Talerine Beef Casserole

Last night for dinner I made Talerine Beef Casserole from Simply Recipes.  Not really to sure what to say about this meal. It wasn't bad, but wasn't wonderful either. I was surprised that with all of the ingredients, it was still a bit bland.  It was SUPER hot out last night so I refused to turn on the oven and skipped that part -- wonder if that would have made a difference? I also used ground turkey instead of beef. 



Talerine Beef Casserole Recipe


Ingredients
12 ounce bag egg noodles
1 medium white onion, peeled and chopped
1 bell pepper, seeded, ribs removed, chopped fine
3 minced clove of garlic
Grapeseed oil or olive oil for sautéing
1 1/2 pounds ground round beef
Salt
4 ounces mushrooms, sliced
1 28-ounce can tomatoes
1 1/2 cups frozen corn (can use canned corn or creamed corn)
1 15-ounce can of black olives, strained and chopped
1 pound cheddar cheese, grated


Method

1 Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees and bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the egg noodles.

2 Heat 2 Tbsp of oil on medium high heat in a large, heavy bottomed pot. Add the onions and bell pepper and sauté until softened. Add garlic and cook for a minute more. Add the tomatoes, breaking them up with your fingers or a knife, if you are using whole canned tomatoes. Bring to a simmer and let cook for 10 minutes. Lower the heat to warm.


3 In a separate skillet, heat to medium-high. Add a couple of tablespoons of oil to the pan and brown the meat, working in batches. Break up about half of the ground beef into the pan. Do not stir, but let sit and cook for a minute or two until brown. Sprinkle a little salt over the meat while cooking. Once brown on one side, stir the meat a little to get the other sides browned. Once the meat is thoroughly browned, use a slotted spoon to remove the meat from the pan and put it in with the tomatoes, onions, and peppers. Brown the second batch of ground beef the same way.

4 Using the same pan that you had used for browning the beef, sauté the mushrooms in the remaining oil and beef drippings. Once browned, add the mushrooms to the beef and tomato mixture.


5 While the mushrooms are cooking, add the egg noodle pasta to the boiling water. Cook as directed, about 4-5 minutes. Strain when cooked, but still a little firm (al dente).


6 Add egg noodles, corn, chopped olives, and about two thirds of the cheese to the large pot of beef and tomato mixture. Gently mix in.


7 Transfer mixture to a large casserole dish, or to two casserole dishes if you don't have one that is large enough. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top of casserole(s). Place in the oven. Cook for 30 minutes (can go as long as an hour).

Back to Cooking

Good Morning!  I am trying to get my butt back on the ban wagon and start cooking dinner more.  We have got into a horrible rut of going out for dinner.  I took the bull by the horns and made a weekly meal plan for this coming week -- including all NEW recipes!  Very excited to try them and share them with all of you.


First up ~ dinner from Sunday ~ Portobello Pork Chops (found on The Recipe Review blog via the Pork Board).  This was VERY easy to make.  A very small handful of ingredients.  It made the house smell wonderful while being cooked and I was hoping it would live up to the smell.  One bite later, my wonderful finace decleared this recipe was a keeper! 


Portobello Pork Chops
4 bone-in pork rib or loin chops, 3/4 inch
1-1/2 cups mild chunky salsa
1 cup chopped Portobello mushrooms
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

 Heat oven to 375 degrees.  Trim fat from chops.  Spoon salsa into a retangular baking dish.  Arrange chops on top of salsa.  Combine Portobello mushrooms, cheddar cheese and maple syrup om a medium bowl.  Spoon over chops.  Bake, uncovered, for 20 to 25 minutes.  Sprinkle with parsley.  Serve chops with salsa mixture.

Cookbook Giveaway!

Mandy's Recipe Box is giving away a free copy of: 

Quick-Fix Southern: Homemade Hospitality in 30 Minutes or Less
by Rebecca Lang

Check out her blog and her facebook page!

Happy Friday!

Random Cuteness

Just some random cuteness I came across today!

