Grilled Chicken With Serrano Pepper and Chick Pea Cous Cous

I used a boxed organic cous cous for this recipe since it was the first time I was attempting to cook cous cous. I substituted organic chick stock for water and added a can of Rotel while then cous cous was boiling. Then upon cooking completion and while steaming, folded in two cups of chick peas and 2 serrano peppers before fluffing with a fork. It was a very tasty side for a grilled chicken night and it was protein packed and healthy.

Cohen's Candy Table

Mason Jar Favors with Animal Cookies

These were easy favors for the kids at the party. I used three palettes of pint sized mason jars, 3 yards of fabric, and three bags of animal cookies. Cut the fabric in squares of 3" X 3" and put between the lid and cap. Fill each jar with animal cookies. Easy breezy!

Lion cupcakes from Publix. I saw these in a Martha Stewart magazine, and am not a baker, so I asked Publix if they could recreate them. While these aren't exactly what I was looking for, my Mom helped me add the almond slivers around to make them look more like lion manes. I think they turned out to be really cute!

Animal Painting

Cohen's Birthday Party was at our neighborhood clubhouse, so I had a fairly large space to work with and I needed to fill it up. His party was an animal theme, because that is his thing these days. We spend the day making various animal noises at each other, so I thought I'd run with it. Here's how you make the animals.

Supplies:

Your favorite image in a book or copied onto white paper

A tracing, projector machine

Tempera paint

paint brushes

dropcloth or beach towel

paper towels

water and soap

1/2 inch foam insulation from your local harware store- this comes in sheets of like 8' X 4'. I purchased 4 and had leftovers. $5 each

Grey marker

Trace you desired image onto the foam board with a grey marker using your tracing machine. Paint the image just as it appears in the book, working from the inside out.

I did this in my classroom, too to fill some large spaces and it worked great. I used a hot glue gun and double sided foam mounting tape to affix the image to the concrete walls when complete. They stayed up for the entire school year.

Cohen's Birthday Party

This truly was a fun day for my baby. He loves chocolate, now, that's for sure! He sure did love the company, too! He was a little wierd about the animals I painted and kept saying, "Boo" which is his version of "book" when he saw that the animals around the room were the same as the animals we frequent in his animal dictionary book. But, he bounced back and all turned out great. The weather put a damper on things, so the kids couldn't experience our three story neighborhood water slide, but they did get to spend some time on our beach and shipwreck island playground and seemed to have fun playing together. Donnie and I were pooped at the end of the day, but thanks to our wonderful families, we were back home chillin' and remembering the day before we could turn around.

My Baby's First Birthday

My angel baby was born at this exact moment last year and I just cannot believe how the time has flown by. What a wonderful addition to my life and to mine and Donnie's relationship he has been. If the rest of the years are this fun, I will truly be happy for a lifeteime.

First Birthday Party Art Projects

I have been multitasking between several different projects for Cohen's First Birthday Party! Stay tuned for pictures and details. I don't want to spoil the surprise for those of you who will be coming to the big bash. Let's just say, animals galore.

Margaritas with Agave Nectar and Clementines

Cocktail Ingredients:

1/2 bottle of Herradura Silver Tequila

1/2 bottle of margarita mix

2 tablespoons of Agave Nectar

juice of four clementines

2 clementines, sliced

juice of four limes

2 limes sliced

Mixing Instructions:

Add everything to a large glass pitcher and stir with a wooden spoon. Serve over ice in margarita glasses.

Black Bean and Corn Salsa

I just whipped this one up. It's the same as South GA Caviar, just add a can of rinsed black beans and subtract the black eyed peas. Good stuff for a hot Saturday!

South Georgia Caviar

I got this recipe from Paula Deen, but changed it up just a little bit. This has turned into a family favorite at almost every gathering and is perfect for tailgating and picnics, because it won't go bad if it sits out for a while.

Cooking Ingredients:
2 15 oz. cans of black eyed peas, drained
1 15 oz. of whole kernel corn, drained
1 can of Rotel
1/2 vidalia onion, chopped
2 cups of chopped red bell pepper
1 jalapeno, diced with seeds
1/4 bottle of light Italian dressing

Cooking Instructions:
In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and gently stir together. Refrigerate overnight if possible, and serve with corn chips.

Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches

I am so excited for football season this year! Only 43 days until the Dawgs kick off. Go Dawgs! Sic' em'! Woof! Woof! Woof!

