Going back to work

So, I have gone back to work. It wasn't a fun decision to make since I have been home with my kiddos for several years now and LOVE it. I tried putting off going back to work for as long as utterly possible, for the simple fact that I have been dealing with this hypothyroidism. I wish I could be like, I take my pill and it is magic....ALL BETTER! As I have mentioned before, for some people that have this, taking the pill is the magic that repairs everything. I AM NOT ONE OF THOSE LUCKY PEOPLE. Turns out untreated, it causes anemia (for which I had a blood transfusion) severe stomach issues for which I have been to the emergency multiple times. I can say that those issues are gone! YAY! Okay, wait....not completely gone. I mean it just hasn't been bad enough to send me to the hospital....but, hahaha, THAT IS AN IMPROVEMENT. No more paleness and looking like my body has been drained by a vampire.....hoorah! Gone is the bone shivering cold I used to feel in the middle of summer. I can actually MOVE! I can have a day where I clean my house! As much as I HATE, DESPISE, LOATH, DETEST....(uh, you get the pic?) cleaning....I have the energy to do it sometimes. Oh, don't get me wrong, I love for my house to be clean! Love it, love it, love it! Makes me feel GRRRRRREAT for the few seconds it is clean! I can't think right, when it's dirty. I am in a bad mood, if it's dirty. I snap at people, when it's dirty. But don't be all thinking that it is clean all the time. See, I am one person in this 6 person army and the subordinates (is it wrong to include my hubby in the subordinates....hehehe...okay, fine, he is an equal...you guys are no fun. Hahahaha.) do not share my love for a clean abode. I mean, I think they like it to be clean, but don't want to do the work. I understand, I mean there are so many other fun things to do with your time.......say like sitting on the couch like a lump on a log scrolling through Netflix trying to find yet another show that has 5 season worth of espisodes THAT YOU NEED to watch NOW! Yeah, there are important things that can be done with "cleaning time". (Is that where the period goes?) Does anyone know where I can take Freshman English? As you can tell, not enough attention was paid by yours truly during that time of my vida. MAYBE I can just show up and sit by my daughter in her class....THAT WOULD BE FUN! NOT! Ugh, who wants to go back to high school...not me! So for now you shall be perturbed by my misuse of the English language and its mechanics. Anyhoooo, oh yeah....so cleaning, like the end result...hate the process. Oh yeah, I have a new lovely symptom from this hypothyroidism that has been disrupting what should be a peaceful life....JOINT PAIN. OMG, it is so bad. I have never experienced this so severely in my life until several months ago. I was like and old arthritic dog begging to be put out of my misery. The Dr.'s gave me pain meds that didn't help! It is so funny, they gave me this medicine and it was a topical ointment......DIDN'T HELP WORTH A DAMN! However when the hubby hurt his back and used it, took him OUT! He was asleep well over half the day. So, I am 106 lbs and he is over 250....what is wrong with this picture??? So yeah, I have been in pain. WHAT DOES THIS have to do with work? Well, let me share.......see, I got this job thang, where like they give you money for walking......basically...hahaha. No really, it is called picking. Ever done it before? No? Well, for the average person, it is kinda cool. You get your fitness on WHILE at work and COULD IT GET ANY SIMPLER THAN WALKING? DO NOT BE FOOLED PEOPLE! This job is BUHRUTAHL!!!!!! (that means brutal with lots of dramatic intonation.) They (the boss man/lady) are all like, this is like, such a fun playyyce to work! WHERE IS THE FUN??? Because after my shift and during, I must take body numbing medications to make this body fit for mobility. Walking 9 hrs a day....solid. Sounds like a breeze. Talk to my feet. I am talking like 9.5 hrs NO sitting, this is not a joke or an over exaggeration. I could probably walk to L.A. I would be a great hunter gatherer cave woman with these walking skills....lol. My body is BARELY starting to adjust, (or is that the meds.....dunno...lol.) I get home and I am WIPED! BUT, BUT, BUT...........wait there is a reason why I haven't thrown in the towel just yet. See, while I have worked in offices wearing suits and talking to the major decision makers for some great companies, I worked 5 days a week. I had to beg for time off. One time, I didn't get to see my baby girl on her first day of Kinder. I know....boo hoo, there are many Mommies out there that don't get to see these milestones. I was so used to doing that....wahhh. In this job however it is very flexible in terms of days off and there are even days where they are like hey, you want tomorrow off? Hellz yeah, that is what I scream in my head! I have 3 days off and I LOOOOOVE THAT! I am trying to hang in there, I really am. Plus, I kinda thought that by getting a job where I was moving all the time, that my body would have to surrender and be like, get over it joints, she wins. These joints are putting up a hell of a fight I gotta say, but I am giving them the finger with the meds. So who is winning now? Really, I don't know hahaha. Oh well, so that is the situation for now. I am writing this on my day off, sitting in my bed, still in my jammies and still having pain even though there is no amount of walking that shall be done today.....well, for now anyways, because I hear Costco calling my name, I hear pecans (for pecan pies)and massive pounds of cheese (for mashed potatoes)and random samples of food....should I answer their call?

