My Mexican Stuffed Shells

This recipe is making it's way around on facebook. I changed it for ingredients my family likes. You can do the same. This recipe made a lot. Much more then I thought it would. I'm thinking of freezing one of these for another evening.

Ingredients

1 box of yellow rice

1 lb of ground beef

1 packet of taco seasoning
1 tbsp of tomato paste (I use the tube kind)
1 can of diced tomatoes w/ green chillies (Do NOT drain)
1 package of cream cheese
1 can of black beans drained and rinsed well
1-1/2 cups of frozen corn
1-1/2 cups of Mexican blend shredded cheese (inside)
1 box of large shells
Non stick spray
1 can of Enchilada sauce (topping)
1 cup Mexican blend shredded cheese (topping)
2 - 13x9 pans

Directions

1. Cook rice in the microwave or on the stove according to package
2. Brown beef and added seasoning and tomato paste. Do NOT add water as packages instructs.
3. In a large mixing bowl combined tomatoes and cream cheese. Don't worry there will be lumps.
4. Add hot, browned beef mixture. This should help smooth out the cream cheese and make it creamy.
5. Fold in the black beans, corn, rice, and 1-1/2 cups of shredded cheese.
6. Refrigerate mixture.
7. Cook shells according to package.
8. Spray both pans with non stick spray.
9. Stuff each shell with a heaping tablespoon of filling and make a single layer in each pan.
10. Top each shell with one tbsp of Enchilada sauce
11. Sprinkle both pans of stuffed shells with 1 cup of shredded cheese
12. Refrigerate until 40 mins before dinner.
13. Cook for 35-40 minutes at 350 degrees until heated through
14. Serve with sour cream and green onions (optional)

SOME TEMPTING PICTURES!!

ONE PAN SAUCED

WAITING TO BE SAUCED!

CLOSE UP OF THE CREAMY CHEESY RICE BEEF & BEAN GOODNESS

SAUCED

SAUCE'D & CHEESE'D

YUM!

A CLOSE UP! HOPE IT TURNS OUT WELL!

#4 I’m grateful that I can encourage young minds

My former instructor Chris from Del Tech contacted me last week. He told me he has a Computer Aided Engineering Drafting and Design student who had to interview someone in his field of study for an English Composition class. Chris asked if I’d be interested in meeting up with this student, Elliott, and be interviewed. I said sure and told him to give the “kid” my email and phone number. The next day he emailed me and I suggested he come out to Accudyne and I’d interview him and give him a tour. He was very excited. He even did some research before hand and checked out our website. He was a little late this morning because his daughter missed her bus but he called to let me know he was on his way. He showed up in a shirt and tie. He was very nice young man. He has an eight year old daughter. He works full time cutting plastics with a water jet cutter for a local manufacturer. His family owns a company that rents out moon bounces. He’s a full time student and is the music director at his church. He is a very ambitious young man and I think he is 26 years old. The interview was fun and I felt like it even helped me to appreciate my job all the more. The tour was a smashing success. He was shown some great examples of what we do here. I was very worried I overwhelmed him a little bit but he promised me he had a great time and was going to see if he could write a longer paper then was assigned because he had so much to say. Overall I think it was a great experience for both of us. Every semester at Del Tech I try to either go there and give a presentation about my experience at Del Tech and at Accudyne or I coordinate a tour for students at our facility. I love doing this. I’m going to start visiting high schools in the near future. I love doing this. I’m grateful that I can encourage young minds.

#3 Grateful for the Comfort my Faith gives me

Twelve years ago today I was a receptionist for Bank of New York (DE) in Newark, Delaware. I remember I was working when the first tower was hit and an executive came walking quickly down the aisle near my desk. She went into the VP’s office and shut the door. Less than 20 minutes later two more of upper management came running down the same aisle. They opened the door and slammed it behind them. 

I could speculate and exaggerate but to be honest that’s all the specifics I remember. I’m not sure if an email was sent out or a verbal announcement was made or if it was just whispers throughout the office.

Soon everyone was on the internet looking at pictures. We soon heard about the Pentagon and the plane in Pennsylvania. There were stories of a fire at the DC Mall. Schools were being closed. Everyone was very upset. All the mothers wanted to go get their children and just get home. It's funny. I understand this more now as a mother. When the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary happened I just wanted to get to and hold Tino so badly and kiss him.

I think the one memory that stands out in my mind was when I got home. Ryan had left Buckley’s and was at my parent’s house getting a shower and changed out of his work clothes. He was sitting on my bed in my room putting his shoes on. I remember telling him that I was scared. That this was our generation’s Pearl Harbor. I remember asking him what if we went to war. I remember telling him I was afraid he’d be drafted. I remember fighting back tears and completely losing the battle. I remember Ryan holding my hands and having me sit in his lap and he told me that no matter what we would be okay. I think he took me out to dinner to Season’s Pizza in an attempt to relax and have some semblance of normalcy. 

