HomeGroup - Father's Day

This Sunday we had our homegroup at the Paul's house. Usually the men do the grilling, but since it was Father's Day, we decided to treat them and take care of the cooking. Mrs. Fox cooked up her yummy Italian Sauce with Meatballs and Pasta, and the rest of us took salads, bread, and desserts.

Here's the ladies making the last minute preparations...







It was a wonderful, relaxing time...


Happy Father's Day!!!






Check out the slide show...

Mi Familia

Saturday, we met my sister and nephews for breakfast. We all decided we did not want to cook, so we decided to go out instead. It was very nice. Afterward, we all came back to my place and visited for a bit longer. We don't get to see each other that frequently due to busy schedules (life), so it is always nice when we do get together.

It was also especially nice to see my nephew's son, Willy Jr. Isn't he just the cutest little boy? He looks just like his daddy!!

Day at the groomers!!!

Our four-legged family member paid a visit to the groomer this Saturday. She was in desperate need of a haircut, nail-trim, and most importantly a BATH. Don't think I don't bathe her in between grooming appointments, it's just that they use use the stuff that smells really, really nice, and leave her very pretty!! :0)

Take a look, here's the before .....

Check out all the leaves and twigs that get stuck in her feminine beard (that's how Marco calls it).
...and here's the after...

isn't she just a doll??

Summer Job

As most of you know, Marco got a job this summer!! Whoo Hoo!! Today is the end of his first two weeks, and PAYDAY!! He's learning to juggle both football practice and work, and has survived so far!

Very exciting, as you can imagine...for both of us...

...hmmm, let's see if I get a dinner invite!!! :0)

UPDATE: Got a dinner invite...Red Lobster....yummy!!! I just love that boy...and not just cause he took me to Red Lobster either!! :-)

What's been cookin'?

Lately I've been on a bit of a cookin' adventure, and trying new recipes. Now, don't get me wrong, I like to try new recipes, it's just that all I can handle is one here and there. This week, I tried three...yes my friends...three...tres...that is what I said. I subscribed to the Cooking Light magazine, and mmmmmmmm....hmmmm...let me tell you...they have some yummy recipes on there...and they're "light" or at least that's what I hope, because in all honesty that is why I subscribed...to cook "light". :0)

Thursday, was the beginning of the adventure with a Grilled Vegetable Salad. Now take a look and don't tell me that doesn't look delicious?

Here's a closer shot...

Vinaigrette:
2 Tbsp sherry vinegar
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 1/2 tsp honey
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper


Salad:
8 ounces asparagus, trimmed
2 (4 inch) portobello mushroom caps (about 6 ounces)
1 med zucchini, but lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1 yellow squash, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1 small red onion, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1 red bell pepper, halved and seeded
Cooking spray
2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
1 tbsp chopped fresh chives
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
6 tbsp crumbled queso fresco

1. Prepare grill to medium-high heat
2. To prepare vinaigrette, combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl; set aside
3. To prepare salad, coat all veggies with cooking spray, place them on grill rack; grill 4 minutes on each side or until slightly blackened. Remove veggies from grill, cool slightly. Cut veggies into 1-inch pieces.
4. Add veggies, basil, chives, and parsley to vinaigrette; toss gently to coat. Sprinkle with cheese.

Yield: 6 servings (about 3/4 cup each and 1 tbsp cheese)

Friday, my friend Erin and little werito were over for dinner. I made Grilled Chicken Thighs with Roasted Tomatoes! Delicious!!!

Chicken:
1 tbsp grated lemon rind
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs (about 1 1/2 lbs)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Cooking Spray

Tomatoes
2 cps grape tomatoes
2 tsp olive oil
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp grated lemon rind
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1tbsp capers
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1. Prepare grill.
2. To prepare chicken, combine first 4 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add chicken to bag; seal. Marinate in refrigerator 15 min., turning the bag occasionally.
3. Remove chicken from bag; discard marinade. Sprinkle chicken evenly with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Place chicken on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 5 min on each side or until done.
4. Preheat oven to 425
5. To prepare tomatoes, combine tomatoes and 2 tsp oil in an 8-inch square baking dish; toss gently. Bake at 425 for 18 min or until tomatoes are tender. Combine tomato mixture,parsley, and remaining ingredients, stirring gently. Serve with chicken.

Yield: 4 servings (2 thighs and 1/4 cup tomatoes)

This was yummy! After dinner we went and watched Kung Fu Panda...totally funny...I highly recommend it!!!

Sunday after church we had a salad with grilled chicken. Marco was not to enthused about the idea initially, but he soon warmed up to it.

Salad includes:
Spring mix
grape tomatoes
cucumbers
red onions
grilled chicken breast

Dressing (from cooking light magazine)

2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp extravirgin olive oil
1 tsp finely chopped chipotle chile, canned in adobo sauce
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cumin

I'll tell you this is one of the best dressings I've tasted. Of course, Marco opted not to have any and instead poured about 1/2 the bottle of ranch on his salad!! :0)

Payson

Today we drove up to Payson and visited a few very cool spots. First we stopped at the Knotty Pine Cafe for breakfast...very tasty. Then we went to the Tonto Natural Bridge. This place is amazing!! Truly amazing. We spent quite a bit of time there hiking and exploring God's beautiful creation. The hike down was very easy, but going through it became a little bit more challenging. I was the first to bite-the-dust there, thankfully nothing major though. :0)

Next we headed over the the Water Wheel and explored quite a bit there. Also a very nice place. You can't really tell from when you get there initially, until you begin hiking in. We visited a couple of swimming holes and just took nature in. We had also packed a lunch, and enjoyed it while there. Both Grover and Dan (Tracy's hubby) bit-the-dust there. Tracy was the only one to leave Payson without any mishaps!! :0)

We headed back into town around 4:30ish. Whew!! Thankfully we were headed the opposite direction than most of the traffic, and made it home at a descent hour.

These are definitely places I'd like to visit again, and highly recommend that you all visit.

Memorial Day Holiday

This weekend we had the opportunity to visit our family in NM. We had a lovely time there, but as you can imagine the time flew by. Before we knew it, it was time to come back home. These two are pics of my dad and his wife.











This is my Nino and Nina (Godparents) also knows as Grandpa Juan and Nana to my son.

This is the Alvarado family. She is my sista and that's her hubby and their chamacos (sons).

The youngest son is quite fond of my chamaco, and thoroughly enjoys watching his every move...even while he's eating. I know, I know... family!?!?!