Domestic Chicky's Quick & Dirty Salsa Recipe

I came upon this recipe today...it's sounds really good especially on top of baked chicken..of course, it's always better with chips and a Corona! ENJOY!

Domestic Chicky’s Quick & Dirty Salsa

2 Cans Ro-tel Tomatoes, original (you can vary the heat by combining mild or hot), drained
1/2 onion (I used purple in the picture above), cut into chunks
1 handful Cilantro (mostly leaves, but a bit of stems too)
1t salt
1-2t minced garlic
few grinds fresh black pepper

Put the onion, cilantro, salt, pepper and garlic in a food processor or blender. Pulse til finely chopped. Add tomatoes. Pulse again til desired texture is acheived (we like ours on the not-so-chunky side). Serve with tacos, fresh tortillas & butter, mix into avocados for guacamole, chips, nachos, or my personal favorite, Wheat Thins (I know, but it’s SOO good!). You can use other brands of tomatoes with chiles, but nothing beats ro-tel! *If you have ever been to Chevy’s Restaurant (or Anchos in Riverside CA), and you love their Salsa, try this, and add a drop of mesquite liquid smoke - it will be a dead ringer!

Something new to the BLOG

This morning we had a little issue with our coffee maker, it wasn't filtering properly. Those of you that know Chris and I, understand how important our coffee is to us in the mornings...it's like go-go juice....gotta have it. So, I set out to locate a "recipe" on how to clean the coffee pot and came upon this really cool website, Tip Nut. After I found out how to clean the coffee pot, I decided to check out the rest of the website just to see what they offer...I found recipes for homemade body scrubs, which is a neat idea for yourself and for a gift. There are TONS of other items you can look up/search...it was just a neat little find that I wanted to share with ya'll. I added the link to this website to "My friends and family" list...just click on it and have fun searching.

BABY SAVY UPDATE

Today was our 39 week doc appointment...unfortunately, there is nothing to report. Savannah and I are both still in good shape...she's just really comfortable at the moment and doesn't see any reason to come out yet...stinker! Chris and I had a great weekend...actually it was very relaxing. Saturday, I had to run some errands, so Chris went his way and I went mine...MAN, I didn't realize how my energy has completely disappeared...I went to 3 different places and after that I had to come home and lay down...I was completely exhausted. Then Sunday, we went to my aunt's house in Georgia and had a great day of swimming...I was so happy and shocked that I could still FLOAT, hee hee! It felt really nice to just chill and float around weightless for a couple hours! Chris and I know weekend like these are limited...but we certainly look forward to the weekends with Savannah. We found this really neat nature center just as you enter Georgia ...it's called Birdsong Nature Center...they have butterfly exhibits and tons more for everyone in the family to enjoy...it will be a while until we can take Savannah there...but it's neat to find fun and educational stuff like that to take her to...sitting her in front of the TV isn't much our style. Ta-Ta for now.

Richard and Jenny

Today, my cousin Emalee and I had to take the dogs to the vet for their annual check ups. I needed Emalee's help because there was NO way I could have made it into the vet's office without being "pulled" in by Raz. The doctor reported that Harley was doing great, but they needed to take some blood samples to check for this and that...no problems reported. But after they took his blood, he kept bleeding so they had to put band aids on his front legs to stop the bleeding...he looked like Richard Simmons with sweat bands on. Raz on the other hand, needed some extra attention....it's was time for Raz to go on a DIET! I had to laugh cause, Chris and I just commented on how "broad" Raz was getting...and then for the doctor to tell us that we had to put our dog on a diet. I would like to introduce you to Richard and Jenny:

Richard Simmons...Sweatin' to the oldies. The band aids look like sweat bands...Emalee and I laughed for hours over Harley AKA Richard Simmons!
Jenny Craig's newest member!

A day with Mom & Eli

There is never a dull moment when you are around my Mom and my nephew, Eli. They came to visit me the other day...Eli was going stir crazy in my house and therefore making me crazy! So, I looked into taking him to this fun station that is located in my neighborhood...Zoinks kid station. Eli had the most fun....Mom and I had a great time too! It was the coolest place...they had a snack bar, arcade games and lots of those larger bouncy things that the kids jump around on and spread germs! They also had a lounge area for those of us that can't really walk, stand or jump around like wild monkeys....they had couches and recliners...I located a recliner and sat there until Eli was ready to go. As if Eli wasn't wound up enough, we decided to go for ice cream...he wanted mint ice cream with M&Ms....very interesting combination, but that joker ate every single bit of the ice cream and cone! Not a smart move on my part, he was BOUNCING off the walls when we got home, therefore Raz was right there with him...running around the yard like they had lost their minds. I think Eli slept good that night! Love that little man! In the photo below, Mom & I had just enjoyed a blue raspberry icee.

