Taco Pie Remembered

What do you do with left over pie crust? Make taco pie of course! I haven't had this since I was a kid. It was good, easy and something a little different so I thought I'd share my nostalgic recipe.  

photo credit from Allrcipes.com


Ingredients:
1 pie crust
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 package of ground turkey meat
1/2 chopped onion
1 packet of taco spice
2/3 cup water
1 can of chopped tomatoes
1 can of black beans rinsed  and drained
1 cup of shredded sharp cheddar
(optional sour cream, black olives & jalapenos)

• Bake the empty pie crust at 400 for 15 minutes while starting the meat
• Heat the olive oil and start the onions
• Add turkey meat
• Add the taco spice and water to the meat as directed on season packet
• Begin to layer the ingredients into pie crust; meat, beans, tomatoes then cheese
• Bake about 20-25 minutes at 350 to melt the cheese and brown the crust

ENJOY! I added sour cream and jalapenos after cooked. My mom use to put canned black olives in the pie and a top pie crust too.

Daydreaming This Cold Away

This week has been cold. February cold. And we still have February to bear. As Tom Robbins said, "If February is the color of lard on rye, its aroma is that of wet wool trousers.".

I supremely dislike February so it's high time to transport myself. Since it will not be physically I will have to suffice with remembering a great vacation we took that has been on my mind lately.

About to enter Grand Teton National Park

IT WAS WARM in September 2009 and Mountain Man, Spike and I drove from Colorado Springs to Glacier National Park. We slept in the back of a minivan (down by the river) at national parks most nights. We had campfires. Ate from cans. The best part was seeing all of those great parks and that part of the USA. Yellowstone is magical with its history & beauty. You can imagine all of the people who stayed at the old hotels and ate in the those grand dining rooms. So many artists photographing and painting those iconic images we get to call ours.

22 miles SE of Old Faithful

We had a run in with a buffalo and saw a bear run across the road. Cattle road blocked us. Windmills filled the horizon sometimes. The night sky was so clear we saw the Milky Way as close as if we could reach up and grab it. We drove through Indian Reservations. Raced to get the last available campsite more than once. Found the place we'd like to buy a vacation home. Thought about writing a Spike adventure book. Such a great trip. Did I mention it was warm? I hope you are thinking warm thoughts to get you through too.

I Do Apologize

Why must conversions always come so late? Why do people always apologize to corpses? David Brine (science-fiction writer)

This weekend reminded me how I got over a huge hump a few years ago when I learned to say I'm sorry. An ex, who shall remain nameless, used to complain to me, "Why don't you apologize? You never say you're sorry, you could do that once in a while".
It's something I very rarely did. Before him I never gave it much thought. I didn't grow up hearing it and I continued the tradition by holding on to my ego and pride as if my life depended upon it. I could not admit to being wrong even if I felt bad for whatever I did. I would get stuck in the mud.

His question was valid and began some thinking.
I have found that it is very freeing to apologize. It begins to untangle the guilt of an error. It shows someone you respect/love them enough to do something difficult and that you care. It usually gets things moving back in a positive direction. And it even begins the forgiveness to myself instead of harboring guilt for a mistake. It just feels good.

More Decore

Here are few other projects I have done around the house in the past few months. After much pinning about it I finally hung plates and I have new lamps coming. I used Invisible Plate Hangers. They are great. 

I made these window treatments with an Ikea tablecloth I just loved the pattern. I used iron on hems and inexpensive rods. The mountain wall decals are from Bilk.

I wanted to show my beloved DWR Twilight Sofa protected with a duvet cover in the kids' room.The flags were made for a birthday party from paper I had. The needlepoint from the thrift store.

Master Redeux

 A quick update on a past blog Going Interior To Decorate. The curtains are up and the window cornices are made and installed. The dresser, sofa and rug are in. Let me tell you I looked for the perfect pillows for a long time! Still some finishing touches to go but wanted to share as promised. It is an oasis! For product info you can check out my Pinterest board Master Final.

BEFORE

AFTER Looking in from the french doors. The mirrors aren't hung because I think  a
 big old flat screen is going in instead.

Cement floors were stained by Mountain Man. The window treatments were made by me!

Into The New Year Consciously

I always love the fresh start of a new year. It's like a blank canvas with so much hope for the making of a new masterpiece. So far I am starting out day by day to do better by me.

•  I am being more conscious (about how I spend my time, eating, exercise, family time, helping around the house).
• Consciously not taking the expensive toll road to save 5 minutes in my commute
• Consciously dealing with debt
• Consciously not engaging in bickering
• Consciously not spending time thinking about past mistakes

To begin anew also means reflecting on the past year, exhaling that it's over and kissing it good-bye. Rich keeps saying, "You made it!" But I haven't let myself feel the victory yet. I'm ready to let it go!

It's astonishing how well it turned out considering...
In 2012 we celebrated our 2nd consecutive New Year while pregnant. January 13 Stella fell and deeply cut her face just missing her eye. In February we celebrated her first 1st birthday and in March I went into preterm labor.    Three. Months. Early.

Ignorance is a good thing sometimes. It saved me from knowing and freaking out about all of the possible complication a premature baby can have.

My first time holding Sam 3 days after he was born.

March 8th Sam was taken from my womb stabilized and sent to another hospital for more support. That was the hardest moment of the year. Maybe ever. All I can say is I always felt that everything would be o.k. from the first day through Sam's two months in the NICU. So many things could have gone wrong but he was a perfect patient. He came home in May. In June he had hernia surgery and things have been pretty normal ever since.

