Author: MissLegallyDistracted

MissLegallyDistractedhttp://legallydistracted.comAlthough I am a practicing attorney, I am more than my profession. This blog is about the things I enjoy (and that distract me from the practice of law): DIY home improvement projects, cooking, gardening, reading, writing, going to the movies, traveling and last, but not least raising my kids. Follow me on my legally distracted journey.
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Pan Roasted Tomatillo Salsa

Salsa is the stuff of life!  Not the dance (though that’s also probably the stuff of life), but the “condiment.” And, at our house it is a big deal.  We consider it one of the major food groups.  I’m not kidding, even our three year old asks for salsa on her eggs.

So every weekend I make a new batch for the week ahead.  I have a signature green salsa that I typically make.  But, this past weekend I shook things up.  I used the basic ingredients that I normally use, but in different proportions and prepared a little different.

The first principle of salsa making (yes, I have principles for salsa making) is that the ingredients should  be simple.  So, this is what I used: 5 jalapenos, 1 large tomato, about two dozen small tomatillos, 6 garlic cloves, cilantro, and salt.  That is it.  You don’t need anything fancy.

(An aside on tomatillos: you must remove the papery-like peel before cooking and they will give the salsa a tangy taste…yum!)

Here goes:  Place the washed jalapenos, a sliced tomato, and the peeled tomatillos on a pan over medium heat.

photo 1

I forgot to add the garlic, so I added it after I had already started roasting the other ingredients.  That brings me to the  second principle of salsa making.  There are no hard and fast rules.  So what if I forgot the garlic?  I’m a rebel and tossed it in later. It just wanted to make a grand entrance, like your favorite aunt or best friend who always show up late to dinner.  Seriously though, salsa cannot be messed up.   Play around with the ingredients, try different proportions and different methods.  No matter what, it will be good.

photo 2

Keep turning all the ingredients until they are roasted and have a nice brown color.  Then add about one to two cups of water.  It will sizzle and bubble AND create the best broth for use in your salsa.  Let the ingredients simmer for about 2-3 minutes.

photo 3

Then, blend the garlic with the water from the pan.  This is the third principle of salsa making.  Take the stinky, strong ingredients and mold them to your liking.  For example, I LOVE garlic, but I don’t like big chunks of garlic swimming around in my salsa. The garlic must be blended so that it looks like a garlic broth.  You get the garlic flavor without having to bite into a big chunk of it.

photo 4

Once the garlic has been subdued into tiny little smithereens,  add the tomato, jalapenos, and tomatillos.

photo 5

Then, use the pulse function of your blender to mix and chop the ingredients.  This bring me to the fourth principle of salsa making.  Don’t rush.  This means, don’t use the other functions of your blender.  Don’t turn it on and walk away.  Trust me, patience is a virtue when it comes to salsa making.  If you use any other function because you’re in a hurry or if you turn it on and walk away, it will blend the ingredients so much that they will be unrecognizable.  A good salsa must have a good mix of chunky and smooth.  The easiest way to accomplish this is by using the pulse function of your blender with finesse.  Don’t hold it down too long, but don’t be afraid to stop and keep trying until you like what you see.

Now add a handful of cilantro and salt to taste.  Here I used about half a tablespoon of salt.  Use the pulse function again.

photo 6

Finally, the salsa is done and ready for the fifth principle of salsa making: enjoy it with family and friends! 

photo 7

Now that I think about it, the principles of salsa making should also apply to life in general.  So remember,

1. Keep it simple.

2. There are no hard and fast rules.  It’s okay to veer from the plan.

3. Mold/reshape the stinky stuff to your liking.

4. Be patient and keep trying until you’re satisfied with the result.

5. Enjoy with family and friends.

Refinishing an Old Wood Door and My Perspective

Our front door had been bothering me for quite some time; for seven years and two months to be exact.  We purchased our 1960’s ranch style home back in 2007 and began to make small improvements.

I’ve never been much of a handy person and have left most the hard work to El Hombre (that’s Spanish for “the Man,” a/k/a my husband).  One thing that he never got around to fixing or replacing was our front door.

So, a couple of months ago I became secretly obsessed and decided something had to be done.  The door looked worn out and unattractive.  Finding a solution became my temporary escape from thinking about my cases and billable hours.  I read countless blogs and other websites in the middle of the night when I couldn’t sleep.  I finally decided against replacing the solid wood door and instead opted for refinishing it.  This  ended up consisting of cleaning the door with mineral spirits, removing the door, filling some cracks with wood puddy, sanding it down (multiple times), cleaning it again, staining, adding a few coats of polyurethane, and finally putting it back up. The process took longer than I expected, but I’m proud to say that I did all of it by myself.

I wish I had taken a picture of the door before I started, but didn’t do so until I was sanding it down.

Here are some pictures of the door in process and the final result.

Door 1

front door 3

 

front door finished

front door final

So here are the lessons I learned with the project:

1. Always plan to spend twice as much time on any home improvement project than originally planned.

2. A little elbow grease goes a long way to breathing new life into something that’s been neglected.  Like the old door, I had overlooked the importance of maintaining a positive attitude.  Every job is hard and comes with its own challenges.  Being a lawyer can be rewarding and fun, but can also be draining, depressing, and stress-filled.  If I don’t keep my perspective in check, I start to dwell on the challenges and start to feel negative and worn down. Taking the time to work on the door gave me time to reflect, refocus, and recharge.  I made a conscious effort to “refinish” my attitude and keep going.  I also learned that the refinishing process does not have a definitive end.  It is something we must continue to do from time to time.

3.  I discovered I love to use power tools.  I’m looking around my house to see what else I can sand down and refinish.  That old bookshelf better watch out!