Tater Tot Casserole

This is how it turned out:

I soooooooooo needed an easy recipe like this after a night like last night. It was quick, easy, and not half bad. My daughter loved it! For an easy meal on a busy night I'd do it again.

TATER TO CASSEROLE

1lb Ground Beef
1/2 c. chopped onion (or onion salt)
2 (16oz pkgs. Tater tots
2 cans cream of chicken soup (or 1 can cream of mushroom and 1 can cream of chicken)
1 can milk
Grated Cheese

Brown beef and onions. Drain fat. Combine soups and milk. In 9X13 pan, layer tater tots, ground beef, and soup mixture. Top with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 45min.

It literally took me 20minutes to prepare. So on easy prep I'll give it 5 stars, on quality I'll give it 1 1/2 maybe 2 stars.

Costa Vida's Sweet Pork Salads

Recipe Used (From the Slotted Spoon Blog)

Costa Vida Sweet Pork (knock-off recipe)

Pork Roast (4-5 lbs), thawed if frozen
3 c. Coke
1 can tomato sauce
1/2 c. sugar
2 Tbsp. (heaping) brown sugar
1 Tbsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. powdered garlic
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 large carrots, peeled and grated
1 (smallish) serrano pepper, seeded and diced
1 medium yellow onion, chopped

Cut away any obvious fat portions from the roast. Place all ingredients in a crock pot and cook on high for 6-7 hours.

Remove pork to cutting board.

Add an additional 1/2 c. granulated sugar and 1 cup Coke to the liquid in the crock pot. Stir.

Shred the pork, removing excess fat and bones, and add back to the crock pot. Stir.

Reduce to low and cook an additional 3 hours.

Serve pork in Costa Vida style burritos, or otherwise as desired.

*Cover remaining pork and refrigerate for up to one week. It can also be placed in freezer safe bags and frozen for use up to 3+ months later.

Tomatillo Ranch Salad Dressing (Slotted Spoon Blog)

- 7-8 tomatillos, husked and cut in half
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 envelope Ranch Salad Dressing Mix (any brand)
- 1⁄2 envelope (Hidden Valley) Fiesta Ranch Salad Dressing
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- Juice from 2 freshly squeezed limes
- 2 Tbsp. milk
- 1⁄3 cup freshly chopped cilantro

Combine all ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth.

(Store in refrigerator 5-7 days)

Homemade Guacomole (AMAZING)

6 Avocados
2 Jalapeno peppers chopped
2 Roma tomatoes chopped
1 TBSP Garlic Miced
1 Medium White Onion chopped
2 TBSP Lime juice
1/4 Cup fresh cilantro chopped
1 to 2 tsp Salt (to taste)
1/2 tsp pepper

Flour Tortilla Recipes

4 Cups All purpose flour
1/8 tsp baking powder
1/2 vegetable shortening
1 cup luke-warn water
1 1/2 tsp sea salt

Directions:
Place flour in large bowl. Stir in baking powder. Add shortening and use hands to work it into the dough for a good consistency. Dissolve the salt into the water, then drizzle slowly into the flour mixture. You might need to add a little more water. Work the dough into smooth consistency. Cover in a bowl for 20 minutes. Break apart into 12 balls. Roll out and cook over medium heat. While cooking the tortillas, place the cooked ones on one end of a dish towel and cover with the other end.

We topped it off with Tortilla Strips, and Black Beans...Can I just say that this was not an easy meal it took me forever and almost made me want to throw away the rest of the weeks cooking itinerary. But...IT WAS AMAZING! My husband made the tortillas and they were so good. So when you have a lot of time try this.

Meal Planning

My friend Steph started posting her weekly meal plans and I thought it would be a good idea to get me motivated. My husband loves cooking but he works nights now, and I would rather eat out than cook...I know its hard to believe that when my mother is such an amazing cook. Kurt joked once, "Ya know when I decided to marry you I thought you'd have some of your mother's cooking skills." I let him know that he had it all backwards...if you want a wife who can cook make sure her mother can't, because if her mom is a good cook the girl has probably never cooked a day in her life. (: I know thats not true for all but in my case it was. So hopefully this will help.