The rest of 2012 is a blur. We really have the home improvements moving forward and NICU bills under control. In the scheme of things we have our health and today and that is everything. HELLO 2013!

Making The Most Of A Roast

Wow! I'm expected to know how to give birth and blow torch a roast?

courtesy of drewslowfoodcu

This year I hosted Christmas dinner.
I said, "Sure, I'll host and make a roast!"
It sounded traditional and picture book perfect.

...And they all said Merry Christmas and had roast. The End.

Only I had never made a roast.

I had never purchased a big hunk of beef nor known how many cuts there were under the category of roast. I didn't know the (shocking) price of a quality roast for 8 people.

After weeks of preparation for this curious thing I called Christmas Roast and sorting through many ways to cook one, I should now have an associates degree in bone in rib roast making. Thanks to a lot of looking around online, asking various butchers at meat counters, checking several recipes I landed on this site that had all I needed to make my Christmas Roast. Well, I'm happy to say with luck and research they all said Merry Christmas and had a deliciously prepared roast.
The End

Half Baked Christmas

I tried to get the house in a Christmasy spirit and all that happened was some half-ass as-quick-as-I-could bad light jobs. A lame project here and there that just needs more time and attention. My Christmas cards were dark and someones chin was partially chopped off. But they got out damn it!
More than once Rich has said, "that's embarrassing". I don't have it in me to care. Maybe next year. Maybe never.

Everything I can get done in a weekend occurs in the 2 hour window when Stella takes a nap. (If Sam is napping too.) This includes showering and maybe brushing my fangs.

The most tiring part about motherhood I've found is the 10 levels of multitasking and mental planning going on and on in my head. Doing everything interrupted is not good for concentration.

When can there be just one thought.
One task.
And the time to do it?

I got a project done yesterday that had been on my mind for several months. I've been waffling around about what to put above the buffet in the dining room and after accumulating a decent collection of plates to use they were hung. Rich helped with the arrangement and wall anchor technique. I have lamps on order so I'll attach a picture when it's "more done" as all the way done may be a thing of the past.

Favorite Things

These are a few of my favorite things. This year and right now. Happy Holidays!

By artist Paige Bridges

Entertainment
Explore  blog about a 30-something Colorado couple currently going around the world in 18 months. What do you pack for that?!
HGTV Magazine  forever looking for my Domino replacement
Flipping Out  Jeff Lewis is part artist, mental patient, pervy friend and bravely bares a lot of himself in this t.v. show

Shopping
One Kings Lane daily specials on interior decorating and gifts - new stuff and antiques
Zulily good deals on kids stuff. Shipping takes a few weeks but usually it's worth it.
Arbonne RE9 Advanced Intensive Renewal Serum not a big lotion person but when I put this on at night my skin is seriously softer and actually 'radiant' the next day.

Tech
No contract phone! I now pay half of what I used to pay per month and I have unlimited everything. I LOVE IT. So far so good.
Pinterest for filing ideas, images, decore, food, you name it. File the picture so you can look at it later and go,"oh yeah, good idea!" The image often takes you back to the url if it's still active too.

Food
Lori's Lemon Honest Tea good natural tea with a little sweet (no corn syrup)
Sweet Leaf gallons of sweet tea for my honey (also no corn syrup & their original site is corrupt right now)
Perdue Simply Smart Chicken - my 1 year old loves this chicken. She knows when I substitute with a different brand. Just chicken and a light breading. For grown-ups throw a couple strips on a salad for a healthy quick dinner.
Allrecipes for really decent recipes and a lot to choose from
Simply Naked wine they had me at unoaked. Decent wine for meals and for the unspecial occasion of you, your love and some t.v.

Seasonal
Wegmans Cranberry orange bread good right out of the bread bag plain. Anything else makes it just that much better. Seasonal and sooo tasty.
Bad Santa my favorite holiday movie. Hey, I'm twisted. This is a real different take on Christmas spirit. If you are OK with rated R movies & you like Billie Bob Thornton check it out.
Bull Run Festival of Lights  Maybe there is a good light show in your neighborhood.
I love getting in the car Christmas eve and getting my cheesy light display on. The babies get to sit in my lap we go so slow through this park.

Green Dogs Are Great

Celebrating December 13 will be the 4th year I've had my rescue dog. In Byrdie's honor (formerly Robin) I'll tell you our story of adoption.

Once upon a time I was looking for a French Bulldog. I wanted a rescue, adult, non-chewing, house trained dog. My quest led me to Petfinder. Which led me to a million different breeds. Who knew Frenchies were hard to come by as they are in demand.

Elvis, Bubba, Byrd, Byrdie, Bbbbbyrd, Robin

I made an inquiry call about a dog and ended up being a foster parent the next day for Family Pack Rescue. The dog I liked had been rescued so I was asked to foster 2 beagle brothers that were going to be killed by the weekend if someone didn't take them home. Not what I had planned but I liked being a foster mom. I helped get some pups out of danger and move them through the system while I looked for my forever dog. I'd never owned a dog so fostering was a warm up to ownershipdom.

One day I got an alert from Family Pack Rescue with a list of dogs that were in need "or else" and I saw my girl. Not a Frenchy but a sweet funny face that spoke to me. I made the call did the application and planned my overnight trip to Roane County Animal Shelter. One of my best rash moves ever. She is as sweet as her picture.

I learned shelter life is brutal. Many shelters don't have the funds to pay for electricity or man power over the weekends so animals either get fostered/adopted out or die.
Coming into the holiday season if you are considering a pet consider your local shelter Shelters by state. Such a gift!