Wonder Woman and Superman, Together at Last?

[Photo credit:  D.C. Entertainment]

Some people don't know that I'm a closet comic book fan.  I really prefer old fashioned American comic books over Japanese manga and anime.  I am more interested in the D.C. comic universe than the Marvel universe, but I do like to keep up here and there in the Marvel universe (can you believe that Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson no longer were married in2008).  Those who know me really well will know who are my all-time favorite male and female comic book characters (BTW, it's not Superman and Wonder Woman).  Yet, I will stop digressing.

I just wanted to blog about this "shocking" development in a "reboot" of the D.C. universe that these comic characters live in.  Apparently, Superman and Wonder Woman may have had flings in past comic book story lines, but this time it appears that the two characters are meant to be a more permanent "power couple."  I guess there's no more Superman and Lois Lane.  It also sounds as if many fans have hoped for this to occur for some time.  I guess there is a time and place for their relationship to occur, it just took some time.

The comic book came out yesterday and it's the Justice League, Issue 12.  I think I might pick it up if it's available at the comic book store.  If you're interested in reading more about this development between the two superheros, check out the following website:  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/27/superman-wonder-woman-justice-league-official-kiss_n_1833367.html

So, have you hoped/fantasized that Wonder Woman and Superman would finally get together?

Sweet Pea

[Lake Harriet, Minneapolis, Minnesota.]

Canning Salsa

I love salsa.  With the abundance of really really fresh, just picked off the vine tomatoes and taut spicy fragrant hot peppers at the farmer's market, I couldn't resist the temptation of making salsa and canning it to enjoy during the dead of winter.

So I looked online for a simple recipe.  I came across a blog, which lead me to this blog: oneparticularkitchen.com/2009/05/19/salsa/.  Apparently, this recipe has a cult following, so go check out the recipe 

The following is my adaptation of that salsa recipe.  It's a wonderful salsa, although I would comment that because all the tomatoes and hot peppers were roasted, the salsa does have a "cooked" taste to it.  It's still fresh tasting, but just not as fresh as compared to a tomato salsa made with regular unroasted and uncanned tomatoes.

Salsa Recipe (as adapted from oneparticularkitchen.com)

16 medium sized tomatoes

2-3 medium onions (I used red onions)

4-6 large jalapeno peppers (can use more, depending on the spiciness of the peppers)

2-3 hungarian wax peppers

3-5 cloves of garlic (can use more)

2 Tablespoon of finely chopped cilantro

Juice of one lime

Salt to taste

1.  Slice tomatoes in half and put onto a cookie sheet.  Roast both sides of tomatoes under a broiler.  Take tomatoes out and peel off the skin.  Put the tomatoes into a food processor and pulse five to six times.  Pour tomatoes into a container or bowl.

2.  Slice the onions in half.  Put onions, whole jalapeno peppers, whole hungarian wax peppers, whole garlic (still in its wrappers) onto a cookie sheet and roast under a broiler.  Take out the onions, peppers, and squeeze the garlic out of its wrappers, and put into the food processor.  Pulse five to six times.  Pour this mixture with the tomato mixture.

3.  Stir the salsa, add the cilantro, lime juice, and salt to taste.

4.  Sterilize canning jars and lids.  For each half-pint jar, I pour into each jar 1 and 1/2 teaspoon of concentrate lemon/lime juice, then I put the salsa into the jar.  Then I water bath the jars at 15 minutes.

As an end note, I didn't add too much cilantro to the salsa because I presume that when I open up a can of salsa to enjoy later on, I will add more cilantro and much more fresh cilantro to the salsa. 

Preserving Galore

Yesterday and today has been very tiring because I spent most of my time trying to preserve much of summer's bounty (not my homegrown fruits and vegetables, but those purchased from the farmer's market).  I purchased A LOT of tomatoes (at least one box full of romas for $13.00--a great bargain) and lots of peppers.  I started canning and preserving about a week ago, but I decided that I wanted to preserve more so that I would have enough to last through the early part of spring.

So what did I preserve?  Well, I made lots of dill pickles.  Much of the cucumbers were preserved in vinegar, but I did make a batch of the fermented dill pickles. 