Swap meet fun!

Who loves the Swap Meet? Meeeeeeeee! Okay, well, I love it and hate it. I love it because it is the one place in life I can guarantee a churro will be waiting for me all nice and warm and covered in cinnamon sugar deliciousness. It's the absolute best!!!! There are however tons and tons of people. Sometimes I am in the mood for people and sometimes....NOT!

 

As you can see, I was able to take care of my churro craving as soon as we got there. Yay!

Churro cheers!

So, if you are having a party, this is definitely the place to go to get the most awesome Mexican candies and a glorious assortment of piñatas. The candy is sure to provide you with your daily allowance of lead. Hey, lead tastes great!

You can see a Hello Kitty one in the background. They always have Spiderman and any cartoon character that is "hot" at the moment.

Oh and if you have a craving for Tostilocos, you can get one of those too. Don't know what it is? Well let me fix that for you....it's pretty disgusting actually. Lol, well at least to me. However, I find that I am in the minority as I see a small crowd forming around the Tostilocos stand. Okay here is the list of ingredients, first you begin with a bag of Tostitos chips, add these little nuggets of tamarindo candy, chopped up cucumber bits, Japanese peanuts, pickled pigs skins, (I shiver as I say that) chamoy, lime and some Mexican hot sauce like Cholula, oh yeah and those little crispy things they give you to put on your wonton soup at a Chinese restaurant. So far we have involved the Japanese, Chinese and Mexicans. I guess this is what happens when world cuisines collaborate......MADNESS!! It's like anything, you add what you like. Some people add other stuff too. My interest in this stops at pickled pig skins!!! Why??? Whyyyy??? Whooo?? Who??? Really, ewwww!

Errrrr mahh gerrrrrd.........looks all wormy and sooooo NOT like something I want to partake in. Can I offer you some worms and larvae.....mmmmm!

This guy looks pretty happy!

Okay, so let's get to the other reason I go to the swampmeet, (as my precious daughter likes to call it) you can find ANYTHING THERE! Look at this wonderful variety of stuffed animals.

Need a back pack? We have 20 million different combos of Hello Kitty to choose from.

 

You are sure to find a blankie that will satisfy you or your kid or White Goodman. (Ben Stillers totally cheesy character from Dodgeball.) I mean there is a serious demand for these majestic animals on blankets the size of a house....they have been making them as long as I can remember. Yes, of course, I have even owned one. Teheee!

If you wanna be all healthy n stuff, you can buy and O.G. style juicer y todo.

This is what I wanted to buy, but they didn't have one in my size. I love those shirts with all the flowers embroidered. So purrrrty!

Mexican art at it finest. So colorful!

Of course we cannot forget the knock offs, lol! I almost bought some Super Markers.

The Swap Meet is where we go when I have a churro craving, need some glasses or Mexican candy. It's a fun place to search for treasures. Let me give you the run down on what we got. I wish I would have taken a photo, but at some point, I was tuckered out from walking on what was my day off. (I walk enough at work......believe me, I have a blog post rant in regards to that coming soon....lol.) Okay, we got glasses, nail polish pens that retail for MORE than the $2 we paid, Sally Hansen nail strip things, lots of hair bows, shoes for the kids, makeup, I got this cool as seen on tv speaker for my iPhone, an as seen on tv garden hose......can't wait to see if all my goodies work! Ha! That is the thing about the swampmeet, sometimes you take a gamble.......lol! Always good times at the swamp meet.

30 Days of Thanks ~ Days15 and 16

 I am thankful, that I have a car. I am also thankful for planes and trains and all those ways we get from A to B. It is a way for us to see the rest of this wonderful world. Without these things, I would never have seen the blue waters of Cancun, Hawaii and Manzanillo. I have also seen my father's hometown. It is these things that will one day take me to my dream destination of Italy!

I am thankful for hugs. I am always up for a good hug from my hubby or my kids.

Hope you guys are all finding things to be thankful for!!!

