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You know what I miss most about my home town, besides mumsy and the fam of course? No no, its not the widely accessible Gun and Pawn shops, sillies. It is the food! I know they get tired of it, since they have it all the time, but I love it. There are at least 7 Mexican restaurants, 2 Chinese, a couple of pizza shops and one or two random ones. You can see it is a little lopsided as far as choices, but we are a Mexican food lovin' kind of people. I always make them go to 3 of the Mexican ones when I go home. Mexican food is so diverse. There are as many different styles as there are places to eat. Oh, hi dad. (This is our favorite)
Safford definitely has it's own style. The most popular things are bean and cheese burros (that is what we call burritos) enchilada style and various things made with green chili, which is actually a chili made with green chiles and pork. Delicious. We have our own style of quesadillas as well. At least in my favorite places, when you order a cheese quesadilla, you actually get a giant party on your plate. Since I can't go home very often I had to learn how to make them myself, and now they are a regular dinner for us.
I have been wanting to do this post for awhile when I saw the June Recipe Box Swap over at "I have to say". Since there is no theme this month I thought this would be a perfect time to jump in. Follow the link to the start site to find all the other delicious recipes for the month. This is my first recipe tutorial so please bear with me, you will love them.
This is for 2 quesadillas. It is really easy to make more though, but I always just make for 2 of us.
Cheese Quesadilla's Safford Style...
-1 tomato
-2 flour tortillas
-About a cup of shredded (or mexican mix) cheese
-1 can diced green chile's
-Sour cream on the side
-1/2 T butter for each quesadilla
-An avocado or guacamole (optional)
Tools...
-Medium to large frying pan (my 80$ frying pan ended up being defective, so I am using my sautee pan which works well too, it is just harder to flip the quesadilla and remove it from the pan)
-cutting board
-decent knife
-plastic glove (nice to have but not necessary)
We usually have all of the ingredients on hand so it is easy to make on short notice and impressive for company.
Begin by heating up frying pan on med heat. While that is heating prepare rest of ingredients to form an assembly line. Chop the tomato in half and scoop out most of the innards. There will be plenty of moisture without them. Dice each half and keep them in two piles.
Next, open the can of green chiles and use lid to empty the excess juice into the sink, like you would with tuna. There should only be a little, don't go crazy here.
Grate the cheese into a bowl. You want a couple of good handfulls for each one. I usually buy it pre shredded (I know I'm a cheater), but love grating it fresh when I have some on hand.
Get out your tortillas and the butter. You can wing this as well but I usually just cut a tablespoon in half for each one.
Once everything is out you are ready to roll. Your pan should be nice and hot by now. Turn the heat down just a tad. Right before you put in the tortilla, add the butter and make sure it coats the pan.
Quickly put in the tortilla. Since you have everything out and ready to go, it will be easy to fill the tortilla before it cooks too much.
First, add the cheese. You want this to cover a little over half of the tortilla. At this point, check the bottom to make sure it isn't cooking to fast. You want a steady browning. Turn the heat down a bit more if you need to. (If it looks like it is barely cooking, turn it up. Just keep an eye on it. You want a steady but not overpowering heat)
Then spread half of the tomato over half of the tortilla. Do the same with the green chiles, using half a can for each quesadilla). They are messy (hence the glove) and I like to use my hands but you can just as easily use a spoon. Try to spread as evenly as you can, but you are doing this quickly, so don't fuss to much. Add a tiny bit more cheese to act as a glue.
At this point you fold it in half. The top will already be browned, which is a good thing. You will only flip it for a few seconds to make sure all the top cheese has melted.
The key, is to have to outside crispy without being burnt. If it isn't cooked enough, it is difficult to handle. You will want to be able to lift the whole thing with your spatula without all the inside falling out. Just be patient and watch the heat.
When the bottom is nicely browned and the cheese is mostly melted, use your spatula to flip it over. I tried to get a photo of this, but since I only have two hands, it nearly ended in disaster. If the bottom seems too flimsy still, let it cook a bit longer. It will flip easily when it is ready.