The next few weeks we had major issues at work. I think our company’s hub was near the blast and was down for a very long time. I know I worked extra hours and they provided a lot of comfort snacks for everyone. There were these giant trays of cookies. I know this because I was on Weight Watchers and the trays were by my desk and my will completely broke. We found out some of our customers were in the towers and were killed. Even two Bank of New York employees had been in the towers and died although I didn’t know them.

I remember the news papers all having these amazing front page photos of the devastation. My grandparents collected them all and my mother has them today.

I don’t remember my parents saying much. I can't even tell you if they had the tv and news on.

I remember spending time with Ryan at his parent’s house and lighting a candle on their front deck one night.

I remember a lot of people mounted American Flags to their cars and trucks.

I remember video of Osama bin Laden stating that he didn't expect the towers to fall after being hit but that he was thrilled and thought it a blessing from his god that they did.

I remember stories over the radio that suspects were arrested in connection with the attacks. I remember strong feelings of demanding justice and excitement at the thought of vengeance just flowing through me.

I’m grateful that we haven’t experienced anything to this magnitude in the 12 years I’ve been on this earth since that day. With that said, I guess I feel safer but I think our world is still in very bad shape. I can’t say that I feel protected or shielded from evil like this in the world. Even now being a believer. But I do find a lot of comfort in my faith.

#2 Thankful for EVERY friendship

Oh I read this great blog post by Kristen Strong last week about finding yourself “in a season of changing friendships”. I think right now I’m in that season. I’m not friendless but I have had a lot friends move out of my life, some getting ready to move and some new friends moving in. It’s not a good or a bad time. It’s just a period of adjustment. I can’t say I love it. Friendships with other women have always been a particularly difficult area in my life. 

I have stayed in touch with some ladies who have moved on to new and better lives. I sure miss them. There is always facebook. Some friends I’ve not kept in touch with and I’m learning that is natural and even healthy. I often try to force something that may need to fade in its own natural way. I tighten my death grip, mulling over what I’ve done wrong, what I could do different. Why am I like that? Why did I say that? What’s wrong with me?

My husband is so good at this. This never fazes him. He just rides along with the current and I’ll admit I envy him in this regard. He never wonders if it ended because of something he said or did.

It’s times like these that I wonder if God wants my focus on other things like Him, my husband, my son, my home and job.

So, I’ll shrug my shoulders and wipe away the few tears. Every friendship I’ve ever had has blessed me and taught me.

My big prayer, in regards to all these friendships, is that hopefully, a few, I’ve blessed as well.

#1 Grateful for the mornings you're there

My husband, Ryan, is in school, fulltime to be a nurse. He has finished his academics and is now in the midst of his clinical rotation. He is in third week of his third semester. He will be done in May of 2014.

Mondays and Tuesdays, every week, he leaves the house very early and reports to a medical facility for on site, hands on training. This week he is at Meadow Wood Hospital. This is a behavioral health facility. They specialize is mental health and addiction treatment. He seems to really be enjoying this rotation. But on these two mornings he’s out of the house before 6 am.

Sometimes I consider myself a mom who requires a lot of help. Other times I like doing it all on my own. On the days that Ryan doesn’t need to be up and out the door before 6 am he still gets up and helps get Tino to daycare and me to work. He changes Tino and dresses him. He makes me a cup of coffee to go. He gives Tino a snack. He takes our dog out. He even walks us out to the car and gets Tino all strapped in. While he’s doing this I am able to take a shower and get dressed in peace.

I can do all these things on my own. In fact, I do all these things on my own two days a week when he’s up and out early. But, I like his help.

To me it says:

I’m raising this kid with you.

If you have to be up I’ll be up with you.

I know working and being away from Tino is hard so whatever I can do to make it easier, so be it.

I want to see you and our son before you leave for your day.

So today I’m grateful for the mornings that Ryan’s home to help. Even though he knows and I know that I can and do, do it without him. I want him to know that I appreciate those mornings he’s there.

01Y 05M 11D

Today my son is one year, five months and 11 days old. He’s fussy. We’ve hit this horrible phase of tantrums. He’s a big boy, very independent. He’s a busy boy. He wants to play. He doesn’t want to be strapped into his car seat. He doesn’t want to be in the car. He doesn’t like the sun in his eyes. He doesn’t want to play with his toys that I keep in the car. He doesn’t want to sing songs. He’s so frustrated. He’s so fussy.

