Ashley's Salsa

Hey All! Here is a recipe I came up w/ the other day for Ben and I-- Its really simple and really good! I have experimented w/ several different recipes for Ben and he says this one is his favorite!

So if you crave some of your South Texican foods like we do- you will love this!

And if not, well indulge me because I want to record this now so I don't forget what I put in it :)

Ingredients:

3lbs plum tomatoes

one fresh jalapeno (or a whole jalapeno if you are brave)

2-3 cloves of garlic

1 TBSP cumin

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1-2 limes, squeezed

EVOO

small handful of cilantro

Directions:

First preheat the oven to 400*F. cut plum tomatoes into halves or quarters, whatever you prefer. and place them flesh down on a greased baking sheet. Cut the jalapeno in half and place it seed side down on the baking sheet. Only use as much as you can handle...we used a whole jalapeno and it was REALLY REALLY hot, but Ben likes it that way. I would probably use half a jalapeno if I were making it for someone besides him.

Place the garlic cloves on the baking sheet w/ the tomatoes and jalapeno and roast in the oven for 40-50 minutes. (I would take the garlic out after 30 min. though)

Once roasted, let the vegetables rest, then tranfer the vegetables to a blender or food processor. Add about 1 tbsp of EVOO and all the spices listed above. I add some extra garlic powder to the mix too b/c I like a lot of garlic! Toss in the cilantro & squeeze in the lime and blend to your hearts desire!

Add extra salt & pepper to taste.

It should turn out a lot more pasty than normal salsa- more of the consistency of a pesto. We ate it with some Kashi TLC crackers & w/ chips and it tasted great w/ both!

It good hot or cold and will serve about 2-3 people.

Hope you enjoy!

Spicin' it up

I bought this tunic the other day at Charlotte Russe for like $3.00 (they were having a HUGE sale) and I couldn't pass up a good deal on a basic shirt! But when I brought it home and tried it on, I thought that it was a little bland and could use some spicing up :)

So I remembered some fabric flower pins I had seen somewhere online and decided to make one to go on my shirt!

I got some tulle, a blue sheer fabric and another basic grey fabric and cut them into several different roundish sizes. I then singed all the edges (Ben would have loved helping me on that one! playing w/ fire is one of his favorites!) and sewed it together. I topped it off w/ a pearl button in the center.

It looks a lot more shiny in the pictures than it does in person b/c of the flash on the camera, but it actually blends in w/ the shirt really well! Ben was even impressed!

I am having to keep myself extra busy w/ crafting projects right now because Ben is super busy w/ training now and well, I am super not busy...

He wishes he had less of a load and I wish I had more...oh God's lessons through life.

But school will start soon for me- August 25th and I am excited to get my little thinking cap back on again :)

In a day or two I'll post a yummy salsa recipe I just made and one on what vegetables I am hiding in our food these days :)

Cafe Carter

I just couldn't resist posting about my new favorite toy! It was an early birthday present from my parents. I think I feel the same way a boy does when he is playing with his new Wii or big screen tv...very giddy and curious, I just can't stop playing with it!

I have been making lattes and americanos, iced drinks and more for the past couple of days...the carters are definitely running on a caffeine high this week.

So for those in the area, you will have to come over and taste the fruit of my barista skills :)

Hopefully this new little toy will keep us from going to Starbucks too often!

a first

Well, as I wrote earlier, Ben and I spent our 1st anniversary in mobile, al... we stayed at a really downtown and were basically able to walk everywhere!

here is a picture of us using our GPS in pedestrian mode (yes, you can do that!) we probably looked kind of silly doing it, but hey, why not.

We went to the mobile botanical gardens...here I am w/ a huge hydrangea bush!

getting all dressed up for our anniversary dinner :)

we went to this place called NoJa...it was ecclectic, exotic and yummy

I thought I saw George Lucas there, but I am pretty sure it was just an older man who looked

like he should be famous.

we also went to a great coffee shop, where there was a great quintet(?...or whatever you call 5 guys singing) we heard them singing acopela songs about the Lord and decided to stick around for their show... It was really encouraging to hear them sing such beautiful songs about the Lord and they also shared their testimonies--an anniversary gift from the Lord!

Here's me with my pretty new pearl earrings from Ben!

And Ben w/ his gift, some new sperrys! :)

It was a very memorable weekend, maybe not as relaxing as we were hoping, but we both had a pretty easy day on Monday and were able to catch up on some much needed rest then.

