Here's What's Cooking This Week!!

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As we all start to dive into holiday preparations, I am still searching for the elusive "perfect" appetizer. Maybe I found it this week. We are making a southwestern flatbread that is sure to be delicious! Our entree this week is simple and tasty and quick. I love quick and delicious meals during this busy time. Our dessert this week is something you can serve at a party, give as a gift, or just make and enjoy for yourself. I love making candy and I know you will too!

Menu and Grocery List

Appetizer~Southwestern Flatbread

Package of  Flatbread

1 Chicken  Breast~raw

2 Roma Tomatoes

1 small Onion

Queso Fresco 

Sour Cream

Avocado

Entree~Ginger Orange Pork Stirfry with Rice

1/2 cup Orange Juice

1 tablespoon Lime Juice

1 1/2 teaspoons Fresh Ginger

1 Scallion

Ketchup

Cornstarch

Salt and Pepper

White Rice

1 pound Pork Loin

1 medium Onion

1 Red Pepper

1 Green Pepper

Dessert~Homemade New Mexico Caramels

1 cup Sugar

1 cup Light Brown Sugar

1 cup Dark Corn Syrup

1/2 pound unsalted Butter

Salt

2 cups Heavy Whipping Cream

1 tablespoon Vanilla

This is our week!

Thanks for joining us today!!

Stop back soon!

What We Are Cooking!

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Here's what we are cooking at The Freshman Cook this week:

Appetizer

Cowboy Pockets served with Pico de Gallo and Guacamole

1 pack Wonton Wrappers

Small bag of Frozen Corn
1/4 pound of shredded Pork
Cowboy Beans
1/2 pound Queso Fresco
 8 ounces BBQ Sauce
To Make Cowboy Beans:
 1 bag Pinto Beans
8 slices Bacon
1 Jalapeno Pepper
1 Onion
2 cloves Garlic
Vegetable Oil
Salt
Ground Cumin
Fresh Cilantro for garnish
2-3 Roma Tomatoes
1 Serrano Chili
Garlic Powder
Avocado
Sour Cream

TFC Mashed Potato Bowl
1 1/2 -2 Potatoes per person
Frozen Corn
1/2 Chicken Breast per person

 Milk

1 Egg

 Garlic Powder

 Dried Basil Leaves

Paprika

Salt and Pepper
  Flour
Saltine Crackers
Gravy Mix
Shredded 3 Cheese

Sour Cream Apple Pie
1 cup Sour Cream
Sugar
Flour
Vanilla Extract
1 Egg
2 cups Granny Smith Apples
Brown Sugar
1 1/2 cup Butter

Salt

  Baking Soda

1/2 cup Sour Cream

Vanilla Ice Cream

 

See you later!

Thanks for stopping by!

What are we cooking this week?

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This week we are cooking some delicious things! I am still in search of many new appetizers for several upcoming parties, so we will be making a new appetizer, a delicious sandwich with fries for the side, and a fall dessert, that is sure to become a family favorite. Let's get cookin'!!!

Menu and Grocery List

Appetizer~Chutney Cheese Ball

8oz. Cream Cheese, softened

2 cups shredded Cheddar Cheese

2 tablespoons Dry Sherry

1 teaspoon Curry Powder

Salt

Hot pepper Sauce or Cayenne~dash

1/4 cup chopped Scallions

1/2 cup Mango Chutney

Mango Chutney

(to go with cheese ball recipe)
2 1/2 cups Mango

1" piece of fresh Ginger

1 Serrano Chili

1 clove Garlic

Salt

1/2 cup Cider Vinegar

 1/2 cup Light Brown Sugar

1/2 cup dried Cranberries

Black Pepper

Entree~French Dip w/ a side of Steak Fries

Top Round~purchase enough to put 5-6 oz per sandwich

Soft Buns for Sandwich

Salt

Pepper

Garlic Powder

Idaho Potatoes

Dessert~Pumpkin and Cranberry Bread Pudding

Eggs

Brown Sugar

1 cup Milk

2 1/4 cups Heavy Whipping Cream

Ground Cinnamon

Ground Ginger

Ground Allspice

5 1/2 cups crusty French Bread

3/4 cup dried Sweetened Cranberries

Thanks for joining me!

