be warned...you might want to drink it

I adore salsa. I am not crazy about pica de gallo, but smooth salsa is one of my love languages. I have tried time and time again to find the perfect salsa. I don't mean one that "will do" or "is better than from a jar"; I am talking salsa that makes you want to drink it because it is that good.

I have found it. How do I know I found it? Well let me put it this way-I made a huge bowl (like the largest mixing bowl of those stacking acrylic mixing bowls) on a Monday and by Wednesday night we were out. I did give one cupful to a neighbor who was in need of some salsa...(I love my neighbors..we give each other cups of salsa as well as sugar) but besides them we polished it off as if we had been drinking it. 

Here is the recipe.

15 roma tomatoes (slice in half and place flat side down on a baking sheet...preferably with parchment or foil lining it)
2-3 white onions (sliced into fourths and placed on the baking sheet)
8-10  peeled garlic cloves (I like to do this one to personal taste since I love garlic...so feel free to play around-place these on the baking sheet too)
2-4 jalapenos, seeded (I use only two and mine packed the perfect amount of heat for me but again customize this one to your heart's content-place them inside down on the baking sheet)

Bake the above in oven preheated to 375 degrees...I usually bake for around an hour because I find the longer it goes the deeper the flavor, but you only need to bake it until the onions take on a translucent appearance.

In a blender place.....
1-2 bunches of cilantro
1-2 TBS of salt (I use kosher-I like things super salty!!)
1-2 lime juice freshly squeezed 

Working in batches add the delicious bubbling contents from the baking sheet to the blender and puree until smooth. I like to have a huge bowl that I dump each blended batch into-it makes the process run a lot quicker. Once everything is blended taste and taste and taste and (down a cup) grab some chips and enjoy!!  I just finished making another huge bowl...I wonder how long this one will last?

 How long did your batch last...since I KNOW you will be wanting to try this one!!

Desk Shot

I love going on vacation....but often when the date is approaching I get a little OC about making lists. I love making lists on a daily basis so when any type of future planning comes up I go a little over the top. I mean lists about everything, everything, everything. We are planning on making our meals while we are away so I had to meal plan on top of all the other lists. Yikes....whatever...you know I love it.  So I thought in the midst of all this list making chaos I would give you a desk shot of all that is going on currently.

And yes-I do like to leave my desk laid out like this-it makes me feel calm when the lists all have space to breath. If you look closely you just might see a little something I am scheming up for the future (could be a few weeks, could be a few years...you never know with me). 

How about you....you have a great "desk" shot you would want to share-you know I would check it out!

Yes Julia...I Agree

image found here

The Lord gave me a real gift with this man....a real gift!!

The Best Sugar Cookies.

I have the recipe for the best sugar cookies and the best frosting ever. No question. Ask anyone who has eaten them and they will agree-the best. Thank you Alton Brown...though your show on food network is far from my favorite, this recipe completely redeems you....I mean I have always loved your bow ties! I made these cookies this weekend for a baby shower and this is how they turned out....

Find the recipe here for the cookies and here for the frosting. And I swear I ate like half of these myself....oh man. What sweet can you not get enough of...and do you have the recipe?

DIY Party Decorations-The Puff

How to make your own decorative puff....perfect for parties!

1. Get a package of coffee filters (this is always the shape I use-but I am sure cone filters would work but might give a different effect). Purchase the cheapest ones you can find-it makes no difference here.

 2. Fill a bowl with a bit of water and your food coloring of choice. Fold all the coffee filters into fourths and place them down (rippled edge down) into the liquid. Let them sit for a minute.

3. Remove and gently squeeze out excess liquid from the filters and unfold them. Place them spread out across an open area to dry. (please be careful where you place them, in case your dye saturation is strong enough to color other things...this has never happened to me but I would not want it to happen to you!)

4. Once dried, fold them back into fourths and stack eight folder filters into an overlapping fan shape.

5. Sew a half circle at the base of the filters-making sure all of them are stitched in.

6. Slowly and gently unfold the filters as best you can and scrunch up the outside until you get a puff you like the looks of.

7. Decorate to your hearts content with them!!

 These bunched together look adorable as well...really the imagination is the limit here folks...ahhh the beauty of handmade items. What items do you love to hand make or appreciate when others do?

and I am ok with that....

Some days you just want to eat this.......

and drink this...

and play on this....

and give your baby a little oreo shake....

because she is cutting a tooth...

and collect these...

and pose with your love because you have no photos together...

and you want any excuse to kiss and cuddle him....

and get a glimpse of this little mischievous one trying to be sneaky....

and your little boy trying to be soooo brave....

and having the best day at an isolated park that no one but you and your family is at....

and totally relating to your children wanting to never leave....

Days like that....I am ok with....that is for sure.

sneak peek...

I just might be up to something...and here is a little sneak peek of it.....until I decide I want you to know I will just keep you guessing as to what it is...

Anything you are keeping a secret and want to now share on the internet with us??
I am not good with secrets...I opened a new Etsy shop...you should check it out here.

the best way to bake salmon

I have to be honest here...I have not really tried preparing salmon many ways besides this one so there is that small chance there is a better way. But really-once you make it this way and taste it, you will never want to try any other way of making it. For real.

Now to start.

Get your salmon out. (mine was a gift from a girlfriend whose family went salmon fishing and caught loads...but didn't like salmon...one word...jackpot!)

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Get out the pan you plan on cooking your salmon in-it should have a deeper lip on it to keep all the goodies inside it and not spilling over.  I like to use my pie dish because it has higher sides to it and is the perfect size for baking a small serving of salmon. Place one to two tablespoons of butter (or more if you like) in the dish and place it in the preheating oven. (I like to add rosemary at this point as well...it is lovely...as is lemon juice)

Once the oven has preheated, remove your pan full of bubbling butter and place the salmon (skin side down) into it. Listen to the sizzle and smile because when things sizzle you know they are going to be good. Sprinkle salt and pepper over the top and place in the oven for about 6 minutes. Remove and flip to the other side and salt and pepper.

Place in oven for just a few more minutes. Keep a close eye on it...it should go no longer than 6 minutes, but most likely will be less. Remove from oven and spoon the remaining butter over the top and serve hot. So so so good!!

You will say..."mmmmmmm" at your first bite of this....you won't even be able to help yourself. Let me know if you find any ways to improve upon this dish too...I am all ears.

In case you have time to burn....

This is a really easy place to do it...especially if you love supplies like I do. Luckily I don't have time to burn....or do I?

a taste of what you might find there

Where is your favorite place to burn time....I mean...if I ever have time to burn I might check it out.

not like the picture

I often picture things in my head and once they materialize in reality it is nothing like what I had in my mind. I find most of my frusterations in life come from that darn picture in my head. Well...these cookies were just like that.

I had torn this recipe out of a Martha Stewart magazine forever ago, hoping someday I would get motivated enough to try it. And boy-it was a good thing I was motivated. because not only did you have to chill the dough after you made it, you had to roll it out and then chill it again then you had to freeze it once cut until it was time to bake....and I have not even gotten to the filling part yet!! Time consuming. I kept telling myself the time would be worth it because man oh man did these cookies sound good!!

However, after all was said and done and frosted and tasted and.....everything, I felt like this.....

Because this....

did not look like this....

Have any recipes burned you lately??