It’s only a 15 minute ride from our house to daycare but those 15 minutes are hard for me especially to and from daycare five days a week. Maybe those 15 minutes wouldn’t be hard for you and that makes you a better mother then me. Maybe I’m just feeling sorry for myself, lashing out a bit, but those minutes tick by so slowly.

I try talking to him. It doesn’t work. I try turning the radio on. It doesn’t work. I try pulling over and reaching for his OTHER toy to see if he wants that one. That doesn’t work. I try tuning him out. I try sipping my coffee and focusing on my favorite radio talk show. I can’t stand it. The anxiety is building in my stomach, my chest, my shoulders, my neck and the spot right smack in the center of my forehead.

I grip the steering wheel, my knuckles turning white, I start thinking about the evening before when he didn’t want to eat his dinner or sit in his highchair. He didn’t want his hands wiped off. He didn’t want to come out of the chair. He doesn’t want to be put down and play with his toys. He doesn’t want to be held. He’s rubbing his eyes. He’s cutting teeth. His nose is running. He wakes up once a night. We wake up with him once a night. Everyone’s tired. It’s been a long day. Now it’s morning and already it’s Good Morning Mr. Fussy Face. I think ahead to the fact that Ryan’s working all weekend and we have a family function to go to and I’m already picturing his tantrums in front of my family. Yeah, I know, they are moms too and they understand blah, blah, blah. It doesn’t make me feel better.

Back in the car, on our way to daycare, in this moment, like other moments, I’m having a hard time seeing the joy in motherhood. I start comparing myself to other mothers who never seem to complain or struggle. Jealousy, frustration, guilt well up in my heart as the tears well up in my eyes. Then it happens, I yell, “SANTINO RYAN, STOP IT RIGHT NOW!!” I hear his breath catch followed by my beautiful baby boy’s crying. And here it comes, instant guilt and regret, waves and waves. I tell him, “It’s okay buddy. Mommy’s sorry for yelling but we’re almost there. You’re going to have some breakfast, see your friends and Miss Nancy and play and have a good day.”

He settles down and we both stay quiet the rest of the way. I even keep the radio off. We get to daycare. I come around to get him out of the car and he’s smiling at me, happy guy with bed head. I grab his comb from my purse and comb his wispy hair. I kiss, kiss, kiss his ravioli cheeks. I tickle his belly. I pat his bottom. He’s so amazing to me. I’ve never loved anything so much. We go inside and he runs to the little table covered in toy trucks. I say bye and step outside. I flop into my car angry with myself for losing my temper. I try to remember to stop and take a moment to thank God for His grace, for my precious child, for Fridays, for coffee and then... I ‘keep calm and call my mom’. TGIF

Where's Momma?

Ryan and I have found that the one thing that helps us be the best parents that we can be is routine. It’s not for everyone. Before Ryan and I had Tino we said that we would bring Tino into our routine and not wrap our lives around him. Well children change everything when they come along. You can’t deny that. In some ways we’ve adjusted our lives to Tino and in others he just has to deal with the way we run things. Either way, sticking to a routine really helps us and I think Tino’s happier as well.

In my opinion, Tino’s bedtime routine is great. Around 7 pm – 7:30 pm I ask Tino if he’s tired and ready for bed. If he is he drops his toys and runs over to the baby gate blocking his way up to his room. I walk over, take down the gate and he runs to the steps, crawls up and runs down the hall to his room. Recently, he’s started opening his drawer that holds his pajamas and then running over to his CD player and turning his bedtime music on. I’m usually one step behind him, getting ready for bath time if it’s a bath night.

Tino’s almost 18 months old so the risk of SIDS is no existent so now he has some stuffed animals in his crib and a blanket and a monkey pillow pet. He likes all these items arranged a certain way in his crib. So I get them all settled blah, blah, blah.

Last night, we went about routine as usual.

Me: “Tino, buddy you tired?” He runs to the baby gate. I remove the baby gate. He climbs the stairs and runs down the hall to his room, which was dark. However, this time, I stopped at the top of the stairs to get a pair of his pajamas out of a laundry basket of his clean clothes that hadn’t gotten folded yet. Normally, I’d be right behind him. Only this time I stopped for a minute at the top of the stairs and he ran on ahead of me.

I hear him start screaming and crying and calling out, “Mummy, Mummy!!” I’d never really heard this cry from him so I thought maybe he’d tripped and hurt himself. So I rushed to his room and he’s standing there crying big ol fat tears, arms out for me to pick him up. He was afraid. He’d walked into the dark room, turned around and I wasn’t there. He got scared. I scooped him up and soothed him. He settled down. 

It was a tender moment. He’s so independent pushing my hands away whenever I try to help him with anything. But, last night he still needed his momma. I just love my little guy.