30 days of Thanks~ Day 7-13

So, I have been a slacker and have not been staying on track with my grateful postings. Believe me, it is not for lack of moments of gratitude in my life! I have just been so, so, so busy. I don't want to just forget this and toss it to the way side though, so I am going to play some catch up....story of my life...lol.

So today, I am going to post a weeks worth of thanks....get ready! Actually, I think I better try and make this short so I don't fall asleep.....ahhhh sleep.

Let me begin with sleep....yes, I am thankful for sleep. You know the kind where you wake up on your own and feel refreshed? Oh, those days are divine. Not enough of them, but when they happen, it is for sure the start of a great day!

I am also thankful for coffee. I don't LOVE the flavor, but I love the smell. I drink a cup almost every morning, but it's the smell that makes me crave it. Oh and of course, I love the fact that it helps me on the mornings that sleep was not as restorative as I would have hoped.

I am thankful for the sun. I love the feeling of the sun on my skin as it makes me feel all toasty. I could NEVER live in a place like Washington....I NEED THE SUN. It makes me feel alive!

I am so incredibly thankful that I have a home to shelter my family and I from the forces of nature. I always think of this on days when it is so cold and windy or rainy outside. It makes me sad to know that there are people out there who are not as fortunate.

I am also SOOOOOOO GRATEFUL for water. I don't even like it that much because it makes me stay glued to the nearest bathroom, but when I see the devastation in the Philippines and how hard clean water is to come by, it breaks my heart and I say my thanks to God.

I am thankful for a good book. I love to read, but I also go through times when I am sad that a book ended and so I take a break. Why can't every good book go on for ever and ever....t.v shows last years!!!! So should a good book!

And to close I am grateful for the medicines that are keeping my body functioning. Without my medicine I would be a pool of goo on the floor unable to move. I never thought I would have to take meds for the rest of my life, but whatever...I do and I am happy they exist to keep me well. Yay for meds!!!


Yay, I am caught up! Woohoo for me and not just abandoning this because I got behind....that is what I would have done before. I am trying to stop that kinda behavior.

Good night, sweet dreams!

30 Days of Thanks ~ Day 6

Today I am thankful for the Internet...lol. I know a lot of people think that social media is ruining communication, but I love it. I love all the information that we have at our finger tips and well, it is just flat out entertaining/ You can also learn so much!

I am writing this in a state of exhaustion, so please forgive me if I don't make sense...lol. In today's information age you can keep in touch with friends and family that are a million miles away and not get charged an arm and a leg. Back in my day, lol, when I used the phone to call my friends that lived a measly 1 hr away the phone bill would be GINORMOUS!! If I sent a letter, I truly believe that a snail delivered it! It would take WEEKS for a letter to get to my bff in Oklahoma. Well, I remember those days!

Thankful for the Internet!

can't write anymore....tired.....maybe tomorrow I will be thankful for my bed


Buenas noches

30 days of Thanks ~ Day 5

This one might sound a little odd....but I am thankful for my hair. I always have had curly hair. Of course, I hated it as a child, but learned to appreciate it as I got older. Well, now, my hair is all jacked up....hahahaha. It is half curly, half straight, and the texture is horrible. You know how if you get a strand of hair and turn run it between your fingers from the tip of it to the root? Well, if you do that it will feel rough. Well, my hair feels like that even if you do that from root to tip.

Most people don't know what a hot mess my hair is unless I tell them because a curling iron and straight iron are my best friends. OR, they do know and are kind enough to let me think I am pulling the wool over their eyes. :)

 The other day I was sitting outside for my sons soccer game really early in the morning and I was cold and I had my crappy hair in a ponytail. I had to put my hair down to cover my ears and it totally helped. So that is one reason that I am happy for my locks.

The other is reason is just for vanity and I cannot find an angle to make it sound good. Hair is fun! Curly, straight, braids, updo's, and dyeing...the list is endless! I don't know what I would do without my hair. I don't know if I would feel beautiful. I know, shallow. I hate to admit this, because I know  there are warriors out there fighting cancer. People who don't have a choice. I know there are people with other illnesses that make them lose their hair. They have a strength and courage that is AMAZING! Besides, I know that underneath this hair is a square shaped head...hahahaha.

So, I am thankful for my hair, because it is there and it helps me feel purrty and keeps my cabeza warm.

I must not end this however, without saying again, I see individuals who have lost their hair due to illness, not as a choice they were happy to make and to them I say you are brave souls who have a courage that I have not found yet. You are an inspiration and when I grow up, I want to be like you.....love your shallow crappy haired friend..

