I’m selling my soul right back to Jesus

Well, it has been awhile since I put up a recipe, so I thought I would share two recently tried successes. The last one was so good I made it again two weeks later. As D does not appreciate the Mexican type dishes, I made the first one for just me, so I still have leftovers; however, it is in my repertoire to make again.

Naked Beef & Bean Burrito Rice
Makes 4 to 6 servings
½ lb (250g) lean ground beef
2 tsp (10 mL) Tex Mex seasoning
2 cups (500 mL) Minute Rice Instant White Rice
2 cups (500mL) mild salsa
1 ½ cups (375 mL) water
1 can (398 mL) low-fat refried beans
1 can (250 mL) shredded cheese
½ cup (125 mL) sliced green onions
sour cream and additional salsa (optional)
I also added, since this was low on veggies - 1 cup mushrooms, 1 red or green pepper, and 1 small onion. You would also remove the beef, add a few more veggies (perhaps zucchini or eggplant) and make it vegetarian.

1. Crumble the beef into a large, ovenproof nonstick skillet; add the seasoning and cook over medium-high heat, stirring, until the beef is browned. Stir in the rice, salsa, and water. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat.

2. Cover and let stand for 10 minutes. (At this point, as I do not have an ovenproof skillet, I transferred the meal into an ovenproof casserole dish.) Drop spoonfuls of the beans over the hot rice mixture; using the back of the spoon, spread evenly over rice. Sprinkle with cheese.

3. Place the skillet on the middle rack in over; broil for 7 minutes or until beans are heated through and cheese is melted. Sprinkle with green onions. Serve with additional salsa and sour cream (if desired) on the side.

Note – if you are one of those who does not believe in Minute Rice, you could make rice on the side and add it and the salsa to the meat and heat for a couple of minutes and then cover with the beans.

Note – this freezes and reheats well. It also smells delish and encourages everyone to ask for the recipe.

Deluxe Pizza Rice Toss
Makes 4 to 6 servings
1 tbsp (15 mL) olive oil
2 cups (500 mL) sliced mushrooms
1 cup (250 mL) chopped onion
1 cup (250 mL) chopped sweet green pepper
1 cup (250 mL) sliced pepperoni (I used a lean meat I found at Save-On Foods as I
don’t like pepperoni – it is sliced just like pepperoni with less sodium and fat – I wish I could remember the name of it)
1 tsp (5mL) dried oregano
1 cups (250 mL) pizza or marina sauce
1 ½ cups (375 mL) sodium reduced stock – chicken or vegetable
2 cups (500 mL) Minute Rice instant white rice
1 cup (250 mL) shredded mozzarella cheese

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet set over medium heat; cook mushrooms, onion, green pepper, pepperoni, and oregano. Cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes or until tender.

2. Stir in pizza sauce and the stock. Bring to a boil. Stir in the rice and return the mixture to a boil. Sprinkle with cheese. Remove from heat.

3. Cover and let stand for 10 minutes.

You can serve additional pizza sauce on the side if desired.

Note – you can substitute your favorite pizza topping for the pepperoni, green pepper, and mushrooms.

Note – for those who do not like Minute Rice, you could make regular rice in the stock and then mix it with the fixings and the pizza sauce. Bring to a boil. Sprinkle with cheese. Remove from heat and let stand for a few minutes.

Have fun cooking!

Playing movies in my head that make a porno feel like home

Sorry for the absence. Life has been hell in a hand basket for a while now and I barely had chances to pop on the internet to see what friends were up to, let alone tell you about the chaos of my life. Work has been full of overtime, which is good as it will help pay for the upcoming wedding I have to attend, but it also has not left time for downtime or for keeping my house organized and clean. And as we all know from previous posts, a messy house equates a messy mind/heart/soul for me. So no surprise then I have been feeling very displaced, chaotic, and stressed.

The good news is my holidays start in one week. The bad news – I only have a week to get my life in order and it is only a week of holidays and there is SOOOO much to do.

The positives
I am taking yoga again. Thank goodness. They moved it to Thursdays, which I am not a fan of, but at least I have an hour and a half of relaxation and stretching each week.

The scale and measuring tape are moving in the right direction. I am happy my hard work is paying off. It may be slowly, but at least it is in the right direction.

Holidays are coming. One glorious week of not getting up super early. One glorious week of not going to work. One glorious week of me time.

The negatives
This stress is taking its toll. My eating habits are atrocious. My house is messy. My life feels unsatisfying. There is a part of me that is feeling luxurious with alone time, while at the same time I am feeling very lonely. Again. There is a part of me wanting to bathe in self-gratification, to make it all about me and my wants and desires. Warring that side is the practical side, which keeps reminding me of all that still needs to be done before winter, before the Halloween party, before the next project.

D is stressed as well, due to work. I am stressed due to work. This is leading to stresses at home, which means little time to just chill. There are things going on in my head that a lot of people would cock an eyebrow at, at the very least. So much I would do. Goodness, if I drank, this would be a very expensive time for me. I think what is really sucking is I don’t have a lot of stress relievers anymore. I don’t drink, don’t do drugs, and don’t smoke. I am not allowed caffeine; I am watching what I eat. Exercise doesn’t give me that high other people may get. Short of laying myself on the front lawn saying come and get it boys, what is a girl to do to take off that edge? I know this will get better. I know things will calm down. Eventually. The question is can I last until then? Can I stay alive, stay sane, and stay true to my don’t drink, don’t do drugs lifestyle?

Anyway, I need to go get some sleep. I just thought I would catch up with the site. Let y’all know I was alive. Maybe next week I can invest some more time to talk about what is going on in my life? We’ll see.