Mangos + Jalapenos = AMAZING JAM

Recipe: This recipe might just change your life. My MIL, Petie {my MIL's SIL and my bff Holly's mom} and myself got together to make this. My MIL Gigi made it a couple weeks ago and between only my hubby and I we finished a jar in one week {I will admit it might have been mostly me eating it...} so I demanded that I be part of the next jam making extravaganza so I could possess multiple jars in my cupboard, she said, "Pick a day." I did and *poof* it happened!

My hubby's BIL is a jalapeño farmer so Gigi went and got quite a few of the really really really hot peppers, because in order for the right flavor to be in the jam you have to get the hot ones. Here are the stars of the show:

I should have added sugar to this photo-op since it also played a big role :)

Slicing and dicing the mango.

Adding the apple cider vinegar to the chopped jalapeños.

Oh sweet sweet sugar.

Cooking it all down...

Getting the jars hot. As a heads up we used brand new jars already sterile {not to mention that my MIL sterilized her sink as well before we did this}

Love this little magnet helper.

Hanging upside down like little monkeys...

The finished product. Practically perfect in every way.

Here is the recipe. I have to say I actually first typed this post back in the early days of August since that is when we did this, then I was waiting on the recipe from my MIL to finish the post...that's where the delay came in. For some reason our emails don't get along, she sent it to me no less than 5 times however, I never received it. Then just last week she asked if I was ever going to post about it and I said I didn't have the recipe yet, and she said, "It's just on Tasty Kitchen..." and voila here it is.

Wordless Wednesday

{that's my hubby on the left}

Mesilla, NM

So back around Memorial Day Weekend when my sister and I took a whirlwind drip to Texas for a wedding, a visit then to NM for another visit we ended up having lunch that Monday in Historical Messilla outside of Las Cruces. Wow, what a gem!! It was adorable and we wish we had more time to peek in some shops and eat at a few more places...next road trip! Anyway, we ate at Andele and were very happy with the comida.

Some food of Mesilla

The plaza in Mesilla.

Dancers in Mesilla.

Here's the link for Mesilla.{also where I got the above unlinked photos} If you are ever driving through southern NM I recommend checking it out!

Future Friday...

Here's a dreamy far fetched crazy post about things I would like to see in my future dream home...

barn wood on the wall. this is a lot of wood here but I love it and I want it. not the whole house just certain parts.

Okay brace yourself for this AMAZING-NESS: This was taken at friends of ours who ranch in northern Arizona. Actually, I might as well link them up, Bar T Bar ranch is an awesome source for cattle. Anyway this is in their kitchen. Get this, the wood and tin is from an old barn of theirs the cabinet maker just stomped flat and placed in the middle. It's all over their kitchen and I love it. With all my heart and soul love it. I have always thought corrugated tin would go well on a wall under a bar area where people's feet hit when they are on stools {sorry painful description I know. If there is a term for that wall please shout it out to me!}But this is a whole new take on tin usage and I want to copy cat it BAD!

a splash of turquoise. this little hutch is also with the tin and it makes me happy. what a purty place to put things.

a cross wall. this is my living room. so yes, I have one, but it's not a "whole" wall with 3 windows running through it...someday my cross wall will be humongous!

wooden garage doors. i may never have a garage. I don't now, just shade to park in. It seems to be more of a city concept however if I do ever get one I think wooden doors are just so sleek that I would love to have them.

butcher block. my MIL and bff both have butcher block islands and I love them. seriously it doesn't get any better than that. this one pictured is a little bit more fancy with not just the rectangle shape. it almost looks like it isn't being used to it's fullest potential. trust me if it was mine I would never take out a cutting board again...okay maybe every now and then.

Santa Fe Style Home. As long as I'm living in an appropriate desert area I would like to have a Santa Fe style home. I love them and they're timeless. I love that you look at them and they could have been built last year or 15 years ago, with the right upkeep they never look out of style. It also just fits with my thoughts of rustic decor.

A good back splash. With all the cooking and baking that goes on in the kitchen it's only appropriate to protect your back splash walls with a similar counter product. I think it helps keep things clean and has a nice look to it. This one is not really me, but a good picture to illustrate nonetheless.

A red wall. Pretty simple, my home needs a red wall. It doesn't right now but someday.

Big, deep kitchen sink. Honestly this doesn't look deep enough but it gives you an idea of how I want it set in with no "bump" on the counter.

Pressed tin ceiling or wall. Yep, I like it and hope I can make it work someday.

Okay, so I'm no where near building a dream home and who knows I may not ever build one but a girl can dream right...

Da Boyz

Dining Destination: I know I've been a little MIA...I fell of the grid last week when up north at hubby's family ranch and now have just had my nose to the grindstone at work. I took these pictures a while back when I was working in Yuma and actually frequented Da Boyz Italian Cuisine more often. Da Boyz is a locally owned restaurant with two locations in Yuma one at 11274 South Fortuna Rd. {928-317-1717} and one at 284 South Main Street, Yuma {928-783-8383}

Technically as I see on the internet the one on Fortuna {in the Fry's shopping center} is called Da Boyz Pizza & Pasta and the one on Main Street is Da Boyz Italian Cuisine. Which makes sense since the one on Main is the newest and has a beautiful facility and much more of a dining restaurant and the Fortuna one as I’m told is more like order at a counter {fast food style}. 

My favorite thing to order is the chicken ceasar sandwich. Honestly though you can't really mess that up but they make it extra delicious in my opinion. I always then pile on crushed red pepper and some parmesan.

My bff Holly LOVES literally adores their bread sticks. Honestly, I'm not a big fan of them, they are too blah for me. I'm the girl that is in love with Pizza Hut bread sticks with all their amazing spices and buttery crispiness.

Here's a secret...okay not a secret but you cannot order the buffalo chicken salad at the Fortuna one only on Main street and I HIGHLY recommend it. A couple times some friends from work and I would go and get one of the salads and a pizza to share and this was always our pick.

I imagine I can do this little concoction out my house with boneless buffalo wings, salad and ranch...hmm maybe that will be for a game day Saturday!