Current Obsessions

This is a Ramblin' Cowgirl exclusive post today, folks. You get to take an insiders peak into what makes my world go round!

In other words, here are some items - food, drinks, music, etc., that I am currently obsessed with.

Obsession #1: Cling Peaches

Having been on a diet for the last 4 months, I have learned to love fruits and veggies. Not that I didn't already love them, but I began to use fruits and veggies in ways I hadn't thought of before.

For example, the picture below is a salad I had last week with nothing but veggies like lettuce (duh), stir fried onions, bell peppers, and snap peas, along with feta cheese, left over trip tip from dinner the night before and the special addition - cling peaches.

I threw the grilled peaches in with the stir fry veggie deliciousness to make a sweet summer salad.

I also used some cling peaches to make the below peach cobbler (and many more yum).

We've been getting these cling peaches (named cling because the fruit clings to the pit and doesn't come off as easy as other peaches) in 10 pound boxes for 5 bucks at the local fruit stand. That amounts to about 40-50 peaches for 5 bucks. Not too shabby of a deal! When we got our first box, I was struggling to find ways to use the peaches, since they weren't as easy to eat on their own as a snack like an apple or pear.

Now, I have been making several cobblers to stick in the freezer to snack on through the fall and winter (Lets be real here, they'll probably only last the next month or two). Slicing them up to put in my morning yogurt. Throwing them in with my stir fry veggies. I even put them in with some shrimp I was cooking on the grill. They just add such a clean flavor without the extra calories a substitute might have!

Love, love, love me some cling peaches.

Obsession #2: The Local Fruit Stand

This obsession goes hand in hand with Obsession #1: Cling peaches. The fruit stand is so spectacular though that it needs its own separate shout out.

Texas and I have made it a habit to stop at the fruit stand during our grocery shopping about every 2-3 weeks, and now, we are making a special trip once a week to the fruit stand to get our goods for the next seven days. The people that work at the fruit stand recoginize us. Texas and I could probably go into the fruit stand blind folded and pick out our groceries because we know where everything is and how much it's going to cost. Since the fruit stand is about 7 miles from the house, it's a pretty quick trip to get our produce. We've been going there all summer long, possibly even since before summer officially began.

I now wonder, how did I ever survive without the fruit stand?

More importantly, why would I shop for produce at the grocery store for likely less fresh products at sometimes 8 times the cost?

Plus, it's so much fun grocery shopping at the fruit stand. It makes you feel like you're back in yee olden days.

Here are some quick pictures I took from our last trip on Saturday.

Eight bell peppers for $1?!? Like $1 total?! Yup.

May I add that we stopped at Save Mart on the way home to grab some items we couldn't get at the fruit stand, and I gandered over at the green bell peppers to see how much they were. They were $.99 each. Seriously?! You would spend one dollar on one green bell pepper when you can drive across the street to get 7 more at the same price? Are people just too lazy to make another stop? I'm baffled.

Here's a quick picture of the other peppers, beans, and okra they have at the fruit stand. Texas and I forgot the okra this last time, but we've been getting a baggy full of okra to experiment with. We obviously know fried okra tastes delicious, but we've been testing our cooking skills to see if we boil the okra without it resulting in a slimy mess. So far, no dice. Will keep ya posted. ;) I didn't get a photo of the white corn the stand hand. They were also 8 for $1. Yum!

This is one third of the inside of the fruit stand. You can see the assortment of flavored almonds the place has to offer. We've bought several varieties including some of the dried fruit (not pictured), and we are huge fans. Unfortunately, my diet does not mix well with a large amount of flavored nuts, so we've cut back on the almonds during the last few months.

In summary, the local fruit stand is not only my obsession, it's become a necessity in my life. I don't know how normal folk shop at the grocery market. Texas and I walk out of there every time with onions, tomatoes, squash, kiwis, bananas, plums, peaches, nectarines, pears, apples, grapes, corn, okra, bell peppers, and sometimes berries and watermelon. And not just one or two items of fruit. Bags of fruit. 5-7 items of each variety. Grand total for our shopping trips? Never fails - somewhere between $23-28. Not bad for filling up our fridge for the week.

I suggest yall go support your local farmers (and yourself, sheesh, you know how much money you could save?!!!), and try to buy a few items at that fruit stand on the corner this week.

