Bunco for a Cause and Super bowl Sunday

Holidays and Parties. They even have a Super Bowl section. The recipes are simple and easily made ahead.

First String Mango Salsa

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons soy sauce

6 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons garlic salt or powder

Directions:

The Quota of Atascadero invites you to join them for their annual O’Bunco fundraiser on Thursday, March 16, at Atascadero Kiwanis Hall, 7848 Pismo Avenue by Atascadero Lake Park. Festivities start at 6 p.m. Tickets are $20 per person and include food and beverages. For tickets contact Sylvia Biddle at (805) 237-7326.

Proceeds support the philanthropic projects of the nonprofit organization.

I guess for some of us who are football fans, the next thing on our calendars is the Super Bowl this Sunday. As I have told you for many years, we will have “onion dip.” That is always at the top of my menu for that event. However, I’ve been looking for some new/old recipes to serve to jazz things up and I found this week’s recipes in a 2003 cookbook compiled by Professional Home Economics and Family and Consumer Science Teachers of California, Nevada, Arizona, and Utah, and titled

4 ripe mangoes, peeled, coarsely chopped

1/2 half red onion, peeled, diced

2 jalapeno peppers, seeded, finely chopped

4 tablespoons lime juice

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 tablespoons fresh cilantro, minced

2 teaspoons ground black pepper salt to taste

Directions:

In a large bowl, stir together all ingredients well; refrigerate at least 1 hour to allow flavors to blend.

Note: Use rubber gloves when handling peppers.

Super Bowl Wings

Ingredients:

2 to 3 pounds chicken wings, fresh or frozen

2 to 3 cups brown sugar

1 (20 ounce) can crushed pineapple

3/4 tablespoon black pepper

Sprinkle chicken generously with brown sugar. Lay one layer of chicken wings (don’t overlap) on a large cookie sheet. Distribute pineapple over the wings. Sprinkle with pepper. Mix soy sauce with lemon juice and drizzle over wings. Sprinkle garlic over all. Bake at 225 degrees for 6 to 8 hours or at 300 degrees for 3 1/2 hours. No turning or basting required. Serves 6-8

Time-Out Pork Burros

Ingredients:

3 cups roast pork, finely shredded or chopped

1 cup onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 to 3 tablespoons jalapeno pepper, diced 12 flour tortillas, warmed

3 cups lettuce, shredded

2 cups tomatoes, diced

3/4 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

Salsa, as desired

Directions:

In nonstick skillet, sweat

Hard of Earring

a ring in your nose, and have your body covered in multi-colored epidermal ink.” onion and garlic over medium heat for 5 minutes, until soft and translucent. Add cooked pork; toss lightly. Heat thoroughly. Stir in jalapeno pepper. In each tortilla, roll up 1/4 cup shredded pork, a portion of lettuce, tomatoes, and 1 tablespoon cheese. Top with salsa, if desired. Serves 12

Note : Use rubber gloves when handling peppers.

Touchdown Black-Eyed Pea Dip

Ingredients:

1 (15 ounce) can black-eyed peas, drained 1 (15 ounce) can white or yellow hominy, drained 1/2 cup mild onion, chopped 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped 1 cup hot salsa 2 cloves garlic, minced

Directions: lee pitts COLUMNIST

In large bowl, stir together all ingredients well; cover and refrigerate to let flavors blend, at least 2 hours or overnight. Serve with chips. Makes 5 cups Enjoy the game. Cheers! Barbie Butz is an independent columnist for The Atascadero News and Paso Robles Press; you can email her at barbiewb@hotmail.com.

Two recently retired road agent ring men who’d put too much mileage on their odometers were overheard at a bull sale.

“I’m going to sue every auctioneer on earth,” said one old-timer to the other.

“By turning up their speakers W-A-A-A-Y too loud over the years and making me stand in close proximity to their huge speakers, I swear they’ve made me lose my hearing.”

“What’s that you say, you’re going to get an earring? You’d be the last person on earth I’d expect to get one of those things. Is it gonna be one of those gaudy, diamond-encrusted thingamajigs or are you leaning towards a couple of gold hoops in both ears? I suppose you’re gonna tell me you’re gonna cover your body with tattoos, so the next time I see ya’ you’ll have a tongue stud,

“Stink? Well, it wasn’t me. My missus made me take a shower and put on a clean Depends® before she’d let me leave the house this morning.”

“Did you say you’re leasing out your house? I thought you liked it here and was under the impression that you and Margie were as happy as two fleas in a doghouse.”