Cooking Ingredients:
8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 package of Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing mix (dry)
1 stick of butter
6 sandwich buns
1 12 oz. jar of Louisianna Wing Sauce
Blue Cheese crumbles
Hidden Valley Ranch salad dressing, light

Cooking Instructions:
Place your chicken in your crock pot. The chicken breasts should be rinsed beforehand. Put in the ranch dressing packet. In a small sauce pan, melt the butter, add the wing sauce and stir until combined. Add the wing sauce and butter mixture to the crock pot, reserving about 1 cup of the sauce. Set your crock pot to six hours and cook.

Remove the chicken breasts, place on a cutting board, and shred with two forks. Add the shredded chicken back to the crock pot and let it "resauce".

When ready to serve, place desired amount of shredded chicken on your sandwich bun. Pour the reserved wing sauce on top. Top with blue cheese crumbles and a drizzle of ranch dressing.

First Birthday Party Planning

Cohen's first birthday is just around the corner, so my time is occupied quite a bit these days with party planning. It's a blast planning these things and thinking back to how exciting it was to go to birthday parties as a child.

Stay tuned for pictures and other funny stuff.............

Mexican Steak Salad

This was one of those impromptu recipes that worked out really well for a weeknight!

Cooking Ingredients:
The steak:
1.5 lbs. of skirt steak
1 tablespoon garlic salt
1 tablespoon pepper
1 tablespoon Teriyaki
1 tablespoon Worchestershire
pinch of red pepper flakes

The salad:
2 organic romaine hearts, washed and sliced
1 avocado, cubed
1 roma tomato, diced

Grilled vegetables:
1 organic bell pepper, sliced
1/2 medium vidalia onion, sliced
1 tablespoon butter, cubed
1 tablespoon Canola oil
1/2 tablespoon cumin
1/2 tablespoon garlic salt
1/2 tablespoon bouillon granules
black pepper to taste

Dressing:
1 cup of light sour cream
1 cup of organic salsa

Extra:
mammoth jalapeno for grillling

Cooking Instructions:
Marinate your steak with garlic salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and Teriyaki on one side. Flip and season with remaining ingredients on the other. Allow to marinate for as long as you can on a platter in the refrigerator. Take your platter out of the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before grilling. Prepare your vegetables and add all ingredients to a cast iron skillet, with the oil and butter in the bottom of the skillet. Preheat your grill to medium. Place the steak and cast iron skillet with veggies on your grill and grill until your steak is of the desired temperature. This being such a thin cut of meat, it will not take long- about 4 minutes on each side. Occasionally stir the vegetables that are in your skillet. Also grill your mammoth jalapeno turning every three minutes. You will blister the skin of the pepper and it will turn black. Remove your steak and veggies and let it rest while you chop your salad and prepare your dressing. For the dressing, just mix the light sour cream and salsa together until they are combined. Slice your steak into thin strips and serve everything on top of your romaine hearts.

Mexican Chicken and Brown Rice Bowls

Tasty and easy to prepare! Let me know if you want to see the recipe. Great with a cold margarita!

Passion Tea Lemonade

Beverage Ingredients:
6 Bags Tazo Passion Herbal Infused Tea
1/2 cup of sugar
2 cans of Minute Maid Lemonade
slice of lemon
water

Instructions:
I make my tea in the coffee maker instead of on the stove. So, put the tea bags in the coffee basket. Fill your coffee pot with water to make ten cups. Add the sugar in the bottom of the coffee pot and turn on. In a gallon sized pitcher, add the lemonade. Once the coffee has brewed, add it to the pitcher. The sugar should have warmed and be of a syrup consistency. Fill the pitcher to the top with water. Stir and let rest on your countertop for an hour. Refrigerate after an hour and serve chilled with a slice of lemon.

If you can't find Tazo tea, which I have found at both Target and Starbucks, look for a tea that is similar. This particular passion tea is infused with hibiscus, lemongrass, rose hips, mango, and passion fruit.

Cucumber Water

Peel and slice one cucumber. Add to your favorite glass pitcher and fill with water. Chill in the refrigerator for two hours before serving. Yum!

Spicy Rice

Cooking Ingredients:
10 oz. Spanish saffron rice
1 can of Hot Rotel
pinch of red pepper flakes

Cooking Instructions:
Bring three cups of water and 2 tablespoons of butter to a boil. Add the saffron rice and Rotel and stir. Cut your burner back to medium low, stir, add red pepper, and cover with a tight fitting lid. Make sure to stir often and keep covered so the rice can steam.