I also preserved a lot of tomatoes in water and made about two quarts of tomato sauce.  I still have a lot of tomatoes left and at this point, I'm tired of canning and will throw much of the tomatoes into the freezer.  At some point later in time, I will turn it into sauce.

I also pickled all of my jalapeno peppers, resulting in a gallon's worth of pickled peppers.  About a week ago, I pickled a little more than a half-gallon of pickled peppers, but today my brother just used much of it in making his jalapeno peppers.  I think I'm going to have to buy and pickle more jalapeno peppers.  Hopefully, it won't be too late in the season and that there will be more at the farmer's market.

I think the most tiring aspect of preserving is all the cleaning.  I actually don't mind the prepping and canning, but there are just so many dishes, pots, and pans to wash.  Oh my . . . .  Next weekend, I'm going to have to fit in making blueberry jam. 

So how is your summer coming along?  Are you canning or preserving anything?

Friday's Quote: Henry David Thoreau

"Things do not change; we change."---Henry David Thoreau

 

My gardening pursuits have made me much more patient in other areas of my life. Like Mother Nature, life and life situations cannot be changed.  Sometimes, we must go though the changes of the season (as we probably ought to).  Rather than remain rigid and unbending, I have been learning to accept that I must change with the seasons.  For example, I have realized that in my life, I love my family members, but I cannot change our family dynamics.  Despite my love for my family members, they also bring a lot of stress to my life.  In order to keep my sanity, I have slowly learned to change how I respond to my family members, or at the very least change how I perceive my family members.  It's a slow process, but I am slowly trying to change myself, to change with the seasons.

How about you, how have you changed in response to life and your life situations?

Strawberry Picking

 [Taken June 16, 2012.]

A Spanking Brand New Car

I bought a car!  And not just a "used-but-new-to-me" car.  A spanking brand new car.  I purchased a 2012 Toyota Camry Hybrid.

I won't go in all the details about why I had to get a new car.  I just had to buy a new car.  I have to say, I'm the worst at feeling good about having purchased a brand new car (I was literally crying at the dealership and it was not a good cry).  I don't feel happy at all.  Just sad that I had to buy a new car.  So, why am I so sad?  I guess I'm sad to let go of my old car.  There were a lot of memories and it's awful to let it go (probably because the car really reminded me a lot of my former beau).  At the same time, despite having gotten a hybrid (a feature I really wanted in a car), every time I see my new car, I see myself bleeding money left and right.  I guess it just comes with owning a car (e.g. plates, gas, paid parking, etc.,).

I'll try my best to enjoy my new car.  BTW, I really hate that that new car smell.  I wish it was more neutral smelling.  Have you ever purchased a spanking brand new car before?  How was your experience?  Was it better than mine?

More Furniture

I brought two more pieces of furniture to add to my "collection," with the intent of reupholstering.  (If you want to see the other pieces of furniture I'm in the process of reupholstering, go check out my posting dated November 14, 2011.)  I feel as if I'm on the verge of becoming a furniture hoarder.  Oh my, let me explain . . .

You see, there's a running banter among my family members and I, in which we call one another a "hoarder."  We don't mean to use it in a derogatory way at all.  The term is used to reflect each person's "collection" of certain items and his/her inability to stop "collecting."  For example, one of my sisters "collects" clothes.  I don't think she intends to collect clothes, but she has a lot of clothes, even dating back to her prepregnancy days and to a time when we lived together in Northern California.  Both of my other sisters seem to collect stuff.  They both have too much of stuff and both somehow spending money on things they don't necessarily need.  One of my brothers love to "collect" football jerseys and athletic shoes.  He claims that he buys with the intent of reselling, but I think he actually keeps more jerseys than selling it.  I won't go on and on about the rest of my family members (seriously, I don't even want to get started on my parents), but I am describing a behavioral issue that seems to be present among most of my family members.

Now, I really do feel as if I'm really becoming a hoarder of furniture.  I have to say, I really love the sofa and chair that I collected.  I love the lines and the styles of these pieces of furniture.  If you had to the opportunity to get these pieces of furniture for a cheap price or for free, wouldn't you take it to try and reupholster it?  Well, like I said, I love the style of these pieces.  They're pretty good looking.

Do you secretly "collect" things?  What do you "collect?"