6.28.2010

Fiesta!

Today marks the day that I am officially half way done with radiation....only two more weeks (nine more treatments) to go. Then I will show you all what it was like.

But for now, we're celebrating! And Jeff, my brother Shane, and his fiance (fancy as they like to say) Robyn and I are going out to Pizza Hut and getting DQ Blizzards-just like children would. It was a toss up between Pizza Hut and Chuckie Cheese, but Pizza Hut won out due to less sanitation hazards.

You can celebrate too by making this delish salsa. These days I only have like 4 good dinners or recipes in me per week, so here's one you can treasure for the next little bit while I try to catch up to my usual self.

And it is a treasure, if I may say so myself.

Mango Salsa


This is lovely on top of fish or with grilled shrimp, but also quite delicious with tortilla chips. Oh and we also ate it with pulled beef tacos and, well, that was scrumptious too. The jicama gives the salsa a satisfying crunch and adds texture, but you could use a seedless English cucumber instead.


Ingredients:

2 mangoes, peeled and seed removed

½ small pineapple, skin removed and cored

½ small jicama, peeled

2 roma tomatoes

2 green onions

1 large orange

1 small jalapeno

1 avocado

¼ tsp garlic salt

¼ cup chopped cilantro

½ lime

Dice the mangoes, pineapple, jicama, and finely dice the green onions and put in medium bowl.

Cut roma tomatoes in half, remove the seeds and juicy stuff, then finely dice those as well and add them to the bowl.

Remove the peel and pith of the orange by cutting it away with a knife (cut off the top and bottom of the orange, then, starting at the top and working towards the bottom, cut away slices of the peel making sure to remove all white stuff (the pith)). Section out the orange, cut each section in half and put in bowl. Squeeze the section-less orange for about 1-2 Tbsp of juice.

Next, seed the jalapeno, and if you’re a wimp like me, remove the membrane as well. Very finely dice the jalapeno and depending on how much heat you like, use one half to the whole thing (I only used half).

Add the cilantro the bowl.

In a small bowl, mash the avocado and season it with ¼ tsp garlic salt, then add to the salsa and mix all of the ingredients until well distributed.

Squeeze in ½ lime, give one final mix and….enjoy!


PS- I made this up all by myself :)




6.24.2010

Fishing in the Dark

Jefferson and I live really close to a most beautiful park, complete with a giant swing set, two water fountains, and a little fish pond. Last Saturday after a sushi date (have I ever mentioned that we LOVE sushi?) we decided to continue on with the fish theme and try our luck at the fish pond.

Jeffrey, of course, caught the first fish.
I waited patiently.

And patience pays off.Then Jeff jeff caught another two...one of which was HUGE (for a sunfish anyway).
Then I caught the last fish of the night after Jeffrey finally taught me how to set a hook, because apparently these fish creatures don't just hook themselves.

Final count, Jefferson: 3, Rachel: 2

Josh's Wedding


Jeffrey and I attended the wedding of Jeffrey's buddy Josh on June 12th. It was beautiful! And so fun to see old friends.

{the happy couple, Josh and Regan}
{gotta love family pictures! isn't her dress lovely?}