This Weeks Menu and Grocery List

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This week is getting off to a rough start, so I will try to hurry and catch up! Here is the Menu and Grocery List for this week.

Menu and Grocery List

Appetizer~Baked Apricot Spread

(serves 8 people)

4 oz Cream Cheese Spread

1/2 cup Shredded Cheddar

1/4 cup Sour Cream

1/4 cup Sliced Dried Apricots

1/4 cup Sliced Almonds

Crackers for spreading

Salad~Favorite Fall Fixins' Salad

(serves 1 person)

Romaine Lettuce

1 Granny Smith Apple

1 Roma Tomato

Golden Raisins

Entree~ Hearty Beef Stew
(serves 6-8 people)
2 3/4 pound Boneless Chuck Roast
Flour
Vegetable Oil
Worcestershire Sauce
Garlis Salt
Pepper
Ground Allspice
Bay Leaves
4 Carrots
2 Celery Ribs
4 medium Red Potatoes
3 small Onions
Flour


Dessert~Gingered Pear-Apple Cobbler
(serves 10 people)
Cornstarch
Butter
2 1/2 teaspoon Fresh Gingerroot
Lemon Zest
Apple Juice
Lemon Juice
3 1/2 cups Granny Smith Apples
6  cups Bosc or Bartlett Pears
Vanilla
Flour
Sugar
Baking Soda
Sour Cream
Sugar

Thanks for joining me!!
There is no side dish this week because the stew pretty much takes
care of the entree and the side dish!

Grocery List and Menu

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This week at The Freshman Cook, we are continuing with our Halloween party food ideas. Here is our menu for more Halloween fun! 

Menu and Grocery List

Appetizer~Cheese Pumpkins  
8 tablespoons Smoked Cheddar Cold Pack Cheese
2 teaspoons finely chopped Peanuts
Pretzel Sticks(1 for each pumpkin)
Fresh Parsley
Crackers

Side Dish~Bloody Bones
1 loaf Rhodes Frozen Bread
Garlic Powder
14 oz. Pizza Sauce
1/8 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Worcestershire Sauce
Hot Sauce



Entree~Pork BBQ
1 Pork Loin (enough to feed who you are feeding)
Garlic Powder
Onion
BBQ Sauce
Rolls
Cole Slaw Greens Mix
Mayo
Sugar


Dessert 1~Spider Webs
Thin Pretzel Sticks
5 ounces White Chocolate
10 small Chocolate Spiders

Dessert 2 Halloween Cupcakes
Yellow Cupcakes
Halloween Oreos
Pretzel Sticks
Brown Jimmies
Red Mini M and M's
Blue M and M's
Milk Chocolate
Tombstone Cookies
Flat Marshmallows
Orange Gumdrops
Sugar Cones
Green and Orange Pop Rocks
Cotton Candy
Candy Bones
Meringue


Happy Halloween!

A Shopping I will Go!

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Please let me apologize for this late post!!! The last 2 days have been very hard on The Freshman Cook. Late on Friday, as I was trying to post last weeks dessert, I realized that there was really a big problem with my computer. Especially my blog! Well, I finally got the dessert posted after about 2 1/2 hours, and then I went to work trying to figure it out. On late Sunday evening, as I was pulling out my last little bit of hair, I got it to work.
It was something so simple~it's stupid. Well, actually I am! Never, never, never, (and I know this), should I download something on to my blog that I am not very familiar with. It always comes back to haunt me. And it's always expensive!!
Oh well, I hope the problems associated with this screw up were not major for anyone! Again, I apologize if they were. So here is yesterdays blog of the menu and grocery list for this week. Thanks!