Let it cook on the other side until it is cooked to the same degree. It shouldn't take nearly as long.
When both sides are nicely browned and crisp, gently slide the whole thing out of the pan onto a cutting board. It isn't a bad idea to let it sit for a moment, so the cheese can settle a bit. Cut it into four sections, and slide it on to the plate.
At home, I will always have guacamole, but since my husband doesn't like it (shame, I know) and I can't always get avocados, I usually just go for sour cream. But feel free to add guacamole and salsa to the side if you like. They are also great with avocados on the inside.
Once you have your garnishes on the plate you are ready to eat and enjoy. I usually cover the first one loosely with tinfoil while I make the second one. It will go much faster though since you have the heat figured out and everything else ready to go. When I cook for more people, I use two frying pans. As long as you are prepared, it will go smoothly.
The star here is really the green chile's. They are about 1-1.50$ a can out here, but much less in the southwest. My mom usually throws a couple cans in every package she sends. They add enormous flavor without being too hot. They are great in just about anything. Put a 2 lb pork roast in the slow cooker with a cup of water and a can of green chile's. Eight hours later, shred the pork and you have a delicious main dish or burro filling.
I hope you all enjoy this little taste of southern Arizona. If you give them a try, please let me know how they turn out.
Nothing but dark clouds, wind, and drizzles all day. (Rainy days are great for quesadillas though, just a thought). The weekend looks much more promising. Here's to hoping. On the good news front, I won! I won two wonderful giveaways this week. A beautiful folk angel painting that I have been craving from my best gal Tipper at The Blind Pig and the Acorn (she does a drawing every month, all you have to do is comment, the more the better). And...an amazing wonky house quilt from Upstate Lisa, another one of my favorite people. I almost feel guilty, because I won her first giveaway as well, but the quilt is fantastic! I can't thank you both enough for letting me take part in such a gesture of kindness. I needed a lift this week so they came right on time. Both their blogs are wonderful. Go check them out, you won't be disappointed. And I promise to not enter Lisa's next drawing so you will all have a chance, he he. Have a great day everyone.
After a few teasing days of sun, the rains returned today bringing waves of intense, cool humidity. Huge humidity changes like that confuse my body and the darkness makes me want to cozy up in a warm blanket. Spring in New England is definitely in full force. For three days I had all the windows open though, giving me a preview of summer living in the city. Suddenly all the city sounds that winter allows me to hide from accompany all my days and nights. The garbage trucks and street sweepers, the 6 am construction, the late night parties and the voices of loud neighbors. Most people are quiet, using regular "inside" voices, even when cooking out with friends, but there are always exceptions. There is one family across the street who seem unable to communicate with each other without yelling. We hear every single thing they say all summer long, oh and they honk honk honk, just in case the yelling didn't get across. Their oldest is just starting to drive, and wants to pop out for "errands" all the time. This causes mom to yell even more. Uhhhh. In a way they kind of fit in to this city life where we all live so close, yet so separate. I do like hearing the birds more and the rain. Plus I just bought a huge box of ear plugs for those nights I need silence to still my racing heart. What sounds do you hear when you open the windows to the summer breeze? The call of birds and barking dogs? Or the business of city life?
Sometimes, as I am catching up on my blogs, trying to bring that huge number of unread posts down to a comfortable range, I comment on those that are easiest first. A finished quilt or quilt block, a package of goodies, a great recipe etc. But the ones that I really want to spend time on, that have touched me deeper in some way, I leave til last. I want to think about what I say, let them know how they have made me think and feel. By the time I get to where I can do that, another post takes it's place and then another. And I am left as a silent lurker, with too many thoughts running through my head to express them properly. Does anyone else have this problem? It is the same with posting as well. I want it to sound just right, have all the right photos and have enough creative progress to show I am actually doing something. Then time passes. Things I was going to write about become irrelevant. It is something I need to work on. Being ok with just writing a little when I have only a little to say.