Ben is now off to the books, he starts his next round of simulators this week-- they are always very challenging-- and I am happily sewing away :)

i am....

getting ready for a fun filled first anniversary weekend w/ Ben! We are going to hit the road and spend the weekend in mobile (about 45 min away), mainly just to get away. Ben said that he wanted to go somewhere where he wouldn't feel like he was still in the middle of flight school :)

2 nights in downtown mobile, and hopefully some fun sightseeing squeezed in there!

please pray for good fellowship, rest, safety and that ben would be able to discern the amount of studying he needs to do while we are away!

our little friend

We found a cute little surprise hopping through our apartment the other day. A tree frog!! Its so tiny, you can hardly see it perched on the leg of our dinner table. We have massive amounts of tree frogs in Pensacola, something I found out not long after we moved in. During the spring/summer, they come out and belt as loud as they can all night long. The lungs on these things are really amazing...to me, it sounds like a bunch of ducks quacking non stop and its really loud! Good thing they're cute.

I guess it was bound to happen sometime, but this little guy was pretty determined, hopping all the way to the third floor to see us. Unfortunately, his visit was not long lived. Ben and I quickly started chasing him around the house and Ben managed to catch him between two of his hats (pictured below).

We let him go out on our balcony, so who knows maybe he will become our new little pet! Just glad he was cute and harmless, not like the snake I saw slithering around our complex parking lot the other day--noooo bueno

T-minus One Year

We have our one year anniversary coming up soon! Its hard to believe we've been married a whole year already!

On one hand it seems like we were just getting engaged & making all the plans for the wedding a few months ago, and then on the other, it seems like we've known each other forever.

We are amazed at how God knew that we would just fit so well together. It didn't take long at all for us to become best friends, and this first year together has definitely solidified our friendship & love so much!

We are constantly amazed that we are perfectly satisfied w/ just spending time together, no one makes me laugh as much as Ben can & no one could replace his sweet & Christ-like love.

We are so thankful for each other & have much to celebrate about as we near one year of marriage.

Although we miss everyone from back home like crazy, it has been really good to go on this first adventure together. To Colorado, Florida, Alabama and back to Florida, the Lord has definitely caused us to depend on Him & to trust each other more than ever-- and it is MUCH more fun to do all of what we've done in this year w/ your best friend :)

Artsy Fartsy

We had Ben's mom & brother in town for fourth of July weekend! It was soo fun to see them and they came bearing gifts! We love gifts!

Mama Carter made us this beautiful picture on a canvas to hang in our project room! Its sooo fun...she is the craftiest mama I know. She has also embroidered pillow cases & a tea towel for us! She is pretty arts and crafty clever! I had to brag on her art because I think it is so cute, so here it is:

We hung it over my sewing machine table..perfect fit!

I also attempted to paint some curtains for our project room because I had a design in my head that I wanted and didn't want to have to pay a boatload at anthropologie for it. So I got a white bed sheet and just painted it up the way I liked it. I just painted the bottom third, the rest is white...It was fun, maybe not as professionally done as storebought ones, but I had fun w/ it nonetheless :)

And on top of the canvas, they also brought us some Heb Cafe Ole brand coffee...mmmmm. so good.

If you've never had it, you must try it...hill country blend, houston blend & snickernut are our favorites! And we miss it!! You texans are spoiled w/ HEB :)

The rest of the trip was really fun & relaxing, we shopped around , the boys played golf, Mama Carter & I attempted an arts and craft project that turned out more like snowflakes, April got a BuildABear Monkey & named her Nicole, we grilled some yummy gulf shrimp, we all played spoons & Cam dominated in Monopoly. We also went out to the beach at night when it was nice & cool and tried to see fireworks. They were a ways off, but it was still fun just to be out there together.

Thanks for the visit! Miss you already!

Something to Celebrate

My favorite mother in love & brother in love are coming to see us for the weekend! Its so nice to have families that will drive or fly the distance to spend time with us! We are blessed!

Mama Carter and Cam are hitting the road this morning and will hopefully be here by 6pm or so...and they are bringing a sweet little package with them--My April! Many of you probably already know who that is, but for those who don't...

April is one of the girls in Bryan that I mentored while I was in college. She got really plugged into the church while I was there and it has been cool to watch her continue to grow in Christ, while being shepherded by the body of believers. She has been begging for a visit, and Cam & Mama Carter graciously said they would bring her w/ them!

Ben and I are so excited for a weekend w/ our family and with this special girl, who is like family.