Blog Challenge Day 1: SITS Girls Memories

I'm behind. I'm sure this doesn't surprise you. I sure as heck doesn't surprise me. I knew when i planned to take on this challenge, i would most likely get caught up in life and lose all sites on completing it. But i am determined. So hang on, this will be a whirlwind of posts to catch up before the challenge ends.

Photo by Sally French shared through Creative Commons

Day 1: Memories brought to you by the letter "B"

The challenge was simply to share a fun school story, anecdote or some memory from my school days long ago. So many came to mind, but mostly high school kept making a come back in my mind. I'm still debating posting any picture to share, but I'll share a minor tidbit that always baffles me when I look back.

I had a "B" stage. Well almost my whole high school career was a "B" stage, minus the time with "M" and with "J". I didn't really have a "type" of guy I dated or was interested in. I just went for what I liked. But there was a very long period when that "type" all had names that started with "B" and many shared the same name. My poor best friends was lost trying to keep up, funny because one of their names started with a "B" too. I digress.

These boys were my sunlight. They made me laugh. They made my heart flutter. They made me reconsider every outfit selection 2 or 3 times each morning to ensure I looked my best. And sadly enough, they broke that same heart. But we did have some fun times!

Band and these boys were a huge part of my high school years. I remember trips on Bus 3 for Band competitions and football games. A few crazy moments with toilet paper, rubber gloves and lots of duct tape. I remember alka-seltzer and seagulls. I remember more band charts and marching drills than I care to remember. They made me laugh. They mentally stimulated me.

There were 4 in this phase. They were never apart of the same group, except as members of the band. Two were older. One was the same age and one was younger. Each brought something new to the equation and different than the one prior. B#1 showed me that I liked the idea of older boys and feeling protected. He showed me that authority can be given but respect has to be earned. B#2 taught me that hard work would pay off. He showed me that you can change a tiger's strips. He also showed me how to laugh, genuinely have fun laughing. I still smile thinking about this one. B#3 was so different. He had amazing relationship with his mother, whom I adored. All were smart, but this one challenged me.  The thrill of chasing him made my head swim some days. To this day, he is still brilliant and such an odd duck that few ever truly figure him out. And B#4.

I could take forever talking about B#4. He was my best friend. He was an awesome Christian, still is. We argued over religion. We flirted over movies. We tried to spend a great deal of time together. There were many phone calls, letters and fun trips after school. He taught me that quality time is more important than gifts. He taught me that younger boys can be as much fun as older boys, or more. He showed me that have a great relationship with your mother was extremely important and respect was top priority with her. He taught me that speaking your mind about your faith despite the consequences was the best way to live. He probably had the biggest impact on my choice in future men and my husband than an other's past. He also broke my heart the greatest.

Its hard for friends to continue when you move on to different phases. College happened for me first and high school wasn't the same for him. Other men came into my life and game changed. But these 4 won't be forgotten. Each one brought something fun and new. Each one taught me a little more about myself that I didn't know. Each one had a different relationship with me. Each one I loved differently. I owe them a lot.

Today I am in a single "D" phase that I vowed will never end. Each one helped prepare me for "D" and the mental stimulation, the physical attraction, the protection, the family devotion, the emotional connection and life long commitment to this one man and all his many shades.

Thank you "B" Boys. I'm sure you know who you are.

Easy Dinner Recipe: Taco Ring

We all want to be able to get through our days with as little stress as possible, that includes dinner. Yesterday was definitely one of those days. I did not want to pay someone to feed my family but I still wanted a truly yummy meal that didn't take all night to prepare. So I defaulted to one of my favorite Easy Dinner Recipes that always puts a smile on everyone's face. And with 6 people, that isn't always an easy task.

I even took pictures to ensure you would be able to repeat the process and have happy campers in your household too. Do Not make fun of my messy kitchen. ;)

Step 1: Brown 1 lb of hamburger.

