Tomato enchilada bake

This is another favorite. Hmmm... I bet that it would be pretty good with leftover turkey too.

Tomato Enchilada Bake
Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 30 Minutes
Ready In: 45 Minutes
Yields: 4 large servings

INGREDIENTS:
3 cups cooked chicken meat
1 cup sour cream
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 green onions, chopped
1 tomato, diced
1 (6.5 ounce) can canned tomato sauce
1/2 cup salsa
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried parsley
8 (8 inch) flour tortillas
6 ounces shredded Cheddar cheese

DIRECTIONS:
1. In a large bowl combine the chicken, sour cream, canned diced tomatoes, 1 teaspoon chili powder, chopped onion, green onion, and fresh diced tomato. Mix well and set aside.
2. In a medium saucepan combine tomato sauce, salsa, 2 teaspoons chili powder, oregano and parsley. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
4. Fill tortillas with chicken mixture and fold together, laying snugly in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking dish. Pour simmered sauce over the top, then sprinkle with shredded cheese.
5. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Ratings (out of 5):
Adam - **** (with jalapenos added)
Melanie - **** 1/2 (as written)

Little turkey

I know... it's out of focus, but I still thought that it was cute.

Elf yourself

I hope that Adam forgives me for posting this (click the picture for more fun!)! Ha! Try it yourself here!

Enter His gates with thanksgiving

I've been mulling over the idea of a Thanksgiving post for the past few days now, but to be honest I'm having a hard time putting all the things for which I'm thankful into words. This past year has been such an amazing journey through so many different feelings and emotions and to try to organize those in a way that makes sense to others seems impossible right now.

As the generations of parents before me understood - the love from a parent to a child and the resulting love that invades the surrounding family of that child is impossible to describe... which is probably alright because I don't know that it can be understood until you've been there. At least, I know I certainly didn't understand.

That love and the things that have come from that love encompass so many of the things for which I'm thankful. Such simple description with such complex meaning. It just seems that there should be more profound language to describe things so important and precious.

In light of the fact that I'm all caught up in my emotions this week, I'm going to let one of Addy's books do the heavy hitting. This is one of my favorites and I rarely get through it with two dry eyes.

On the Day You Were Born
By Debra Frasier

On the eve of your birth
word of your coming
passed from animal to animal.

The reindeer told the Artic terns,
who told the humpback whales,
who told the Pacific salmon,
who told the monarch butterflies,
who told the green turtles,
who told the European eel,
who told the busy garden warblers,
and the marvelous news migrated worldwide.

While you waited in darkness,
tiny knees curled to chin,
the Earth and her creatures
with the Sun and the Moon
all moved in their places,
each ready to greet you
the very first moment
of the very first day you arrived.

On the day you were born
the round planet Earth
turned toward your morning sky,
whirling past darkness,
spinning the night into light.

On the day you were born
gravity's strong pull
held you to the Earth
with a promise that you
would never float away…

…while deep in space
the burning Sun
sent up
towering flames,
lighting your sky,
from dawn until dusk.

On the day you were born
the quiet Moon glowed
and offered to bring
a full, bright face,
each month,
to your windowsill…

...while high above the North Pole,
Polaris, the glittering North Star,
stood still, shining silver light
into your night sky.

On the day you were born
the Moon pulled
on the ocean below, and,
wave by wave,
a rising tide washed the
beaches clean for
your footprints…

…while far out at sea
clouds swelled with water drops,
sailed to shore on a wind,
and rained you a welcome
across the Earth’s
green lands.

On the day you were born
a forest of tall tress
collected the Sun’s light
in their leaves,
where, in silent mystery,
they made oxygen
for you to breathe…

…while close to your skin
and as high as the sky,
air rushed in and blew about,
invisibly protecting you
and all living things on Earth.

On the day you were born
the Earth turned, the Moon pulled,
the Sun flared, and, then, with a push,
you slipped out of the dark quiet
where suddenly you could hear…

…a circle of people singing
with voices familiar and clear.

“Welcome to the spinning world,” the people sang,
as they washed your new, tiny hands.

