1.11.2012

Prehistoric Pinterest

Before the days of Pinterest, I had to have a way to keep up with all the "inspiration" that I came across in magazines.  I found this cute notebook at Target, loaded it up with some sheet protectors {or "paper condoms" as one of my girlfriends in Junior League called them after seeing my Holiday Market notebook.  I may or may not have a slight obsession with sheet protectors} and started ripping!  I am not a hoarder, so where some people keep volume upon volume of their Southern Living, I just can't do it.  Plus the magazine is just not useful to me if I don't take our the parts that appeal to me.  I look through each magazine a few times, leave it out for a month or so and then comb through it for recipes and house ideas.  



One of my goals for 2012 is to try one new recipe that I have in my notebook each week!  I started this week with Stacked Burrito Pie that I ripped from a magazine called Family Fun at a doctor's office.  I don't typically rip things from other people's magazines because I find it annoying when I try to read an article and half of it's gone!  However, this magazine was completely beat up and after lamenting over to tear or not to tear, I just did it.  And boy, am I glad I did!!  It was amazing and the boys ate it up!  Jackson kept saying, "Mama! I love this stuff!"  



Stacked Burrito Pie

 From FamilyFun Magazine

Ingredients
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3/4 pound lean ground beef
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 1 (15 1/2-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels
  • 4 (10-inch) flour tortillas
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1 cup salsa
  • 8 ounces Cheddar or Monterey Jack, grated
Instructions
  1. In a large skillet over medium-low heat, warm the oil. Add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring often. Add the garlic and sauté another minute.
  2. Increase the heat to medium, then add the ground beef, chili powder, and cumin. Cook the mixture until the beef is browned and no longer pink, stirring often, about 3 minutes. Add the salt, water, black beans, and corn, and bring the mixture to a boil. Allow it to continue boiling, stirring occasionally, until the liquid evaporates, about 20 minutes. Remove the mixture from the heat and let it cool for 10 minutes.
  3. Stacked Burrito Pie - Step 3 Heat the oven to 350º. Using the rim of a 9-inch springform pan (see "Tools of the Trade" above) as a template, trim 3 of the tortillas to the size of the pan. Leave the fourth tortilla untrimmed. Note: You can also bake this dish in a 9-inch round cake pan and serve it like a lasagna.
  4. Butter the bottom and the sides of the pan. Press the untrimmed tortilla evenly into the pan's bottom. Spread 2 tablespoons of the sour cream over the tortilla, followed by 1/4 cup of the salsa. Spoon and spread a quarter of the beef mixture over the salsa, then sprinkle a quarter of the grated cheese evenly over the top.
  5. Stacked Burrito Pie - Step 5 Place one of the trimmed tortillas on top of the cheese, then repeat the layering of the sour cream, salsa, beef, and cheese. Continue this way until the ingredients and tortillas are used up. You should end up with four layers, topped with the final sprinkling of cheese.
  6. Bake the pie until heated through, about 30 minutes. Allow it to cool for 10 minutes, then remove the rim from the springform pan, if you used one. Slice the pie into wedges using a sharp knife. Serves 10.
Nutritional Information:

Per serving (10 servings per pie):
Calories 363
Total Fat 18 g (28% DV)
Saturated Fat 8 g (40% DV)
Cholesterol 48 mg (16% DV)
Sodium 766 mg (32% DV)
Total Carbohydrate 31 g (10% DV)
Fiber 4 g (17% DV)
Sugars 4 g
Protein 19 g (37% DV)
Calcium (21% DV) 

**Just a note- I changed this recipe to use what I had on hand...I used Jennie O ground turkey instead of ground beef, olive oil, and fat free sour cream.  I also mixed the sour cream and salsa together.  Next time I will also use whole wheat tortillas, but used flour this time because it's what I already had in the fridge!

                          ENJOY!





1.10.2012

Correspondence with Santa

The week before Christmas the boys wrote their very first letters to Santa...unassisted.  If you are drinking something, please put it down now because you will most likely shoot it out of your nose when reading Tradd's letter....you have been warned.



"Dear Santa, 
Can I have a new bike, and a new roller skate, 
and a new Police costume, and a new jet ski, 
and a new handcuffs.
Thank you, 
Jackson"




"Dear Santa, 
Can I have a new bike, and a new basketball, 
and jet board, and new handcuffs.
Thank you, 
Tradd"


We spent the rest of our break practicing how to write b's and d's....
and we got ready for the NOOW Year!  

