the Word - Psalm 139:17-18

Etsy Finds - Back to School

Another fun trip "window shopping" at Etsy.

Lagoon Luau Shark Bag by Minnebites

not my circus, not my monkeys pencils (6) by BAYMOONSTUDIO

my secret plan to conquer the world moleskine notebook by Alfamarama

Disgruntled Hedgehog Canvas Backpack by catbirdcreatures

the Word - Colossians 3:2

the Word: Habakkuk 3:18

the Word : Psalm 51:12

Pickled Cucumber Salad

I love cucumber salad when Surferman takes me for sushi.  From lots of recipes, I've developed this one to make and enjoy at home.  It's crunchy, refreshing and a great way to get an extra serving of vegetables into your day.

Pickled Cucumber Salad

ingredients:

salad

cucumber washed and sliced thin

carrots washed and sliced thin (optional)

radishes washed and sliced thin (optional)

daikon radish washed and sliced thin (optional)

I always make a huge batch.  My family loves it and we happily eat it all week.  

Until recently, I didn't think I liked radishes. Radishes keep coming in our CSA box, so I gave them a try. Rarely, they are too hot, but usually they are crispy and refreshing like water. If you don't think you like radishes, pick up a daikon radish and give it a try. Daikon is very mild and a great place to start with radishes.

dressing:

3/4 cup rice wine vinegar

1/4 c. fish sauce

1 tsp grated giner

1 tsp chopped garlic

2 tsp brown sugar

These are the ingredients you might not have on hand.  I buy the Fish Sauce in the "oriental section" at the grocery store.  It is a thin brown liquid.  I understand it's made from dried fish, which doesn't sound super appealing, but give it a chance.  It has a salty taste and is really the magic ingredient in this salad.  The Ginger paste comes from the produce department.  It's refrigerated.  You can grate fresh ginger instead.  The paste is soooo easy though.

directions:

Slice the vegetables into a plastic or glass container.  I use a hand-held mandolin to slice the veggies thin.  Use cucumbers and add the other vegetables as available.

I scrub the vegetables well, but don't remove any of the peels.  

Mix dressing ingredients together and pour over vegetables.  Stir well and let sit (the longer the better) before serving.  

Enjoy!

The Word

Run or Dye (or is it Die)!

The things I'll do for my boy!  

Grom heard about a Color Run and decided it would be a lot of fun.  I heard of one coming to our area, Surferman volunteered to join us.  Memories were made.

Here's our before picture.

My guys were great about waiting up for me.

Can you see all the runners behind them?

Run or Dye is a 5K Fun Run.  There are dye stations along the route where you get pelted with bright colored powdered dye.  So much fun.

Here's our after picture!

I can't say I did much running, but I sure had a lot of fun and completed my first "race". 

Here's some well earned wisdom in case you ever participate in a color run.

1. Get a pair of cheap sunglasses to wear.  You will get dye in your face.  My much-loved Maui Jim's will never be the same.
2.  All that dye will come out.  Don't think you'll have a great shirt after, it mostly washes out.  
3.  A snack sized ziploc bag is the perfect sized to protect your phone, and you can still take pictures through it.
4. We got a back pack when we checked in and all of us were reluctant to use it.  It would've been very handy to carry water and sunscreen.  Anyone want a brand-new Run or Dye backpack?  I don't know what to do with them now.  sheesh!
5. Leave plenty of time for parking and getting started.  There were over 9,000 runners at our race.  These are very popular events.
6. Baby wipes work for cleaning off the majority of the dye.  Bring towels for your car to keep the seats cleanish.  I was also glad that I wore a tank top under my t-shirt.  After the race, I took off my t-shirt and was able to shake off a lot of the powder.
7. Plan to go somewhere for lunch.  Wear your dye proudly.  You just finished a 5K.

Cilantro Lime Shredded Chicken for Tacos and More!

Here's a recipe we've been enjoying lately.  It's great for stocking the freezer and easy to prepare for serving.  It cooks from frozen, so this is great for when I forget to plan ahead.

I like to triple the recipe putting 2 batches into the freezer for later.

ingredients: (per batch)

2# boneless skinless chicken breasts, thighs or combination

1# frozen corn

1 can black beans - rinsed and drained

1  onion - chopped

2 tsp cumin

3 cloves garlic - chopped (I use frozen garlic cubes from Trader Joe's)

1 bunch cilantro chopped

1/4 c lime juice (about 2 limes)

gallon freezer ziplock bag

directions prep:

1) label ziploc bag with date and crockpot directions - 4hrs high or 8 hrs low (I always cook this on low)

2) put all ingredients in the ziplock bag and place in freezer - if you can freeze in a round container that will fit inside your crockpot, it will be easier when it's time to cook it. 

directions cooking:

1) spray crockpot with non-stick spray

2) remove meal from the freezer 

3) carefully peel the ziplock bag away from the frozen ingredients

4) plop ingredients into crockpot

5) set on low (my preference) for 8 hrs or high for 4 hrs  - as crockpots vary check occasionally to prevent overcooking.

6) when chicken is cooked through, use forks or tongs to shred the chicken

tacos:

1) heat tortillas over gas flame on stove

2) serve with shredded lettuce or cabbage, guacamole, shredded cheese, hot sauce, salsa, etc.

I've made the leftovers into enchiladas, baked taquitos, nachos and taco buns (like a sloppy joe).  It's a very versatile recipe.  Hope you enjoy.

(recipe is based on a couple different recipes)