This weeks menu is based on something that is near and dear to me~Las Vegas. I moved here when I was 22 years old. I have lived here for the majority of my adult life.  I finished college here, I married someone who lived here, my son was born here, most of my life's big moments happened here. When I first moved to Las Vegas the extent of my "going out to eat" was fast food! That's just the life of a college kid. But here I got to go to nice dining rooms, with fancy, grown up names, and crystal chandeliers. The food was inexpensive everywhere. At that time it was cheaper for two people to eat out than at home.

 So we ate at fancy restaurants, at bars, at casinos, at little hole in the wall dives, and at buffets. It was good! No, it was great!! Which brings me back to today! This weeks menu is made up of my old time favorites from all over Las Vegas. I tried to get as close as I could to the original. I haven't been to some of the places in a while. I hope you will join me in my walk down memory food lane!

Appetizer~Shrimp Cocktail
Soup~French Onion Soup
Entree~BBQ Beef Tips
Side Dish~Nachos Nachos Nachos
Dessert~Carrot Cake

Here's our list:

Shrimp Cocktail:

Shrimp (5 per person-medium size)

1/4 tsp. Old Bay Seasoning

2 pieces Romaine Lettuce

1 Lemon

1 stalk Celery

1/2 cup Apple Cider Vinegar

Cocktail Sauce(3Tbl. per person)

French Onion Soup:

(for 6 people)

3 large Onions

 Butter

Flour

Beef Base

1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce

6 slices French Bread

12 ounces Mozzarella Cheese

BBQ Beef Tips:

Prime Sirloin Beef (1/3 lb per person)

Sweet Onion

BBQ Sauce

Potatoes(1 per person)

Sour Cream

Butter

Nachos Nachos Nachos:

Mission Nacho Strips Restaurant Style(1 bag)

5 Cheese Mexican Blend Cheese (1 lb) 

(shredded if you can find it)

1 Tomato

2 Onion

1/2 lb Ground Beef

3 Jalapeno

1 lb dried Pinto Beans

8 slices Bacon

2 Garlic Cloves

Vegetable Oil

Salt

1/2 tsp Ground Cumin

1 bunch Fresh Cilantro

Carrot Cake:

 1 box Duncan Hines Yellow Cake Mix

1 sm. box Yellow Pudding Mix

2 Eggs

Milk

Vegetable Oil

3 Carrots (large)

Cream Cheese(2 8oz. packages)

Thanks for joining me today. 

I hope you will come back tomorrow.

We will be making Shrimp Cocktail, Las Vegas Style!!

Braving The Heat To Go To The Grocery!

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I'm off to the grocery to get this weeks necessities. Here's our menu:

Appetizer~Amaretto Purses w/Mascarpone & Fontina

Salad~Strawberry Salad

Entree~Orange Chicken

Side Dish~Fruit Studded Rice Pilaf

Dessert~ Bread Pudding & Apples

Here is our Grocery List:

Amaretto Purses with Mascarpone & Fontina

8 oz. Fontina Cheese

8 oz. Mascarpone Cheese

1 tablespoon Amaretto

 White Pepper

Dried Tart Cherries

25 sheets Phyllo Dough

Butter

Strawberry Salad

Romaine Lettuce

Fresh Strawberries

Sherry Vinegar

Dijon Mustard

Minced Shallots

Sugar

Sea Salt

Black Pepper

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 Avocados

Orange Chicken

Chicken Breast

Dijon Mustard

Honey

Onions

Green Bell Pepper

Butter

Paprika

Cinnamon

Orange Juice

Pineapple Juice

Basil

Brown Sugar

Pepper

Salt

Fruit Studded Rice Pilaf

Butter

Long Grain White Rice

Onion

Water

Chicken, Vegetable, or Beef Base or Bouillon Granules

Dried Apricots

Golden Raisins

Brown Sugar

Bread Pudding

Milk

Butter

Sugar

Salt

White Bread

3 Eggs

2  Granny Smith Apples

Golden Raisins

Wrapping it Up!

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This week we are going to be cooking and baking and wrapping!! Everything we make this week will be wrapped. We will be wrapping in filo dough, in romaine lettuce leaves, in tortillas, well... you get the ideal!!
Here is our menu:

Appetizer~Brie and Apple Slices Wrapped in Filo Dough

Salad~Salad Bite Wraps

Entree~Chicken Chipotle Wraps

Side~Rice Paper Spring Rolls

Dessert~Apple Pie Bundles


I will post the grocery list tomorrow. Sorry!!

