enchiladas

A dear friend directed me to a blog of a fellow Richmonder who cooks. Her blog is called ahintofhoney.blogspot.com
Check.it.out.

I made her enchilada dish. Except, true to form, I made some changes... It was my first time ever making enchiladas....AND they were the best I've ever had. For reals. I get an A for this one. (especially since I made a scallop pasta the day before and Clint pretty much hated it.) But really. One of the best things I've made.

I should have taken pictures, but I didn't, so I'll steal hers...so you get an idea.

Her ingredients with my improvements ;)

INGREDIENTS
2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken (I used the whole thing actually ~ 4 cups??)
1 15 oz. can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups Monteray Jack, Pepper Jack, or Cheddar Cheese, shredded (Make sure you get a good expensive cheese people, the cheese will make it or break it)
1 medium onion, chopped (yes, the whole thing, and I did a purple one)
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil (really you can go crazy with the olive oil, I always do)
2 15 oz. cans tomato sauce
1 14.5 oz. can low-sodium chicken broth
6 Tbsp. sour cream (I actually used plain yogurt and 6 ounces...ha)
dash of cayenne pepper (more for more spice!)
salt and pepper, to taste
6-12 corn or whole wheat flour tortillas (depends on the size)
cilantro, for garnish
pico de gallo, for garnish

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 375 F. In a medium bowl mix together chicken, beans, and 1 cup of cheese. Set aside.

2. Preheat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and saute until soft and golden. Add tomato sauce and simmer until thick, about 15 minutes (reduce heat if it is sputtering violently)*ouch!*. Add chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat and whisk in the sour cream. Season to taste with cayenne, salt, and pepper. Pour about 1/3 of the sauce over the chicken mixture and stir to combine.

++ I added some dashes of lemon juice and like a handful of sugar to the sauce to make it mas delicioso.++

3. Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray. Warm tortillas by microwaving them for a minute. Divide the filling between the tortillas, roll them up, and place them side by side in the baking dish. Pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas. Top with the remaining 1 cup of cheese.

4. Bake for 20-30 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling and a brown crust is forming on top. Remove from the oven and serve topped with cilantro and pico de gallo.

Serves 4+

DELISH!!!
This is one of Clint's new faves.

a friendly note

What is a friend?...


Somebody that you can never say enough nice things about. Someone who is down for whatever [crazy] idea you have in mind, and will tell you the honest to goodness truth. Somebody who makes you feel at home. (Love you Jen)


Somebody who knew you back when you were both a snot-faced 5 year olds; Who, besides getting taller, hasn't changed a bit and can still make you laugh till you pee your pants. [and who won't get too upset that you posted this hideous picture of the both of you...](love you deedee)


Somebody with whom you can be completely ridiculous, whether that means being emotional or being silly, and they get it, & they join you. (Love you Clint)


Somebody with whom you just have a connection and you never forget them. You keep in contact forever & make sure to visit once a year, b/c you just adore them and want to be a witness to their life. (Love you Jen)


Somebody who you believe to be your twin soul, who you recognize yourself in. You just want to eat them up b/c they just make you giggle and enjoy the pleasures of life. (Love you Mare)


Somebody who willingly shares themselves without pretense. Somebody who is always excited to see you, laugh about old memories, and make new ones. Somebody who holds you accountable. (Love you Traci)


Somebody who inspires creativity. Somebody who roots for your success even from thousands of miles away. Somebody who you can pick up from where you left off. Somebody who makes you laugh out loud from just thinking about them. Somebody who receives the telepathic messages you're sending out...seriously (Love you Dixie)

Somebody who is mindful.
who gives you the benefit of the doubt.
who helps you be your best.

These are the things that I value in my current & my future friends.

I have been blessed with some mighty good amigos in my day. I believe that if you want a friend, you first have to be a friend by concerning yourself with her needs. Of course, I'm not a perfect friend, but in recognizing how blessed I am in the friendship arena, I'd like to step it up. I want to more willingly serve my dear friends, being more mindful of their needs and loving them more unconditionally.

Let's be better friends.

I had jury duty AGAIN this morning, but today it wasn't SO bad. I mean, first of all, I got an appropriate chance to wear a new pair of high-waisted Banana trouser pants that I'm so grown up (not to mention sexy) in. (Well, as grown up as one can be who still obsesses over articles of clothing like a teenager...at times...)




So, get this. Today was the first time ever in my whole life that somebody mispronounced my last name! I was like "puah... WHAT? Are you SERIOUS??"....Tomompson? Thomopson?? BAHAHAHA!!!!! Never, in my whole entire life! Hil.A.Ri.ous.

I got a new computer finally and *ahem* an i-phone with it. I. am. obsessed. I am on my i-phone like white on rice. It's [probably] obnoxious. How did I ever survive without it? I can check my facebook/blog/email/pioneerwoman.com/WHATEVER I WANT, any time I want, ANYWHERE I want. It does EVERYTHING. It's like magic.. It's like a magic box with unbelievable powers offered to me for the betterment of mankind... Does no one else stop to ponder the wonderment that is today's technology?...


My newest toys

Don't stop believin!

Hold on to that feeeEEeeelin....

Before Valentine's Day last February, I dropped enormous, impossible to ignore hints that I wanted chocolates, flowers, and an evening at the ballet. Clint delivered. It was amazing. Obviously, that night was all about me. Clint, poor guy, suffered through the ballet like a champ. (Believe that we don't have pictures from that night. Losers!) I'm sure that I don't have to explain that I sort of owed him in the entertainment department.