30 days of Thanks ~ Day 4

Why, oh why am I always late? Anyways, I have another thing to add to my 30 days of thanks. I am thankful for having stayed home with my babies for the past few years. I have loved every second of picking them up from school, or the bus stop. I love their little faces as they tell me about the day that just ended for them. I also love to go and pick up my older kids and hear about what happened to them at school. I love to make them breakfast in the mornings. I love it ALL! I love being able to make them a little snack and relax with them before we get them all ready to start on homework. I am so thankful that for the past several years, I have been able to stay home with these 4 kids that I love so, so much. Our mornings are crazy, but I will always treasure the chaos! Lol ;)

How to make Arroz Con Leche

 

 

 

 

Arroz con leche is one of my kids favorite desserts to eat. I rarely make it because when they have a craving for it, usually my mother in law makes it for them. So last night, I thought I would make some for them as a little surprise. It is a very simple thing to make!

 

So here are the things you will need to make this warm, comforting desert! Now just to let you know, I made a lot! So you can just take the recipe and half it so that you don't make so much. OR, make it and take some to work, or share it with someone you know who loves it!

 

You will need :

2 cups of rice
6 Cups of water
4 cups of milk
1 can of evaporated milk
1 can of sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup of sugar
1 tbsp. of vanilla extract
1-2 sticks of cinnamon
ground cinnamon to taste

So to get started on this dish, you want to combine the water, cinnamon sticks, and sugar in a large stock pot. Bring this to a boil. Once it has boiled, add your rice to the water. Now cook until the rice is soft and most of the water has been absorbed by the rice. When rice is nice and tender, add your milk and vanilla. This is a dish that has to kind of be baby sat. You can't just leave it alone. You have to constantly be stirring it to make sure that the rice doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan. once you have added your milk you can reduce the heat to medium and just keep stirring, just keep stirring. Once you see that the milk has absorbed into the rice some, you can add your can of evaporated milk and sweetened condensed milk. AND again, keep stirring that rice. You want to make sure the rice doesn't break into a mush, but that it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan. Have I mentioned that enough times? Lol! So once you have seen that a lot of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice and the rice is nice and tender....YOU ARE SO DONE! :) Now taste your dish and if you are like my kids and you enjoy a stronger cinnamon flavor, add some ground cinnamon until you are satisfied with the flavor.

ENJOY YOUR ARROZ CON LECHE!

30 days of Thanks~ Day 3

Time to play catch up...here is day 3 and today I am grateful for my health even though it isn't quite where I want it to be, I am still a functional human being mostly every day. I don't have a terminal illness. I know I complain about not being able to remember things, tummy troubles and the joint pain BUT, I have faith that someday soon, I will be restored to a state that can be a shining example of good health. My Dr. says no, but screw her! Hahaha. I guess there is no better way to be truly grateful of ones health, other than to be unhealthy for a period of time. Hard lesson to learn, but it sure makes the good days GREAT! I have been feeling way better and good days have been outnumbering the bad....so.....here's to good health.

I am thankful for my health.

30 Days of Thanks ~ Day 2

So yesterday I went to a Dia De Los Muertos celebration and it was so awesome. We went to one last year and loved the sugar skulls, the Ballet Folklorico, the art and the food. It was a wonderful time celebrating the circle of life and remembering loved ones that have passed on. The colors used in these commemorations of loved ones are vibrant, the music so full of emotion and the food is delicious. (We were to lazy this time to stand in line for elotes or tacos. Lol, shame on us, we went to Farmer Boys..lol) As I walked the streets of this festival, I realized how grateful I was to be in possession of all my five senses. I could smell the incense burning from the altars, see the day light dissipate and the night begin to take over, feel the sugar skulls in my hands, I could hear the band as they played their traditional music and at the end of the night, I could taste the food that we ate.

 I am lucky, I am blessed! I know what it sounds like to hear my children say my name. I know what they sound like when they are scared, happy or sad. I can hear music.

 I can feel what it's like to walk, jump and run. Sadly the latter of the two NEVER HAPPEN....BUT, if I was being chased by zombies, I am sure I could manage to do both. (I hope.) I know what it feels like to hold my kids' hands, what it feels like to hug my hubby and what my hubby's face feels like when he feebly attempts to join in on Movember but will never fully be a part of because I am not a fan of facial hair. ( Mainly though, because his facial hair is very patchy and he couldn't grow a moustache or a beard to save his life. Thank God! Lol.)

 I can TASTE!!! My belly may reject the scrumptious things that I send its way, but before it tries to reject it I can relish the flavors.