Obsession #3: Sparkling Ice

I've never been a huge fan of soda. I enjoy an A&W Root Beer now and then, and I only consume pepsi or 7-Up if it's mixed with an alcoholic beverage. I don't drink a lot of milk (go figure, we raise dairy cows). I love juice, but I don't ever buy any.

Well, I have found a beverage that I absolutely love and pretty much, can't live without. What is it?

Sparkling Ice Water.

I got hooked on these bottles of heaven when my mom bought a package from Costco and ended up not liking the carbonation, so she pawned them off on me. Thank you mom. Texas is now so thrilled that these drinks have become a neccessity item on our grocery list at Costco.

I love these drinks so much because the flavors are yummy, the carbonation makes it seem like you're consuming something thats not flavored water, and the best thing - they're zero calories with added vitamins. I'm a sucker for beverages with added vitamins. I love Vitamin Water, but they have a couple hundred calories in each bottle! With the diet I've been on, I try to stay strict with what I consume, so these Sparkling Ice bottles are like freebies for me.

Obsession #4: Pioneer Woman

Whether it's reading her blog, watching her cooking show, or reading her books, I am addicted to this lady. Thank you to my dear friend "Binky" for introducing me to my role model, P-Dub.

This woman is amazing with a camera, witty with her blog posts, creative in the kitchen, and she's a momma of 4 rambunctious kiddos - all while living on a working cattle ranch in Oklahoma. Needless to say, I want to be her one day - minus the living in Oklahoma thing. And I think I'd rather look at Texas in Wranglers than her husband in Wranglers.

Check her out at thepioneerwoman.com or on the Food Network on Saturday mornings.

Obsession #5: Fage Yogurt

Texas actually got me hooked on this stuff, believe it or not. His mom got him hooked on it, and it took me awhile to come around to this fabulous by product of dairy.

It's what I eat every morning with all the fruit I buy at the fruit stand. Throw in some kiwi, peaches, plums, grapes, strawberries, or make a mixture of 2 or 3 of those to make a fabulous yogurt medley. Why pay $5 for fruit and yogurt at Starbucks when you could make one that's probably more delicious and healthy at home?

Unfortunately, this stuff is not easy to find. They were carrying it at Costco, but they didn't have it last time we went it there. I just found a couple tubs at Tar-jay last weekend because they are not in our local supermarket. Plus they cost way more at Tarjay than they do at Costco. If you see this white goddess in the yogurt aisle... BUY IT. If not for you, then for me. Email me for my address. ;) Thanks!

Obsession #6: Barrel Horse News Magazine

Actually, this obsession is more than just the Barrel Horse News magazine. It also includes the Barrel Racing Report which I get every Tuesday in my email.

The Magazine and the Report are pretty much summaries of current barrel racing results, top bloodlines, and some barrel racing tips.

Since buying my baby, Jade, I have found that I really enjoy working with a young horse that hasn't had a bunch of owners or a lot of time to pick up bad habits. I like knowing that if she starts to do something funny, it's probably because I'm training her wrong. not because it's something that someone else taught her to do. What I'm trying to say here, is that I really enjoy the training process of a young horse. I don't think I'm ballsy or educated enough to break a horse (be the first one to get on the horse in their life), but I think I may have found a new passion of mine - training young horses. Not just for barrels, but for general ranch and riding purposes.

Now, how does the magazine tie into this? Well, the magazine (and the email report) deliver news on upcoming and well known barrel horse bloodlines. I bought Jade with the knowledge that her barrel racing breeding alone made her worth the investment. I'm enjoying reading up on stallions and bloodlines that keep popping up in the Winner's Circle, and I especially love that a lot of the horses in the winners circle have similar breeding to my girl. Needless to say, I'm a bit obsessed with keeping up with what horses are winning races at the current moment, so keeping up to date via magazines and online articles have kept me busy.

Obsession #7: Puzzles

It started when I was little.

With those 20 piece ones.

My obsession grew over the years.

Then it kind of faded out over the years.

Then, it reemerged from the depths of my soul last winter when I spent a cold few (many) months in Colorado without cell phone reception and cable.

It came back to haunt me while we were on vacation in Oregon back in July.

Now, it's forever back in my life.

What is this haunting, addicting, creature I speak of?

Puzzles.

I love puzzles.

I'll admit it, I'm a geek.

