Good evening! I’m sitting in Barnes and Noble sipping a Chai tea latte as I type this post while Emery and her friend study at the next table. It’s the cutest! We’ve really struggled with all of the studying required of Emery in third grade, so in an effort to keep things fresh and show her studying can be fun, I took the girls on a little field trip of sorts. I’m surprised, honestly, at how well this is working. They ordered their drinks and immediately logged onto their quizlets. I’ve barely heard a peep out of them. I think they’re so eager to be perceived as serious students! Hmmm….this may become a regular thing.
I’m so happy to be back on a normal schedule that allows for regular meal planning and time to hit the grocery store. I tried a new (for us) dinner last night for Taco Tuesday and it was a big hit. Emery, Bodie and hubs all gave it two thumbs up, which is a rarity. I figure I’ll provide a public service and share it here. I struggle to find meals that are kid friendly AND flavorful enough for baby daddy. This one fits the bill. It’s the Taco Bake II from www.allrecipes.com. I followed it to the letter except for substituting ground turkey breast for the ground beef. Recipe below the photos.
1.5 lbs lean ground beef (I used turkey breast)
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes with green chiles, drained
1/2 cup of water
1 cup sour cream
1 (1.25 oz) package taco seasoning
8 oz shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese (not gonna lie….I used more like 16 oz)
Bag of tortilla chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium skillet over medium heat, brown the meat and drain fat. Add the diced tomatoes with green chiles, water, sour cream and taco seasoning mix. Let simmer 5-10 minutes.
In the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish, place a layer of tortilla chips and then cover with a layer of the meat mixture. Top the meat with a layer of cheese. Repeat.
Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, until cheese is bubbly.
If you like, top with shredded lettuce.
I served our dish with canned corn, kiwi and baby carrots. Delicious!
Speaking of food, I was overjoyed to discover Publix is now carrying yogurt in glass containers. Emery and I love mixing a spoonful of Nutella into our vanilla yogurt most mornings for breakfast. Although I recycle the containers, I still don’t feel good about eating out of plastic so frequently. I make a solid effort to only drink from metal water bottles, store food in glass Tupperware and drink out of reusable straws. Yogurt seemed to be the only thing I couldn’t quite work around. Until now. This Yoplait Oui French style yogurt is incredible. I’ve only had the vanilla so far, but I can assure you it’s one of the best tasting yogurts on the market. 
BONUS: the containers make the perfect votive holder! I’m thinking I’ll be decorating all of my dinner parties with cleaned out yogurt containers in the future. Upcycling for the win!
Happy hump day!