Hike! To the Grocery

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This week we are celebrating the beginning of football season with a tailgate menu to feed the biggest of fans. Let's get started!!

Menu:
Appetizer: Skyline Chili Dip
Salad: Seasonal Pasta Salad
Entree: Chicken Wings (Teriyaki, BBQ, Buffalo)
Side: Stuffed Meatballs
Dessert: Boys of Fall Cupcakes

Grocery List

Skyline Chili Dip

Cream Cheese

1 can Skyline Chili

Onion

Fancy Shredded Mild Cheddar

Seasonal Pasta Salad

Corkscrew Pasta

Kielbasa

Red Onion

Orange Pepper

Vegetable Oil

Red Wine Vinegar

Sugar

Lemon Juice

Salt

Worcestershire Sauce

Dijon Mustard

Garlic

Black Pepper

Chicken Wings

Chicken Wings

Franks Hot Sauce

Celery

Mayo

Sour Cream

Worcestershire Sauce

Dry Mustard

Black Pepper

Garlic Powder

6-8 oz. Crumbled Blue Cheese

Milk

Dried Chives

Dried Parsley

Salt

Dried Tarragon

Dried Oregano

Dried Basil

Lemon Pepper Seasoning

Stuffed Meatballs

1 pound Ground Beef

Bread Crumbs

Egg

Vegetable Oil

Mozzarella Block

Virgin Olive Oil

Onion

2-15.5 oz cans Chopped Tomatoes

Salt

Black Pepper

Sugar

Dessert

Chocolate Cupcakes

Crisco

Butter

Vanilla

Confectioners Sugar

Milk

Sugar

Flour

Almond Extract

Eggs

Baking Powder

Meringue Powder

Cream of Tartar

Thanks for joining me!

See you around the grocery store!!

What's Cookin' This Week!

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This week at The Freshman Cook we are going hiking! Southern Nevada has so much beautiful scenery and it is a great place to live if you like the outdoor life. However, this time of year it is too too HOT to do much hiking outside. But we happen to have a gorgeous mountain area not too far away that is cool, refreshing and down right gorgeous. So, that's where we are going, and this is what we will be eating:

Appetizer: Homestyle Salsa w/ Baked Tortilla Chips

Salad: Very Berry Parfait

Entree: Turkey Sandwiches on Semi Homemade Rolls

Side: Sierra Nevada Trail Mix

Dessert: S'Mores Rice Krispie Treats

Everything on the menu this week can be easily packed up and taken on a picnic. 

Here's a grocery list:

Homestyle Salsa w/ Baked Tortilla Chips:

6 Plum Tomatoes

Slat

Lime Juice

Yellow Onion

2 cloves Garlic

1 Jalapeno Pepper

Fresh Cilantro

Dried Oregano (Mexican if possible)

Ground Cumin

Flour Tortillas

Very Berry Parfait:

Strawberries

Blueberries

Raspberries

Vanilla Yogurt

Granola

Plastic Cups

Turkey Sandwiches on  Semi Homemade Rolls:

 Frozen or Fresh Turkey Breast

1 Carrot

1 Onion

1 Celery

Rhodes Frozen Loaves of Bread

Mayo

Lettuce

Tomato

Salt 

Pepper

Sierra Nevada Trail Mix:

Unsalted, Roasted Cashews (Trader Joes)

M&M's

Craisins

Golden Raisins

Mini Marshmallows

Banana Chips

S'Mores Rice Krispie Treats

Honey Graham Crackers

Rice Krispies

Butter

Mini Marshmallows

Milk Chocolate Chips

4  Mini Hershey Bars(or 2 regular size)

Regular Size Marshmallows

Happy Shopping!

Join me tomorrow for Homestyle Salsa!

A Shopping We will Go!!

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Thanks for joining me today. I have a menu, and a grocery list, so let's get going!!

