Now that we are out of holiday mode and pretending to eat well, let’s talk about sliders.

Notably, Green Chile Cheeseburger Sliders. It is not summer, but GCC Sliders are great and the perfect food for the Superbowl. You can put green chile on sliders and all kinds of cheeses.

Where can I get slider buns? I have gotten them at Smith’s, Whole Foods (pretzel), and Trader Joe’s. I am sure others have them or you can use a dinner bun that you can find everywhere.

While at it, substitute chicken, sausage, brats, veggies, and even seafood! How about a GCC Crab Slider? Cue the mouth watering!

There is only one problem with sliders. They are small so if you aren’t careful you can eat a bunch!


Barbe Awalt

So you got a Bucket List book as a gift – thank you! But want to give it painlessly but with flair. No problem: Try these ideas – they work with any Bucket List book:
1. Throw it in a bag with tons of holiday candy. Done and fun!
2. Combine it with the many candy cane popcorns. Don’t take the popcorn out of the bag – it is greasy and will do no good to the book!
3. Make an in-front-of-the-fire gift. Wine or hot chocolate, pine cone starters and a match, and if you go all out an inexpensive throw blanket.
4. For the Personal Bucket List book put in a pen, post its, and a New Mexico passport.
5. The Genealogy Bucket List book is similar – pen, post its, pad of list paper, and any family histories you may have.
6. The Santa Fe and New Mexico Bucket List books can have a map, a pad, and anything else local to throw in and enjoy on a trip.
7. The Green Chile Cheeseburger Bucket List book needs a gift coupon to a place in the book and a can of Hatch Green Chiles.
8. Space Buffs can have Space Ice Cream, Star Trek Cards, or frankly anything space in the bag.
9. Cowboy is easy too – toy figurines of cowboys, Cowboy bandages, or cowboy socks!
10. Kicking the Bucket List is easy – a pad, sticky notes, marker, a map of Goodwill donation boxes, and obits!
11. The Christmas Bucket List book can have candy canes, ornaments, tinsel, holiday recipes and the dreaded fruitcake in a bag!

Have fun and the receiver will too!

Barbe Awalt

The stress of finding a fun gift! But never fear if you have run out of ideas give a Bucket List book. If you can’t find the right gift you can never go wrong with the Personal Bucket List book – they write their own list! Or Kicking the Bucket List book addresses end of life matters in a fun way – we are all going to die. Though not a Bucket List book per se, The Basic Genealogy Checklist would appeal to almost anyone. Of course the spirit of the season is the Christmas Bucket List book. Combine it with a candy cane and you are golden or red and green!

Remember, books make great gifts, they are easy to wrap or throw in a bag, simple to ship, and THEY DON’T BREAK!

Barbe Awalt

Last night was the NM & AZ Book Awards Banquet and the Winners in the Book Awards were announced. I am very happy to say that all of the Bucket List Books entered received awards.

Cowboy Bucket List Book - Winner
Green Chile Cheeseburger List Books – Winner
Space Buff’s Bucket List Book – Winner
AND
Santa Fe Bucket Book List Book – 2 Winners – First Book & Small Book Cover

The books sell very well and are now Winners. What more could you ask for?

To mark the win – the four Bucket List Books are $10 (plus postage) Saturday and Sunday (this offer expires at midnight on Nov 20, 2016. Why $10? It is to mark the 10th Anniversary of the NM & AZ Book Awards. Don’t delay because this is a really good deal!

- Barbe Awalt

After reflecting on the Green Chile Cheeseburgers I judged, the best ones are those made on your own grill. You have control: buns, toppings, types of cheese, type of meat, and hot or mild green chile. You know what you like. And you can cook as many as you want!

Now is this season to cook out. It still is warm and you can enjoy the taste of a good green chile cheeseburger!

I did see that the construction elves were busy on the new Range Café on Rio Grande Blvd. near I25 and Old Town. I can’t wait! Yum!


- Barbe Awalt