Grilled Chicken with Spicy Rice

Cooking Ingredients:
8 boneless skinless chicken breasts
garlic salt
pepper
Lawry's
Worcestershire
Teriyaki

Cooking Instructions:
Heat your grill to medium. Rinse your chicken and place on a platter. Garlic salt, pepper, and Teriyaki are all liberally sprinkled on the first side. Flip with a pair of tongs, then put Lawry's and light sprinkling of Worcestershire on the other. Using the same tongs, place your chicken on the grill and cook the first side for four minutes. Flip with a clean pair of tongs and cook for an additional six minutes. Serve with spicy rice (recipe follows)and top with diced onion, shredded cheese, and a dallop of light sour cream.

The leftover chicken breasts make for a great, healthy lunch or wonderful addition to any salad during the busy work week.

Happy Fourth of July

Happy Fourth of July! Remember all of our soldiers at work in the desert today. I'm sure they wish they were at home grilling and drinking beer with their friends and family. Send a positive thought their way!

American Burgers

Why mess with a good thing? I have had a moment or two when I like to get fancy with my burger, but on the Fourth of July, I think we'll just go all American.

Cooking Ingredients:
1 lb. of 97% lean hamburger meat
1/2 tablespoon garlic salt
1/2 tablespoon black pepper
1/2 tablespoon Lawry's
1/2 tablespoon Worcestershire
1 tablespoon Teriyaki
1/2 tablespoon Chipotle Tabasco
red pepper flakes to taste
3 slices of 2% American cheese
3 hamburger buns
1/2 vidalia onion, sliced
1 Roma tomato, sliced
6 slices of bacon, cooked
mayonaise
mustard
ketchup

Cooking Instructions:
Cook six slices of bacon in a skillet and set to the side. Preheat your grill on high. Put your room temperature hamburger meat in a large bowl. Add garlic salt, pepper, Lawry's, Worcestershire, teriyaki sauce, Tabasco, and red pepper flakes to the meat. Gently work the seasoning into the meat being careful not to overwork it. Form three burgers from the entire pound. Throw your burgers on the grill. Cut the heat back to medium. Grill to desired temperature. Just before completion, add the cheese to each burger and allow 30 seconds to melt. Remove your burgers and dress with the remaining "fixings".

Stella Artois

Summer night, spicy Carne Asada, & Stella Artois....mummmm! It's a good night.

Infant Swimming Resource

Check out Cohen's new swim move! The spread eagle!

Carne Asada With Black Bean and Tomato Relish

So What Does Cohen Eat?

I hear the same question come up alot. What are you feeding that boy? Cohen is a large child- both in the 97 percentile in the height and weight categories at 10 1/2 months. He has been off the charts since the day he was born. So, needless to say, we've never had a problem feeding the child. So what does he eat? Keep in mind, that this works for Cohen, but always do what is best and what works for your child. The only thing that Cohen has expressed distaste for (and mind you, I have tested him on every single item in the Target baby food aisle, is green beans and peaches.) The peach thing makes me REALLY SAD as a Georgia girl, but this summer's fresh peach crop will hopefully change his mind.

Morning:
6-7 oz. of fruit
3-4 oz. of organic oats, barley, rice, and spelt cereal
All mixed together in a bowl.
sips of 1/2 juice, 1/2 water bottle (10 oz.)

Before Nap:
1/2 juice, 1/2 water bottle (same one from above)- organic pear, apple, white grape, or carrot and apple- will finish the bottle before his nap while I am putting him down

Midday:
Choice of snack- Mum Mum (Organic Rice Rusk), Apple Wagon Wheels, Organic Apple or Banana Puffs,or diced fruit of some sort (usually strawberry, banana, or apple)-(helps in teaching him to take small pieces of food from his plate and learn to eat them)
AND
3.5 oz. of organic yogurt

Lunch:
8-1o puffs or diced fruit while I am preparing his plate
4 oz. of organic protein
8 oz. of organic vegetables
sips of another 1/2 juice, 1/2 water bottle

Before Nap:
another 10 oz. bottle of 1/2 juice, 1/2 water (same one from above)

Early Dinner:
8-10 puffs or diced fruit while I am preparing his meal on a plate
4 oz. of organic protein
8 oz. of organic vegetables

Just before bed:
8 oz. of Toddler Enfamil Premium Formula- Vanilla
*This is less than what the AAP recommends, so only do this if you feel that your child is receiving adequate and well balanced nutrition. If your child prefers one food group over the other or will only eat fruit, for instance, at 10 months, they should be taking in AT LEAST 16-24 oz. of formula.*

While I try my best to feed Cohen primarily organic food, sometimes I have to let that go to have him try a food that may not come in the organic variety. To me, having a child that is not picky because he has a large repertoire of flavors that he likes is really important, so sometimes I have to stray from the organics to make sure that he is developing a diverse palette.

