Cleaning Out the Fridge Can Lead to DELICIOUSNESS!

We love our CSA (community supported agriculture) and the food challenges that it can lead to. Every two weeks we get a small box of yummy fresh organic fruits and veggies. This also means that every two weeks I need to clean out the fridge to make room for our new food. Yesterday we had apples and blackberries that needed to be used before they met a sad mushy wasteful ending... I hate throwing out food. It seriously hurts my frugal heart. (Side note: My iPhone just tried to autocorrect frugal to druggie... Thanks, iPhone. Thanks a lot!)

So the apples and blackberries needed a new purpose and I had just the idea! Last week I made homemade apple sauce. It's so easy! It's overwhelmingly delicious! So I figured I could make blackberry apple sauce, just as easily. I am so glad that I made this. I love it! Did I mention that it's easy? Don't believe me? Read on...

Homemade Applesauce (my EASY way)

• Cut up apples pretty small, but don't work too hard at it. I cut off the skin and eat it as a yummy treat while I work. Sweet tasty fiber = bonus!
• Put apples in saucepan (You are making appleSAUCE after all so it's the perfect time to use the saucepan for its special task!) and add some cinnamon. I eyeball this... maybe two tablespoons for six apples. 
• You have apples chopped up with cinnamon on top and you add some water that will conduct the heat to cook everything through. The beauty of this is that you can make it with two leftover apples or a dozen... so start small with the water and cinnamon and keep an eye out and taste as you go... you'll find the right amount for you.
• Then you simmer until the apples start to get mushy (30 minutes or so depending on the apple variety) and you can break them down to your desired level of mush. I like chunky sauce so I just push the apples against the side of the pan and mush up some of them along the way, but if you don't, you could use a potato masher or blend/ food process it after it cools down. If the apples you used didn't get you to the sweetness level you desire... don't worry you can add a touch of brown sugar while it's still warm and mix it up to taste.
• To make this recipe work with berries. I just washed and threw in the berries. It was a lot of work... NOT! (I haven't used that line in quite awhile, fourteen-year-old me is pretty proud right now.)

We ate some of it warm on ice cream...

 and put the rest in jars to cool and store and snack on all week.

A yummy no sugar added easy peasy applesauce recipe... You're welcome!

San Diego Super Sockers!

Another of Chris and my first dates was to a professional soccer game. We went to see Chivas USA vs. Chivas and for once we cheered together for the USA team (we figured they were the underdogs in that game). We had our first kiss that night... one of those perfect movie kisses after an evening of fun and laughter when he's walked you to your car and you're both hovering and not in any rush to be separated... and after the hug goodnight he goes in for the kiss that you've wished for for weeks. Yeah... it was THAT sweet and lovely. I love my hubby!

Casa de Jaramillo was built on a love of soccer and a love of fun. There isn't anything much more fun than live soccer! I grew up going to the San Diego Sockers' games down at the Sports Arena. There were a lot of mullets back then. We used to gather players' signatures and talk about them as if we 'knew' them.

I kind of wish these uniforms would come back... If the San Diego Sockers' Girls can wear skimpy outfits, so should the players!

So the Sockers are back after a little hiatus and they are playing at the Del Mar Arena. I would HIGHLY recommend going to a game. The tickets are CHEAP and the night is fun. I do have to warn you that they play a little dirty. Arena soccer seems to lend itself to quite a few elbows. It's kind of like soccer meets hockey... which is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.

Below is a picture of the Sockers honoring former coach Ron Newman. He led the Sockers to ten championship seasons in just eleven seasons on the bench. 

Sometimes the crowd gets even rowdier than the players on the field. ;-) This is a picture of my sister and two nephews wrestling... probably a fight over the delicious kettle-corn that comes in giant bags.

After having so much fun at our first game... and since my latest obsession is staying up to obscene hours crocheting... we decided that we needed to support the team with custom beanies and scarves. I knew that Chris wasn't super likely to wear a scarf... so I started a beanie thinking, "Easy Peesy." Well it wasn't too tough, but it was pretty time consuming

.

Luckily my hubby seems pretty happy with my handiwork. He wears it every morning when he takes Rico out on his early morning walk.

So the beanie was complete and I managed two scarves (one for me and one for my mother, the Sockers fanatic) in time for our second game. I'm pretty proud of actually finishing some crocheting projects so I made the poor things pose for a photo shoot in the living room. They acted like it was a hassle, but I overheard the scarf bragging to my Kermit beanie that it was going to be featured on the blog... I guess I'll have to keep an eye out for some accessory infighting.