This weeks menu:
Appetizer:     Creamy Stuffed Mushrooms
Soup/Salad:  Blue Cheese Caesar Salad
Entree:          Shrimp Portofino
Side Dish:     Rustic Homemade Bread
Dessert:        Summer Days Cupcakes

I hope you like the sound of everything. Here's the grocery list:

Creamy Stuffed Mushrooms

1/2 pound Button Mushrooms

Cream Cheese

Onion

3 pieces of cooked Shrimp

Shredded Cheddar

Blue Cheese Caesar Salad  

 Lemon Juice

Garlic

Worcestershire Sauce

Dijon Mustard

Black Pepper

Olive Oil

Blue Cheese Crumbles

Romaine Lettuce

Pecan Halves

Shrimp Portofino 

Button Mushrooms

Garlic

Butter

4 large Shrimp(per person)

Pepper

6 ounce Marinated Artichoke Hearts

Lemon 

Fresh Parsley

Rustic Homemade Bread

1 package Active Dried Yeast

Sugar

Salt

Vegetable Shortening

Flour

Summer Days Cupcakes
Yellow Cake Mix(Duncan Hines)
Butter
3 Eggs
6 Egg Whites
Salt
Cream of Tartar
Sugar
Meringue Powder
Confectioners Sugar
Green, Blue Coloring fo Icing


Thanks for joining me!

See you Monday for Creamy Stuffed Mushrooms!!
It's gonna be a great week!

A Menu & A List

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This week at The Freshman Cook we will be cooking and preparing the following:

Appetizer~Garlic Shrimp

Salad~Fruit Bites

Entree~Sirloin Steaks with Blue Cheese Walnut Butter

Side Dish~Grilled Mushrooms, Onions, &  Peppers

Dessert~White Chocolate Popcorn

Grocery List

Garlic Shrimp

Olive Oil

Fresh Garlic

2 Fresh Red Chilies

1 pound Jumbo Shrimp

Fresh Flat Leaf Parsley

Salt & Pepper

Lemon Wedges

Italian Bread

Fruit Bites

Watermelon

Cantaloupe

Honey Dew

Paper Umbrellas (like for drinks)

Grilled Sirloin

6 oz. Blue Cheese

Butter

Fresh Italian Parsley

Fresh Rosemary

1/4 cup chopped Walnuts

6 Garlic Cloves

Salt & Pepper

2 Sirloin Steaks (1 1/2 to 1 3/4 pound)

Grilled Mushrooms, Onions, & Peppers

Fresh Mushrooms

Vidalia or Sweet Onion

Red & Green Peppers

Butter

White Chocolate Popcorn

Microwave Popcorn

(or whatever type you like)

White Chocolate Chips

Craisins

Butter

I hope you can join me tomorrow when we will be making

our Garlic Shrimp. This is a great appetizer to start our week off with.

Everyone loves a shrimp appetizer!

My son left today to go back to school, so I apologize for my

post of little words. I am so sad, and I miss him already.

Thanks for joining me, and I will see you tomorrow, 

when I promise I will be in better spirits.

Looking forward to a great week!

Off to the Market I Go!

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This weeks menu was developed because my son is home visiting from college, and our entree this week is his favorite. I make this for him as often as I can.

Here's our menu:
Appetizer ~ Roasted Tomato Bruschetta
Salad ~ Tomato, Feta Pasta Salad
Entree ~ Chicken Fettucini Alfredo
Side Dish ~ Garlic Knots
Dessert ~ Key Lime Cheesecake

Grocery List

Roasted Tomato Bruschetta

French Bread

Fresh Garlic

2-28 oz cans Peeled Whole Tomatoes

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

dried Basil

 1 teaspoon Fresh Rosemary

Red Onion

Garlic

Salt

Black Pepper

Tomato, Feta Pasta Salad

Vegetable Oil

Olive Oil 

Red Wine Vinegar

Sugar

Garlic

Dillweed

Dried Oregano

Black Pepper

6 medium Tomatoes

2 Cucumbers

Feta Cheese

Red Onion

Fusilli Pasta

Chicken Fettucini Alfredo

Chicken Breast

Fettucini Noodles

Whipping Cream

Lemon Juice

Garlic

Shredded Parmesan Cheese

Salt and Pepper

Garlic Knots

Rhodes Par Baked Bread

Garlic Powder

Key Lime Cheesecake

Graham Crackers

Macadamia Nuts

Sugar Butter

3 8 oz. Cream Cheese

Sour Cream

Flour

Eggs

Key Limes or Juice

Vanilla Extract

Fresh Strawberries

Thanks for joining me today!