One more thing. Making your own baby food is very easy if you have the time, too. Sometimes I do make Cohen's food. If I am making sweet potatoes for me and Donnie,for instance, I will make Cohen some too. Avocados are also a great food to make for your little one since you can't buy that in the jar. I will say though, I mostly use the jarred food because it is so convenient in our busy household.

Grilled Pork Chops with Carmelized Vidalia Onions and Parmesan Risotto

Guys, grilling pork chops is so very easy. Remember: High heat until your meat hits the grill, then cut back to medium as soon as you lay the meat down. Leave the lid open until the temperature drops and let the grilling begin.

And to get those perfect grill marks, leave your meat alone. Let it cook on side A for about three minutes on medium, turn your meat a quarter turn with a pair of tongs, and leave alone for three more minutes (lid closed at this point). You should have a perfect diamond. Flip to side B and repeat.

I know, I have been cooking a great deal of onion lately, but they are so wonderful this year. Here is an easy recipe for grilling carmelized onions.

Cooking Ingredients:
1 vidalia onion
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon beef bouillon granules
1 rectangle of aluminum foil about the size of a sheet of notebook paper

Cooking Instructions:
Cut your onion into even slices. Add the onion to the flat sheet of aluminum foil, then pull all four sides up to create "foil onion". Add the butter and bouillon. Scrunch the top together. Place on the grill while your meat is cooking. These carmelized onions are a great relish on top of burgers, steaks, or pork chops or can be added to your risotto just before it is finished to add an extra layer of texture and flavor.

Penne Pasta and Meatballs

Cooking Ingredients:
1.25 lbs. of 97% lean ground beef
2 eggs
1 cup Italian Bread Crumbs
red pepper flakes
salt
pepper
1/2 cup organic olive oil
1 tablespoon organic minced garlic
1/4 cup diced shallots
44 oz your best organic tomato/spaghetti sauce
1/2 box whole wheat penne pasta
water
4 slices mozzarella
2 stems fresh organic basil

Cooking Instructions
In your pasta boiler bring your pasta water to a boil. When boiling, add a pinch of salt so your pasta will season. Add your penne pasta and cook.

Meanwhile, in a large boil, combine your ground beef, eggs, bread crumbs, red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper to taste. Be careful not to overwork the meat. Score your meat into quarters to make large, baseball sized meatballs.

Heat a large skillet to medium high with olive oil. Add your meatballs to your olive oil and cook the outside of the meatballs until they are light brown. You will have to turn the meatballs gently with a pair of tongs, being careful not to squeeze or break them, every two minutes or so. You want to make sure that you lightly brown each side. When your meatballs are browned, add your shallots and garlic to the pan. Cook for 30 seconds, then add your tomato sauce. Be quick or you will burn the garlic. Spoon sauce over each meatball, cover, and cook for 3o minutes. Occasionally turn the meatballs carefully and continue to baste with sauce. About five minutes before you are ready to remove the meatballs from the pan, cover each with a slice of mozzarella and allow to melt. Once the cheese had melted, remove the meatballs to a separate dish and add the drained penne to the sauce. Toss making sure that each noodle is covered with sauce. Add one meatball and penne pasta to each plate. Once plated, sprinkle with fresh chopped basil.

Lemon-Lime Vodka and Soda

Cocktail Ingredients:
4 shots of Kettle One Vodka
2 slices of lime
ice
soda water
splash of Minute Made Lemonade

Shaking Instructions:
In a cocktail shaker, add the vodka, lime, and fill half way with ice. Shake about 25 times until the outside of your shaker is icy. Pour entire contents of your shaker into a cocktail glass. Add a slash of lemonade and fill the remainder of the glass with soda water.

Chocolate Covered Strawberries and Vanilla Ice Cream

Here was our dessert tonight! Yum! There's just something about chocolate covered strawberries.

Julie's Smoker Smoked Pork Ribs

Cooking Ingredients:
2 racks of pork ribs
Garlic salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Mustard powder
Cumin
Red pepper flakes
Cayenne pepper
Paprika

Cooking Instructions:
Prepare the marinated ribs anywhere from the night before to a couple of hours before smoking depending on how much time you have. Cut each rack into half. Sprinkle the meat side of each quarter with all of the ingredients above until covered well. Start with the garlic salt and move down the ingredient list sprinkling liberally, except with the cayenne pepper and red pepper flakes. Add those to taste. With clean hands, massage the rub into the meat. Just leave the bone side alone. Put back into the fridge and let marinate.