Eli was playing "Deal or No Deal"
Eli playing "WHACK"...where the little monkeys pop up and you knock them out with the blue hammer thing.
Nana playing skee ball....she rocks at skee ball!
Eli cheating at basketball...not sure that he's suppose to be ON the game. I think he was too short to reach it otherwise...those of us that are vertically challenged have to compromise at times!

Savy's Nursery

Another sneak peak of Savy's nursery...I have been looking for some adorable lamps to go on this dresser...after looking online at about a million websites, I went to the oh so famous, TJ Maxx and found these lamps for $10 each (just the lamps)...then I found the lampshades at Target...the polka dots match the ladybugs that are in the painting...it's so stinking cute, I just can't stand it! Now all I need is to find a rug that coordinates with her nursery colors and that doesn't cost me an arm and a leg! We are almost finished with her nursery, which is a GOOD thing seeing that our little princess will be here in 14 days or earlier (I HOPE!) Ta-ta for now!

SITE METER - FYI

Hello fellow bloggers, I wanted to post some valuable information that my sister recently shared with me. She told me about a "site meter" that you can download and attached to your blog and it's lets you see who is looking at your blog, well I should say "not who is looking at your blog, but WHERE they are from". After a couple weeks of her monitoring her site meter account, she became aware that someone from a foreign country has been checking out her blog. Of course, we want all of our friends and family to view our blogs to see the latest and greatest happenings in our lives. HOWEVER, when someone from a foreign country or the next state over is looking at your blog and you don't know them, you become a little bit more aware of what information you place on your blog...names of friends/family members, locations of them, etc. I downloaded the "site meter" to my blog tonight and have already had someone from Germany checking out our blog...kinda scary seeing that I can tell that they "searched" Google for any blog address that ends with www.--------yblog.blogspot.com. I have to ask myself, WHY are they looking at my blog, do I know them? etc. If you are interested in looking into downloading the site meter, check out www.sitemeter.com, it's totally FREE to download and it walks you through each step, trust me, it's user friendly, cause I was able to do it!

There is also a way that you can mark your blog as "private", which means that your blog can only be viewed by those people you allow to view...FRIENDS & FAMILY! Not sure how to do that, but I will probably find out very soon and I'll post that information as well.

To those friends and family that visit our blog, PLEASE continue to do so, we want everyone to feel welcome,and trust me, we are excited to share all of the latest and greatest happenings in our lives with each and every one of you.

PRINCESS UPDATE

Today, Chris and I went to the doc for our 38 week check up. According to our doctor, we are right where we need to be and everything "looks great and right on target". Kinda disappointed cause I was wishing that he would say, "okay, you've dilated to a 5 and it's time to have this baby!" Chris and I prepared all weekend for Savy to arrive...we got the car "baby ready"...car seat installed (still wondering if it's in properly?!?!?). Chris did some yard work and got the yards looking great for family to come and visit. For some crazy reason, I decided that I need to organize all of my jewelry...very random action for me. But it's done and I love it. We had a great weekend, kinda laid back but very productive...we love weekends like that! So, this week, I'm working from home..cause traveling isn't possible these days...travel around town, YES, but not travel around Florida. It's going to be a great week....I have Molly Maids coming in to clean the house....YEAH! Chris and I both agreed that we didn't want to spend our weekends cleaning the house, we'd rather gets things in order and enjoy our time together before our little princess arrives...the dogs get their annual shots (not exact a good week for them) and I'm having lunch with a good friend of mine that is due a couple days before me....BUT to top off my great week....my sister is FINALLY moving back to Georgia this WEEK! That's right, she and her family are scheduled to be here sometime this coming weekend and I can't wait. I'm looking forward to having all of my family here for Savannah's grand entrance into this world...and you can bet they are all waiting very anxiously for that special day.

A special request for my best friend in high school....her father in law is very ill and is in need of a liver transplant ASAP! Yesterday I read her blog and they only give him a week to live if he doesn't receive a liver. Please remember, Mr. Tomlin and his entire family in your prayers...he is a wonderful husband, father and an adored grandfather.

