Always Something to Do...and Vegetable Fajitas

I remember when I was 15 or 16 my parents wanted to move to "the country."  We would drive around the country what seemed like every Sunday afternoon, looking at properties while my parents dreamed about their country house with chickens and goats.  I sulked because I thought that if we moved to the country, there would be absolutely nothing to do, none of my friends would come see me, and my parents wouldn't let me as a 16 year old drive "in town" to see my friends.  I was afraid of isolation and boredom.  Now I know that country living would have been just fine.  There is always something to do, even if it is a little different from city living. 

There's also a difference between small city living and big city living.  There was always something to do in Montgomery (despite how much we complained about being bored), some place to explore or some mall to shop.  However, Montgomery could never quite compare with Atlanta, or even Birmingham.  So, now that we're in the northeast, with quite a few big cities at our fingertips, we can never complain about having nothing to do.  We've explored Washington, D.C., spent Thanksgiving in NYC, and this weekend it was time for us to tour a bit closer to home in Center City, Philadelphia. 

Now, we've walked through parts of Center City before, but it has been a while.  And while I have explored parts of Old City, my husband has not.  With pretty weather, and a bit of a break in studying, we decided it was time.  We started at City Hall and made our way down Market Street toward the Delaware, ending up at Penn's Landing.  We were not able to explore everything in Old City, but then again, there will always be something to do.

The Largest Organ in the World is located in Macy's

Macy's Annual Flower Show

Reading Terminal Market:

A hodgepodge of anything you might want or need.

Philadelphia is full of History: City Hall, The Liberty Bell, Christ Church

All in all, we had a great time.  You might think that I would be making cheesesteaks tonight in honor of our Philadelphia outing, but I'll leave the cheesesteaks to the professionals.  Instead, I'm going to pay homage to the ethnic diversity and availability of fresh produce in Reading Market. 

Vegetable Fajitas

2 bell peppers, sliced into thin strips

2 portobello mushrooms, or 8 oz white mushrooms, sliced

1 onion, halved and sliced

1 can black beans, drained

4 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

3 tablespoons lime juice

3 tablespoons tequila, beer, or vegetable broth

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Olive oil, for skillet

Four 8-inch tortillas

Homemade tomato salsa, for serving

Sour cream, for serving

Mix together the first 14 ingredients in a small bowl.  Cover and let sit for 1 hour (up to 4 hours).

Set the oven to the lowest possible setting.  Wrap the tortillas in aluminum foil and place in the oven to warm. 

Heat a large skillet over high heat.  Add olive oil and turn to coat the pan.  When the pan is hot, add the vegetables with their marinade.  Cook for 8 minutes, stirring often, until the vegetables are soft and fragrant and there is very little liquid in the skillet.  Serve with the warm tortillas, salsa and sour cream. 

Print Friendly

Hello Weekend, and Homemade Tomato Salsa

Do you ever come to the end of a week and think, "I cannot believe I survived that?"  That is how my week was.  It seemed like there was this impossible mountain of "To Do" before me, and not nearly enough time to do it.  When it gets like that, even the smallest tasks are huge.  By the time Thursday night came around and everything was checked off and turned in, I was ready to collapse.  But it was done. 

Don't get me wrong, there is always something to do, a book to read, a paper to write, or notes to study.  But on a Friday night, it is nice to be able to sit down with the one I love, to enjoy "cocktail hour" with him over chips and homemade salsa, and then enjoy supper across the table from one another without the rush of a 6:30 class or homework to do.  After supper, we watched a couple of movies, and then went to bed, without a second thought about exams, papers, or books. 

This salsa has a good, fresh flavor (which will be even better when summer tomatoes get here).  I used a blender to make this salsa, although I will probably use a food processor in the future for more control over the chunkiness. 

Tomato Salsa for a Work-Free Friday Night

4 large tomatoes, cored and cut into eighths

3 jalapenos, stem and core removed (reserve some of the seeds if you like your salsa spicy)

1/2 cup cilantro leaves

1-2 garlic cloves

1 small onion, cut into eights

1 teaspoon cumin

2 teaspoons kosher salt

juice of one lime

In a blender or food processor, place two of the tomatoes and the rest of the ingredients.  Pulse until everything is well chopped.  If you use a blender, you will probably have to stop and press everything down with a spatula  a few times.  Add the remaining tomatoes and pulse until they are roughly chopped.  Taste and stir in extra kosher salt or jalapeno seeds, to taste. 

Print Friendly

He is Risen!

Today we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ our Lord.  We are blessed to be able to celebrate the eternal life that we possess through Christ by enjoying time on this earth with friends, good food, and a beautiful day. 

Hot Cross Buns from Good Friday

Easter Gifts left by the Bunny

We hope that you have a blessed Easter day.