I can smell. I can smell flowers, food, popcorn at the movie theatre, kettle corn....YUM! I do wish there was an off button for the stinky smells though...lol.

I can see. I can see my kids play sports. I can see their faces when they succeed, fail and when they are determined. I can also tell when my little angels are lying...lol. I can see the beauty in this life through my eyes and I am grateful for that.

I am thankful for the ability to fully experience this life.

30 days of Thanks ~ Day 1 ....LATE

As many of you, I see people joining in on this 30 days of thanks bandwagon. I have done it before, but on a little note pad that I kept on my bedside table. I liked the way that it reminded me on a daily that there is ALWAYS something to be grateful for! Always! Today, being day 1....well, technically day 2 because I wasn't sure if I should do this on my blog....I find myself with so many things to be thankful for that I don't know what to put as day one. That is not to say that life is a bed of roses, because it is not. That is why doing this is so important, it gives you a chance to look beyond the weeds that try to suffocate the roses and blind your heart to the little gems that exist beyond the weeds.

Let's begin! I am sitting here at this very moment and every one of my children is in this very same room, including my oldest, my husband....Ahhhhahaahaha! Really though, it is my husband and our 4 kids. One of which is 17 yrs old. Why does this surprise me? I thought the 17yr had his fill of us...lol. I say this because we ALL saw these movies at the theater, they all watched it last night together and here we are again. I am enjoying watching them all repeat lines from the movie and hearing them laugh. My heart is happy....that is an INCREDIBLE UNDERSTATEMENT!

See, if you had asked me when I was my oldest sons age, how many kids I was going to have, the answer would have been a BIG FAT ZERO! I wanted nothing to do with diapers, drooling, feeding, bathing and OMG the endless list that goes with the care of a helpless precious little creature. In my mind, I was going to set off to some big city like New York and be a nurse and have fun being free as a bird. Lol, who was I kidding. The second I met my husband my world was turned upside down. The second I saw the plus sign on that pregnancy test, I was scared, but soooo excited. What was happening to me????

Moving forward, the second I held my son in my arms, my world changed AGAIN! That was when I was sure that I knew NOT A THING!!! When I held the precious little creature I helped create, (mind you, I had spent my childhood avoiding these lil guys. Even going to the extent of walking in to another room, from fear that someone might ask me to hold a little drool monster...lol) my heart literally exploded with a love that I never knew existed. I felt like the Grinch, when is heart grows a million times because he feels the joy of the spirit of Christmas. I loved this lil one, my lil one, with an all consuming love. I can only THANK GOD FOR BLESSING ME FOUR TIMES OVER, TO EXPERIENCE this love!!! When I became pregnant with my second child, I worried. See, in my small mind, I secretly wondered where would I find the capacity to love another child when I felt the love I had for my son was so all consuming. It seemed that every last ounce of love was directed to my son. Where would I find the love???

Moving forward again, the second I held my daughter in my arms, my heart grew to include the ability to love this little baby girl as much as I loved my son!!! After the birth of my daughter, I never doubted the fact that there was enough love in my heart to love each and every child that I was blessed with!

I have been blessed with 4 wonderful, amazing children. They have taught me how to love someone unconditionally beyond my measly and flawed self. So, do you see where day one is going? I am so thankful!! Thankful to infinity and beyond. There are limitations on this language we use to try and express what is felt inside so that others can relate. I can't find the words to accurately tell what is in my heart, my heart that never wanted to be a part of this mommy world, yet would be empty without. Thankfully, I don't have to explain, there are many mothers in this world who are blessed as I am and can share my feelings!

Dear God, I thank you with my entire being, for the opportunity to love these children and care for them when they are sick and when they are well, when they are little angels and little terrors, when they are happy with me and when they are mad at me. Their little hearts are part of my heart....

I AM THANKFUL FOR THESE 4 CHILDREN THAT GOD HAS BLESSED ME WITH!

How to make Crunchy Chilaquiles

Chilaquiles, one of my absolute favorite Mexican dishes around. They are crunchy corn tortilla chips covered in a rich ancho chile sauce and cheese with some scrambled eggs mixed in. It is a wonderful breakfast dish, but since I love them so much, I will eat them on a plane, I will eat them on a train...Sayyy, I will eat them anywhere. I mean anytime!! I feel like I have read that somewhere before...hehehe. And I know, I know that I should be banning cheese from my diet...but I simply have not been able to go that far. This dish is almost gluten free! I came so close, but the Chicken Knorr is what keeps it from being completely gluten free, which I strive to be. So, if you are on a gluten free diet, simply use gluten free bouillon and it will be all good.