Drive By

It has been a while so here is a random drive by posting ~

What are we celebrating today?
 Today is ~

Church of Latter Day Saints Day
Army Day
National Day of Hope

April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month ~ April 6 (National Day of Hope) asks all Americans to keep victims of abuse and neglect in their thoughts and prayers, to seek to break the cycle of child abuse and neglect and to give victimized children hope for the future.
New Beers Eve
Breweries and beer lovers around the country are celebrating the 75th anniversary of the return of beer on April 7, 1933, as the Prohibition era was drawing to a close.
Drowsy Driver Awareness Day
National Student Athlete Day
Paraprofessional Appreciation Day
Tartan Day
A day to celebrate Americans of Scottish descent have played a vibrant and influential role in the development of the United States.
Teflon Day
On this day in 1938, chemist Roy J Plunkett discovered Teflon.


So push aside this gloomy not so spring weather and celebrate!

Dr. Seuss

A week late and a dollar short ... but nonetheless, Happy Belated Birthday to Dr. Seuss!

I thought to celebrate, I would share some wonderful quotes from the wonderful world of Dr. Seuss ~

“You know you're in love when you can't fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams.”

“Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.”

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.”

“Today was good. Today was fun. Tomorrow is another one.”

"Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, Nothing is going to get better. It's not." 

"From there to here, from here to there, funny things are everywhere!" 

"We are all a little weird and life's a little weird, and when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall in mutual weirdness and call it love."    

 

.·:*¨¨*:·.Lessons.·:*¨¨*:·.

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.

5. Pay off your credit cards every month.

6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.

8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.

9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.

10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.

13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.

15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.

16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.

19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.

20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.

21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.

23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.

24. The most important sex organ is the brain.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'

27. Always choose life.

28. Forgive everyone everything.

29. What other people think of you is none of your business.

30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.

31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

33. Believe in miracles.

34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.

35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.

37. Your children get only one childhood.

38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.

41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

42. The best is yet to come...

43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

44. Yield.

45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.

 

Written by Regina Brett, 90 years old,
of the Plain Dealer, Cleveland , Ohio

The most ADORABLE thing!

Over the weekend I have discovered the most adorable thing -- teacup pigs.  Never heard of them?  

Lets start with a picture:

 

Adorable right?

I fell in total love with these little guys,

but then again, who wouldn't? 

They have a life span of 12-20 years, they are extremely affectionate, they love attention, you can litter box train them, they don't shed, and they make a perfect pet for your lap!

 

For information on the adoption of these pigs, check out this website ~ http://www.teacuppigsforsale.com/

 and the cutest little guy on the internet......

 Isn't he just ADORABLE!?!?! 

 

Hi Ho Hi Ho .. its off to go workout I go

I have gotten fat ... too fat for my liking ... I have gained 32 pounds since I have meet my fiance -- YUCK

So today, I am getting back on the bandwagon and going to the gym.  I have signed up for anytime fitness and I am going to get myself  back into shape.  I AM GOING TO DO IT. 

What I need from you is advice:  What works for you?  How much cardio?  How much weight?  Any supplements that you suggest?

A Year Later

Hard to believe I started this blog a year ago!  It all started with a little quote ...An optimist stays up until midnight to see the New Year in. A pessimist stays up to make sure the old year leaves. -- Bill Vaughan

I hope everyone had a wonderful and safe New Years and everyone is enjoying their first Monday back to the normal grind after all the holidays.

It is not just any ol' Monday though!  no sir ... today is Drinking Straw Day, Earth at Perihelion, J.R.R. Tolkien Day, Memento Mori "Remember You Die" day, National Chocolate Covered Cherry Day, and "Thank God It's Monday" day.

Anyone doing anything to celebrate today?

Hope you had a Merry Christmas!

Before the Holiday season is gone, I wanted to share some holiday pictures of Fort Wayne with you.  I hope you and your family had a very Merry Christmas!

My Grandpa's Passing

My Grandpa had been sick with cancer since approximately June of 2008.  He put up a fight, but lost his battle at 3:06 a.m. on Friday, December 17, 2010.  My Grandpa was more than just a "grandpa" to me.  He was very much a father figure to me.  I grew up right across the street from my grandparents and because of this, we had an amazing bond.  Because my cousin was so awesome at writing an eulogy for him, I wanted to share:


Grandpa was a wonderful man to everyone he knew and anyone who was lucky enough to have him in their life were truly blessed. He was an amazing example to everyone as a husband, Dad, grandfather, brother, uncle, & friend. He treated anyone welcomed into the family, as his own. We are gifted with thousands of wonderful memories to remember him by - the best thing will always be his love to his family - especially his love to Grandma, his wife of 61 years. There is no stronger love, than the love, he showed to her.