I will see you tomorrow when we will be making Roasted Tomato Brushetta.

See you at the grocery!

Ready to Shop!

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This weeks menu is designed to use as little oven heat as possible. It does use it some. But the majority of the menu is cool food. We are in monsoon season here in Las Vegas. What that means is that we have humidity every day. We also get storms in some part of the valley almost everyday. We are not used to humidity here. So the thought of turning on an oven to cook a meal is not very appealing.
The Menu
Appetizer~Fruit Cup in Meringue Shells
Salad/Soup~ Green Salad w/Champagne Vinaigrette
Entree~Trio Salad
Side Dish~Summer Salsa w/ Pita Chips
Dessert~Angel Fruit Trifle

Grocery List

Appetizer

Egg Whites

Cream of Tartar 

Salt

Vanilla Extract

Almond Extract

Sugar

Your Favorite Fruits

Salad

Romaine

Cherry Tomatoes

1 Mango 

Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Champagne Vinegar

Salt & Pepper

Dijon Mustard

Vegetable Oil

Olive Oil

1-Lime

Trio Salad

Eggs

Mayo

Salt & Pepper

Relish

Chicken Breast

Onion

Tuna Fish

Romaine

Summer Salsa 

Sweet Onion

Avocado

1 Orange-Med to Large

3 med Tomatoes

Olive Oil

Rice Wine Vinegar

Fresh Garlic

Salt & Pepper

Pita Bites

Angel Fruit Trifle

Cake Flour

Sugar

9 Egg Whites

Cream of Tartar

Vanilla Extract

Almond Extract 

Salt

(Ignore the above list if you want to buy

an angel food cake)

Strawberries

Mangoes(or favorite fruit)

3 1/2 cups Milk

Cornstarch

3 Eggs

Vanilla Bean or Extract

Butter

Thanks for joining me today! 

I will see you tomorrow when we make our appetizer;

Fruit Cups in a Meringue Shell!

See you then!

Grocery Bound with a List in Hand!

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I love everything mini, don't you? It's so cute, and tiny. This week I thought a mini menu might be just the thing to serve, just because it's fun!

Appetizer~ Red & Yellow Pepper Cilantro Relish on a Mini Cracker
Soup/Salad~Green Salad in a Cup w/Pomegranate Vinaigrette
Entree~Chicken Fried Chicken Slider
Side Dish~Mini Rebakes
Dessert~ Key Lime Mousse Shooters

 Grocery List

Appetizer

Yellow Pepper
Red Pepper
Sesame Oil
Mild Red Chili
Fresh Cilantro
Brie Cheese

 Salad
Romaine Lettuce
Grape Tomatoes
Red Onion
Won Ton Wrappers
Olive Oil
Pomegranate Juice
Dijon Mustard
Salt & Pepper
Sugar
Red Wine Vinegar


Entree
Chicken Breasts
Salt & Pepper
Garlic Powder
Plain Bread Crumbs
Oil
Flour
Milk
Egg
Small Hawaiian Rolls
Lettuce
Tomato
Mayo


Sides
Small Idaho Potatoes
Cheddar Cheese
Butter
Bacon
Milk

Dessert
Cream Cheese
Sweetened Condensed Milk
Key Lime Juice
Heavy Whipping Cream
Key Limes

Thanks for joining me for the menu
and grocery list today.

I will see you tomorrow when we make our appetizer~
 Red & Green Pepper Cilantro Relish on a Mini Cracker.

See you then!
Happy 4th of July!!