Sunburns and BBQ

Pretty much the perfect words to summarize June.

Except for I just received my first sunburn TODAY. 

June 29th.

And I can't remember if I have had BBQ yet this summer...

Where the heck has the time gone already?

I can't believe it is already almost July.

Usually by this time of the year I am already baked to a crisp. 

Or "leathery" as some people like to call it.

But due to the new job and family shenanigans.... today was really the first day that I have had a chance to actually lay out and soak up the harmful rays.

It was pure bliss.

Even if it was a million degrees.

I spent the morning oversleeping.  Which meant that I missed my boxing class. (boo hoo!) And then I spent the next couple of hours running errands and checking things off my to-do list.

Fortunately, my to-do list involved working out.  Which meant that I had to do something or else I wouldn't be able to check it off.  Thank goodness for OCD, lists, and the fact that I'm running a HALF-MARATHON in 3 months.

Um.... yes, I forgot about it too.

Well, maybe I didn't "forget" as much as I "thought it was so far away that I didn't focus on it".

One blogger that I follow is already training for her half marathon that is in NOVEMBER.

Eeeek.  I'm so far behind.

So, my errands included going to the gym.  To run.

Except for the movie that was playing in the theater was probably one of the worst movies I have ever watched.  And I'm forced to watch a LOT of Sci-Fi nonsense.....so, you know that it must have been pretty bad. 

I ran and ran for as long as I could stand it.  But "The Back-up Plan" starring J-lo was seriously on my last nerve.  And I had to end my workout after I reached my third mile.

(I have to do thirteen miles on October 1st.) 

(I am seriously shaking in my boots.)

I came home to a stack of magazines that have been begging to be read.

And they pretty much all involved food.  Food for summer.  Food that requires more time grilling and sitting outside than it does slaving away in a hot kitchen.

I love summer.

And I love changing up the foods we eat based on the time of year.

Speaking of food.  And summer....

I never told you how this salsa rocked my world.

 I used it for a meal that I made last week. 

It was like the perfect combination of hot and spicy and fruity.  If that makes any sense.

Basically, it wasn't necessarily a fruit salsa and wasn't a complete tomato/spicy salsa... but the perfect mix of both.

I added it to a meal of crabcakes and coconut shrimp.  Both from the Fresh Market.

 I have a recipe for coconut shrimp and I have a recipe for crabcakes..... but for some reason ( because I was busy and tired) I decided to go ahead and buy them premade.  The coconut shrimp at Fresh Market is TO.DIE.FOR.  Like unbelievably good.  The crabcakes, however, not so much.  I could do better.  I have done better.  And I will make them myself next time.

It didn't help that I burned them pretty badly.  Even if it was an edible "burning".... meaning that I still ate them. You see, Kev surprised me with NEW cookware.  New stainless steel pots and pans.  Pots and pans out of my dreams (because I do dream about stuff like that) and it was my first time to use them... and I didn't realize that they cook a little differently even though the directions warned me that they would.  So, medium high heat is actually high heat.  And delicate crabcakes aren't too fond of high heat.

Or so I discovered.

Regardless, the meal was delightful.  We put the salsa on top of the crabcakes, mixed it in the rice, and then ate it with chips when we were finished with our meals. 

Obviously, we were HUGE fans.  

The salsa has inspired me to make all different kinds.  We could eat salsa with every meal.

And you wouldn't even believe the amount of recipes that I have been collecting that are just dying to be made over the next couple of months.  At this point, I don't ever want summer to end.

I could eat summer meals all the live long day.

Especially if they involve BBQ.

As we speak (read), my house smells like The Whispering Canyon... at the Wilderness Lodge.... in Disney World.

Because of this stuff....

I can barely contain myself.... not to mention that I am circling the crock pot like a shark.

All-you-care-to-eat BBQ starts in 30 minutes.

I might die from excitement and happiness.

Goodbye Forever.