Step 2: Drain, Return to pan and add in 1 pkg of taco seasoning.

Step 3: Add shredded cheese and mix well. I use a full 16oz of cheese when I make this recipe. I try to put about 1/3 inside with the meat and the rest on the outside.

Step 4: Add 1 can of Mexi-corn and 1 can of Rotel tomatoes, draining both before. I also usually add 1 can of sliced black olives, but I was out this go round. Mix well.

Step 5: Take 1 cans of Pillsbury Dough Crescent rolls and break them into their triangles. Here is where I pull out my round Pampered Chef stone. I love that it makes the crust crispy without drying out the center. Then take 1 can of triangles laying them down on the stone, slightly overlapping each other into a starburst with the largest part of the triangle toward the center. Take the second can and repeat the process but moving about 2 inches further outward with the starburst, staggering them between the first layer's triangles. I know it sounds crazy, but this part is HUGE! So i made sure to get a picture.

Step 6: Fill with Taco meat mixture.

Step 7: Roll up each end of the triangles into the center.

Step 8: Top with cheese and bake at 350* for 20 minutes or until golden brown on top and cheese is bubbly. 

My six year old started off dinner saying he wasn't hungry and he wasn't going to eat. Then I placed the taco ring in front of him and less than 5 minutes later, it was gone and he was a happy little boy!!

I always serve mine with a dollop of Sour cream and a side salad or spanish rice. Super Easy and Super Yummy!! Enjoy!

Falling Back into Blogging: SITs Girls

Its fall. And its time to fall back into a few of my better habits and leave the bad ones behind.
So good bye to high fat fried foods. Good bye to late nights of TV. Good bye to sweaty nights of lawn work. Good bye to cracked heals and chipped toe nail polish. Good bye to ugly swim suits and tan lines.

I'm moving forward with welcoming football, tailgate parties, fall leaves, cooler nights, sweaters and everything pumpkin spiced. That includes, Starbucks' Pumpkin Spice Latte!

Photo by MeganMills

What better way to restart my blogging than by using the SITs Girl's fall back into Blogging post from today! They are encouraging those bloggers that have fallen off the face of the internet to return, share stories never told, highlight those told many moons ago and find their online voice again. I'm so game!

Its been a long time. Lots of school work, kid shuffling, diapers and more light bulb calculations than I care to discuss have taken me away from my outlet. So today, like the past few months i have tried, I rejoin the world of blogging. And as an incentive, the SITs Girls are offering a little reward to a few lucky bloggers that participate in the challenge. You can read more about it here!

Photo by Lameen

So here is to being one of the three lucky winners getting a $25 gift card to Starbucks just for rekindling an old passion and outlet! And, maybe, just maybe, I will acquire a few moments of mommy-time to enjoy a frothy beverage.

Fall Foods in Season now

I live in Texas and its a known fact that Texas has 4 seasons, hot, hotter, August and Football. On the rare occasion, we will have a week or two of nice temps and even a little snow or ice. But that is a rarity. So we fake Fall and pretend we are just as cool as everyone else. We make chili. We bake breads. We even whip up soups and stews and eat them in 90* weather when a "Cold" front comes through breaking the triple digit temps for the first time in 3-4 months.

Image by chotda

It got me to thinking. I want to really show my boys what foods are seasonal, not just what we like or have always known. So what are great foods in season now?

Image by SFAntti

The Food Network has already started showcasing recipes with added Autumn twists. You can view them here. A lot of the recipes are highlighting apples, cinnamon, pumpkin and tons of beans! Whats4eats.com has done a great job of listing all the seasonal foods. Here is their list:

These are ingredients that come into season in North America during the fall. Some i didn't even know and I'm a US Native. Any that surprised you?

