Taco Soup

This is a tasty recipe that is good for you.

I started making this when I was on Weight Watchers.

It is low in points yet filling. It’s even lower in points when you make it vegetarian style, without the burger. I personally, like a bit of beef so that is how I’ve made it for you here.

Am I crazy when I say it felt good to cook a little again?

It’s just so much better than ordering out.

Unless you’re incredibly busy, as I’ve been (and honestly still am), but sometimes you just have to make time for things like a good home cooked meal and after ordering out so much, I need some seriously low-calorie meals like this.

1 lb (or less) of lean ground beef (optional)

1 medium yellow onion (chopped)

1 Tbsp minced garlic

3 cans diced tomatoes

1 Can Great Northern white beans undrained

1 can corn drained

1 package McCormick Taco seasoning

2 cups chicken broth

 

First if you are going to cook with beef, I recommend buying a pound or less of the leanest burger.

Brown your hamburger, drain the grease and add chopped onion & cook for a few minutes on medium heat.

Add all other ingredients.

 Make this recipe for your heart, it’ll thank you.

I know, I’m not right.

Don’t drain the beans, put the whole can in the pot.

 

Add the chicken broth. I state 2 cups in the recipe, use your judgement for your liking.

Stir ingredients until combined well.

Cook on medium heat for about 30 minutes, stirring occassionally.

 A filling, light, warm lunch. Yum.

If I recall correctly, 1 Cup of this soup (vegetarian style) is only 3 points, with the burger it’s approximately 5 points per cup.

A slightly higher calorie option is adding a little light sour cream to your individual serving, top with a little shredded cheddar.

I hope you enjoy!

 

It’s All About You! Again!

Again today, it’s not about me. It’s all about YOU! Yes, You!

Ok, I have to say, I was very pleasantly surprised when my idea for “It’s All About You” post last Friday was received so well.

Even more, I enjoyed the memories that the picture I posted brought forth in some of my readers. I mean I REALLY enjoyed them!

The word ‘really’ doesn’t describe my feelings well.

I authentically, categorically, honestly, no…INDUBITABLY enjoyed them. You guys are awesome!

I was touched by every one of your memories.

It evoked memories of loved ones,

childhood,

camp,

 family vacations,

 peaceful moments

 and even memories of a favorite movie.

I think its a great chance to remember how similar and how different the experiences that shape our lives can be.

Ok, ok, ok, enough of me babbling and getting all sentimental.

As I was saying, I enjoyed this so much, I’ve decided to make this a regular or semi regular part of my blog.

On Fridays I will post a picture and I will ask you to tell us what memory or feeling it brings out in YOU. You can post your memory or feeling short & sweet in the comment section, or if it inspires a tale better left for your blog, please link said tale back to the comment section so we can all share in your creation.

This last Monday, when I took a day off work to wander aimlessly around the country side with G2 (my camera) and a good friend who lives in the area, we stumbled across something interesting. On some winding country road that I probably couldn’t find again if you paid me, we decided to pull onto a gravel road to turn around. As we did, we were at first taken by the view, but as I was turning around, something caught my eye down a slight hill off to the side.

After I knocked away the “What a shame this classic sits here, rotting away” feelings, I remember weekends during the decade of big hair (yes the 80’s) and teen angst. I remember a local Hardees parking lot where everyone cool cruised around in their cool, and not so cool cars and hung out sitting on bumpers, walking around, some smoking, until the cops came and chased us all away.

Ahhhh, the memories…..

Wait, this isn’t about me today, it’s about you.

Close your eyes (ok, wait until you’ve read this first) then close your eyes and go back, or not so far back…….

What memories does this picture bring forth?

It was a Beautiful, Strange Day

Have you ever had a day where you saw more than one strange thing and just said WTF?

This last Monday was one of those days. It was a gorgeous day, the last day of a busy 4 day weekend for me.

Earlier in the morning, I walked a spectacular golf course with colors abounding.

It was so beautiful it was downright spiritual.

Then I met up with a great friend I’ve known since I was 16, (which was only a few years ago? HA!).

We had breakfast at a small town pub and then decided to explore the countryside.

Along the way I saw a tree with these laying under.

They look like alien brains!

Maybe I’m just too much of a suburbia girl that I’ve never seen this before but it was downright strange.

Anyone know what these are?

 

We were exploring Missouri wine country.

I live very close to Missouri wine country but not close enough!

I don’t say that because I’m a wino, I say that because Missouri wine country is downright beautiful.

Its made up of rolling hills looking over river bottoms, and small towns with quaint stores.

 

This is a winery just down the road from where that friend of mine lives. (It was taken a few days before.)

But on the day that we were exploring the countryside, we saw these and said “What the….?”

These are in someones yard, smack dab in the middle of one of those tiny quaint towns. I’d guess the population to not be more than 100 or so. 

More exploring, down gravel roads (in my formerly clean black car) and more beautiful color.

Again, if you knew how many pictures I took on this day, you’d laugh at me. 

 You’d say, “You’re so Craaaazzy”.

So my friend and I, we head back to the small town pub where we had coffee & breakfast.

Thats also where we had lunch.

There’s no Mc’y anything in this neck of the woods (Thank God).

I then give my dear friend a hug and we promise to get together again soon.

And I head home.

(The following were taken with my cell phone, G2 was put away resting after one heck of a workout, so that is why they is not the best quality.)

