Treasures Found While Recycling | Mushrooms

mushroom

Treasures Found

Hi, it’s amazing at how the smallest thing can bring so much happiness. I have started recycling; mainly aluminum cans and plastic milk jugs. Just before grocery shopping I dropped off several bags of cans. Nothing unusual about that. What was fun was the surprise I found once I opened the cover to the recycling can house. Adam was with me and he had his phone with him; he took several pictures. Not me, I had no phone nor camera. So the next day I went back. Another surprise, they were still there!

treasure mushroom
LENS: 30 mm Macro
EXP: 1/60 sec; f/3.5; ISO 200

In the local Dillon’s parking lot is the Cans for the Community recycling bin; I refer to it as the can house. Cans for the Community proceeds from recycling are donated to local non-profit organizations.

treasures mushroom

You can see the small mushrooms on the bottom right side of the opened sliding door in the middle and right image above. As cute as these mushrooms are, still be very careful. Mushrooms can be dangerous. We never touched them, just looked at them and took many pictures!

What’s even funnier; after taking these pictures I researched macro photography and found that it is recommended shooting with a smaller aperture. The first image above I used the largest aperture for this lens f/3.5. So I went back to the can house the following day. Guess what, they were still there! One had faded (expired, died) and another one had grown open more. Here is one of the pictures taken with the smaller aperture of f/10. Note that in this image my distance is a bit closer to the mushroom treasures.

treasure mushrooms
LENS: 30 mm Macro
EXP: 1/60 sec; f/10; ISO 640

Have you found any treasures such as this? If so, where did you find it?

Best Wishes,
debra

Best Grilled Dinner

stuffed jalapenos pork chops!
stuffed jalapenos pork chops!
Stuffed Jalapenos & Pork Chops!

Hi, my husband grilled the best dinner last evening- seasoned pork chops, corn and stuff jalapenos. I am one lucky gal who enjoys his delicious cooking! Kevin starts with a recipe and tweaks it to his liking. He adapts most recipes for the grill and I get to enjoy the taste of it all.

stuffed jalapenos
Stuffed Jalapenos

Ingredients:

12 fresh jalapeño peppers
8 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
12 slices bacon, cut in half
24 toothpicks

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400F degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper (best for clean-up) or a silicone baking mat. Place a baking rack on top of the baking sheet. Set aside.

Cut the jalapeño peppers in half lengthwise; remove seeds and center membrane. Set aside.

Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese, cheddar cheese, garlic, and paprika together until combined. You could also do this by hand using a rubber spatula. Salt to taste – I add just a pinch. Spoon filling equally among all 24 jalapeño halves.

Wrap each stuffed jalapeño with a half slice of bacon and stick a toothpick through the center to assure the bacon stays in place. Place each on the baking rack and bake for 25-28 minutes or until the bacon is crisp to your liking. I like to turn the oven to broil for the last minute or two to get things extra crispy. Serve immediately. Cover leftovers and keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Make ahead tip: jalapeño peppers can be stuffed and wrapped 1 day in advance. Refrigerate until ready to bake. You can also assemble and freeze up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bake as directed.

Best Wishes,
debra