Snippets/ A Bit Of Our Summer+July 4th

Strangers to friends over something as simple as a twig in the park.

 



She loves being outdoors and really likes feeding the ducks. She's also decided she likes to go swimming in the "swimming pool" which is First Dam. This is totally fine with me and I find myself dipping my toes in the water with her because it is SO HOT right now.

Some holiday decorating! So thankful for my freedom and send prayers and blessings to those serving to keep this country that way.

 



I mean, tacos are the norm over here these days. Carne asada, sweet onion, cilantro and a squeeze of fresh lime. We eat tacos for lunch about 3 times a week. I recently purchases a Better Homes Magazine that focuses totally on all things Mexican food related. Salsas, enchiladas, guac, you name it. We'll be working our way through it the rest of this summer.

 



I haven't been able to bring myself to pay to go to the local pool. I'm not sure why. I did however purchase a $10 inflatable pool and Violet has been taking a dip on the daily. We bring her bath toys out and I bring a camp chair with a good book and we spent a good 2 hours enjoying the outdoors together. When it gets to hot I get in with her and splash around. It's been a great purchase!

We're back to tacos. I'd never been to this food truck in town so we ventured out there for one of Cristian's lunch breaks. It was delicious. Definitely in the top 2 for the valley.

 



I made my first pie, homemade crust and all. This was NOT your grandma's apple pie though. This pie would have kicked your grandma in the pants. Angry Apple Pie. Jalepenos and apple. Here's the recipe:

2 homemade pie crusts

2 Tbsp red or green hot pepper jelly

6 cups Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced (roll in cornstarch)

2 tsp red or green jalapeno pepper, seeded, and finely diced

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

2 Tbsp all purpose flour

3/4 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp salt

1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

 

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F

2. Sprinkle both sides of one of the pie crusts with flour and rub all over. Press the pie crust into a 9 inch pie plate (glass or ceramic). Spread the hot pepper jelly on the bottom of the pie crust. Set aside

3. In a large mixing bowl add the apples, dices jalepeno pepper, white and brown sugars, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and lemon juice. Stir until thoroughly combined. Pour the apple mixture into the pie plate.

4. Roll out the second pie crust so that it extends about 1/2 inch beyond the rim of the pie plate.  Place the crust on top of the pie and tuck the edge with your fingers or a fork. Using a sharp knife, cut five 2 inch slits into the top pie crust from the center of the pie out towards the edge of the plate to allow the steam to escape.

5. Place some aluminum foil along the edge of the pie crust to prevent burning.

6. Bake the pie on the middle shelf for 25 minutes. Remove the foil from the edges and bake for another 10-15 minutes until the crust is golden brown. Let the pie sit for at least 2 hours before serving to allow the juices to absorb.

 



My parents garden is up and going for the summer and berries are in full progress. We've been picking strawberries and raspberries and enjoying tarts, smoothies, lemonades, and berries in our cereal, granola, and salads.

Violet is afraid of fireworks, so our sparkler session took place in the wee hours of the night on our front porch while Violet slept soundly. Hope your 4th was as relaxing as ours was!