Make sure to take the rib racks out of the fridge about 30 minutes prior to smoking so you can bring the temperature back down before cooking. Prepare your smoker with hickory chips and bring to 250 degrees F. Cook your ribs in the smoker (bone side on rack) without turning or opening the smoker door for four hours.

Jalapeno Boston Butt

Cooking Ingredients:
1-5 lb. Boston Butt
4 cups of organic chicken stock
2 cups of water
1 jalapeno sliced
garlic salt
black pepper
mustard powder
cumin
red pepper flakes
paprika
cayenne pepper (to taste)
2 tablespoons liquid smoke

Cooking Instructions:
Preheat you oven to 300 degrees F.

In a large roasting pan, add the Boston Butt. Add the water and chicken stock to the roasting pan. Make large slices evenly throughout the meat and insert the sliced jalapeno into each slice. Finally, move down the remaining ingredients on the list sprinkling each liberally over the pork. You are making a dry rub and this cut of meat is very thick, so don't worry about having a heavy hand. Massage the spices into the meat and make sure that you have covered all edges. Cook at 300 F for 4 hours. After 4 hours, increase the temperature to 350 F and cook for an additional hour.

Take the roasting pan out of the oven, place your meat on the cutting board, tent with foil, and let rest for 20 minutes. Slice in steak-like portions and serve.

This was ONE of the meat dishes I served tonight for Donnie's Father Day dinner. Man meal, right?

Happy Father's Day

Happy Father's Day! This being Donnie's first, I have really spent some time reflecting on his relationship with our precious Cohen. I look back at the many times I have admired his way of talking to and teaching our son, in that manly way that I just can't seem to accomplish. Men just have a way of speaking to one another don't they? But, he really is a treasure of a daddy- always in charge of the bath, ready to take over that poopy diaper when I just can't seem to get it done, and just a lovely example for my precious baby boy. I could not have chosen better for myself, and Cohen could not be luckier to have such a wonderful and beautiful person in his life.

Infant Swimming Resource

I am late posting this, but this is the fully clothed float which the babies do as they are graduating. As you can see, Cohen has no help and is successfully floating on his own, fully clothed, to prove that if he fell into a pool, pond, lake, etc. that he could float successfully until someone could get to him. This is so scary to watch as a parent, but when you see how quickly the babies recover and learn the survival skill, it is truly amazing. Right now, we are doing tune-up lessons to make sure that he stays on his game until we move on to the next phase of swimming which will include swimming to the side of the pool. I am so proud of my little guy and have to say that I am feeling at least a little better about his safety.

Spicy Sausage Dip

This recipe came from my good friend, Suzanne Cox. It was one of the first dips that I made to take to a party and has become a hit at many of our family gatherings and especially on gamedays. It is so easy to prepare, spicy, and delicious.

Cooking Ingredients:
1 package of Jimmy Dean sausage, hot
1 package of cream cheese
1 can of Rotel
1 bag of Fritos

Cooking Instructions:
In a large skillet, brown the sausage. Add the cream cheese and stir until all of the sausage is coated. Add the can of Rotel, juices included, and stir again. Pour into your dip bowl and serve with Fritos.

Avocado, Corn, and Tomato Salad

Cooking Ingredients:
3 cups of fresh corn
1/2 cup of thinly diced red onion
2 large avocados, cubed
1 cups of diced organic heirloom tomatoes
1/3 cup basil, chopped
2 tablespoons champagne vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Cooking Instructions:
Prepare this salad just before dinner so the avocados don't brown. Combine the corn, onion, avocado, tomatoes, and basil in your favorite salad bowl.

In a small dish, combine the champagne vinegar, Dijon mustard, olive oil, salt and pepper. Whisk until well combined, and pour on top of your vegetables. Mix your salad until it is well combined.

Look at My Garden

Here are some shots from the 2010 pepper garden. From left to right- Jalapenos, Mammoth Jalapenos, Chili Reds, Habaneros, & Cuban Belles. Can't wait to pick my crop!

Fried Okra with Smoked Jalapeno and Vidalia Onion Yogurt Sauce

We had some yogurt in the fridge today that I was interested in trying out, hence the sauce............