“Welcome to the green Earth,” the people sang,
as they wrapped your wet, slippery body.

And as they held you close
they whispered into your open, curving ear,
“We are so glad you’ve come!”


I’m thankful for our little family and the love that holds it close. Adam and Addy – I’m so thankful for the two of you.

just because I'm ready!

Over the past week, I've been working on a children's apparel line for Just Because. I'm pretty excited about it and wanted to plug it here (because if I can't plug it here, where can I?) =) So, if you're interested, please check it out here. Thanks for looking! =)

Favorite Salad

So, we didn't do our weekly 'dinner and a movie' night this week, but I thought that I would post my favorite salad recipe. It's one that my Mom often would serve at Thanksgiving and/or Christmas and I would always look forward to eating it. Truly, I know that it sounds a little icky with the sour cream, but trust me, it's wonderful!!

Raspberry Marble Salad:

Makes 8 servings

2 packages raspberry gelatin
2 cups boiling water
1 package (10 oz) frozen raspberries
1 small can crushed pineapple
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
8 ounce box dairy sour cream

Dissolve gelatin in boiling water. Add raspberries, stirring to thaw. Chill until partially set. Add pineapple and walnuts. Put half of mixture into 11 x 7-in pan or casserole dish. Spread sour cream over this and add second half of gelatin mixture over sour cream layer. Chill until set.

I've been tagged!

Deanna tagged me with this meme. Here goes nothing!

Two names you go by: 1. Mel and well, um, hmm... I don't think that I really go by anything else other than that. 2. Adam calls me babe. Does that count?

Two things you are thinking right now: 1. I need to make a list of grocery items for Thanksgiving. 2. I really need to get those thank you notes sent! (Can you tell I'm a little behind?) =)

Two of your favorite things to do: 1. Play with Addy. 2. Shop (isn't that bad?). I do love looking for deals though!

Two things you want very badly at that moment: 1. A cuddly, rainy, snuggle-up-under-the-covers-morning with Adam and Addy. 2. Thanksgiving grocery shopping to be done.

Two favorite pets you have had/have: 1. Nutmeg - the dog that we had when I was in high school. 2. Credit and Debit, of course!

Two people who will fill this out: 1. Anna. 2. Amanda.

Two (non-household) people you last talked to (email does not count): 1. The Wash U people asking for money. 2. Mom.

Two longest trips you have been on: 1. Our 'backpacking' trip through Europe. 2. Our trip to Israel.

Two favorite holidays: 1. Christmas. 2. Thanksgiving. It's the perfect time of year for me now! =)

Two beverages: 1. Wild Cherry Pepsi. 2. Raspberry Lemonade.

Kohl's!

I'm so excited that Kohl's has finally come to our neck of the woods! Though the store officially opened on Wednesday, Addy and I went to their 'sneak peek' on Tuesday. If you enlarge the picture, you'll see the Kohl's sign through the window. =) (Oh and for those of you that wonder, I hadn't finished adjusting Addy in the car seat - she was just in a really happy mood (I hope that wasn't because we were leaving Kohl's!), so I wanted to capture the moment. I adjusted the straps and her jacket before we left!) =)

Lions in Kenya

As I was surfing around trying to find a link to post, Adam started singing the Lions in Kenya song. I couldn't believe I had had never posted that link here. The video and song have become favorites of Addy's - she'll 'dance' (the equivalent of bobbing her head) whenever we play them. We're often changing the words to incorporate what Addy is doing - "Where is the Addy? She's in the high chair. She's in the high chair, yes she's Addy." Well maybe it will make more sense after you see the video. Click here to start the fun!

Good day

I have no idea of what to write about. But yet I promised myself that I would truly try to keep up with blogging. It’s now 10:45 and I’m headed to bed – or at least I would be, except that I haven’t yet blogged today. So here I am trying to spit out a post that at least makes some morsel of sense to those who read it. I’ve always been told to ‘write what you know’, so here goes. My day in 400 words or less! (Don’t hold your breath – it’s really not all that exciting!) =)

I don’t really know where the time went today. I think that little aliens must have landed and sucked all of the time out of the minutes. Seriously. Ok, maybe not… but that’s kind of the way that it feels.