1.09.2012

Happy Everything!

Well I've managed to stay away for an entire month!  Just like you, we were very busy over the holidays.  Honestly, I think about blogging so often I just can't seem to make it to the computer.  On the rare occasion that we are at home, AND Hampton is sleeping, I always find other house things that keep me busy until he's up again.  That being said, I need to do a better job of keeping our memories in order here!  So here are the highlights {and a few lowlights}...  

The boys got out for Christmas mid-December, but not before they had a party at school.  That same day, Jackson was asked to say the Pledge of Allegiance on the daily news.  He volunteered to hold the flag while his classmate lead the Pledge.  It was also pajama day!  Lee and I watched from the library and could not have been prouder.  I brought Hampton with me to their class party and they were so proud to show him off!  





The next event of our Christmas break was not a great one...the Thursday before Christmas our friends, The O'Cains, came over for dinner.  They have three kiddos just like us, two boys and a girl.  All five big kids played so well together and then a scooter accident brought the party to a screeching halt.  Tradd's head hit the pavement...and no, he was NOT wearing a helmet.  Needless to say, the four adults jumped into action with ice and wash cloths.  We all stood over him for a good 30 minutes to watch the bump.  I am not exaggerating when I say it looked like half a tennis ball on his forehead.  I even made the late night call to my neighbor, Heather, who ran right over to take a look.  She'a a nurse and made me feel so much better!  I later told her that if she ever needed late night monogramming then I'm her girl!   



I had to work during the day Christmas Eve {still loving my job} but I made it home in time for us prepare our food for the next day, and make it to church together.  Our church has a 4pm service especially for families and it was wonderful.  It was Hampton's first time in the church nursery and I have to say, it felt weird for just the four of us to be sitting together.  After church we went to my parents for our special Christmas Eve meal, shrimp and grits.    We've eaten this meal as long as I can remember....and this year we added collards that my daddy grew in his garden!  Taylor's Ashley had to work Christmas Day so we exchanged Christmas with her.    
Then we rushed home to wait on Santa and he certainly delivered!   





Hampton slept through most of the festivities...


Just waking up!  Love that sleep face...

H loved his bubble bee!

Tradd helping Hampton with his stocking 
 Later that day, we headed to Chester to celebrate with Lee's family.  My boys looooove being with their cousins so they had a LARGE time.   I forgot my camera so I don't have any pics of that night!!  

The next part of our Christmas was spent with my family skiing in the mountains...we sledded, took long naps, drank hot chocolate, shopped a little, and Tradd and Jackson went to ski school!!!  The class was all day {they even fed them lunch and snacks} and I was a little worried they would not last, but they did great and loved every minute of it.   

Bryson and Taylor

My cousin Ally striking a pose


cousins




The many sweet faces of Hampton


Around the Burton House at Christmastime!



We arrived home just in time to ring in the new year!  The Bolen's came over for steaks and fireworks...and by fireworks I mean Jeff actually brought over an arsenal.  We could have shot fireworks until the fourth.  The boys were awake to ring in the new year and I just loved kissing my boys at midnight!    







So HAPPY EVERYTHING!  

12.09.2011

It. Has. Been. Crazy. andthenalittlemorecrazy

Some of you only came to see this sweet face.  I don't blame you.  



So I just wrote a fabulous post and then hit the wrong button and totally lost it so here are the cliff notes.  {What is it with me and technology?  geez.} Well, it's been crazy for several wonderfully crazy reasons...

1.  Computer died.  Again.  Geek Squad said "buy a new computer," but my Daddy came to the rescue and got it fixed for me.  I love when daddy's do that. 

2.  I started a new part time job!  It's at the hospital working with babies....this is terrible news for Lee for obvious reasons.  I LOVE it.  

3.  We traveled to Lee's hometown to celebrate Thanksgiving...his grandfather had never seen Hampton.  I snapped this picture of their hands while he was holding the baby.  I die.   



4.  We traveled to the mountains to get our Christmas tree!  We were actually there on Thanksgiving Day....we paraded and ate and napped and tree hunted and rode a horse.  It was glorious.














5.  Leon found us in the mountains...




5.  We came home for me to spend the week volunteering the Junior League of Columbia's Holiday Market...our committee has worked for so long to make this year's market an overwhelming success!  It's a looooong week, but in the end we are all giddy and ready for the next year.  Or maybe that's the champagne...one never can tell.  

6.  So I'm "back on the line" as it were.  See you soon.....