I can still hear his "hey sis" as any of us girls walked into their living room.
As a child I remember never wanting to tell him that I had a loose tooth because he always had his own suggestions on how to get that loose tooth out and he was always more than willing to help with it - I think thats the only time I ever ran from my Grandpa. He often checked on us while we were sledding down their hill - I would frequently look up and there stood him & Grandma staring out the window, normally shaking their heads at us. We always loved helping him style his hair- sometimes he would even pay us - those were some fun days.

If we didn't find him in his recliner we often found him outside in his garden. He loved his garden. Then, of course he had his squirrel & bird feeders. His constant drives to go "find" deer.  His frequent fishing trips.  Even his bowling in his earlier years - maybe Grandpa did and loved just about everything.

He often lectured us on making sure we had the correct essentials in our car for the winter months. He always had his own choice of words to prove to us that he wanted what was best for his entire family & showed his pride in all of our accomplishments.

Holidays, especially Christmas Eve will never be the same again - good thing you trained those boys on how to carve the turkey & ham.

I miss your "eeews"  while giving you your kiss & hugs more than anything - you proved to us in your final days that you were ready because we heard "I love you" back from you - thank you Grandpa, but we all always knew that you "eeews" and your "uh huhs" meant "I love you too."

I know you were scared to leave Grandma - but you gifted her with a huge family as well as a fair share of some life long friends - we will take care of her & we will take care of each other just as you have always done for us.

The morning God called you home - you didn't go along - a part of us went with you and you will always be with us.  You will be the brightest star shining every night, the loudest bird chirping every morning, the biggest deer in the field, the best hand of cards in the game, and the best fish catch of the day. You have given us enough memories that we will think of you daily.

You were always suppose to live past 100,  81 was just too early to lose you...
Rest in peace Grandpa - and thank you more than words can say for everything you have always done for all of us.
We love you Grandpa and will miss you more than you know.

so cute!

Found this picture while stumbling ... so cute I had to share!

Animal Crossbreeds

These are too cute not to share!

Worth 1000 did a photo contest making an "animal crossbreed" by mating to (just two) creatures.  There were 178 entries.  Here are a few of my favorites:

The Turtlehopper:

 The Frogodile:

The Fropig:

 The Frippo:

To check out the other entries CLICK HERE!

 

Benjaman Kyle

This was a very interesting find today while stumbling on the internet ~

(taken from Wikipedia)

Around 6AM on August 31, 2004, a man now living under the name Benjaman Kyle was discovered behind a Burger King at the intersection of Interstate 95 and Highway 17 in Richmond Hill, Georgia. He was found by the managers of the restaurant, lying on the ground inside the stone wall enclosing the Burger King dumpsters, in a space between the dumpsters that is accessed by a walk-through used for trash disposal. The dumpster enclosure was behind the Burger King in an area hidden from view from all directions except from the restaurant parking lot. Prolonged exposure to the sun had left him sunburned.  He was assumed homeless and taken to a hospital for treatment. Officers who searched the scene found no clothes or wallet to identify the man. According to the manager of the Burger King, there were no weapons found at the scene. Paramedics reported that there were three depressions in his head, that may indicate blows by a blunt object. When found, he had no memory of who he was, and did not even recognize his own face.  He was legally blind with cataracts, indicating he may have been without medical care for some time before he was assaulted. Initially, he was known as BK because he was discovered on the premises of a Burger King. Since then, he has chosen to live under the name Benjaman Kyle and insists that his real first name is Benjaman.

Kyle is Caucasian and appears to be in his 50s or 60s.  He is 5 feet 11 inches (1.80 m) tall and weighs 240 pounds (110 kg).  He has graying hair with a receding hairline, and blue-green eyes. He is of above average intelligence. 

Kyle has memories of Indianapolis as a child, including the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument, the Woolworth's on the Circle, and the Indiana Theater showing movies in Cinerama. He remembers Crown Hill Cemetery, though not its name; the Scottish Rite Cathedral; and the White River when "it was mostly just a dumping ground." He also remembers grilled cheese sandwiches for a quarter and glasses of milk for a nickel at the Indiana State Fair.

