Pickling Jalapenos - En Fuego

Pickled Jalapenos

Prep time:  10 mins | Cook time:  8 mins | Total time:  18 mins | Serves: 2 cups | Serving size: ¼ cup (8 servings)

Ingredients

·         10 jalapeno peppers

·         ¾ cup distilled vinegar

·         ¾ cup filtered water

·         1 tbsp. kosher salt

·         1 tbsp. sugar

·         1 clove garlic, smashed

  

Instructions

1.     Thinly cut jalapenos, make sure they are about all the same size slices. Rinse under cold water; set aside.

2.     In a large pot, add vinegar, water, salt, sugar and garlic. Bring to a boil. Turn off and add the jalapenos. Push the jalapenos down so they are all submerged. let it sit for 15 minutes.

3.     Scoop the jalapenos out and place in an 8 oz sterilized jar. Spoon over the juice from the pan until filled to the top of the jar. Cover and let it sit on the counter until it reaches room temperature. Place in the refrigerator.

4.     Note: To make less hot in flavor, add up to 3 tablespoons of sugar.

5.   Note: If you forget to rinse them under, like I did, you may have to cook them twice and add more sugar. LOVE spicy food, but the first time I cooked these they were unedible. 

I put these bad boys in/on everything... literally everything!

ENJOY

#datinglife

I feel like I date... A LOT. I'm totally ready for the next phase in life of settling down with Mr. Perfect. Don't get me wrong I still love the idea of going out and partying until 4 AM every Saturday, but it would be nice to have a partner in crime to do it with me.

My friends keep telling me that I need to start writing down all my dating stores, so here goes. The newest addition to my blog will be my ever changing dating life. Lord knows my memory is shit, so maybe it's good that I'm finally writing these stories down.

Let's start with 2014...

I broke up with the man I thought I was going to marry. The relationship had gone south a good 6 months prior, but I held on and hopped that it would one day change. That eventually we would get to that amazing place that we were at when we first started seeing each other.  As he snored away in la-la land, I would lay in bed crying night after night, hoping and praying that things would change. It didn't. Well, not until I broke things off. I was a mess afterwards and still haven't fully recovered from it. Thanks to social media, I see that he's now found the "love of his life", which makes me sick to my stomach. I know, I know... I broke up with him, I should be happy for him, he wasn't the right one, yada yada yada, but it doesn't change the way my heart feels about him. I'll spare you the details, but trust me, we had issues, namely one big one that he would NEVER talk about. It's crazy how sex can bring a relationship up and then crash it down.

Enough about him... let's get into the funny stuff.

So after our breakup, I took a bit of a hiatus from dating. I figured it was best to take some time to myself. Eventually though I was ready to get myself back out there. I went out a lot, so I never had a problem meeting guys, but I decided I wanted to be down with the cool kids and try this new app Tinder. I went out on tons of date and met some great and not so great guys.

Swipe Left or Swipe Right

Here's an example of each:

There was the magician who did magic tricks on our date (sounds lame, I know, but it was actually very impressive!). At one point he told me to close my eyes. I thought he was going to put a card in front of my face or something so when I felt him come near I did a little bark and pretended to bite him (I sound crazy). Well, he wasn't doing a trick... he was being cute and was trying to kiss me, but instead I was trying to bite him. #headslap Don't worry we made out later and went out a couple more times ;)

UGH. Then there was this date with... gosh I don't even remember his name. Anyway, clearly it doesn't matter. So I'm talking with this Italian guy, super cute and we agree to go to this place down the street from my house. I'm outside talking with my doorman about life when I see this short guy with baggy pants walking down the side walk. I immediately turn to the doorman and say, if this is my date I'm gonna die. OF COURSE HE WAS THE GUY! Did I mention that I'm only 5'1? If I think someone is short, then you know there's an issue.

This guy looked NOTHING like his pictures. They must have been taken a while ago. Rule #1 of online dating should be that you need to have an updated picture. Momma raised me right, so I was polite and suggested that we go to the pub on the corner. We sit at the bar and chit chat and immediately I realize that he's agreeing with everything I'm saying. Ya know that person, the one that doesn't form their own opinion OR the one who's trying WAY to hard to impress you. I find it incredibly annoying. Please just be real!

45 min into the date I tell the guy I'm exhausted and that I need to head home because I have to get up early for work. At this point I can tell he's totally into me, so I excused myself and went to the bathroom to text my doorman. I asked him to come outside in 5 minutes because I was afraid this guy was going to try to kiss me. Sure enough, he tried. I whispered in his ear, not in front of my friend, gave him a hug and scooted my ass inside.

Fucking Tinder Town!

Build-a-WHAT?

I had been dating this awesome guy for about a month when Valentine's Day hit. What God awful timing! It's such a fun, but awkward time for the national holiday of love to hit. I went back and forth with my friends as to whether or not I should get him a present. After making a comment about being so excited to give me my present, I knew I had to get him something. But what do you get a guy you just started dating? After shopping with my other "boyfriend" Anthony I settled on a Gucci tie. He had great style and loved designer items so I figured it was perfect.

Valentine's day arrives, my apartment was decorated with candles, and I had on a sexy outfit. He walks in and I notice he has this backpack like thing on. With a cheshire grin, he turns around and to my horror it's a fucking teddy bear in a backpack bag. He takes the bag off and hands it to me. Inside was a bottle of wine (I knew I was going to need a drink after this) and the bear. Now this was not just any bear, this was a build-a-bear, which means it had a number of accessories. My new bear featured glasses, skinny jeans, roses, a red t-shirt that said Hugs on it, and heart inside that would actually beat.

Guys, there are a number of things wrong with this gift...

1. I'm not 7 years old
2. It's not romantic, not even a little bit
3. It's another chotchkies that I have to keep around my apartment 
4. Speaking of apartment, it doesn't go with the aesthetics of my place. I mean it's pink and grey in here, not red and black. 
5. I'm still not 7 years old, nor do I have a 7 year old

When it was his turn to open his gift I felt like a fool. My friend had told me earlier that I should get two gifts at two different price points. Depending on what he gave me I would pull out the more appropriate gift LOL!

The next day I went into work (we had celebrated the holiday on Sunday) and told everyone in my area about the newest addition to my life... a teddy bear. I thought I was being a brat until my coworkers agreed, the bear had to go. But where on earth was I going to put it? What, I'd have to take it out and put it away every time he came over? Nah, that's not going to work. After laughing and teasing about my gift all day, one of my coworkers asked me to bring the bear in for show and tell. Then it hit me- I'll keep the bear at work! This is my desk:

OMG Now that we've broken up, what am I supposed to do with this bear?!