Past meals a.k.a Badges

Huevos Rancheros with Black Beans

Toluca Style Chorizo & Egg with Black Beans

:-) = me cooking

Salmon in Mole Sauce with Traditional Latin Rice

Dinner is the most difficult meal of the day for me.  There are so many options I get frustrated sometimes.

I was at that point this evening. I wanted to try cooking something new but I couldn't figure it out. Every recipe I looked at I was missing at least one ingredient. **Wish my kitchen could be stocked like Martha Stewart's!** I soon went from hungry to starving and was so close to snacking away for dinner.

Thankfully I opened a cupboard and saw the mole sauce. The light bulb turned on and I ended up with a yummy dinner. No recipe used! :-) I also have enough left over for lunch tomorrow.  

This was so easy that breaking it down to a recipe is ridiculous.  I simply followed the mole sauce (store bought) instructions and added salmon instead of traditional chicken.  It was so yummy!

The Latin rice does have a recipe but also very easy. 

Ingredients
1 cup of white rice
1 1/2 - 2 cups of water (I find that 2 cups of water can leave your rice very mushy and I do not like mushy rice.)
1/2 - 1 tbsp. (or to taste) of powdered Knorr Chicken Flavor Bouillon
Frozen veggies to taste
1 tbsp. of vegetable oil

Prep
Add oil to medium sized pot on medium/high heat.  Add rice and fry, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes. Rice will change color to a very light brown.  Add water and chicken bouillon, stir.  Taste water for flavor and add more bouillon if necessary.  Add frozen veggies, stir, cover pot, lower flame and simmer until water evaporates, about 10 minutes. Enjoy!



:-) = a happy tummy

Xoxo

Veggie Scramble

I have to admit that breakfast is my favorite meal of the day.  I love cooking it as well as eating it.

This morning I made a scramble with red & yellow peppers, ancho chile, & onion.  I added pieces of a veggie sausage patty. Yum!

Cooking, cooking, cooking!

I'm having so much fun cooking! I'm finally feeling brave enough to cook and I'm thoroughly enjoying it. I especially feel accomplished when I cook a traditional Mexican/Latin dish. I told some of my friends that I almost feel like a Girl Scout who is earning her badges.

Several weeks ago I got the Bean Badge. I cooked them from scratch and days later I blended them to make re-fried beans.

I also earned the Beef Fajitas Badge although those were reeeeally easy and aren't traditionally Mexican.

Today I earned the Huevos Rancheros Badge. Yummy and yaay! I've had the recipe on my fridge for a while and was scared to try it but my ex-boss convinced me it was okay to change up the recipe the way I was thinking about doing it. So I did it and it was awesome! Just like my momma's!

The next badge I will work to get is the Chilaquiles Badge. I'm also working on the Rice Badge but that's a work in progress. :-) I made rice when I made the beans but I think the rice could've been better so I will make another attempt.

I have cooked other foods but they've been too easy and I can't consider them as badges earned. Not that the badges above were really hard to earn but I think that latin dishes are so much more intimidating. You have have a specific memory as to how it should taste and any variation is not good enough - a failure.

So when I cook pasta, fish, or steak in modern American fashion I feel like they don't count towards my badges. I know, I'm being dumb. lol....

The only con I can think of to all of this cooking is the dirty dishes. What a drag.... :-)

God of Grace and God of Glory: Grant us wisdom, grant us courage, for the facing of this hour.

I'm reading George W. Bush's memoir.  I'll explain later why I decided to read his book.  But first....

I'm currently on the chapter about September 11th 2001.  Reading about the events of that day and his reaction (which mirrored what many of us felt) brought me to tears. Wow, didn't expect those emotions to still feel so fresh.  

In the chapter he mentions the above prayer and I really liked it. It can really help you through a tough moment.

Xoxo
Me

... (dot dot dot)

So how would you interpret the ...? In a text, in a email, in person?  

My friend says he uses it as a pause between thoughts. I say bull shit. That's what normal punctution is for. Periods, commas, and exclamation points.

My other friend says she takes it as attitude given at the end of each sentence.  I disagreed with her at first but after reading my guy friend's email response to a girl I have to agree with the attitude part. 

A girl emails him with (I'm paraphrasing) "OMG I had so much fun at the concert and it's sooooo unforgettable." His response was "Hey, yeah that was a great concert... Thanks for emailing me..."
OMG!!! How funny!  Total attitude! I'll admit that the girl deserved the attitude but it was still interesting to see the ... from a different perspective. :-)

Xoxo...

Clearing the Air Out

I had another annoying dream last night.  I know why I dreamt it but how to fix it?  You see, I believe this person I'm dreaming about thinks I'm very angry with them & I'm not.  Not anymore... :-)  I sometimes wish I will I run in to this person somewhere and I can tell them so myself. This is not likely though so I shall just let time pass.

This person along with certain songs on my iPod got me thinking this morning.  Who else from my past thinks I still hold a grudge or anger towards them?  I can think of a few.  I sat still and meditated about it. Am I still angry at them? I thought about the bad memories that caused our friendships to end and I felt something wonderful.  Peace.  I was at peace thinking about bad memories because I knew we were all young and stupid.  Then I started remembering the good moments. So my answer was no. I had no bad feelings for them.

The idea of writing to them came to my mind.  I don't have any bad feelings towards them and I do remember how beautiful or fun our friendship used to be. I do not intend to rekindle old friendships but I just want to clear the air out and tell them that I wish them well in life.  I will apologize for any bad actions or words that may have come from me in the past.  Then tell them that there's no anger or resentment from me and that I hope for the same from them too.  

Some of my current friends may think I'm trying too hard or just wasting my time. The past is the past.  But I feel life is about learning and I've learned so much. One thing I learned I read in my prayer book.  If I expect to be forgiven then I must also forgive just as easily.  But I can't just preach it, I have to practice it.  

Who knows, these old friends may not care for me or how I feel anymore and that's okay.  The important thing is that they will know I hold no bad feelings towards them.  There's a little bit less of bad energy out in the world. <3

Xxoo....

I Wonder If.....

I believe I have a special gift. My entire life I have noticed if I'm thinking about someone a lot and I call them (or sometimes they call me & beat me to the punch) they will always be surprised and tell me they were thinking about me too.  

In the beginning I would just brush it off as a coincidence but now I truly believe it's more than that.  

I decided to test my gift today. I was thinking about a friend who I haven't seen or talked to in a long time. There's no special date or reason that would normally make me think about them.  So I spent half of my drive home from work thinking about this friend and the good ol' days. Once I got home I texted my friend and said I was thinking of them.

My friend's response?  "OMG!!! I've been thinking about you too!!!"

Now you may think it's my friend's powerful thinking influencing me but I cannot agree.  This has happened with almost all my friends. Since I'm the common denominator I figure it's me. :-)  

So anyway................ All of this explaining to preface this question........

I wonder if a certain someone is thinking about me since I can't freakin stop thinking about them. :-/  I hope so. The thought makes me feel less retarded. :-)

Xoxo.......