Pinwheel Appetizers

3 cups cooked wild rice

1 pack (8oz) cream cheese

2 T fresh or dried Parsley

1/2 T garlic powder

1/2 T Dijon mustard

2 to 3 drops hot pepper sauce

tortillas

thinly sliced turkey

fresh spinach

Mix ingredients together, the hot rice will help melt the cream cheese making it very easy to stir. Spread the mixture out on the tortilla and roll as tightly as possible, then cut. Tooth pick them together, or allow to chill over night and they will probably hold together better.

Corn-Mango Salsa

1 cup of frozen corn, thawed

1 ripe mango

2 inch chunk cucumber

6 grape tomatoes

1/4 cup red or yellow bell pepper

1/4 cup red onion

juice and zest of one lemon

1 T olive oil

1 T rice vinegar

1/4 t garlic powder

1/4 t red pepper

1/4 t salt

1/4 t black pepper

1/4 cup cilantro

Chop everything up and throw in a bowl and toss.

Valentines Day was wonderful yesterday, David surprised me by taking the day off work and planning fun things for us to do all day. I had a really good day and made me forget about the stress of packing and moving.

This is Janky, he passed last summer but I still think of him often and remember how much joy he brought into our life. This is Janky last year at Valentines Day.

Headbands

A few months ago when I was home in California I sold a few of my crocheted headbands to my friends. I just recently got some more orders and will possibly be selling in a few local stores there. These are the headbands I just sent to my sweet hometown in CA today =) Safe travels, wish I was going too!

Valentines

Carob Peppermint Bark

I am a fan of peppermint any time of the year, not just Christmas. I stocked up on candy canes this year when all the Christmas sales hit. Here is a easy way to make peppermint bark.

Melt your chocolate, or carob, in a double boiler and pour into whatever molds you might have.
Then pour in the white chocolate, or what I used was a coconut based chocolate. Sounds like too many strange flavors that shouldn't go together but it was surprisingly amazing.

Crush up your candy canes and sprinkle on top before the chocolate hardens. And your done, super simple. Don't spend a bunch of money buying peppermint bark in a cute little tin when you can make it yourself for way cheaper!

Black Bean Burgers

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

2 T mayonnaise

1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves

1 T bread crumbs

1/2 t ground cumin

1/2 t hot pepper sauce

1 cup sliced lettuce

whole wheat pita's

cooking spray

salsa

Mash all the ingredients together with a potato masher. Shape into patties, spray both sides with non stick cooking spray. Heat skillet when hot, drop the patties on to them and cook till lightly browned, about 3 min per side.

Arrange lettuce on pitas, top with burger, then salsa if you would like also.