The Thanksgiving break is over and it is back to work! I have a busy, busy time at school for the next few weeks working and presenting 3 Christmas programs. As tedious as it gets sometimes, I love it so much. Working with children is such a blessing. They have a way of lifting your spirits whether you want them lifted or not! And, then we have Christmas Holidays! I think I can hang on til then…how about you?

I got a wonderful surprise, here on the last day of November…an award from my friend in Paradise, Kat. at Just A Beach Kat.

Somewhere in Europe…

Somehow, when the genes were being passed out, I got passed over. At least, in the kitchen prowess department. Now, my Mom is a terrific cook…she loves new recipes, and she loves feeding her family. We love it when she calls us over to eat. Joy is also a great cook. She does ‘from scratch’ cooking like Mom. She makes her own egg rolls, for goodness sake! But, the thought of chopping veggies and onions, cutting meat into little pieces, smashing garlic, etc. has about as much appeal to me as sitting in the dentist’s chair for a root canal. I can do it, and have. But my motto is FROM THE CAN TO THE PAN TO THE MAN! When I told my Granny Merritt that many years ago, she laughed so hard…and said, “You’re a smart girl!” And then she had me write in down for her because she couldn’t remember it. When she died several years ago, that old piece of paper was in a box of her papers. She obviously though it had merit. (Her last name was Merritt, by the way!:))

Anyway…here’s my recipe for TACO SOUP…

1 1/2 -2 pounds ground beef….brown and drain
1 onion…chopped (or onion flakes…or you can buy frozen chopped onions)
1 package taco seasoning
1 package dry ranch dressing mix
1 can pinto beans..do not drain
1 can black beans…do not drain
1 can whole corn…do not drain
1 can Ro-tel tomatoes…do not drain
2 cans stewed tomatoes…do not drain
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Here, my recipe says: add the dry mixes to the browned ground beef…mix.
Add the beans and vegetables…mix
Heat to simmer for 35-45 minutes.
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Now…Tonja’s version…
I put it all into my crock pot and cook it on low until I get back to it. I have added kidney beans, too. But, we prefer the black beans and pinto beans. If there is room in the crock pot, I’ll add 2 cans of the beans…or corn..whatever I have on hand. This is better the second day…and the third, if it lasts that long! I serve it with grated cheddar cheese on top. You can also pour it over corn chips, if you like…we don’t like.

So…that’s it. It tastes like you spent way more time on it than you did…and there’s no reason to tell anyone any different…just hide all the cans!

Enjoy!

What an unusual day. A day that did not follow my plans. In fact, nothing went like I wanted it to today…oh, well.

First of all, I told you how my menu was taco soup with everyone stopping by when it was convenient. And, the family was all fine with that. See, there is hardly anyplace to sit…the table is stacked with sets of dishes to be packed…the den is filled with boxes stacked high…so there is no ‘conversation area’ anymore. And, I wanted to use the day to finish packing the bedroom and closet.

Don had other ideas. He wanted a meal…no, he wanted a MEAL. And, so, on Wednesday night, off to the store he goes. And, into the house he comes…laden with fixins for a MEAL. Now, to his credit…he did all the cooking. He grilled pork tenderloin, a giant pot of butterbeans, corn, and dressing he bought from a local restaurant. I had gotten up early and made banana nut muffins, and later made brownies (see post below). But, no taco soup was made in the Owens home on Thursday.

Mom and Pop are both sick. Pop is having medication issues with some of the meds that control his heart rhythms. Hopefully, we are on the right track now, since they have just changed them again. Mom, however, is in much pain. Her arthritis is really hurting her, and she is waiting to hear from an MRI that she had on Wednesday. I can’t stand to see my sweet Mama is so much pain. If the doctor doesn’t call her by a reasonable time today, I will be calling him.

Anyway, so I knew they wouldn’t be coming over. Now, Joy and Tommy had plans for a quiet day, too. Joy has been dealing with a broken foot and lugging a cast around. And Tommy is having several health issues that are not being resolved quickly. (Really he is just OLD…but don’t tell him I said so). They had plans to go out for lunch, but my niece, newly engaged to Ben, guilted her into cooking since “this will be my last Thanksgiving as a single girl living at home, sweet Mama, oh, please…” And, Joy caved. So, I knew they had their own plans.

Suzanne and Adam were going to her Mom’s for lunch, and I knew Mary would have a feast for them. And, I knew they would not be hungry again for a while. So, all that to say, this is why my plans consisted of a laid back day.

Ian came over around 4 and Don had his feast ready. Don, Alex, and Ian were about to chow down when Adam and Suze arrived. We all had prayer together, and Don, Alex and Ian heaped plates full and proceeded to pig out. Oh, it looked good, and smelled good, too. They were all praising Don’s cooking skills. Adam and Suze were sitting politely by watching them eat…as they were stuffed from Mary’s feast. I decided to try some of the tenderloin, as it smelled so divine. The first taste of it was good…a little sweet and tangy, but in about 10 seconds the fire hit! Oh! My! what did you put on this meat? It was burning my mouth and throat! Oh, Don then explained that it was probably the cayenne pepper…and he may have used a tad too much. YA THINK?????

Adam and Suze were tired so they left after about an hour, and Ian was also ready to hit the hay, so he was gone quickly. I washed up all the dishes, and went to bed, too. Alex and Don proceeded to the couch, where they watched a movie. I do not know what they watched, but it was all about airplanes fighting each other. And they fought for 2 hours, complete with surround sound, which had the majority of the bombing happening right over my bed. LOUD BOMBING…MANY, MANY AIRPLANES…MUCH WAR!

So, there ya go…nothing according to plan…and nothing accomplished that was on my agenda. But, inside my refrigerator sits about 2 gallons of butterbeans, and some hot, VERY HOT pork tenderloin, a little dressing, and half a plate of brownies. Supper for the next 2 nights, wouldn’t you say?

And, there, sitting out on the counter, are all the fixins for taco soup. Ready to be cooked…one day…but, not today…Thanksgiving 2008.