I've had a 1,000 piece puzzle laid out on my mom's dining room table for probably 3 weeks now. It's the hardest puzzle of my life.

Why am I so addicted to these puzzles?

Well, since Texas is back at school, he has homework. Homework means doing work in the home. Lots of it. Cowgirl Kate doesn't read books for fun unless they have a horse on the cover (shallow, I know).

The solution?

Puzzles.

Puzzles keep me entertained for hours while Texas is doing homework. Give me a beer and a puzzle, and I'll be set for hours.

Obsession #8: New Music

I love music. Music has always been a huge part of my life, and it always will. I can go all day with music on in the background. When I have a lot of mindless work ahead of me, I turn on the radio, cd player, or Pandora. The only time I can't listen to music is when I'm trying to fall asleep - only because I will wind up singing to the music as I'm trying to fall asleep, therefore not konking out.

Anyways, the two cd's I am obsessed with right now are...

*drumroll please*

1. Hell On Heels - Pistol Annies

I am a huge Miranda Lambert fan. She is my all time favorite artist. I honestly believe I have listened to her Revolution CD thousands of times, all the way through. When I spent the winter in Colorado, I listened to the whole CD religiously everyday when I drove the 25 minute drive to work, one way.

So when I found out that the country rocker came out with a new CD - with her girl group - I was all over it. Miranda knows how to rock, and I had faith that her girl group would be killer.

I was right.

Speaking of rockin' - here's the second CD I can't live without right now.

2. Chief - Eric Church

I love this guy. I always wondered why his songs didn't get much airplay, but I kind of like that he doesn't get overplayed. You just begin to hate songs even when they are really good because they are on everytime you turn the radio on. I can't say much about this CD except it's awesome. Probably my second favorite CD ever, only second to Miranda's Revolution.

Obsession #9: Texas Women

I don't watch much TV. When I do watch TV, it's usually the same shows that I have become slightly addicted to. Yes, I could definitely live without TV, but I do enjoy watching  a good show or two when Texas and I are up eating dinner at my moms house. I am not a huge movie person because I usually fall asleep within the first 30 minutes, so a TV show is just the right amount of time to sit on the couch before I get bored.

With that said, we noticed a new TV show on CMT a couple months ago. Texas Women. We thought, hey, that sounds like it could be an interesting show, it's about Texas! It took about 3 minutes for me to find the show hilarious. It's about four Texas chicks who are friends. One is an aspiring country singer, one is a party girl, and the other two are cowgirls - a barrel racer and a girl who raises her own bucking bulls. That girl is a badass. 'Nuff said.

They had the season finale a couple weeks ago after only 6 episodes. The future is unknown for the show as two girls moved out of the state, and the two that were left were not speaking to each other. I feel like another season of this show is not in the cards, but I will cross my fingers that several months from now I'll be reunited.

Obsession #10: Trader Joes

I cannot say enough about this grocery store. I LOVE TRADER JOES! Texas and I make a stop there everytime we are in Modesto doing our grocery shopping. It's so fun just to be in the store even if we don't come out with more than $20 worth of food. The atmosphere is just so chipper.

Here are some of my top buys at TJ's:

1. Mandarin Orange Chicken - so good for the nights Texas and I don't want to cook, so we throw this in the oven with some edamame and we're set!

2. Cous Cous - this rice substitute tastes like little fluffy balls of heaven in your mouth. It's a Texas pleaser. :)

3. Gnocchi - they are balls of potatoes that you boil and then season with spices, olive oil, sauces.. whatever your palate desires! I love throwing some olive oil and basil in for a delicious flavor. These are probably my favorite thing we get at TJ's.

4. Pulled Pork - another "no cook night" favorite go to. We heat it up in the oven, toast some buns, and waaa-laaaa! Delicious dinner.

5. Charles Shaw Wine a.k.a. "Two Buck Chuck" - Texas and I are not wine experts, so we don't like spending a ton of money on fancy wine that we can't tell the difference between that and a cheaper kind. Enter Two Buck Chuck!  

We have wine every so often, so it's nice to have a couple bottles of this $2 wine hanging around. And honestly, it doesn't taste much different than your $10-$15 bottle of wine. I will say that it's no wine miracle, but it does the trick if you can be easily pleased, especially with the price.

Well folks, hope ya enjoyed the ramblin's of my current obsessions!! Right now, I am about to go have an obsession with food. It's lunch time!