Shopping...

Grocery shopping that is! Excited, yes! Why? First, it had been at least three weeks (probably closer to four) since I had been really grocery shopping. Yes, the fridge and pantry were bare. Second, Ted and I got to do all of the shopping, two carts full, with out the boys (thanks Lois and Tom!). I stocked up on tons of fruits and veggies, meat for the week, and got some extra of everything to get ready for our vacation up north. I am going to make and freeze some meals that I can eat up there. Also putting together some yummy nut and fruit mixtures to bring. When we checked out the guy said it was the longest receipt that he has ever printed, yikes! Then we took our full car home (good thing the boys were not along because we even had bags in their car seats) and unloaded/put away everything in peace and quite. Ted went and got the boys and I stayed in the kitchen making two kinds of fresh salsa, cool cucumber salad, sliced and put into the dehydrator bananas, kiwi, mangos, and pineapples, and then made eight jars of dilly beans.

Recipes from this afternoon:

Fresh Salsa

• 2 large tomatoes - chopped
• 1/2 small red onion - chopped
• 1 small jalepeno - finely chopped
• 1 small garlic clove (optional) - minced
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

Combine all ingredients together, stir, and serve. It does get better if you chill it in the fridge for a few hours. I usually double or triple this recipe because it goes fast! Love this once our tomatoes are ripe because everything but the spices and oil is from our garden! (I had to buy tomatoes today, but the peppers and onion were from our garden and I don't add the garlic because it makes me burp)

Blueberry Salsa

• 3 cups blueberries, divided (2 cups coarsely chopped, 1 cup whole)
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
• 3 Tb chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 minced jalapeno peppers - minced and seeded
• 1/3 cup red bell pepper - diced
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt

Combine all ingredients together, stir, and serve. Yummy, blueberries are in season and so good right now!

Cool Cucumber Salad

• 8 oz penne pasta, cooked and drained
• 2 large cucumbers - thinly sliced
• 1/2 white onion - thinly sliced
• 1 Tb vegetable oil ( I used grape seed oil)
• 2 cups water
• 2 cups white vinegar
• 1 Tb dried parley flakes
• 1 Tb prepared mustard
• 1/2 cup honey (this recipe calls for sugar but I substitute honey, if you want it a bit sweeter add more honey)
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt

Mix the pasta, cucumber, onion, and oil in a large bowl. In separate bowl mix together the rest of the ingredients and stir until well combined, then pour over cucumber mixture. Chill for 3 hours and serve. This is such a great recipe to use up all of those cucumbers in your garden!