“We’re not leasing out our house. The next move we make is to the funeral home. The only bad thing is we’re too far away from the kids, so they don’t come by very often. It’s just as well. Whenever they do come, all they do is stare at their phones and listen to rap.”

“Did you say wrap or crap?”

“Does it really matter? What’s the difference?”

“It sounds to me like your hearing is even worse than mine. I swear, you need to get the wax out of your ears or buy one of those high-dollar hearing aids.”

“Aids. The hell, you say. And to think I thought you were a clean-livin’, devoted husband all the years we spent on the road together. You sure had me fooled. And to think I was figurin’ on splittin’ a room with you someday in a rest home?”

“I think they’re down there to the right, but I could be wrong ‘cause I’m kinda confused. There were three of them. One for each sex.”

“Nah, me either. After being married for as long as we have you kinda lose interest after awhile. You know what I mean? Besides, you know me, I’m not one of those guys who brags about his conquests, having sex twice a day, four times a week. I suppose I could lie about it.”

“Who died? I’m telling you right now, if it was one of those dang auctioneers, I’ll help dig the hole myself, and I’ll even chip in for the gravestone as long as the epitaph isn’t too flowery. Speaking of dying, remember all those years we spent on the road together, going from one sale to the next? Well, I’m sad to say I finally had to trade the old gal off for a newer model?”

“You’re gettin’ a divorce?” exclaimed the old ring man, pounding the side of his head like just like you do when you’re swimming and get water in your ears. “I tell ya, this old world is spinnin’ way too fast for me. Aids, tattoos, three bathrooms and now you’re telling me you’re leaving the love of your life? What is it now, sixty years you’ve been married? Why I never thought I’d live to see the day.”

“Yeah, I kinda surprised myself too, but it was getting time. I wanted a newer, sportier model. She sure didn’t owe me anything and it was kinda hard saying goodbye to that old Chevrolet.”

“With all the problems you’re having, I can’t help thinkin’ it could be related to your drinkin’, going to bed high as a kite every night. I’m not sayin’ it’ll work for everyone, but I think you might want to try AA.”

“I know hay is high right now. If we don’t get a rain soon, I’m gonna go broke buying hay.”

I didn’t say “hay” you old goat, I said ... ah just fuggidabout it.”

Lee Pitts is an independent columnist for The Atascadero News and Paso Robles Press; you can email them at leepitts@ leepittsbooks.com.

This is the day which the Lord has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it (Psalm 118:24). This may seem to be a tough challenge to accept, but it truly is a choice we must make.

There is a God in Heaven who is the Creator all things. Believe or not, He is working things out for your good. He says that all things are working together for our benefit. This gives us a foundation where we actually can be glad in our every day.

We have been created by an extraordinary Designer.

He fashioned and molded us in His likeness; thus, we are extraordinary. We are not good within ourselves, but it is the presence of the Designer in us. God created male and female. After He made the human man, He breathed into Adam and thus deposited Himself into what He had made. Therefore, we possess extraordinary abilities, a creative mind, and a supernatural strength to endure and be resilient in hardships. We need to cultivate a mindset that is focused on the handiwork of the Designer. You need to know, believe, and live out the fact that you are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14). Nothing is going to happen to you by accident. Surely things will catch us off-guard, but the watchful eye of the Lord is answering your prayer and making a way for you.

I want to encourage you. If you feel your beginning was not so great, it is time for you to now create a thing of greatness and beauty. Don’t live in your failure or your defeat of the past. God can take a shattered and broken past and create a beautiful mosaic out it. You are to be one of God’s greatest masterpieces. Do not live with your self-imposed limits and do not allow anyone other than God to create your destiny. See your today as a blank canvas. You are the physical artist of your day and life. Refuse to allow people to paint their design on your canvas. You are the author of the book of your life. You can make it a comedy or a tragedy. It can be a drama, or a mystery filled with suspense.

As author John Bevere said, “Extraordinary is the life you were meant to live.” is

So how do we start living in an extraordinary way?

First, it starts with honesty. We often tell the biggest lies to ourselves. We want to convince ourselves that we have no problem, and everything is fine and dandy. But we must come to the place where we can say, I am a sinner and I have need of a Savior.

Secondly, if we confess our sin, He is faithful to forgive us. all of us have sinned, so we all must call upon God.

Thirdly, choose to live in joy. Change your focus from the problem to the solution: Jesus! If you can see it and believe it, you can achieve it! Have an extraordinary day — and life.

Paso Robles, Templeton and Atascadero Prep Sports pack in games, banquets and college signing.

NORTH COUNTY — Student athletes across North County have been working hard on and off the field. Here is a roundup gallery of the latest local games.