two of salt

optional: puree some of the tomatoes

or, add some tomato paste, 1-2 cans at the most, for a thicker salsa

Mix all thoroughly, adjust and add any ingredients to individual taste, taste again numerous times with salty chips, and don't let your husband see you've made homemade salsa until at least dinner  is half over!  =)  

Yield: 1.5 quarts

Enjoy! 

P.S.  for that optional Serrano pepper, this is the kind I prefer even while prego or just after while nursing (yes, the babies don't like spicy even in their milk, go figure! =).... as it has great flavor! It is also my husband's ultimate favorite spicy pepper. ;)   However, if you don't care for a lot of spicy heat, just use a quarter or half of one, and slowly add more until you're satisfied! =)  ALSO, if you do use serrano peppers, you can omit the spicier peppers that I mentioned (jalapenos, etc)  

{Bountiful Basket: Yummy Stir Fry}

 this was  my Bountiful Basket last week... alas I didn't get a picture of the one I was hoping to, which was the extra box that i ordered.  It was a Veggie Pack: Thai.... wow, it was HUGE!  I was actually thrilled with both, the regular and the veggie special.  As you can see the regular was full of bananas, apples, cutie oranges, avocaods, one cuke, lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, variety of peppers, and mushrooms... now how cool is that!?  and all for $15!  =)
The veggie pack included a massive Napa (chinese) cabbage, shallots, yellow onions, garlic, ginger, snow peas, bok choy, fresh basil, and maybe something else that I'm missing =D
Anyways, when I ordered my basket on Monday I hadn't made the decision to accompany my mum and younger siblings to see my grandparents in Washington only a week later (the baskets come in on Saturday) which only gave me a few short days to make something with the majority of it!  So.... monday night, before i left the next morning, I made this:

Yoshida Chicken Strips, sauteed Bok Choy, and Veggie Stir Fry!

It was really good!  This was the first time I've had bok choy and we were quite impressed!  =)  It was really good, but maybe that was especially due to that warming, tantalizing ginger =)
If anyone wants the recipe, just leave a little note and I'll type what I did up and post it!  =)

{February 28th Update on the Paleo Plan}

Hello welcome!  I hope you're able to pour a cup of coffee or hot tea {Earl Grey is one of my favorites =)} ...or as my dear friend, Jill, would rather have, maybe a tall glass full of foaming chocolate milk!  Whatever you decide, come sit down, and journey with me through my kitchen, the recipe box, and laugh {and sometimes cry!} as I share the adventures of a wife and mommy in her kitchen!  ;)  

When I first got everything started for this new blog I wrote the first post and we had not started a simple-carb/gluten-free diet... but now, I'm happy to tell you, that we ARE actually doing the Paleo stuff!  =)  Yay! Well... mostly! =)  Another day for that blog post....

Confessions:

WOW!  I haven't craved sugar/chocolate/sweets so bad for so long!!!  =(  I was going crazy those first four weeks!  And admittedly made quite a few of gluten-free treats!  (meaning, substituted gluten free flour in the classic chocolate chip cookies, my favorite muffins, etc.recipes so they mostly still had dairy and regular sugar/some organic sugar =)  Yeah, it was bad.  But it was fun experimenting with the gluten-free flours! And, I think I can say that those first-month cravings are subsiding! {But maybe that's due to being pregnant, and so far, I don't crave much sugar/sweets while pregnant!} 

Bonuses:  

We are loving some of the paleo recipes I've discovered!  They're really good and I feel so much better knowing that they aren't full of simple carbs!  

I'm also learning to cook a lot of vegetables that I've either never had before (brussels sprouts, eggplant, leeks anyone?!), but actually {liking} most of them! =)  

A friend of Seth's has graciously let me long-term borrow a book called "Everyday Paleo" by Sarah Fragoso {ya' can check it out here}, and it is from this book that most of the recipes I've been making are coming from.  This book is very unique in that she not only tells her life story and why she and her family are now Paleo lifestylists but she also thoroughly explains what Paleo is and isn't.  AND... she's included 100 plus recipes, a month long meal plan for a family of 5, and tips of what to have in the pantry, fridge, and freezer!  

At first the whole book seemed a little overwhelming until I got to the last few pages where she has her monthly meal plan with weekly grocery lists and recipes for each meal!  Whew... this looks so much more do-able! =)  

I haven't followed it perfectly.  Partly because there a few things on there that we just can't afford (lamb, wild Alaskan salmon , etc.) or that I'm too scared to buy the veggies for (beets, turnips, etc. yuck! lol), and also because I've been participating in a food co-op that is local to the Western states called Bountiful Baskets.  So I have been incorporating these fruits and vegetables into the meals and recipes (never know for sure what's in the baskets 'til we pick up on Saturday! =) instead of buying just what Sarah recommends.  

That being said, concerning some of the expensive meats and disliked vegetables, we have really liked the recipes and book.  It's even on a wish list, because I'm afraid that our friend is going to want it back at any time! Lol =)  

If you are nervous about giving up simple carbs, breads, pastas, etc. then fear not!  There are a lot of great ideas and recipes out there that are really delicious (the whole family will love most of these!).... so take a sip of that coffee, relax... and find a new recipe for dinner or breakfast! =)