Cooking Ingredients:
1 small bag of breaded okra
2 cups of canola oil
6 oz. of Fage Greek Yogurt
3 grilled jalapenos
1 tablespoon of finely minced vidalia onion
1 pinch of red pepper flakes
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cooking Instructions:
Warm your oil in a saucepan to frying temperature. Fry your okra and strain on a paper towel, salting and peppering as soon as removed. While the frying process is going on, mix in a small bowl, the yogurt, two grilled jalapenos (minced and including the seeds), vidalia onion, red pepper flakes and a pinch of salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly and serve in a sauce dish topping with your third grilled pepper.

This recipe is remarkably spicy and the sauce makes it all very rich. Delicious! I think I will use this one for gameday.

Memorial Weekend

Happy Memorial Weekend to everyone! Take a moment this weekend to remember the soldiers in your life, both past and present. There is no sacrifice more special and heartfelt than that of our soldiers and their families. I can certainly vouch for that.

Fajita Burritos

I don't know about you guys, but we love Mexican food and I am constantly trying to cook it at home. Spicy, spicy, spicy is great. I was gonna' grill steaks tonight and do some risotto, but Donnie had a different idea- hence the yummy dinner. Give it a shot because this one is quick, easy, healthy, and delicious.


This is what everything looks like when you finish grilling. Just roll it up and enjoy. Donnie like to top his with salsa and munch on his grilled peppers while he eats.






Pictures of grilled peppers. It really makes thema bit milder if you grill them, so try it out. This is a cubanelle and a jalapeno.

Cooking Ingredients:
2 ribeye steaks with nice marbeling
2 tablespoons Lowry's Seasoning Salt
2 tablespoons Teriyaki Sauce
1 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
1 tablespoons garlic salt
pepper to taste
red pepper flakes to taste
1 Vidalia onion
1 green pepper
1 jalapeno
1 cubanelle pepper
2 tablespoons of Canola Oil
4 whole wheat tortillas
1 cup of Daisy Sour Cream (light)
1 avocado

Cooking Instructions:
About and hour before you want to start cooking, marinate your steaks. Add the Lowry's, pepper, and Teriyaki sauce to one side. Flip the steaks and add the garlic salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and Worcestershire. Let the steaks come to room temperature while marinating.

Meanwhile, slice your onion and green pepper. Add the canola oil to a cast iron skillet, then add the onion and pepper slices. Top with a sprinkle of garlic salt and crack some freshly ground black pepper over the vegetables, also add a pinch of red pepper flakes for spice and let it sit until you head to the grill. Wash and lightly brush your jalapeno and cubanelle with canola oil as well before adding to the grill.

Preheat your grill to medium heat. Add the steaks (they should sizzle when they touch the grill), your skillet of green pepper and onion, and your jalapeno and cubanelle on the top rack. Cook your skillet vegetables until they are slightly softened. Grill your hot peppers until they begin to blister. Grill your steaks to the desired temperature, but we like medium.

Just before you turn your grill off, throw your tortillas on and grill them until slightly warm. This will take about 30 seconds.

Slice a fresh avocado. Slice your steaks into long strips after you have let them rest for about ten minutes, making sure to trim excess fat. Build your burritos in the following order. Tortilla, provolone, steak, avocado, sour cream, salsa (if you like it). Yum!

Mexican Spinach Dip

Holy yum, yall'! My friend, Kim introduced me to this recipe at our 128th Spouse's Group Cinco de Mayo party. I made it today for the Braves game and it was just as delicious as the first time I had it.

Cooking Ingredients:
1 16 ounce jar of Pace's Hot Salsa
1 10 ounce package of frozen, chopped spinach (thawed and drained)
2 cups of shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 package of softened Cream Cheese
1 cup evaporated milk
1 4 oz can of chopped black olives, drained
1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Cooking Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a medium baking dish, mix together salsa, spinach, Monterey Jack cheese, cream cheese, evaporated milk, black olives, red wine vinegar, and salt and pepper.

Bake mixture until bubbly and serve with tortilla chips.

Infant Swimming Resource

My baby boy is graduating from the first phase of ISR next week. Cohen is nine months old and can roll to his back in the water and float successfully! It is very reassuring as a parent to know that if he finds himself in the precarious situation of being in the water unexpectedly, he will know how to survive until help can get to him. Please check out the ISR website at http://www.infantswim.com/ and consider enrolling your children. Great exercise for your kids, great knowledge to have as a little one, and I can honestly vouch for the program. It's a win-win for everyone.

Look at My Garden

Check out my hydrangeas. They are looking so good this year. These are called Blushing Brides. Look how white they are!