Taco Rice

 

Taco Rice

 

1 lb ground beef

Taco seasoning

1 onion diced

1 small green bell pepper chopped

1 Tablespoon tomato paste

1 can black beans rinsed

1 small can of tomato sauce

1 small can of diced green chiles

1 Cup dry white rice (not instant)

2 Cups chicken broth

2 Cups shredded cheese of your choice (I used cheddar jack)

3 green onions sliced

 

-Using a large skillet that can also be placed in the oven, brown the ground beef and break up into smaller pieces with the taco seasoning.  You can use your own seasoning or a packet.  If you like it spicy, you can add hot sauce or red pepper flakes.

-After the beef is mostly browned, add in your diced onion, chopped green bell pepper, and tomato paste.  Stir together.

-After the vegetables have softened a bit, about 3-5 minutes, add your rinsed can of black beans, tin of tomato sauce, and the tin of green chiles.  Stir to combine.

-Add your rice.  Stir.  Let the flavors combine and then add your chicken broth and stir.

-Put a lid on your pan and turn down to simmer for 20 minutes or until your rice is cooked.

-Remove the lid, give another quick stir, and cover with the cheese.  Bake in the oven for about 10-15 minutes until the cheese is bubbling and melted.  Remove from the oven, sprinkle the whole thing with green onions and serve.  My daughter likes to eat it with tortilla chips, though I just ate mine with a spoon.

-Enjoy!

Quick Alfredo with Shrimp Recipe

 

1 stick butter

1-2 garlic cloves grated

1 ½ - 2 Cups heavy whipping cream

Pinch of ground nutmeg

1 ½ - 2 Cups shredded parmesan (can do parmesano-regiano)

Salt and pepper to taste

 

Melt stick of butter in large, deep sided sauté pan.  Simmer garlic in butter for about 5 minutes- do not let it brown, pan should be low enough to simmer but not brown the garlic!  Add the heavy whipping cream and nutmeg.  Simmer for 10 minutes until reduced.  Turn pot to low until pasta is done.  Take pot off stove (always do this when adding cheese to any dish) and stir in the shredded cheese.  Add pasta and stir.

 

Great baked shrimp to go with…

In a bowl put your raw shrimp.  I like to remove tails as well as the shell.  Add:  More grated garlic, salt, pepper, a splash of dry vermouth or a dry white wine, 1/8 tsp of cayenne pepper, parsley, ½ tsp onion powder.  Toss and let marinade for a good 10 minutes if you can, and bake on a sprayed sheet pan until the shrimp just barely start to curl and turn pink.  There will be a lot of carry over cooking for them, so don’t over-bake!  Top over your alfredo.

 

Enjoy!

 

VanGogh Immersive Experience

This year when I got a little bit of a tax return back I decided to do something that I don't often do...splurge a little on myself.  I invested in myself in two ways.  The first was to take the Ancestry DNA profile.  I have wanted to do this over the years for lots of different reasons, that I may get into another time.  The second was to get tickets to an event.  I don't often do events because they're typically expensive, and there is normally a long list of things I should spend my money on.  So, I went with tickets to an Immersive VanGogh experience.  I bought 4 tickets about 4 months ago and had been looking forward to this the whole time.  

If you have the opportunity in your area to do this experience, I would definitely recommend it.  I've always enjoyed Van Gogh's work, though I do think he's a bit over-saturated.  Still, there is something to be said about the immersive experience.  It's like being dipped into a sea of familiarity, or cocooned in a quilt that a friend made.  It's comforting and familiar, taking what you know and have seen to point so expanded you find differences in that familiar.  

I'm not sure if Mom and the kids liked it as much as I did, but I know we all had a fantastic time.  We ended up doing the show twice, once in the large room, and another time in a smaller room.  Personally, I enjoyed the smaller room better.  Perhaps because of the intimacy of it, or because I felt you almost saw more in a smaller space.

I enjoyed watching the paintings wash across Joe and Joci's faces.  Seeing their eyes light up as something special would pop up, or watching the colors change and slip along the walls.

 Chicago, August 31, 2021

Welcome to the Shit Show!

I'm trying to live a more honest and authentic life. So, in that vein, I'm going to share on social media that not everyday is a great day filled with fantastic pictures and activities. In fact, today, has been a real shit show already. It's been overwhelming, and infuriating, and one of those days that I just want to give up and spend my day watching trashy Netflix movies and eating caramel corn. I got one kid up early, forgetting that it was a late arrival day...oops. Then that same kid was having some serious oppositional behavior. The other one was in a good mood, thank God, but said an off-handed comment that made me cry. I have a person at work that, at times, I would really like to just send them a serious sharp-ass email to, reducing them to a quivering puddle of insecurity, but I don't, because it's not professional, and I'm sort of an adult. Mom's still got cancer, and I still never have enough money to live the lavish lifestyle I feel in my soul I'm supposed to be living. And, well, my better eating habits have gone off the rails and I feel a lot of shame there. I will get there again, but today is, CLEARLY, not that day.

There's a bunch of other little things that just add up to a shitty day. So lest you think my life is right on track, and if you do, you probably don't know me well, well now you know the truth. I'm a mess. I'll get through this day and on towards another one tomorrow.

*graphic used from Walmart website, Island Dogs sign. https://www.walmart.com/ip/Welcome-To-The-Shit-Show-LED-Lighted-Sign-Office-Living-Room-Or-Man-Cave/768486537

Return to Football

 While Joe did have a couple of games of football last year, they seemed more conciliatory in nature. This year there is a real excitement about the season.

Last night Joe had a demonstration game. First, he took his senior football pictures.  Including some with Jon and I, and some with his friends.

 August 19, 2021

Chicago Botanical Gardens

 

Jocelyn and I spent a lovely Sunday in July at the Chicago Botanical Gardens.  We had been there once before with Mom for Mother’s Day, but we weren’t able to see everything.  This time more things were open including the greenhouses, both tropical and dessert, and the butterfly exhibit.

These one to one moments with her are so precious.

My Superhero!

I loved how the water pooled in the heart of this plant, soaking into the inner, spongy, heart.

Very rare Ghost Orchid.  Only one in the whole garden, displayed in the case shown below.  It was tiny, about the size of my thumb.

I've seen lots of cactus flowers in my life, being from Arizona, but these were just so vibrant and colorful.  They almost looked fake.

Joci really loved being our navigator for the day.  Grandpa would be proud how well she read the map.

My beautiful, precious girl.  Always so many smiles!

We thought these were amazing.  They were dense and furry like a soft coral that had been flocked.

Loved how the dew on these leaves looked like rhinestones sewn onto the edges.

I loved this spot in the gardens.  The way the arch looked out onto the lake.  I could spend some serious time there.  If I could I would hang a hammock, grab a book, and spend the day napping and reading.

Next to the butterfly garden there was a little 'river' that the kids were running around in.  By the end of the day, Joci and I decided to soak our sore feet in the cool water and hang out in the shade.  It ended up being one of our favorite parts.