Sunday - We had Costa Vida Sweet Pork Salads (homemade) Not an easy meal.
Monday - We had Tater To Caserole (Very easy to make.)
Tuesday - 3 Cheese Pork Enchiladas
Wednesday - Leftovers
Thursday - Summer Salad
Friday - Mexican Caserole
Saturday - Lasgna Rolls

Some of these are kind of big meals so we might end up having leftovers 2 nights and save on of the other meals for next week.

Here are some pictures of my very successful shopping trip: I spent under $70 on it all. This should last us the next two weeks if all goes to plan. (plus stuff we already had of course).

New Blog

Hey I've created a hair blog that posts my prices and some of my work...Check it out and let me know what you think.

http://www.hairbyalyssa.blogspot.com/

An AMAZING Birthday!

It is rather ironic that one of my hardest days happened right around the same time as one of my best. I won't complain because I desperately needed it. Yesterday the 16th was my Birthday. On Monday nightthe 15th my husband took me out to dinner and a movie because he had to work on my bithday. (He works nights, but Monday was President's Day so he had it off) We went to Roosters which I picked but we weren't all too impressed with it, fun still the same. Then we saw Sherlock Holmes, it was great!

The next morning (my birthday) my husband surprised me and got up at 6:30am packed up Emilee and went to my sister in law's to babysit for me so I could sleep in. I watch kids Monday-Friday 7:30am to 12:30pm...but he went for me. I slept till 10:30am and it felt so good. Then I woke up and got ready because my mom called and invited me out to lunch with her and my dad. We went to the Greenery (Yummy!) I got home and my husband left for work, while Emi and I headed to the gym to work out and watch kids. I was tempted to just leave after I watched the kids and not work out but I didn't. I went to ZUMBA and it was the best class ever. Kami is an amazing instructor. It made me feel great. I got home about 7pm Kurt called to say he'd pick up a little caeser's pizza so I wouldn't have to cook and he'd eat with me before he went back to work.

Well, my wonderful husband showed up at 8:30pm with take out from Hug Hess and a movie, he had requested the rest of the night off to be with me! Emi and my hubby put candles in the cake and Emi blew them out. All throughout the day Emi would come up to me and say "Mama bend down," I would and she'd wrap her arms around me and say "Happy Birthday, can I blow out your candles?" Many friends and family called to wish me a happy birthday, and it really was an amazing Day thanks to all my friends, family, amazing hubby, and beautiful little girl.