On my way home I see this:

 And you’re saying, “So?”

(Don’t you just love how I read your minds?)

I pass this road fairly often.

So imagine my surprise when I saw a tree taller than all in the land, towering over everything else.

Originally, I thought I was really losing it. That someone as visual as myself has missed this towering tree after all of these years.

Then logic set in and I realized I would have never have missed this tree….So….wtf?

Then I got closer.

(For the record, I was sitting at a stop light when taking this picture.)

So….its a pole, not a tree at all,

Nothing connected to it.

Except for what I can only assume are fake branches.

and I said…..

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm……

Today, it’s all about You!

 

Hello! Today I’d like to try something different.

I would love to hear about YOU! Yes, you!

One of the things that attract us to artwork, whether it be photography or something different, is the emotion or memory it stirs.

Sure, sometimes its about aesthetics but most of the time it’s not.

So this is where you come in.

See this picture below?

Does it stir a memory or memories for you?

If so, what are they?

Does it stir a feeling or an emotion? If so, tell us about it.

Maybe, just maybe, you don’t like to go outside and you’re a complete homebody or city person and this just doesn’t stir up any emotion or feeling at all,

thats o.k. too.

We all have different experiences & perspectives in this tapestry of life.

Rules, there are no rules. Just tell us all about your memory short & sweet, OR,

if this has inspired a longer tale, you can link the story about your tale in the comment section below.

For now, I will save the memories that this picture reminds me of for later.

Today I want to hear from you.

Distracted by a Dandelion

Saturday morning I woke up and decided to go see what autumn colors I could find. I had things to do later that day so I wanted to stay close to home. I grabbed G2 (my camera) and went to a local park. The crisp cool air and golden sunlight of early morning greeted me. Yes, some trees were turning but we’re not quite at ‘peak’ color yet. I walked through the grass, wet with dew, up to the lake to find the colors of autumn reflecting in the clear calm lake I took a few shots .

As I was walking around the lake to get a better perspective, I was pulled in another direction. Across a small stretch of grassy ground, up on a slight hill I saw a dandelion caught in a beam of morning sunlight. I ask you, who, but me, could be distracted by a frigging dandelion? Well, if you’ve read this you’ll remember that occasionally I can be easily distracted. Or this you also know I’m easily entertained. But then again, this was Saturday, I wasn’t working so I have every right to let anything I want distract me and trust me, I often do.

So I walked over for a closer look.

 

And then I sat, on the dewy ground, not caring that my pants were going to get soaked, and I took an even closer look.

Then why not lay down in the wet grass & go in even closer?

There is beauty all around us. Sometimes it’s so small and intricate we pass it by. Sometimes its good for the soul to stop, get a little dirty, and take a close look.

After I looked ever so close, I sat up and looked around. Imagine sitting in the middle of a park on the wet grass, in the morning sun, just soaking it all in. Breathing. Seeing. Feeling… thanking. I really didn’t care too much what passer by’s thought. At that moment I was just living, fully aware of the beauty around.

 Oh and about those autumn colors, I’ll give you some peeks soon.

Lite Summer Jello Cake

This Jell-o cake is a lite, and cool, sweet treat for a hot summer day, or really any day.

You can make it with regular Jell-o and regular whipped cream but I have served it in it’s ‘lite’ version & nobody ever realized it. They gobbled it up like it was full-on sugar overload.

1-  box of white cake mix

1 – 12 oz can of diet 7-Up

2 – pkgs of Cherry Jell-o .30 oz

Note: When Jello-o is made make sure you hold out at least 1 to 1 1/2 cups or just make one pkg

 

1 – tub of lite or fat free whipped cream

Ok, for those of you who haven’t heard of soda cakes, this is the different part.

Pour the contents of your cake mix into the bowl & 12 oz of soda, no eggs, no oil. Just the soda. Don’t worry, it will cook & rise normally.

I have used other white sodas but prefer the flavor of 7Up for this recipe.

Mix well until blended. Poor batter into your baking dish, saving just a little at the bottom of the bowl for you to ‘clean up’ later <wink wink, nudge nudge>. Place your cake in the oven and while its cooking, go lick, I mean, clean the bowl.

Refer to the back of your cake box for baking times.

When cake is done, let cool for a few hours.

Use the handle of a wooden spoon or something of similar size (I used this fork) to poke holes in the cake. I poke about 3 – 4 holes across, in rows aprox 1 to 2 inches apart.

Prepare sugar free Jell-o as instructed on packet and then pour over cake making sure to douse generously. In preparing two .30 oz pkgs of jello, I usually leave about 2 or 3 cups out of the cake to pour in cups and snack on later. 

Ohhhh, see those beautiful vege’s behind the Jell-o, those my dear are for the Italian Sausage Stromboli recipe coming soon. My mouth is watering just thinking about its yummie-ness. 

Get out your lite or fat free cool whip and schmear it on top of your cake.

You can even decorate it on top with fruit, get all fancy & stuff.

I didn’t. I had too many other things to do that day. It was still de-licious.

 After you’ve schmeared on the whipped cream, refrigerate & serve when your kids (or spouse) are screaming, crying, or otherwise driving you nuts. It should quiet them down at least temporarily. Hopefully it will also put a smile on their faces & they will forget they were ever acting out in the first place.

Heres hoping!

Stromboli now posted —> https://mamarazzipages.wordpress.com/2010/08/16/italian-sausage-stromboli/