A Very Foodie Fourth

I am just now getting around to posting about the long holiday weekend because I only just came out of the food induced coma that I was in. Two potluck cookouts and a visit to Grandma and Grandpa's house will do that to you.

I should have brought something to share with the Grandparents but I only had time enough to prepare for the cookouts. My sweet tooth was in full effect:

1. Fruit Salsa

This recipe is from BestFruitNow.com; sweet but with a spicey kick!

I've never purchased so many different fruits at the same time: strawberries, kiwi, yellow bell pepper, oranges, pinapple, mango, lemon juice, green onion, and jalapeno pepper. Sooooo good!


If I did not restrain myself, I could've eaten the whole concoction (intended to serve at least 15-20) by myself! I served it with blue corn chips to up the color quotient!

Is there anything so pretty as strawberries? (Now if only I had something other than a camera phone to capture it with?)

The finished product:



We were told ahead of time that the main course would consist of fajitas, so you won't be surprised to hear that mine wasn't the only salsa to appear at the cookout. ;) I wasn't bothered in the least because I have no qualms about sampling salsa. In fact, I encourage it!

I think the fajitas went over pretty well judging from the aftermath:

For this cookout as well as for the 2nd, I also provided dessert:

2. From who else but Ms. How Sweet from howsweateast.com: S'mores Brownies and...

3. a Peanut Butter Cheeseball! (Don't judge it by its title until you check out the recipe!)

This baby is for dipping so I brought graham crakers to serve alongside. It was soooo soooo good! I think most people got past the seemingly strange appearance and title when they found out it contained peanut butter AND chocolate chips.

Hope your holiday was as happy as mine!

What great food did you eat for the Fourth?

Who's That Lady: Susan B. Anthony

I have this great little calendar which sits on my desk. Everyday I look forward to peeling off another page to reveal the current day's quote from a famous woman in history. I had more pages to peal off due to the long weekend. Upon discovery of last Monday's quote I feel it most appropriate, especially since 'wedding season' is in full swing:

Marriage, to women as to men, must be a luxury, not a necessity; an incident of life, not all of it.

(Susan B. Anthony (1820-1906) American suffragist and abolitionist)

Now granted, Susan (in addition to other suffragists) is somewhat of a controversial figure in history. However this quotation highlights a strong opinion that I have long held. Thanks Susan, for letting me know that I am not the only woman to have ever felt this way, particularly during wedding season.

Whad'ya know about bananas and milk?

I have been soaking up all kinds of food industry related information since watching Food, Inc. For instance, I am getting routine updates from a blog entitled, Hungry for Change. Two useful posts that you might find interesting too:

1. Bananas has a very small carbon footprint, especially compared to other fruits. (My morning banana will taste even better knowing this!) Say it with me: that's b-a-n-a-n-a-s! :)


2. You can find out where your milk comes from with just a few clicks of your keyboard! Grab your milk/whip cream can/cheese from the fridge and visit whereismymilkfrom.com to get started.

Just a few little snippets of information can really make a difference when your trying to make smart choices!