Limb?

Why not go out on a limb?
That's where all the fruit is.

Mark Twain

Yum!

Homemade Salsa!

Just made a huge bowl of homemade salsa! Yum! Have another "child" off to college and for this small moment I have the kitchen to myself. ( And the house!) This is so rare, so I am really enjoying it! I've got the Christian music on (loud!). Listening to the messages and making a big, fun. creative mess out of my kitchen. A craft project going on and I'm thinking of making that Irish Cream Cheesecake! I got the ingredients this week, but most of the Oreos are gone. So, shoot, I will just have to improvise and use brownies for a crust! LOVE changing things up, even when they already work really well, just can't help myself. ;) Hope you are having a good day too, feeling really blessed!

Don't use a recipe for the salsa, but here is how I do it:
 About 10 to 12 ripe Roma tomatoes
4 white, sweetish onions
2 jalapeno peppers
juice of one lime
salt to taste
1 Bunch of Cilantro

 I have one of those little hand-turned, chopping thingies. :) Can do it just on a chopping board also, have many times. Chop the tomatoes and onions to about the same size. I like mine pretty small, so would almost call it, minced. Seed the hot peppers(unless you like it really hot). Chop these very small. Would surely call these minced! Juice the lime, add and I put about 2 Tablespoons of salt. ( I said it was a BIG bowl, and thats a lot of veggies). Oh, don't forget the chopped cilantro, its the best part! I love that fresh, fragrant cilantro smell, it just "pops" !  Pull out your favorite salsa chips, we have about 5 favorites in this family, and ENJOY!

Henhouse Mystery!

So my chickens lay brown eggs. Brown ones. Always. They are New Hampshire Reds, and they lay BROWN eggs. Until the a few feeks ago when I had a great, big WHITE surprize! I was shocked, shell shocked, to be exact. Oh, how corny! :) The size and the shape were different as you can see here. I wasn't sure what was going on, still don't know, but it has happened several times since. What do you think?

These are what my eggs usually look like

"Fly Beauty"

Just thought I'd share this little golden-backed "fly beauty" with you and few "after a Summer rain" pics. Theres nothing spectacular about them. They don't have great composition, or anything really special, I just like the feeling they give me. Brilliant colors, sun spots, that just-after-its-rained-steamy Summer feel. Water droplets, sunshine, a quiet peace. Enjoy, and don't forget to look for beauty today, in the imperfect and the ordinary. It's all around you. Even in a fly!

I'm Baaaack! Chocolate Cheesecake Recipe, FINALLY!

Chocolate Irish Cream Cheesecake!
From: Simply Perfect CHOCOLATE
Decadent & Delicious (I'm copying all this :) From the 1998 Better Homes and Gardens Special Publications
I bought this magazine a LONG time ago obviously, for the cover alone, because this incredable cheesecake was on it. Funny thing is, that I made it and it was unbelibable, so unbelievable that I never made anything else out of the magazine! It is now a family favorite and a Holliday must. That I have keep it all these years and actually KNEW where it was is an ADD miracle. Tells you how good it is. If you try it, come back here and leave a comment. Its a must. If you dont do that , you can not use the recipe. Period. Just kidding, but I would love to know what you think. This is also one of recipes that you hate to share, you know those special kinds. So I am really trying to be good to you, (your taste buds and families', by the way). :) .... Drumroll.....
p.93
1 cup crushed chocolate waffers (about 18 cookies)
(I use Oreos and put tinfoil around the pan so the good stuff doesn't leak out)
1/4 cup butter ( no substitutes), melted
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
1 8-ounce carton dairy sour cream
1 cup sugar
1 8-ounce package semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled
3 eggs
1/3 to 1/2 cup Irish cream liqueur
2 Tablespoons whipping cream or milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
Chocolate Curls, optional (I don't bother with the decorations, just dig in when it is chilled)
# For crust, combind crushed waffers, butter and cinnamon in a med mixing bowl, toss gently to mix. Spread mixture evenly in bottom of springform pan; press to form a firm, even crust. Set pan aside.
# For filling, combind cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, and the 8 ounces melted chocolate in a large mixing bowl; beat on medium to high speed till combined. Add eggs all at once. Beat on low speed till just combined. Stir in liqueur, whipping cream or milk and vanilla.
#Pour filling into the crust lined pan. Place pan in a shallow baking pan on the oven rack. Bake in a 325 degree oven for 50 to 60 minutes or till center appears nearly set when shaken. Cool on a wire till able to put in fridge, at least 4 hours. ( I chill mine overnight).
Makes 12 to 16 servings ( Unless you live with a Chocoholic!)
Enjoy and then come back and comment!!

Hair!

Had my hair done today by my favorite hairdresser. Not only is she brilliantly tallented and artictically creative, she just happens to also be my daughter! Thanks Steph! Love the results of "Hair Day". :)

Today I'm thankful for...

Today I'm thankful for; lunch outside with my sweet friend, the taste of basil and artichokes AND goat cheese on pizza! I'm thankful that I feel good and that just the smell alone of opening my new favorite tea gives me such pleasure. :) I love popping that tin open and taking a big whiff. I'm thankful for beautiful praise verses in the Psalms, creative writing exercises and my favorite, artistic blogging magazine. I'm thankful for a cool and quiet kitchen, chickens that follow behind me like I'm the Pied Pipper and coming back into my home that has been vacuumed by my youngest son. Go J! I'm also thankful for a job not only acccomplished, but uploaded and edited within the hour- Go Marianne! I'm thankful for an email I was waiting for that said I was off the waiting list and ON the list for a special trip this fall... Good day! Thank you LORD for so many blessings...

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I think it looks like chocolate, personally ;)