Instead of procrastinating any longer, I thought I would share with you a few of the blogs that have really touched and inspired me lately. The first is Amber from Berlin's Whimsy. She takes the most beautiful pictures. She is a single mom dealing with some of life's battles at the moment, while also trying to maintain beauty and balance. She spins, knits and embroiders beautifully. 
This is her picture of one of her recent creations. She has also inspired me to be creative with my husbands lunches, making healthier meals and packing it in fun containers instead of a million plastic bags. Check out her Bento box lunch gallery and her Etsy shop. Her space always brightens my day. Thank you for your courage and inspiration Amber.
Next is Floresita from Feeling stitchy, and her personal blog, Things I've Made. She does the cutest embroidery and is always sharing from her collection of vintage embroidery patterns. A few months ago she did a series on starting a crafty blog that was really great, and helped me out immensely. It is called Crafty Blog School and is great for everyone with craft blogs, especially newbies. She has written some great posts in the last week, with beautiful images and creations. This one about craft blogging compared to other types really resounded with me, as I have thought about that a lot. Before I found crafty blogs, I would never ever have attempted to have one myself. I have enough things in my life that focus primarily on feelings and people, like therapy for example. Craft blogs focus on creativity and the sharing of ideas, friendship and support. This is a place where I can escape the negative parts of my life and focus on beauty and sewing and creating. You have to see the embroideries she did this week. They really are so sweet they make my teeth hurt. Plus she did a pillowcase for her sister out of the same pattern that I did my first ever embroidery (for my sister as well, for her wedding).
This is the one I did, the picture is tiny though. Sorry for that. I actually made 4 of these. Both our sisters got married the same month. I used vintage repro fabrics. The first one was a little sketchy, but I was a lazy daisy pro by the last one. 
This is Floresita's. I adore her colors and the added bits on the seam. She uploaded this and the dancing lady to her flickr account which is here. You will be able to spend hours gazing at her perfect stitches and imaginative creations. Thank you so much girl, for bringing such beauty into my life. And I have been listening to your mix for days on end. I think it is good I don't know what they are saying, or I would be balling too. The music is lovely anyway.
I know there are more but these are the two that have been in my mind. Do yourself a favor and check them out. I have some things finished as well but my indoor shots are awful. It looks like we may get some sun tomorrow though, and maybe I can make it to the square to the post office. Thanks for sticking out my sharing time today. Have a great day everyone with lots of sunshine, real or imagined.
Hello ladies and gents...
I just had to show you this picture quick.
This is me at 12 years old in Driggs ID at my grandmas. Whenever I went there to stay with my grandma and aunt, we would play dress up. They had this great collection of costumes after 6 kids and my aunt being in the local theater. It is scary. The husband asked me if I had a wig on. HAHA I wish. Nope, thats a 100% natural frizz warning in itself. I think my aunt gave it a little help, but my hair was out of control. At 17 I cut it short and kept it that way until this year. In order to keep it semi-tames now, I only wash it once a week and have it thinned. It took me forever to get a hair dresser to actual thin it. All the ones in Safford are so used to doing old lady hair where they try to un thin, that they never got the concept. I finally found this wonderful no-nonsense Greek women who says "no problem", snip snip snip and away I go for a mere 45$ plus tip. But hey, if you want it done right, sometimes you have to pay. Besides, I was cutting it myself before her and it gave my husband heart attacks. Especially the time he heard the razor going and saw chunks of hair all over the floor. That one actually turned out ok. I like having it longer again, though I mostly keep it up when it is warm. How do you all deal with your hair? Oh, and I am turning grey. Ahh. But if I am going to get to my perfect age of 70, I think gray hair must be part of the process. How old were you when your hair started sprouting gray?
Hopefully you noticed the clothing change of my blog. My husband finally had some free time to put a little work into my header, and until he can do more, this template seemed to go well. I think he did a great job, and it is even a picture I took. I figured it was time to spruce up a bit.
