Sunday, September 28, 2014

Quick and Versatile Tex-Mex Meat

This recipe is for a family favorite.  It is so quickly put together and that alone makes it a great go-to for hectic night meals.  Add to that the versatile nature of this recipe and you have something you will find yourself making each week!  Your family will have something different because you will be changing the final meal you serve from the base recipe. You can use canned goods, frozen or fresh as long as you pay attention to the amount of liquid accumulating in the pan.  Too much liquid might make your chosen dish soggy.  


What you need:
Ground Beef (or turkey)

Corn
Salsa
Diced Tomatoes
Spanish Rice
Black Beans (optional)


Putting it all together:

Brown and drain the meat.  Prepare rice according to directions. Drain the corn and add it to the meat.  Add the salsa, diced tomatoes, and beans (drain and rinse these well).  

Put the meat mixture over chips, salad greens, in a tortilla, over chicken or cube steak, or eat it as its own meal. I have even made soup using this as a base - it's so easy, just add chicken stock and heat through! This freezes well and reheats for another great meal when you find yourself short of time and in need of a good meal or snack. 

Friday, September 12, 2014

Boy Oh Boy!

My more recent knitting projects have been baby sweaters for little boys.  I always love the opportunity to get to use my creative juices for little ones but seldom get to knit for the boys.  This was a special treat as the first sweater was combined with a blanket to become a gift for the newest member of our family!  Noah is the son of my husband's cousin and his wife.  He is an answer to prayers as he took a loving couple into the awesome adventure of family life. 

Noah lives in a colder climate than Texas, so I was able to use a wool blend fiber in his sweater and blanket. I knit the 12-18 month size since Noah is no longer a newborn. The sweater pattern was designed by Nancy Lutz and is called Lutzling Sweater.  It was knit in this perfect color of green in Berroco Vintage DK.





The second sweater was knit for my sister-in-law to give to her 'just-like-my-own' son in preparation for the birth of his first child, a son.  It is a brighter, more updated, version of little boy blue and was knit in Berroco Comfort DK Solid yarn.  I love the little star buttons in the mixed colors.  These are a nod to the stars and stripes in our flag and to the baby's father for his military service. The pattern is one I've worked before and tend to return to because I love it so much - Seamless Yoked Baby Sweater by Carole Barenys.  It knits up beautifully into what I think may be the perfect infant sweater.