Poppin' Peppers!

Just a week or so ago, B and I tried something new on the grill so I thought I would share with you guys. Caution..only try this if you are all about the 'hotness'. It was really simple and turned out quite tasty. Since we planted the jalapenos, I was doing a little research on how to make chipotles. In the process, I came across several how to videos on YouTube. (Yes, it's true, you can find ANYTHING on youtube...just ask Zane) There were videos on how to make a version of jalapeno poppers on the grill or you could make them in the oven but the grill sounded nicer. You need fresh jalapeno peppers, cheese, onion, bacon and brown sugar. We used feta and extra sharp cheddar and it turned out wonderful! To begin, you need to slice the peppers in half and clean out all the seeds and the white meat or membrane. Keep in mind this is where the heat is so clean it out well....you will still have plenty of heat, trust me. Once this is done, wash and dry the peppers. In a bowl, mix your cheeses. We added minced onion for flavor. At this point, you simply stuff the peppers as full as you can. Cut your bacon in half and sprinkle with brown sugar. You can rub it in just a little to keep it from falling off. Wrap the half slices of bacon around the peppers and get ready to grill. Note...the bacon will stay on the peppers without any help but if need be, you can slide a toothpick in to hold it down...just remember to take them back out. Cook on the grill for about 15 to 20 minutes and let cool before you try to eat. Now here are a couple of steps I didn't do the first time but will 'definitely' do next time. First...use latex gloves when handling the peppers, especially if your skin is sensitive like mine. Trust me on this one ;-) Also, next time I plan to roast the peppers in the oven before I stuff the cheese in just to make them a little more tender. The peppers were great and even though that packed the heat, it didn't stop us from clearing a tray.....Let me know how they turn out!

xxoo

Lisa

This and That

It's been a great week! Zane returned from his 'Travels With Grandpa" on Monday. He really had a great time visiting with his Grandpa and seeing a few states he had not visited before, including making it to Laredo, TX where he was able to at least see the gates of Mexico. He thought that was pretty cool. Other cool sightings included....large cactus (or is that cacti? lol), oil wells, and one of the trucks from CMT's 'Trick My Truck'. He learned a lot from Grandpa too. We should all learned to listen to the 'older' folks more often. Where else can you find this much knowledge and plain common sense wrapped up in a loving package like Grandparents? The picture above is one Zane took. I thought it turned out pretty well.....

My nephew, Kyle, is visiting. What a loving and handsome young man he has become. I am so proud of the level of maturity he has and how strong he is both physically and spiritually.

Friday I planted Lantanas by the mailbox. If you aren't familiar with those, they are a 'shrub like' flower that is available in several colors. Lantanas are wonderful for attracting butterflies too, which is a bonus. The real beauty of these flowers is that they tend to grow well even in poor soil and full sun. You don't find that often. In addition, they are annuals so once the planting is done, you simply have to sit back and watch it grow and come back bigger and better every year. I read that you can also start new plants in the early spring from cutlings. I fully intend to learn more about that and give it a shot next year. While I'm on the subject of my planting projects, I can give you an update on the 'Garden on Wheels'. In just a few short days, the plants are already showing growth and look wonderfully healthy. The cart has proven to be a very handy investment as well. I know once these plants get larger, it would be too hard to move without damaging the plants, but for now, I have simply pulled the cart around to the faucet for watering.

Haley went to Hattiesburg Sunday to see her 'Friend-Boy" Cameron receive his promotion at an awards ceremony on Monday. She went with Cameron's Mother. Cameron will be deployed to Iraq soon so be sure to keep him in your prayers, as well as all of our other service men and women. We owe a huge debt to all these wonderful and brave souls for the work they do. Sunday was D-Day but we should all take a moment to remember the ones who have given their lives for our freedom every day. When you say a prayer, don't forget their families who also make the sacrifice. God bless them all.....

Lastly, I just wanted to share a new search engine I think is worthy of a mention. www.bing.com is powered by Microsoft and appears to eliminate a good bit of those sites that usually pop up with no relevance at all. Give it a shot and let me know what you think....
xxoo
Lisa