I am still a little out of sorts, but much better than before. Thank you for all your well wishes. Hopefully tomorrow will be full of creativity and a post office visit! Have a good night/morning/afternoon everyone!
Hello friends! I have missed you these past few days. I was sick as a dog, couldn't even sit up. But I am feeling much better...the world at my finger tips! And a huge thunder storm looming, woo hoo. But look at the frizz factor! Frizz Emergency! Good thing I plan on staying in today. 
I do love the storms when I don't have to be out in them and I can watch the skies open up from the safety of my house or porch. When I think about people thousands of years ago, and what they must have thought about crazy weather, stars, the sun and moon. They had no scientific understanding for any of it. No wonder Gods and religious explanations were developed. Imagine if you just cheated on your wife and the next thing you know there is a huge lightening storm or tornado. That would make me think twice I tell ya! 
(check out this 1967 storm in Boston, amazing)Ok, maybe thats not the best example but you get what I mean. Different points of view and the amount/or lack of knowledge of things have caused wars and misunderstandings that are hard to imagine. The only fights husband and I ever have always stem from not understanding each other. You add human emotion, values, and pride to that and it can be messy. We usually end up laughing about it though. The moral for today...empathy, knowledge and communication. The more you know about someones "story" and where they are coming from, the more you will understand their actions. It is something I have been thinking about. Memorial Day started it I think, trying to understand what those soldiers must go through. They have to deal with horrible situations, often based on misunderstandings, then come home and try to live a normal life. Man that can't be easy. I have so much respect for them. I just know that recently I have been trying to put myself in other peoples shoes, and my life has gotten much better. Ok ok, enough life lessons for today .
Though I am still behind with my Dear Jane, I am slowly plugging along. Here are my two latest. I learned a lot with both of these. I really need to get on the "slight" 1/4 seam allowance thing. I keep forgetting about it, and my blocks come out a little askew. I am happy with them though. Little by little right?
I-8 Pete's Paintbox
B-11 Melissa's Cross
Remember when I told you about my Aunt Janet's night blooming cactus. Unfortunately I missed it. There were 14 blooms just before I got there. I didn't realize that each bloom only blooms once. And only at night. Crazy eh. 
A lot of flowers close up at night and only open when the sun shines, but desert life is so strange. It is at night that the desert comes to life, which reminds me of myself actually, lol. Unfortunately it is dark at night, so you can see the desert exploring difficulties. 
But, my mom was able to get some great shots of the flowers. They are beautiful. Take a gander. Maybe next year I will have better luck and get my own photos!
It has been wonderful reading all of your comments and blogs. My bloglines since the giveaway has grown quickly. 
I finally was able to sneak up on the husband playing some tunes and made him pick the next winner. Isn't he adorable. Again, the shot of the little paper came out pure white (I should have used a big black marker instead of pencil obviously). 
The winner is Collectincat! Congrats! This is a surprise and will take a little longer, but if you email me your address I promise that sometime in June you will receive a sweet parcel in the mail! Jacquie and Lil, yours will be out this week! The 3 sick days slowed me down a bit I'm afraid. Again, thank you all so much for the comments. I will get to all of you soon. Now I am off to work on my patriotic apron for the Flirty Apron Swap. I got this fantastic fabric for it. I will post pics as soon as I can. I hope everyone has a great weekend!
Today was one of "those" days. You all know what I am talking about. The one day you have plans for yourself or you couldn't sleep and are needing rest in order to keep your head straight, is the one day the forces of the universe decide they have a different plan in mind. I think I actually get off easy. I can imagine those of you with little and big kidlets have them a bit more often. So please forgive my tardiness on revealing the big winners today as promised.
