to nilla, with love

because i know you love snakes...

i'm going to post this on our blog, but didn't want to overload my pictures for the week! (i know my adoring fans thrive on my words! *sarcasm*)

we went to the rattlesnake roundup.

yes, i ate some.

here is my experience...
(at this point i've realized it's really chewy, cartilagey, and filled with bones. in fact it was like a 3 inch section of the snake cut up, intestine free, and deep fried... ok, i'm grossing myself out! elliott actually watched them butcher a couple; he even got video of the still beating heart. gross. yes, i do plan on sharing that.)

i don't think i need to relive this experience, but at least i can say i tried!

C

Corn, Tomato, and Shrimp Saute

Hands-on Prep: 10 minutes

Cook: About 10 minutes

Serves: 4

2 ½ tablespoons olive oil

1 pound peeled and deveined medium shrimp

½ cup chopped onion

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 ½ cups fresh corn kernels

2 cups cherry tomatoes

½ cup chopped fresh basil

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon coarsely ground pepper

1 Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and cook until lightly golden, about 1 minute on each side. Transfer the shrimp to a plate.

2 Heat the remaining ½ tablespoon oil in the skillet. Add the onion and garlic; cook, stirring frequently, until the onion begins to soften, about 1 minute. Stir in the corn and cook until crisp-tender, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and cook about 1 minute. Add the shrimp and cook, stirring frequently, until heated through, 1-2 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the basil, salt and pepper.

PER SERVING (1 cup):

290 Cal, 12 g Fat, 2 g Sat Fat, 0 g Trans Fat, 172 mg Chol,471 mg Sod, 23 g Carb, 3 g Fib, 26 g Prot, 80 mg Calc.
In a pinch, frozen corn can be substituted for the fresh.

i just made this for myself for dinner. i'm a healthy serving size eater, so i would suggest that this recipe would only serve three if eaten by itself, four if you serve over steamed rice. also, i used sliced grape tomatoes, purple onion, and frozen corn. i also added the basil while it was still over the burner and it turned out alright.

anyway, this recipe gets better with time. you know, the longer it sits...

nilla, don't get used to the picture with the recipe. this will not be a regular thing. don't you judge me! :)

and family, start commenting! i feel like a loser checking this blog every day and reading just my thoughts!!! i need you!

Bathing Studlies

Well, since I did a bathing beauties post before, I figured I would do one of the bathing studlies. Because don't we all need to see pictures such as this :)? And besides, I figured it was time for me to put something new up.

So, check out these two squeaky-clean stud-muffins.

Clifton family's first post

First the nearly normal family recent picture. Taken in the back of our backyard, missing Jimmie's girlfriend Loan (lwan).

Next we have the Mafia that forced us to go to dinner at the Ritz Carlton in San Francisco on our 25th anneversary.

And now, a slightly confused Sleeping Beauty at Disneyland. Jimmie wanted a real drink, the only place to get one was at Ariel's Grotto restaurant where all the Princesses walk up to your table and talk to you. After Jimmie's 3rd drink Sleeping Beauty shows up. I think she was a bit confused by us 3 alone at the table. She did handle us well, kept Arthur from putting his arm around her. Thus the slightly puzzled look on her face.


Jimmie's girlfriend Loan. As you can see she fits right in. Very nice, takes no crap from Jimmie. Her parents fled Vietnam in the early 1970's. She works at Jimmie's wind turbine company. We are very happy to have her as part of the family!

more pictures

this picture was taken before aunt m. showed up and before grandma woke up. i actually somewhat remember me telling everyone to take a picture, but could also be wrong!
This is one of my personal favorite of all the sisters. I like how their outfits all sort of match without any planning and that the smiles are so natural.