Lots of errand running and lots of piddly stuff at home got done, but nothing of great consequence. I tried to think of a reason – any reason (well any good reason, at least) to get out of my dentist appointment tomorrow. No luck there. I guess I’m going. Ah well.

I started mentally matching Christmas gifts to names on the the ‘What are we going to give (insert name here)?’ list. And I grumbled under my breath (just a little) about the fact that the halls are completely decked in most stores a week and a half before Thanksgiving. But then I listened to the Christmas music playing over the sound systems and grumbled just a little less.

I probably put a huge hole in a tree today with all of the Kleenex that I used. And I also tried to convince myself that I’m not getting sick. Three cough drops and four Tylenol later, I realized that I was wrong. (And the bummer is that even with this knowledge, the dentist still told me to come in…).

I laughed as I went in to check on Addy during her afternoon nap. Flexible as all get out, she was folded in half – face touching toes – happily asleep and none the worse for wear when she woke up.

I made Addy laugh. I cleaned some. I caught up on some email. I did some 'webmistressing'. I played with Addy. And now – here it’s 11:00 and I’m here writing about nothing really, but putting words on the paper all the same.

I have to say though, all in all, it still was a pretty good day. After all - the sun rose, the house stayed warm, the roof stayed put in the icky wind, the car got me to and from everywhere I needed to go, the company was good, the food that we ate was healthy and yummy, and the three family members in our little nucleus felt and sent love back and forth all day long.

I guess measuring the tangible things done in and with time isn’t the only way to measure the worth of a day...

Dan in Real Life **** (out of 5)

Addy and I went to the Mom and Baby showing of Dan in Real Life last week. (As an aside, if I haven’t mentioned before – this Parent/Baby showing is just an awesome event for the theaters to put on. It only works until Addy is one, so I (and Adam sometimes too) am (are) going to take advantage of it while I (we) can!). (As an even further aside, there really should be a better way to use the singular and plural for situations like that!).

Alright – enough of that. So, Dan in Real Life. Though I had seen Steve Carell on The Daily Show and in Bruce Almighty, I have to say that I never really noticed him until I saw The Office. Well, of course I noticed him, I just didn’t take note of him – if that makes any sense.

So, anyway, we started watching The Office a couple years ago and I quickly became a Steve Carrell fan. I just can’t not watch him – in that way that people just can’t not watch things that they shouldn’t want to watch. But we’ve seen him other places too – and it’s in those places that I’ve become a fan. He seems like such a genuinely nice person. That personality shows throughout Dan as well. He seems like a nice guy struggling to keep it together for his daughters after the death of his wife.

The plot synopsis is pretty simple: meeting the rest of his family for an annual reunion, Dan becomes the center of the family’s pity, all the while secretly desiring his brother’s girlfriend – his brother’s ‘the one’.

The characters are flawed in areas but well meaning and they offer a ‘home’ in the middle of nowhere. Marie – the love interest (Juliette Binoche) is a fine actress, but her character does not seem to understand that she can’t be interested in both brothers at once – which is frustrating to viewers who can see what her actions do to Dan (Carell). However, I think that her actions are probably normal in the real world – it’s just that they are hard to watch when vested in more than just her point of view. It’s frustrating, but it’s not completely damaging to the movie.

Other than that, the movie provides humor and several touching moments. It is not a movie for the ages, but it is a good story. I think it’s worth the time, and both Addy and I left the theater with smiles on our faces.

French Dips and Weeds

This past Wednesday, for our weekly 'dinner and a movie' night, we tried a sandwich recipe - (the official recipe title is just a long way to say 'French Dip' if you ask me...) and finished the last couple episodes in the first season of Weeds. The sandwiches weren't spectacular, but they were pretty good, and Weeds (if you suspend reality a little) is a pretty good show - though it takes a little while to get into. 'Official' ratings follow below.

