Ice Cream!

And someone REALLY enjoyed it!

My New Favorite Place

This is the place where I have been savoring these last few days of summer, and these last few days of pregnancy. Right in my own backyard, under our biggest tree. I love this view from below it. I love how it's massive roots go down into the ground under me, steady and firm, and it's branches reach high up towards the heavens. The calm of this place is refreshing. I love breathing in the life all around me; soaking up the serenity. This would be a good place to spend some of my labor, and to visualize when at the hospital. It has been a place to give thanks for the goodness in my life, and to spend time with family. A place to enjoy the moment -- the last few days of how things are -- and to open our hearts for new things, for change and transition, and a precious, new daughter to join us at home.

Strawberry jelly

My first jelly ever! Yum! Don't they look cute.

My Vote for Best and Worst Latin Remakes

Worst:
David Cedeno - I'll Be There
Click here, and it's the first one on the list, and you can hear a little. That's about all I want to hear. Nothing against the artist, some of his other salsa stuff is good. I don't know if it's the style that doesn't suit him, or the thick accent, but I do not like this remake.

Best:
Prince Royce - Stand By Me
Nicely done. Love the fusion of the English/Spanish lyrics. Not to mention that this song sounds nice to the bachata beat. Plus, you gotta love the kids and the racial/ethnic diversity in the video. Check it out here.

Breakfast Basket

A friend of Chili's is having a birthday party. This is what we made for a gift. A felt food breakfast basket! I got the idea from Smashed Peas and Carrots. She made one with cinnamon rolls and muffins that was super cute! We decided to use a few different items. The tutorials for this food can be found here: eggs, orange slices, and cinnamon rolls. We hope she has a very happy birthday!

Grilled Chicken Tacos

I just made these last night for the first time, and will definately be making them again!

Use whatever kind of chicken you want, I use shredded chicken from a whole chicken, but the original recipe called for breasts, or you could use a store bought rotisserie chicken if you were in a hurry, so whatever you like. Fry for 3 minutes(on one side) in a little oil with the following seasonings:
2 T chili powder
2 t ground cinnamon
2 t cumin
2 t sucanat or brown sugar
2 t salt
1/2 t black pepper
It will become slightly crispy or blackened.
I served this up with curtido (here is a basic recipe http://www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/recs/495/Curtido_Salvadoreno_El_Salvador48777.shtml) I do it pretty much like that, but I don't blanch it first. It is better the second day, so if you can prepare it the day before, even better.
I also served it with grilled poblano peppers(blacken on gas stove, or on the grill, and then put in a plastic bag or covered container for a few minutes, then peel and remove seeds, and cut up. Warning: sometimes these are spicer than others. I peeled and deseeded with my fingers and a knife, but they weren't too spicy. Sometimes this can be a dangerous move, if they are spicy and you touch the seeds, please do not touch your eyes, etc. as it may hurt, even if you have washed your hands several times :)
We also put some avocado on it, and of course served it on tortillas! I was initially skeptical about the cinnamon, but it was good! I ran out of chicken today, and ate the remaining poblanos in a quesadilla with curtido, and that was good too!

Bubbles