Fresh Cilantro makes ALL the difference!

So I've been making this Pico de Gallo for a little while now. When I started making it, I could never find fresh cilantro, so I used dried. It tasted pretty good.

There's a company called Garden Fresh Gourmet that makes the most amazing salsa you've ever tasted. It's made with fresh ingredients and you can only find it in the refrigerated section of the grocery store.

The last time I bought it (last summer), I scrutinized the ingredients and decided that there was a pretty good chance I could make it myself using Pioneer Woman's Pico de Gallo recipe as the base.

DH has been out shopping for Super Bowl fixings (it's the only football game we watch all year, and we do it right), so I could make a new chili recipe he found in one of the daily newspapers he reads and make chicken wings too. I asked him while he was out to try and hunt down some fresh cilantro, since that's what Ree used in her Pico de Gallo recipe. He found some - YAY!!!

When he got home, I already had the Pico de Gallo in the food processor to turn it into salsa. When I was done with that, I chopped up the cilantro and added it to the mix.

OH. MY. GOSH. What a difference!!! This is by far the best batch I have EVER made! I'll never make it with dried herbs again.

I finally figured out what all those chefs I watch on the Food Network are raving about...now if I could figure out a way to get an herb garden going in our apartment, I'd be set!

Thanks for stopping by!

Oh...and P.S. If you've been looking for that photo a day, I've been doing pretty good. I think I got all but 2 days in January. They're all sitting in my Facebook account...so if you have Facebook, you'll have to search for me (Christyne Richardson) and send me a friend request to see the pics. In February, I'm going to try and post them here as well as Facebook.

Happy New Year!!!

If you've been reading for a while then you know that 2008 held its share of challenges.

2009 is starting out on a much better note, as evidenced by this:

Yeah, we got Rock Band 2 for Christmas and the kids (including the big one playing guitar) are loving it!

One of my goals for this year is a photo a day. I'm off to a great start - LOL!

Hope everyone had a Rockin' New Year's Eve!

Thanks for stopping by!

Gypsy Chicks Challenge

Yesterday a few of the Gypsy Chicks got together to scrap the day away! Brigit played with ink, Steph made cards, Joyce worked on a mini book and I stamped and coloured my version of this year's Christmas card.

Brigit brought us copies of Scrapbook and Cards Today and in there we found a "one challenge". Use one piece of cardstock, one piece of patterned paper, one brad, one tag, one label, one word title, one rub on, one picture, one stamp, one button, one 3-D embellishment. I cheated a little and used two extra brads because my label looked naked without them. I'm giving myself a pass though because I am just about 100% certain that I am the first one to finish the challenge!

Here's the first page of what will be my Santa Claus Parade (2004) album:

Yes, the stamped tree is a little crooked, but I'm letting go of my perfectionism and just going with it!!!

What do you think???

Time for a little blog candy!!!

Have you heard of BzzAgent? You should check it out! It's a word of mouth campaign company.

You sign up, they ask you to do a campaign, and you get free product to try, coupons, etc...

I joined recently and was asked to take part in a campaign about Fruits and Passion. I got some product to try out and some gift cards to give away.

I had a BLAST shopping with my gift card (some SERIOUSLY yummy stuff in that store!) and now I want to give some away.

RULES:

• You MUST live in Canada
• Go to the Fruits and Passions website and tell me what your fave fragrance/set is this holiday season
• Post here and tell me what it is, then post to your blog and tell YOUR friends your fave fragrance/set and mention my blog candy on your blog
• Link me to your blog so I can check it out!

That's it! Go see what YUMMINESS you can find at Fruits and Passion.

Thanks for stopping by!

What have you done???

I saw this on Barb's blog and thought it would be fun to do here and challenge those who come here to do the same.


How many have you done? I bolded the ones that I've done

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain (well, not all the way to the top)
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch (if Scrapbooking counts)
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables (does my parents garden count?)
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when youʼre not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice (does the Venetian in Vegas count?)
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset (both)
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangeloʼs David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person (from a plane counts, right?)
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someoneʼs life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Read an entire book in one day

So... what have you done? I think I need to get out more...

Thanks for stopping by!

It's November, right?

Because to see this picture you sure wouldn't know it!

Jonathan headed out to the park for a little bit this afternoon...and yes, he's just wearing a t-shirt...no sweater. And yes, it is indeed November the 5th, I checked the calendar.

Scott and Lauren aren't home yet, so I have yet to hear how their day went.

Colin, on the other hand, is home and thrilled beyond reason with the "UV crime kit" that he got from scholastic books with some of his birthday money.

I'll be back later with a "work report".

Thanks for stopping by!

Take Your Kids to Work Day

Today, across the province of Ontario, is "Take Your Kids to Work" day. So...Lauren (in proper business attire) went to work with her dad.

She will be learning all about pilots and airplanes...and if she's REALLY lucky, she'll get to go on the flight simulator.

The kids asked if I ever went on a "Take your kids to work" day with my Dad...and you know...I honestly don't remember. I remember once or twice going to work with my dad, but not sure if it was a specific day like we have here in Ontario. I remember going to work with Dad was a blast because there were so many cool things to play with! Dad is/was a graphic artist and worked in the print industry, so there were always easels and colouring pencils and lettraset - WOOHOO!!! Maybe that's where my love for rub-ons started...hmmm...

I sent her with the point and shoot camera (digi) because while I offered the DSLR it was causing me heart palpitations this morning, so I had to rescind it. Hopefully, she will remember to take pics though I'm not sure how good they will be since the P&S was acting up and was the reason for purchasing the DSLR.

I'll let you all know how it went!

Thanks for stopping by!