Beef and Roasted Red Pepper Sandwiches
Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 15 Minutes
Ready In: 30 Minutes
Yields: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS:
1 (1 ounce) packet dry au jus mix
1 pound thinly sliced roast beef
garlic powder to taste
salt and pepper to taste
1 (12 ounce) jar roasted red bell peppers, drained and sliced
8 ounces sliced extra sharp provolone cheese
4 torpedo rolls, split

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat broiler. Prepare the au jus mix according to package directions. Add the sliced roast beef, and simmer until heated through.
2. Slice the rolls open, and place sliced side up on a baking sheet. Divide the beef between the rolls evenly, placing a portion on each slice of roll. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Top with a single layer of roasted red peppers, then cover with slices of provolone cheese.
3. Place under the broiler, about 6 inches from the heat source. Broil until the cheese melts, and the edges of the rolls are lightly toasted. Place roll halves together to make sandwiches.
4. Pour leftover au jus into small cups for each person. Serve with sandwiches for dipping.

Ratings (out of 5)
Adam: French Dip ***; Weeds ****
Melanie: French Dip***1/2; Weeds ****

Adam's new blog

Adam has been blogging again. His new blog is a book blog. You should read it. It's interesting and he's a great writer. You should read his blog. He will probably be posting quite a bit because he is always reading. You should read his blog - (have I mentioned that?). =) Click here to start!

Moldy toes?

Adam broke a bone in his foot a week ago. The doctor gave him a boot instead of a cast, which means we've been able to see the healing process taking place. The bone that he broke was beneath his ankle, but his toes are looking a little rough around the edges too.

Just your typical family... or not

I stumbled across this site on a friend's blog - and have enjoyed keeping up with the featured family for a while now. Currently the family is in Nalerigu, Ghana in Africa. With some amazing pictures and stories, the Haun family grants a first hand perspective of places that most will only see in the news... if even there.

Special dates

I admit it. For me, life is better when it’s organized. Once Adam and I announced that we were expecting a baby, people told me that I would never be organized again. And, yes, that made me sad. So, I decided to see if I could try to maintain my organiz-ed-ness once Addy was born. Some days are better than others, but so far, I think that I’ve been sucessful. (I guess this is a long intro to my actual blog, but my blog always has been ‘stream of consciousness’ to some extent in any case.)

Anyway, in my quest to be and stay organized, I have decided to rely on technology where I can. So, the other day, after Adam mentioning it several times over the past couple years, I decided that it would be much easier to enter all of the birthdays and anniversaries that we remember into Outlook as recurring events rather than keeping up with two different paper calendars (don’t ask me why they hadn’t been combined before!) which had to be redone year after year.

As I was entering everything into Outlook, I noticed that lots of important days clump together. For example in August, I have three friends with the same wedding anniversary date. There’s a week long stint in May that sees five anniversaries and three birthdays celebrated too. Adam has two friends that have wedding anniversaries on the same date in December. February 19th has not only Addy’s birthday but my Mom’s as well; also my aunt’s (though she and my Mom are twins, so that’s probably not all that unusual!), and also a friend from high school’s birthday too. More often than not, if there is one event on a specific day, there are two or more events. Of course there are several weeks throughout the year that are completely empty too. And that just doesn’t make sense to me.

If I remember correctly - if there are twelve people in a room, it’s more likely that two share a birthday than not. Out of 366 possibilities for birthdays, I just don’t understand how it’s likely to find a duplicate in twelve. This whole issue makes me think of the movie Identity, in which a group of strangers finds themselves stuck together in an old hotel. Soon after they start talking, they realize that they all have the same birthday. There is a dumb reason for it (which coincides with the dumb plot), but at least there’s a reason. And it makes sense, even though it’s dumb (can you tell that I’m not really a fan of the movie?) =)

Alas in real life, it just becomes a numbers game and people (like me) who are not numerically inclined are left to just have to accept that it happens. (I’ve written about probability and coincidences before and I’m still just as baffled by it all now). So, I’ll just stick to the idea that understanding things like this would just take the fun and mystery out of it and move on with life… though with an organized birthday and anniversary reminder system nonetheless.