Normally, everything we do together we are equally excited about and enjoy, but my time came; 2 nights ago.

In June, Clint bought us concert tickets to Journey. You know, "I'm forever yours....faithfully...."? I can't adequately describe his excitement. For months, every time the subject would come up he would get giddy and start singing and dancing...and doing this "kemo baby" thing with his fingers...pretty much being embarrassing/hilarious. He's cute.

Like I said, the concert was 2 days ago, and here are a few picts of the event. I'm not going to say that I suffered through it, as he did for me at the ballet. (But I'll pretend, just so he'll think we're even) It was fun, and really cute to see him so excited about his favorite band, but let's be honest. I was more interested in watching Clint than the band. (Not to mention watching all the other die hard Journey fans...hilarious!...the cougars were out that night!)


Here's an AMAZINGLY executed photo (how does one take pictures of stuff far away at night anyways??) of Journey's new lead singer. His name is Arnel Pineda. It's freakish how much he sounds like Steve Perry. I had to laugh, b/c I imagined the members of journey holding some kind of "sound alike" contest at a Karaoke bar where if you won you got to join the band. And Arnel being the lucky winner... I don't actually know how it worked, but I am fascinated... He is spot on.


Old Journey


New Journey. He's totally cute, I like him.


I don't know why, but I dig this pic. It's funny, b/c the old man behind Clint looks like a creepy witch trying to blend into public whilst casting a spell...or something.


Typical.


Yeah, I know. I look either drunk or sleepy. I was the latter.


Somehow, we're often incapable of taking a single picture where both of us look good at the same time. Here you go.

...
Ok. So I think we're even. ...Except that my friend Jen suggested to me today that we go to a murder mystery dinner and I'm totally diggin' it.

prepare to squeal with delight

What is that?-you may be asking yourself. (No, not the ring, that's my friend Mana's hand)


Is that a child's stuffed animal?


No! That precious puff of love lives!


It is a 4 month old Pomeranian! Are you squealing yet!!!???


It weighs a pound and a half.


And is so snuggly wuggly...


I dedicate this post to my lil big bro Josh. Josh, PLEASE breed Lacy so I can have one of these for my very own!

a borrowed post

A very good friend of mine had this on his blog and I decided to make it my own, since I liked it so much, and I now share it with you and my commentary as well.

(by Cherie Carter-Scott)

1. You will receive a body. You may like it or hate it, but it’s yours to keep for the entire period.
Oh bodies...they are amazing machines, aren't they? I love bodies. Mine has some things I'd like tweeking, but for the most part, I think my body is cool. I'm glad it's mine.

2. You will learn lessons. You are enrolled in a full-time informal school called, “life.”
Present!

3. There are no mistakes, only lessons. Growth is a process of trial, error, and experimentation. The “failed” experiments are as much a part of the process as the experiments that ultimately “work.”
That's a nice way of putting it.

4. Lessons are repeated until they are learned. A lesson will be presented to you in various forms until you have learned it. When you have learned it, you can go on to the next lesson.
I believe in this principle. You only get so many chances too, so I think it's important to self reflect and be mindful of why you really think things are "happening to you"

5. Learning lessons does not end. There’s no part of life that doesn’t contain its lessons. If you’re alive, that means there are still lessons to be learned.
Maybe that's why the good die young.

6. “There” is no better a place than “here.” When your “there” has become a “here”, you will simply obtain another “there” that will again look better than “here.”
haha... so in other words the grass is not always greener on the other side.

7. Other people are merely mirrors of you. You cannot love or hate something about another person unless it reflects to you
something you love or hate about yourself.
I love this one.

8. What you make of your life is up to you. You have all the tools and resources you need. What you do with them is up to you. The choice is yours.
mmmk


9. Your answers lie within you. The answers to life’s questions lie within you. All you need to do is look, listen, and trust.

10. You will forget all this.

I rarely do this...

In fact I NEVER do this...but I'm totally skipping class right now...

OK, but seriously, what kind of a loser skips class just so they can study??? That'd be me. Shouldn't I be at the river or a movie with my cutie cute bf?... L.O.S.E.R.

...my classes are really hard. Yep.

K, that's enough about that. Let's talk about something moderately interesting.

Short story:
Last NOVEMBER I broke my beloved Mac and was too poor to replace it. UNTIL NOW! Now the financial aid is flowing in like sweet sweet wi..grape juice and I have just enough to buy the much needed machine for my academic endeavors. YES.
The end.

K so, it'll be here this week. Don't worry, I'll take a picture of it and make a post. AND I'll be posting way a lot more regularly b/c I'll not have to go to the lib every time I need a computer or steal the bf's...

Things on my mind.

My best friend Dixie, who I feel has been physically distant from my life for far too long and its about time we live within driving distance of each other again,...IS pregnant. I'm totally digging the name that Markus and Dix agreed on for her, especially b/c it was truly I who first came up with the name (although they didn't consciously know this) and I sent it over seas by way of vibes to their hearts. (not sure if I can share the name yet...she can disclose that info if and when she in facts name the child the aforementioned name that I maintain was my idea).

Weddings. Are they REALLY about you, or are they about your parents and your family? Is it selfish to elope? ... Yes. Ugh. As many times as I try to convince myself that it's not... it is. boo.