HOLY MACKEREL

Over the weekend, Chris and my dad went fishing in the Gulf. They woke up at 4:30 Sunday morning and headed out to sea...they caught Spanish and King Mackerel and saw a 6 ft Hammerhead shark, YIKES! Of course, they were a couple miles off shore, so at least that large of a shark was waaay out from the beach....but it's not to say they can't swim to the beach and feed. After the guys left the house at 4:45 Sunday morning, Mom and I couldn't go back to bed.....so we got up, drank some coffee and watched a couple chick flicks. Then we decided that we had to go shopping...we met the guys for lunch and then headed to do a little bit of shopping...great times!

Fourth of July

WOW, I didn't realize until just know that they only photos I took over the holiday week are the only two posted below...of Raz and Harley. That's pretty sad, however, I had great intentions of taking lots of photos of the fireworks and any other activities that we did over the week. Needless to say, it was a very laid back weekend in Panama City with my parents...we had a blast spending the long weekend with Mom & Dad! We arrived Friday afternoon, then we grilled and chilled! Later that night, we went to the condo and sat on the end of the dock and watched the beautiful fireworks. We had the best seats in the house. The reflection of the fireworks over the water was beautiful...I actually had my camera in the car, but let's face it, I was comfortable and it takes alot to get this butt moving these days...so going back up the dock to get the camera wasn't gonna happen! Saturday morning, we got up and had a yummy breakfast with Mom & Dad, then Chris and set out for a nice relaxing day at the beach. We went to Mexico Beach and had a blast! It was a beautiful weekend! Below, are the photos of Harley and Raz on the way to Nana & Papa's house...this was the first time Raz has taken a trip in the new car.....we had to go out and buy a special waterproof blanket to put over the carpet and seats...mainly to protect the carpets from being COVERED with Raz hair. He sheds like a mad man! He kept Chris and I laughing the entire 2 hour drive to Panama City because everytime we would look back at him, this is what we saw.

And Harley, being the spoiled rotten pup that he is, he got to sit up front with us...ain't he cute? He normally sleeps in my lap, but these days there isn't much "lap" for him to sleep in.

Baby Savy update

Chris and I went for our 37 week appointment today. We had a great report and everything looks perfect. When the doctor measured me he said, "Wow, you've dropped!" YEP, I knew it! Chris even said that my belly is starting to take on a different shape than normal...Savy has certainly dropped and is getting ready to make her entrance into the world! This visit was a bit more "formal" than all the previous visits...the nurse was very serious with her questions, before it was "do you have any questions/concerns that you'd like to share with the doctor, etc?" This time, I guess there was no time for that, it was more like, "We've sent all your paperwork to the Women's Pavilion, so anytime you get ready to have the baby, go straight there." Chris and I both were like, "DERN"! This is getting pretty serious...guess it's a sign that we are really close to having this precious youngin'! Now we are down to visiting the doctor every week....that's a bunch of visits to the doctor...I'll keep the blog updated as well as I can until the BIG DAY!

I must be nesting!

BY THE WAY, THIS CAKE WAS AWESOME!

Yesterday, I came upon this recipe and it sounded like heaven! Soooo, last night after dinner I had to run to the grocery store and get the ingredients to make it...OH MY GOODNESS...if the final product is as yummy as the raw batter....MOVE OVER BETTY CROCKER! I couldn't eat much of the batter because of the raw eggs, but I had to try some...it was delicious! If the cake is pretty I MIGHT take a photo and put it on the blog...either I'm nesting or extremely BORED!

Here's the recipe!

5 Flavor Pound Cake

2 Sticks Butter Softened
1/2 Cup Crisco Shortening
3 Cups Sugar
5 Eggs Well Beaten
3 Cups Flour
1/2 Tsp. Baking Powder
1 Tsp. Salt
1 Cup Milk
1 Tsp. each of vanilla, lemon, almond, coconut and butter flavor extracts.

Combine butter and Crisco. Add sugar and beat until fluffy. Add eggs; mix flour and baking powder and salt, alternately with milk. Add extracts. Pour into well greased and floured tube pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 and 1/2 hours. Let cool completely before you turn it out of the pan. You'll be back at your great grandmother's house again with the first bite, tasting one of your sweetest childhood memories.