September Foods

Vegetables

Beets | Beet Greens | Cauliflower | Corn | Eggplant | Porcini Mushrooms | Summer Squash | Tomatoes | Winter Squash

Fruits

Figs | Grapes | Melons | Peaches | Pears | Plums

Fish and Seafood

Oysters

October Foods

Vegetables

Beets | Beet Greens | Cauliflower | Collard Greens | Chanterelle Mushrooms | Lettuces |Parsnips | Summer Squash | Winter Squash

Fruits

Apples | Coconuts | Grapes | Melons | Peaches | Pears | Persimmons | Pomegranates |Tangerines

Fish and Seafood

Oysters

November Foods

Vegetables

Artichokes | Beets | Cabbage | Cauliflower | Celery | Celery Root | Collard Greens |Chanterelle Mushrooms | Parsnips | Rutabagas | Winter Squash | Turnips

Fruits

Apples | Coconuts | Dates | Grapefruit | Grapes | Persimmons | Pomegranates |Tangerines

Fish and Seafood

Clams (West Coast) | Dungeness Crab | Oysters

With that detailed of a list, the recipes would be endless. What to cook tonight? Will it be Boston Baked Beans? Crab cakes from scratch? Or an awesome Apple Crumble to eat after a hearty Lentil soup?

Not tonight. Tonight I want to pay homage to the passing of the Summer. Tonight I want to eat a fruit that is so beautifully in season in a manner that just screams fall is on its way! Tonight will be Stuffed Tomatoes!!!! Here is the recipe i have used many times and its still a winner in my book! Thanks to Eatingwell.com.

Image rights belong to Matley01 

INGREDIENTS

• 4 ounces 90%-lean ground beef, or 93%-lean ground turkey
• 1 cup cooked brown rice, or 1/2 cup instant brown rice
• 4 large ripe but firm tomatoes, (about 8 ounces each)
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup petite green peas, (cooked, if fresh; thawed, but not cooked, if frozen)
• 1/4 cup minced red onion
• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided
• 1 tablespoon minced flat-leaf parsley
• 1 cup breadcrumbs, made from day-old whole-wheat bread (see Tip)
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small clove garlic, minced

PREPARATION

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Coat an 8-inch-square baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Cook ground beef or turkey in a small skillet over medium-high heat, crumbling with a spoon, until brown and cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.
3. If using cooked rice, go to Step 4. To prepare instant brown rice, bring 1/2 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan. Stir in rice, return to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
4. Add cooked rice to the bowl with the meat.
5. Meanwhile, slice enough off the top of each tomato to remove the core (1/2 to 1 inch). Scoop out the tomato pulp using a teaspoon or melon baller. Finely chop 1/2 cup of the pulp and add to the bowl with the rice and meat. (Reserve the remaining pulp for another use; see Kitchen Tips.) Season the inside of the tomatoes with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper.
6. Add peas, onion, 1/4 cup cheese, parsley, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper to the rice mixture. Stir to combine. Divide the mixture evenly among the tomatoes and place the tomatoes in the prepared baking dish. Combine the remaining 1/4 cup cheese, breadcrumbs, oil and garlic in a small bowl. Sprinkle the mixture on top of the tomatoes.
7. Bake the tomatoes until the crumbs are golden and the tomatoes are soft, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve immediately.

TIPS & NOTES

• Tip: To make fresh breadcrumbs: Trim crusts from firm sandwich bread. Tear the bread into pieces and process in a food processor until coarse crumbs form. One slice makes about 1/3 cup.
• Kitchen Tip: Save the scooped-out tomato pulp to use in fresh tomato soup or pasta sauce. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months.

NUTRITION

Per serving: 355 calories; 16 g fat ( 5 g sat , 7 g mono ); 35 mg cholesterol; 11 g carbohydrates; 20 gprotein; 6 g fiber; 639 mg sodium; 695 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (90% daily value), Calcium (25% dv), Potassium (20% dv), Iron (15% dv).

Carbohydrate Servings: 2

Exchanges: 2 starch,1 vegetable, 1 1/2 high-fat meat