Jen in Bermuda

Crockpot Salsa

I love salsa.  Love it.  This is pretty easy.  I usually do it on the stove but felt especially lazy this weekend.

• 3 cans of diced tomatoes (14.5 oz)
• 1 onion diced
• Couple of diced up garlic cloves
• 1 T of dried cilantro
• 2 t cumin
• 2 t chili powder
• slices of jalapeno peppers (depends on how hot you like it)

Throw it all in a 4 quart crockpot on low for 4 or 5 hours.  Just so all the flavors blend together well.  Then I used my immersion blender to chop it up.  Blend it depending on how you like the consistency of your salsa.  I don't really like chunky salsa so I blended it until it was pureed.  

Instead of dried cliantro I used this.

I really like this.  I believe the bottle is equivalent to 3 bunches of cilantro.  They make versions for other herbs too.  Then, you get the flavor of fresh herbs without the quick expiration date in your fridge.  

Thumb Tattoo

In 7th grade, after I had just finished sharpening my pencil, someone knocked into me and the pencil tip sank into my thumb.  I didn't think much of it at the time, but it left a mark.  A permanent mark.  (Picture was taken with my blackberry which doesn't like to take close ups and ignore my nibbled down thumb nail and hangnail.)

So, I was examining this tattoo the other day and I think it has gotten bigger.  Pencils weren't made with lead so there is no possibility of lead poisoning.  And I think that graphite is harmless.  Now, I am actually thinking of getting this looked at.  I just don't know what is better/worse.  A graphite tattoo on my thumb or the possible gouged out resulting scar...

 

RPLU Completed

Another insurance designation down.  I think I am going to work on one more to complete the set.  The AIC or Associate in Claims requires 3 or 4 exams and will be the absolutely last exam.  My business cards cannot hold anymore letters behind my name at this point.  

Maddie is not quite ready for me to be finished.  She likes being involved in studying for exams as much as possible.  

Bermuda Wine Circle

Thursday night was the first gathering of the Bermuda Wine Circle in 2012.  Lots of CA wines to taste.  My favorite was  J. Lohr, 7 Oaks - which shares the last name of a dear friendof mine from growing up.  Red.  Cheery and very drinkable.  Lovely.

The wholesale price is around $24.  Not sure what it would retail for in Bermuda or the US.  But an excellent choice to take with you when dining in at a friend's house.  

Mercadito Avenue B

I am headed to NYC in February.  Instantly, my foodie side thinks, "what awesome food can I eat when I am there?"  My last visit in December, Jeff, Jill, Eve and I hit Mercadito on Avenue B on a Sunday night.  Mexican taco heaven.  They have an all you can eat special on Sunday evenings.  $23 a person and bring your appetite.  They make a dozen different types of little soft-corn tacos.  Each order has 4 tacos so there is plenty to share.  They range from fish, pulled pork, shrimp and beef and everything in between.  They are so good.  I believe they have a couple of restaurants in the city now.  One in the WV on Grove Street and one in midtown.  

Bermuda Work Permit

Well, I am here for now.  Just got a letter from Bermuda's Department of Immigration approving my term limits through April 2019.  That would be a total of 13 years in Bermuda.  Wow.  

You never know what the future holds for you.  But at least I don't have to work on a short term contingency plan.  

Labour Day

That is how they spell it in Bermuda.  Now, the Labour Minister is contemplating moving Labour Day from September to May?!  Really.  Nothing else pending on the to-do list?  Besides the fact that Bermuda gets May 24th off already for Bermuda Day.  The UK, US and Canada all celebrate this day at the same time every year.  

Sh*t New Yorkers Say...

 

I am guilty of many of the phrases in this clip.  Especially my hatred of tourists!  Ha.  

Almond Milk

No this is not a health food site.  But these are a few things that I have been experimenting with and figured I would report back.

So, no dairy in my food regime has been a recent goal of mine.  And when I say no, I mean significantly reduced.  Because I have no intention of eliminating everything that has any trace of milk in it.  It would make my life difficult.  Not just because it knocks out so many things I like, but in Bermuda food choice is limited.  Crazy limited.  Imagine having to grocery shop at convenience stores.  That is the selection here.  And there are no specialty food stores or Whole Foods or anything like that.  

I've tried both of the almond milks above.  The unsweetened is really unsweetened so if you have cereal with a some sugar, it is fine.  The Silk brand it a bit thicker.  I am used to the consistency of skim milk.  

I grew up drinking milk.  I like milk.  But, now I don't really miss it.  The almond milk isn't too bad.  I think it is a good substitute.  Bad side is the price.  Good side is the long expiration date.  It doesn't look too tough to make yourself but in Bermuda almonds are pricey so it is cheaper to buy it pre-made.

Oh, that is right.  I still haven't had any cheese in 2012.  Quite an accomplishment.  I am saving my cheese exploits for some NYC pizza in the beginning of February.  I decided the pizza here isn't that great that I could give it up fairly easily.  

Recipes

Is it any surprise that Paula Deen has type 2 diabetes?  

I love the idea of southern cooking but with as many sticks of butter Paula uses, her recipes are crazy unhealthy.  I have one of her cookbooks.  It just takes some adapting of recipes to make them a little better on the ol' cholesterol level.