Chilaquiles

So above is what the dish looks like. The deep reddish brown sauce is so simple to make and can also be used as a sauce for enchiladas. The recipe I am showing you is how to make them from scratch. There is a quicker way, but I will save that for another day and share with you the most delicious way to make them first...you deserve that right? The best?

 

Okay, so, I am going to include a video tutorial, but it is a mess!!! Lol, I need to learn how to edit. Hey I am learning and I am bringing you poor souls along for the ride....I don't like to be alone!

 

What you are going to need to make this gorgeous and scrumptious dish is:

 

1 package of corn tortillas

2 generous handfuls of cheddar cheese

oil to fry tortillas into chips

 

Sauce:

1 package of ancho chiles

1/2 medium sized onion

2 tomatoes

3 table spoons of Chicken Knorr

1 garlic clove

water

 

Garnish:

Queso fresco

Mexican crema

Cilantro~ optional

avocado~ optional

 

Begin by making the sauce. What you want to do is put a 2-3 tablespoons of oil in a sauté pan and toast your tomatoes, onion, garlic and ancho chiles. You want to take the ancho chiles out of the pan once they become soft and pliable. Once they are soft, remove the stem. Now cut them down the middle and remove and seeds and the veins of the chile. This is where the heat resides, if you like things spicy, leave some of the chiles with the seeds and veins. Remove the onion, tomatoes and garlic when they are soft as well. No more than 5 minutes and be sure that your garlic doesn't burn, as it will become bitter if it does. Now get all the items for the sauce and place in a small stock pot, and add just enough water to cover the chiles, garlic, onion and tomatoes. Bring to a boil. Once this is boiled, remove from heat and place the items you boiled into a blender, along with 2 ladles full of the water that you boiled the items in. This water contains all the flavor from the items you just boiled. Once items are in the blender, add 3 full tablespoons of chicken bouillon into the blender. Now blend until liquefied, but be very careful because everything is super hot!!! Your sauce is done.

 

Now you need gather the corn tortillas and cut them into chip sized pieces. Heat your oil and it will be ready when you put a piece of tortilla and it bubbles. When oil is ready, begin frying the chips in batches and place in a tray lined with paper bags or paper towels to absorb excess oils. Fry the entire package of tortillas.

 

Shred your cheddar cheese. I used 2 verrry generous handfuls...I guess that could be 2 cups. But, you can add more or less depending on what you like. Now scramble your eggs. I scrambled 6 eggs.

 

We are ready to mix everything together. In a stock pot, add 1/4 cup of oil and heat, add your sauce. Now once the sauce is boiling, quickly add chips and mix until well coated, add cheddar and the eggs that you scrambled. Add your garnishes and serve immediately. If you like them on the softer side, let them cook a little bit longer once they are coated in the sauce. Serve!

 

So that is my recipe for something I love....and I am sharing it with you. I hope you enjoy it! If you make it, please let me know how you like it!! Thank you for reading!

 

 

How to make Albondigas

 

ALBONDIGAS~ yummy! Yesterday afternoon, I was able to make some. I was so happy because last week when it was cold and rainy, I got a major craving for albondigas. I thought maybe the craving would pass, but then one of my friends posted that she was making some and my craving went into overdrive...lol. Yesterday I killed the craving! OMG, it was so delicious. Now I am thinking of chilaquiles next...so stay tuned!

 

Would you like to know how to make them? I am pretty certain your family will be a big fan! Get your tomatoes, garlic cloves, half an onion and 1~2 chiles (optional) and toast them in a skillet until the skins are brown and the onion looks a little caramelized. Place that in your blender, add 1 cup of water and blend. empty this "salsa" into a large stock pot. Add one 15 oz can of tomato sauce. Now here is where I don't have exact measurements. I think I have warned you about my weakness in this area before...lol. Okay so now you want to add water add as much as you would like there to be soup. Now it's time to season, add Caldo de Pollo (aka Chicken Knorr) to taste. Now the base of your soup is done. For the albondigas, get ground beef, (I used 80/20) add 1/4 of an onion finely diced, 1/3 cup of rice per LB of ground beef and 1 egg per LB of ground beef. Mix until well incorporated and form meatballs. To keep mine uniform in size, I used my ice cream scoop. Add those to your soup base. Now this is the fun part, add veggies that you love! You are the boss! I used cabbage, zucchini, corn, potatoes and some carrots. Now cook until meatballs are cooked through and veggies are nice and tender.

