Words of kindness linger on

Thatboy gets very depressed some times for no good reason. On Monday night he turned to me and declared "Christmas sucks this year." Now I should point out that every Christmas since we've been together I have done everything in my power to make it a special time for Thatboy. I've had to - I'm the only one who will. This year I've gone above and beyond, planning all sorts of activities to get everyone in the Christmas spirit, so this statement was a little shocking to me.


"Why does Christmas suck this year?"
"Well normally we get our tree the first weekend in December, and we have it up all month. This year, we're not getting our tree till next weekend, and then we'll only be here for a week!" (Yes, Christmas for him is determined by having a Christmas tree...and probably the presents underneath, but that's a different story.)

And so, being Superwife, I suggested we pick up a tree after work last night. So last night I made a super quick dinner so we would have more tree trimming time. I made hot cocoa, put on a Christmas movie and we were off. I have to admit, that unwrapping the ornaments got us both in a great mood. I forgot how much I love all our ornaments! Christmas was saved!!!!!

And our super quick dinner? I don't know if it's just a California thing, but our farmer's markets have the best tamales ever. Heated up with some corn, cheese, and topped with fresh salsa - dinner comes together in a matter of minutes.

My dad is the first person to introduce me to homemade salsa. We were living in Pennsylvania and the only Mexican restaurant in town was Taco Bell. I'm not kidding. But we had a thriving garden and one summer night, dad went out and came back with an assortment of onions, peppers, and tomatoes which he proceeded to chop into small pieces and throw in a bowl. We couldn't dive right in, the flavors had to marinate for what seemed like years. But one bite and I realized there must be more to life than Taco Bell. My recipe is not my father's salsa. I no longer have the advantage of a 1/4 acre garden, or even a potted tomato plan. Instead I have a pantry which is always stocked and an imagination that won't quit.

Not My Father's Salsa

• 1 can whole tomatoes, chopped
• 1 can tomato sauce
• 1 fresh tomato, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1/2 yellow bell pepper, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 jalepeno, chopped
  

1. Combine all ingredients in a nonreactive bowl and stir.
2. Cover and refrigerate 3-4 hours.