This post is sponsored by ConAgra Foods.

I have been cooking so much lately and I've had a lot of fun coming up with recipes for things I'd normally buy pre-made, like this salsa. It takes no time at all, and you can customize it however you like (for me that means lots of lime and cilantro).

Ingredients:

• 2 10-ounce cans of ROTEL Diced Tomatoes (I used one Chunky and one Hot, and the salsa ended up super spicy, which I love--but you can mix and match however you'd like)
• 1/2 of a white onion, diced 
• 1 clove of garlic, diced finely
• The juice of 1/2 a lime
• 1 generous handful of chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish

Instructions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Stir well.
2. If possible, refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.

All throughout the month of May, ConAgra Foods (the brand behind names like Egg Beaters, Hunt's, PAM, ROTEL, Reddi-wip, and Simply Ground Peter Pan Peanut Butter) is putting on the #GreatAmericanCookIn challenge, which aims to sharpen cooking skills, meal planning, and creativity in the kitchen.

I was asked to share some tips, ideas, and a recipe to help participants successfully cook-in for a week this month, and I kept going back to canned tomatoes. I keep them in my pantry at all times because they are just so versatile. You can make your own salsa with them, which is always great because you can have that with chips as a snack or you can scoop it on top of scrambled eggs or chicken to spice up an otherwise boring meal. Here are a few other ideas:

• Sauté with some garlic and onion to create a really easy and healthy pasta sauce.
• Throw them in a Dutch oven with ground beef, onions, carrots, and celery for a great stew.
• Make tomato soup by cooking them in a pot with spices before blending.
• Baked eggs are super easy and one of my favorite breakfasts--they are absolutely delicious cooked with tomatoes.

Find more tools for success at Forkful.com, including a guide to planning meals ahead of time, grocery shopping tips, recipes, and more. Don’t forget to pledge to participate in this one-week challenge by using hashtag #GreatAmericanCookIn on Twitter or Instagram! 

Visit Forkful.com for your guide to the #GreatAmericanCookIn, including tips, tricks, and delicious new recipes.

“Wherever you go, I will go. Wherever you live, I will live. Your people shall be my people. Wherever you die, I will die and be buried beside you. We shall be together forever and our love will be the gift of our lives.”

— Ruth 1:16-17

What a year, my dear.

And what good is an anniversary without a link to the wedding video?

Two years ago this week, we were in Virginia getting ready for our wedding.

It had rained Monday through Thursday and I was trying not to panic about our outdoor ceremony being muddy. It ended up being one of those perfect spring weekends, though, where the rain cools everything down and then clears up and it's 70 degrees and sunny and the whole world smells like fresh-cut grass and rainfall. 

This weekend it rained again. We packed. I wrote for hours. We spent two hours loading the car and bringing things over to our new house. And then we returned to the apartment, popped a small bottle of Veuve Clicquot, poured two glasses, and got ready for dinner at Kindred, our favorite place in North Carolina. We ordered drinks and tore into the best bread you could imagine and giggled as our server brought out plate after plate: a beautiful little salad, duck fat potatoes, crispy fried oysters, beef tartare, and homemade pasta.

We left the restaurant in the rain and drove about 15 minutes down the road to where my mom was for the weekend. A quick hug on the sidewalk, and then it was back to Kindred to sit at the bar for a pisco sour and a slice of cake, which came out with a lit candle. I blew it out with Rob's hand in mine and thought about what wishes I could possibly even have at this point.

We have so many changes and transitions coming up that at times it feels like I can't keep my head above water, but we have a happy, healthy family; a sweet pup that brightens our day, exciting job opportunities presenting themselves to us regularly, and; no matter what, each other.

On Sunday we drove over to our new place and I cooked lunch and dinner in the kitchen. Rob sat at the kitchen table watching the NBA Playoff and my mom puttered around, unpacking dishes and folding linens. Ender went in and out as he pleased, frolicking through the fenced-in backyard like he couldn't even believe his luck.

May really can be magical.