A Really Rough Day

Today was a really hard day. One that I wish I could say I handled a whole lot better than I did. I woke up with a little anticipation and a whole lot of excitement. Kurt and I have been trying to get pregnant for 16months now. I know that its really not lot long compared to others we know, but for each couple going through it it seems like an eternity of trying. I found out I was pregnant with Emilee 6 months after we were married, there was no trying, no timing, no scheduling, and no work. It just happened. So, of course we figured the next one would be just as easy. I couldn't have been more wrong. We've both been tested in about every area possible and nothing is medically wrong with either of us. To put it in my doctors words, "There is really no explanation for why you are not getting pregnant." But, of course there is...It's not the right time. This is probably on of the hardest lessons I've ever had to learn. How to accept the Lord's will and have the faith that he know me better than I know myself and that he knows when we'll be blessed with another baby. I've struggled with this for a while. The first 15months every time my period came I broke down in tears, Kurt wouldn't want to come home from work and I would make some rash decision...(like the dog I bought) Each time Kurt would try to help me through it, but each month became harder and harder to bare. Last month was a breaking point. I started questioning everything. I was pretty low, and then my husband asked me if I had Faith. I said yes I have the faith that I'll get pregnant so why am I not getting pregnant? He just looked at me with compassion and said "No, do you have the faith that no matter what happens, pregnancy or no pregnancy, we'll be ok?" I thought about it for a long time, and decided that the way I was handling this trial was not healthy. So, for the last 4weeks I have been preparing myself and realizing that I really am happy. That I have so many blessings already and that if my period comes I'll be fine and I'll keep trying until I get another little one. It was a really good month..Until about a week ago. My cycle is 28-30 days like clock work. This month I was 7 days late, and I thought for sure I was pregnant. I took a test when I was 3days late and it said negative, so I thought "ok, I'm not pregnant and that's fine", and I really was fine. Then, my period never came so I called my doctor who said I could come have a blood test done. They told me my HCG levels might not be high enough to be dected by an HPT, and that I very well could be pregnant. Yesterday I went in with my hopes high. This morning they called to let me know I was not pregnant and my period came 3hours later. Lets just say this time I was not so fine, I called to Kurt let him know and then cried for a few hours. The kids I watch kept asking, "You sad?" and Emi would respond, "Just leave her alone she needs to cry for a minute." So even though I know that everything will be fine, and that this is the plan that the Lord has for me...it was still a really rough day.

An Epiphany!

As you all know from my previous post I have been working out very consistently for the last 4weeks and have lost 4 lbs. About 1lb/week. Its slow going, but healthy weight loss. Well, I have a tip for you all. If you'd like to loose 3lbs in 2days then I have the best secret....are you ready....Ok this is it..... GET STREP! I had the worst sore throat when I woke up on Friday, Friday night came and my husband was up with me all night while I cried and whined 'cause I couldn't sleep. Morning came and I went to the doctor and was told I had strep. They put me on antibiotics and gave me these really awesome suckers that numb your throat. The first time I didn't put it back far enough so it just numbed my tongue and I drooled a bit, but by the second time I used it I was a pro. I haven't eaten a whole lot for the last two days and I've slept a whole bunch. So tonight when I stepped on the scale to see if I'd kept off what I'd lost previously I was greatly surprised to see the scale read 125! Woo-hoo I haven't weighed that in a while. But, seriously...I work my butt of for the last 4 weeks and get 4lbs...I get sick, lay around all day and sleep and watch movies while my wonderful husband takes care of me and my daughter and I loose 3 lbs. NOT FARE. I guess we'll just consider my episode with strep a true body cleanser...I should write a book!

So if you'd like to loose 3lbs in 2days find someone with strep and share drinks with them, I'd say you could come over to my house but I've been on antibiotics and my doctor said I'd only be contagious for 24hrs after my first dose. Sorry! (: But you can look for my new book....

"How getting Strep enhanced my life."

P.S. It really has sucked and I hope that anyone that was near me late Thursday to Friday doesn't get it. I know I didn't share drinks or swap spit with anyone during that time frame so you should be good.

The New Year!

I started the new year out deciding I definately needed to work out. Since money is somewhat tight and gym memberships can get pricey I thought I'd have to result to jogging outside in the cold and doing workout videos that I've had since high school. Then I went to our family Christmas party and my cousin Hadlee told me about Lady Fitness and that she volunteered in the Day Care for 4hours a week and in return she got a free membership and free day care. I told her I was interested and she talked to the supervisor and got me a spot...luckily they had one opening left. So I signed up to volunteer 1hr Mon, Tues, Wed, and Thurs. that way it would get me there at least 4 times a week.

I have been attending 5 times a week since the first of January and am absolutely loving it. I run and lift on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday, I'm up to 4miles in 40min...YAY! I do Zumba on Tuesday and Thursday. For those of you that have never tried it you've got to. It is so much fun, even for someone as uncordinated as me. So far its been going great. Exercising along with watching what I eat for the last 3weeks I have lost 4 lbs. Just 13 more to go, Wish me luck!