Kyle also has memories of the area around the University of Colorado at Boulder. He has detailed memories of the subscription the library has to Restaurants & Institutions. He also remembers the Round the Corner Restaurant on the Hill, and the Flatirons and The Fox Theater near the Boulder campus.^[8] This places Kyle in the Denver-Boulder area in the late 1970s to early 1980s.^[6] In an interview with Channel 7 News in Denver, 

Kyle reported having memories of the controversy surrounding the construction of mass transit in Denver, at a time when the city still had no financing to proceed. Although the mass transit system in Denver went into operation in 1994, public debate over the construction of the system dates back to about 1980, consistent with the time period of the other memories that Kyle has about Denver and Boulder.^[9]

During an October 16, 2008 interview on the television show of Dr. Phil McGraw, he recollected some minor memories he has, such as having brothers, being 10 years older than Michael Jackson (giving him a possible birth date of August 29, 1948), being around restaurant equipment, and that he attended a Catholic School.^[5] Through hypnosis, he has recalled a partial Social Security number 395-44-XXXX, consistent with the states of Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin.

Benjaman Kyle has an unusually detailed knowledge of restaurant operation and food preparation equipment, leading to the belief that he may have once worked in these industries.

Wikipedia

Some Life Lessons

No One is Perfect.

The quicker this is realized the faster you can get on with being excellent.  Start every morning ready to fight harder than you did the day before and run further than you ever imagine.

Avoid over explaining yourself.

Be confident with who you are.

Keep balance in your life.

Write down what’s most important to you and show up.  Sometimes we tend to do the things that are most important to us when it’s written down.

Play the hand you were dealt.

Have the courage to face challenges head on it builds character.  Start looking for a way through instead of a way out.

Be a student of life.

Learn something new every day.  The day you stop learning is the day you become obsolete so keep learning.

No Excuses.

Stop making excuses replace them with ways to do better.  Excuses are a waste of time and energy.

Let others know where you Stand.

Be uncompromising and be up front when someone steps on your core values.      

Never be afraid of a challenge. 

You put on your shoes like every other man.  Now it comes down to who wants it more.

Service to others.

Small, simple or important be a volunteer and give the very best of you.   

Work like hell.  

Everyone has a job to do so do it.  Cross every “T” and dot every “I”.  

Discover You.  

Find your passion, life purpose, and take action.

Don’t take it Personal.  

Don’t be afraid to laugh at yourself self confidence shows that you’re comfortable in your own skin.

Manage your time. 

Our situation and environment is ever changing so be careful not to confuse the things that are urgent with the things that are important.  Look for time wasters and eliminate them.

Ask for help.  

Life can be tough remember you never have to do it alone. 

Do your homework.  

Know what you getting into before you start.  Doing your homework reduces uncertainty and fear.

Day Dream Often.  

On the weekend when you are relaxing embrace a day dream.  During the week take action to preserve your dreams. 

Be A HERO.  

Cultivate a healthy dose of forgiveness and set someone free.  Learn to forgive others and stop carrying those bags of hate, guilt or regret.     

Stay One Step Ahead.  

Be proactive, Take the initiative, Brainstorm with the big picture in mind.

Self Love.  

Become your own priority.  Strive to be the you, you want to be.  

Finish what you started.  

Avoid the urge to stray.

Happy Friday!

Hello Everyone and Happy Friday to you!

I am so excited for fall to be here.  Pumpkin flavored, stuff, caramel apples, the crunch of fallen leaves, the smell in the air ..... but please explain why it is still 90 degrees outside!

I am ready to get out all my fall decorations and decorate my home this year.  The kids will be spending Halloween with me this year also -- YAY!  Still no idea what costumes everyone will wearing this year.  -- What are you going to be?

What other (not so) exciting things are going on?  Did you know that today is the 267th day of the year   and there are 98 days remaining until the end of the year.  This year has gone by fast in my opinion.  Now if I can just get the individual work days to go by just as fast!

So with today being Friday, it is the start to the weekend ... and I have zero plans.  It will be delightful to have my honey home with me on Saturday though! (YAY!)  However, a bit said that they kids will not be home with me this weekend. OH... my future in-laws are coming over on Sunday -- bringing the trampoline :)

Well I just learned an interesting fact ~ Yesterday we had a full moon.  Not just any full moon, but the HARVEST MOON!  