 

Sorry for not having measurements and all. I will come back and update this the next time I make it, with more precise measurements. Maybe I will do a YouTube video as well.

 

Have a fabulous day and enjoy your soup. Please feel free to tell me how you make them! I know everyone does different variations. I know some people fry them before they put them in the soup...I love to hear new methods!!

 

 

 

 

Everybody in the blender.

Eggs, rice, onion and a little bit of caldo de pollo into the albondigas.

Albondigas the size of an ice cream scoop.

It all adds up to a delicious soup that warms the belly and soul!!!

CheesyTater tot casserole

Cheesy Tater Tot Casserole

Who doesn't like tater tots? Who doesn't like cheese? Well, I like both of these items....really, I love them. I loose control when they are both around. So, remember that show 19 kids and counting with the Duggars? Well, I was fascinated by that show, all those kids behaved so well! They run that ship so smoothly. A feat I have yet to master with my 4! Anyways, one night many years ago when the show had just started, they shared the recipe for their favorite dish, Tater Tot Casserole. I made it for my family and they enjoyed it. Their recipe is different than mine, just because I as always was using what I have. Here is the Duggars Recipe Everything I used is listed below. Can I get a whoop whoop for store brands baybee!!! I have a friend that worked in a juice factory for a while, that is where he told me that the juices were all the same except one can went and got a name brand label and the other can went down the line and got the store brand label. I was like whatttt? I felt so duped. That was like 15 yrs ago. Anyways, after that, I try to buy store brand if it is cheaper. However there are items that are NOT the same....like, you won't find generic Mayo or Ritz crackers...there are no comparisons for the real deal.

Bag of tater puffs(lol), cream of chicken soup, cheddar cheese, ground beef, I added peas to get a veggie in there and 1 cup of milk and 1/2 an onion diced.

My new unnecessary kitchen gadget that dices the onion in a perfect dice.

Push down this white lid and......

voila, perfect dice, no tears.

Brown ground beef and then drain excess oil.

Add onions and cook till translucent.

Toss in can of cream of mushroom, peas and milk.

Should look like this.

Place the ground beef mixture into a casserole dish and line tater puffs on top.

Place in a 350 degree preheated oven until the Tater Puffs are golden brown.

Take out of oven and cover generously with cheese and place back into oven until the cheese is all melted.

I covered with foil so it wouldn't burn.

See, cheesy goodness!

Served alongside some broccoli....dinner is served. Yum!

I am broken!

So, it turns out that I am broken. Yup, B*R*O*K*E*N*!!!!! I went to the doctors recently and my thyroid levels are on their way up, iron levels up, energy level up....sounds good....right? Well, I learned from my Dr. that I shouldn't expect to feel normal again. I will always have to be taking this synthetic thyroid hormone and sometimes it will be enough for my body and sometimes it won't and then my medication will have to be readjusted. Turns out this little cute butterfly shaped thingy in your neck area controls everything. That might sound insane, right??? We always think about the major organs controlling primary functions and having "absolute power" (Said in my Yoda voice). Yeah, so that big brain you have floating in those brain juices....yeah, that big guy answers to the delicate butterfly shaped mechanism, those miles of intestines, emotions, weight, sensitivity to cold, the list is endless. My brain is like this....see below....


Yes, unless, I set an alarm on my phone....it ain't happening. One time I forgot my older son at school....whew was he mad. I can think about sayyyyy something I want to Google....I open my laptop and then blank.....the slate has been erased. I try and try and try and sit there and think, I was here to look something up....what was it....it's TERRIBLE! I feel like Dory from Finding Nemo. I get embarrassed and angry. Sometimes I feel like my kids and hubby are all in on a joke when they all tell me, we told you Mommy and I am like, UM, NOOO YA DIDN'T! I would remember THAT!!! I am beginning to accept this, at the same time I do feel that my medication is beginning to help my brain to work again. My hips and shoulders still hurt, stomach issues have calmed. I still have days when I can't eat much. I am still gluten free 95% of the time. I swear, for a period of time I went to Zumba 3-5 times a week (sometimes more) I was trying to eat healthy and I dropped NOT ONE POUND!!! I didn't care because I love Zumba sooooo much. I have this goofy grin on my face the whole time I am trying to groove while tripping over my own two feet. Yeah, I am pretty awesome....hahaha....joking!!! Fact is, I don't care what I look like! The fact that I have went to Zumba and made it through the class is enough to lift my spirits. Before I started treatment, I was no longer able to make it though a class without feeling like passing out or major stomach pains. I am still trying to do research on Hypothyroidism, before treatment my brain couldn't fully assimilate the info. After I read it....gone....ugh!!! This sucks! I am hoping things sink in a little more real soon!