Rico El Snoozador

I would hate to accuse Rico of being lazy... but sometimes the truth hurts.

This dog is the king of siestas...

Loco Rico Labs

We are business owners!

Check out Loco Rico Labs for more information. We are a software company that creates web and iPhone applications. Our first one is called Who's Driving and is for deciding who is going to drive a group of people. I am super proud of my hubby. He has been working sooooooo hard on this. Since New Years Day he has worked every night after work and every single weekend programming and studying. I love you, Christopher! Rico and I are proud to be your family AND your new coworkers!

Who Am I?

Disclaimer: I LOVE my husband very much and am thankful to be sharing this life with him. Marriage is rad... adjusting to being seen as 'married' is a bit harder.





I knew going into this thing that changing my name was going to be a bit tough for me. I have been ME for a long time now. I'm really good at being me. I'm used to hearing Melissa Gail Gaare. I've been used to writing it and signing it. I have always answered to it.

Now that I'm (happily!) Mrs. Jaramillo, I always get my name called out multiple times at doctor's appointments. I haven't gotten used to answering to the correct pronunciation of my new last name, much less the hundred ways that it can be mutilated.

...Um, Mrs. Jam-a-rillo...
...We're ready for Melissa Jar-of-Melons...
...Calling Jar-y-mayo, for the last time...

"Oh oops! Sorry that's me, the one who has been sitting within three feet of you the entire time you were calling this mystery person."

I love my new name and I like to practice signing it. Chris laughs at me because my signature includes each and every single letter.

Him: "Wow. You can actually READ your signature."
Me: "Duh! I'm a fan of good penmanship."
Him: "Yeah with this long name... you will probably get over that."

I have to admit that sometimes I look at the two squiggly lines that he calls his signature and get a little bit jealous... it's quick and easy. BUT I like my penmanship too much to give it up quite yet. I don't mind spending the extra time to sign my full name, the people behind me at check out might, but they'll survive.

Today I went through some hoops and redtape because of a typo in my medical insurance record. I have the insurance (that I am very thankful for!) through Chris' job and this is new to me. I have always been THE individual in question for insurance, bank accounts, paperwork, etc. Every phone call and in person interaction today I was asked, "So your husband is the primary card holder?" But to me it sounded a lot like, "So you're not the one who really counts here?"

I knew before getting married that there would be adjustments in getting used to sharing money, sharing space, sharing life... I was prepared to have to compromise and adjust to this new partnership. I knew that I was no longer an individual living this life with only myself to answer to... BUT I was not prepared for other people to see me as half of a whole. I was (and still am) really excited to be Mrs. Chris Jaramillo, but in the I'm still totally Melissa Gail Gaare kind of way.

Go 49ers!

One of Chris and my first dates was to a Padres-Giants baseball game. Chris grew up in the Bay Area and I grew up in San Diego. We trash talked (aka flirted) for days beforehand about whose team was going to crush whose. Chris made a special trip before the game to buy himself a Giants hat to compete with my entire Padres themed outfit. I talked smack and looked great! We laughed a lot and held hands for the first time. He loved my sass. ;-) It was all lovely!

The Padres lost that night... But I made it clear to Chris that, no matter how hard he tried, I would always be a Padres fan. I grew up going to baseball games and I love the Padres in spite of themselves. I, however, have almost zero allegiance to the Chargers. I'm not sure what it is exactly, but they've never claimed my heart. So that night we made a deal: When it came to football, I would root for the 49ers and when it came to baseball, he would root for the Padres. It makes for a happy Jaramillo home front. :-)

This afternoon we cheered as a family for the 49ers. Congrats to the official football team of the Casa de Jaramillo! We're looking forward, with much hope, to a red and gold themed Super Bowl party at our place this year. ;-)

Here's to love, compromise, and football!

- Melissa

Newlywedded Bliss

I love my husband. I'm totally crazy about him. I don't want to be obnoxious about it, but he's basically perfect. He takes such great care of me. I'm currently drinking Theraflu lovingly prepared for me with honey to mask the yucky medicine flavor. As soon as a cold shows its snotty face around here, Chris shows us with chicken soup, Theraflu, and a good cuddle session. I am a VERY blessed woman. I hope and pray that each person reading this is loved like this at some point in their life. It's pretty freakin' awesome.

- The Wifey