On to the holidays .....

Friday September 24 ~ Love Note Day, Punctuation Day, Schwenkfelder Thanksgiving and Hug a Vegetarian Day

and since I am not around to post on the weekends ....

Saturday September 25 ~  Boys' and Girls' Club Day for Kids, Family Health & Fitness Day USA, Fish Amnesty Day, National One-Hit Wonder Day, National Public Lands Day, National Museum Day, National Hunting & Fishing Day, R.E.A.D. in America Day, and World Ataxia Awareness Day.

Sunday September 26 ~ Gold Star Mother's Day, Johnny Appleseed Day, National Good Neighbor Day, Hunting & Fishing Day, Shamu the Whale Day and Walk Like a Zombie Day.

Looks like we have a lot to celebrate guys!  

If you are celebrating one of the holidays are celebrating something of your own... please let me know!  Would love to hear from you.

Hello Hello!

Hey guys!  First, let me say I am sorry if you visited my page recently and got the horrible looking photobucket error in the background ~ got that fixed! 

Today is Wednesday and I normally (well when I get around to it), do Wordless Wednesday ~ not today!  You are in for special treat .... well, not really ... sorry!

Things new in my life ~ well, not much.  My daughter has started 3rd grade, my middle son has started kindergarten and my youngest just started preschool (wow I feel old!)  All kids seem to be having fun and doing good. Well, not all ... my middle son has hit a very rough patch when it comes to acting out and trying to get his way.   Hope this is a phase and will pass soon.  I am still working at the same place, still living in the new place and still have boxes to put away! LOL  Really, we have a lot done and I am so happy to be in our new  home.

My life is boring .... lets go see what is happening in the wacky world of holidays today shall we?

As I am sure most of you know (really?? you didn't know??), today is the Autumnal Equinox Day (a/k/a the first day of fall).  Today is the day when there is exactly 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness at the equator.  Today is also American Business Women's Day, Dear Diary Day, Elephant Appreciation Day, Hobbit Day, National Centenarian's Day, and National White Chocolate Day.

First, lets give a huge shot out to all of the American Business Women out there!  Also, lets all not forget to write in our diary tonight (do people still write in books??), be sure to go the zoo and see the elephants today (or maybe eat some peanut butter?)  .... MUST be something fun to celebrate Hobbit Day! hmmm.....  Centenarians, you guys rock also ~ congrats on living to be at least 100 (you knew that is what that meant right!)  and my favorite part of the day ... NATIONAL WHITE CHOCOLATE DAY!  that, we must do something to celebrate! 

Please share with me what is special about your day?  Does September 22 mean something to you?  Would love to hear about it.

I am bored at work, so I am going to continue with random things about today -- lets go see what birthdays I can find ~ off to go search the web ~

ROCK ON!  Today is Joan Jett's 52nd birthday!  Happy Birthday to you -- you my dear ROCK!  (LOVE HER!)

Also celebrating today ..... Tom Felton (23), Adam Lazzara (29), Bonnie Hunt (46), Scott Baio (49), Andrea Bocelli (52), Nick Cave (53), Johnette Napolitano (53), Debby Boone (54) Shari Belafonte (56) and Tony Lasorda (83).

I thought Tonya Lasorda was dead ?? just checked wiki ~ apparently not

Ta Ta Adorkable Readers ~ until next time  (which hopefully isn't so long away!)

I Love You

I am absolutely 100% completely blessed to have such a wonderful person in my life.

For those of you that don’t know my story, I am a 30 year old divorced mother of three. My marriage had many issues – some from me, some from him –

I have had a lot of ups and downs in my life. Reflecting upon all these down times (and ups), I have never had one person stand beside me to be there for me -- never had a rock in my life.

I am very fortunate to have had such a wonderful person fall into my life. He is my rock, my superman, my love.

He is there for me in my lowest lows – gives me his shoulder when I need to cry, gives me advice when I don’t know which way to turn, and is just there in any way that I need him.

He is there for me in my highest highs – with me to share wonderful moments, and is proud of who and what I am and can do.

Because of all he is and all he does … I Love You Corey ♥ 

Need New Ideas

Would love to get some new recipes in my kitchen!  

Please share with me one (or more) of your all time favorite recipes!

THANKS!