Wrote this a couple of days ago and then WHAMMO! 2 Day migraine coupled with what almost ended in a hospital visit because of horrific stomach pains. Ultrasound next week...wondering if my gallbladder decided to join in on this attack since all my other body parts have been on the attack and it might be considered way too UNCOOL NOT to jump on the bandwagon. Who knows what the heck is happening here! I know WHAT ISN'T HAPPENING!!!! Stuff I like....like cooking and going places with the kids. I have been glued to my laptop, trying to learn more about this crazy disease.

May you all have a wonderful evening! :)

World's Best Jello Recipe

Worlds best Jello Recipe

I can honestly say that I have yet to meet a kid that doesn't have nothing but love for Jello. I think the color hypnotizes them. I recently came across this recipe that is so cool! When you look at it, you turn your head to the side like a confused and intrigued adorable little puppy. You wonder, how is there this light color on top? Did you go through all the trouble of layering Jello.....wellno...(hahaha) Well no, in fact I didn't! All I did was add some heavy cream to the mix and what came out was this awesome concoction that showed a creamy looking layer and then the regular looking Jello settled at the bottom. So what you do is get one of the small boxes of Jello, add to one cup of just boiled water and mix until very well dissolved, next add 1 tsp of unflavored gelatin (this will keep it from getting all watery and help maintain its firmness) and mix until well dissolved. Last, add 3 tbsp of heavy cream. Now here is where you may be like WHATTTT? You may think you totally messed up, when in fact...you are right on track! See, what happens is the mixture starts to look almost flaky. Yes, it looks like it has flakes of white milk in it. Don't worry, it will turn out A~okay!!!

See the gorgeous transparency and creamy looking top layer?

Now imagine making them in like 6 or more colors!

Wow, that would be a TOTAL SHOW STOPPER!

Here is a demonstration.

Potatoes O' Brien

                                                               Potatoes O'Brien

I remember being a kid and my mom making this in a big iron skillet on Saturday mornings. My Mom is the BEST cook. At ANY given moment, a crowd could go to her house and she could whip up a totally delish meal in NO time! I am sooo jelly! I hope that I inherit her skills! Hear that Mommy??? I want you to leave those skills to me in your will, I called them FIRST!!!  I could go into further detail regarding her culinary expertise, but lets focus on this one for now, since I recently made it.

I like this meal because I almost always have these simple ingredients on hand, and if you want to add a little unique twist, add some chorizo and top with avocado and a drizzle of crema and this is even MORE AWESOME!!!!

The trick is to make sure that you cut all the ingredients the same size.

Season the ingredients well, with salt and pepper to taste. When the potatoes are about halfway cooked, add the other ingredients and when the potatoes are cooked through, this is ready to devour. I like to make the potatoes real crispy....YUM!!

So, yeah......maybe I should have placed them next to some sunny side up eggs, but I don't remember what happened that day. THIS is what I ended up with....lol. Oh well, it tasted GRRRRRRRREAT!!!

Tomato Basil Squares

Have you ever had Tomato and Basil ANYTHING? If you have, well, then you are completely aware of this pairings EPIC deliciousness! Yessss, they belong together, for eternity......eeeeeternahteeey! You know like from the Richie Valens song....like that! Anyways, I have this recipe that is from the Pampered Chef, which is one of my favorite places to get cooking gadgets.

Look at me being a total nerd, posing so proudly with my gorgeous creation.

Here is whatcha need people, a 10 oz refrigerated pizza crust, 2 cups of shredded mozzarella, 1/4 cup of grated FRESH Parmesan Cheese, 2/3 Cup of Mayo, 2 tblsp FRESH Basil leaves snipped, 1 clove of garlic pressed (crushed) and 4 plum tomatoes, sliced.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees, roll out your pizza crust and place on a pizza stone or PC rectangle baker. Place your sliced tomatoes onto the rolled out crust. Combine mozzarella, fresh parmesan, fresh basil, garlic and mayo. If you like a kick of spiciness add 1/2- 1 tsp of crushed red pepper flakes. Once all these ingredients are combined, spread the mixture carefully over the tomatoes you have lined the crust with. Make sure you have the whole crust covered.

Here is what it should look like. Now place in your  preheated oven for 15-20 minutes. Now if you like a crunchier crust, as I do, you should bake the crust for a bit before you place the tomatoes and the rest of the ingredients,

Ready for a taste test!!!!

Here is a demonstration!