My little brother Preston(27) and littlest sister Tessa(17) came to visit this weekend, and we took them to the island. For those of you who asked, Cow island is in the middle of Lake Winnipesaukee in NH. The weather was perfect, but there were a large number of gnats that were driving people inside. Either they didn't like my scent or I am just too out of it to notice, but they didn't bother me which is a first in my life. 
Coming from the 100 degree heat that AZ was offering last week, Tessa and Preston were determined to go swimming no matter what. The rest of us have had enough of 45 degree temps so we just watched as they belly flopped, flipped and "suicided" off the dock THREE times! 
Even though it was freezing, they said that they will think back to that freezing moment when it hits the 110-120 degree range this summer in Phoenix. All good times must find an ending however, so we returned to Boston last night. This was only the first part of the kids journey though so today they got up early to head to NYC then D.C.
. Nine years ago Preston had to have a heart transplant. He looks great though, doesn't he? He does fine as long as he takes care of himself and takes his medication that helps his body not reject the heart, and keeps his blood pressure low. Due to a sunburn and probably a little too much excitement, I only slept an hour last night. I did get to see them off at 7:30 am though which I wasn't expecting. Even after I had everyone safely on their way I still couldn't sleep, so I puttered around in a stupor for a few hours when I discovered the big bottle of Preston's medications sitting on the counter. My heart sunk. They were the one thing he cannot do without. I hurriedly called him but sure enough they were already half way to NYC. My exhausted body and mind started to panic. Where to send it? How to get to Post Office? How much? Good thing Preston is a lot cooler than me, and my mom is the Queen of Calm, or my tired, irrational mind might have split right open like a cantaloupe. 
--
My mumsy
We figured out question 1 and 3 but how to get me to the P.O. was still a worry. The sun was shining for the moment but the heavily rising humidity and severe thunder storm warning still loomed on my mind. Just at the right moment, George came to the rescue! George is our 70 going on 45 year old building super. After a few very cold mornings shoveling snow and me bringing him coffee out in the elements, I became his favorite tenant. Thank Heavens. He agreed to take me to the P.O. immediately and I was able to overnight Preston's meds. You never know who you may become friends with, and sometimes the most unexpected become the most dear.
Before we went, George also agreed to pick the two winners of my giveaway. Once he realized I was taking pictures of him...he he he...he started to duck and moan, plus my batteries died so I didn't get shots of the paper slips. Luckily he read them aloud to me before the chaos ensued. Drum Roll.....
Lil from Addicted
and
Jacquie from Tallgrass Prairie Studio
Congratulations you two! Please email me with your address and I will get these off. I really hope you enjoy. And a BIG Thank You to every one who participated. In fact I am so pleased with the response that I would like to give you all one more chance to receive a special something (possibly favorite movie involved). Out of all those who comment on this post by tomorrow (Wednesday) night at midnight, I will pick at least 1 more person. This is for those of you that come back and didn't pop in just for the giveaway never to come back. I am not sure exactly what this one will consist of, it will depend on the response, but I promise to make it worth you while! Thank you all again, and thanks for sticking with me through my stressful morning. Luckily I had already been home 20 min. before the skies opened up, like a monsoon or a storm in the topics. Don't forget to leave a comment by Midnight tomorrow! Maybe now I can get some sleep. Have a great week everyone!
--The bench George made for me out of a futon he found in the trash.
--The little birds trying to hide from the torrential down pour.
--The weird fake owl George put in the tree to scare away the squirrels so they don't eat the bird food.
Safford definitely has it's own style. The most popular things are bean and cheese burros (that is what we call burritos) enchilada style and various things made with green chili, which is actually a chili made with green chiles and pork. Delicious. We have our own style of quesadillas as well. At least in my favorite places, when you order a cheese quesadilla, you actually get a giant party on your plate. Since I can't go home very often I had to learn how to make them myself, and now they are a regular dinner for us.
The key, is to have to outside crispy without being burnt. If it isn't cooked enough, it is difficult to handle. You will want to be able to lift the whole thing with your spatula without all the inside falling out. Just be patient and watch the heat.
