Recipe of the Week!

Slow Cooker Enchiladas

Friends, it has been awhile, but I did finally make a new recipe. It went pretty well except I forgot to take a picture of my Slow Cooker Enchiladas so I had to borrow one from the internet. Also...mine looked absolutely nothing like this. Mine looked more like a mess. Seriously. They did taste good though. I pretty mush followed this recipe exactly except I didn't put peppers in mine. I also added some sour cream when serving them.

Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1 can (16 ounces) pinto or kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (10 ounces) diced tomatoes and green chilies, undrained
1/3 cup water
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 cups cheddar cheese
6 flour tortillas (6 inches)

Directions:
In a large skillet, cook the beef, onion and green pepper until beef is browned and vegetables are tender; drain. Add the next eight ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes. In a 5-qt. slow cooker, layer about 3/4 cup beef mixture, one tortilla and about 1/3 cup cheese. Repeat layers. Cover and cook on low for 5-7 hours or until heated through.

Teacher Friends: Can You Even Imagine?

I've been on a few field trips in my time. While mostly a good time with at least a few ridiculous stories to tell, they can be at least slightly anxiety provoking. You never know who might do what, and you just hope and pray you come back with the same number you left with. I read this blog called "NYC Taught Me." I think it started when a family moved from San Francisco to NYC with three small kids and how the mom was learning about getting along in NYC. It talks about all different kinds of things now. Today was about field trips in NYC. Follow the link. I think I would need a Xanax.

It's Been Awhile...

Let me bring you up to date. It's been a productive week. Last weekend my parents came to visit and brought some furniture with them. It's so nice to have a kitchen table to eat at every night for the first time in five years. My mom and I went to Ikea to invest in some new bookshelves. That means all of our crap is off the floor and I feel like I can have someone walk into my house and not be embarrassed. While we were taking care of that, Matt and my dad tamed the jungle that was our yard. We do still have a lot of work to do in the yard category, but at least we aren't borderline HOA fine at this point. Since then we have been busy trying to figure out what to do next/where to start. Matt will turn in his last final tomorrow. I'm not sure who is more excited about this.

The seriousness of TNR

On another note... Thursday marked bowling awards! Yes, our 35 weeks have come to an end. In the end it was definitely an experience and I am glad we did it, but I think once might have been enough. The regular members of the Thursday Night Rollers were sad to see us go, and I think they are holding out hope for a big return next season. On a good note, I did come home with more money than expected.

Black sheep on TNR in the back row. 

I so wish this was my trophy

Yesterday I finally got back on track with making a new recipe. I'm excited to post it later this week.

Suburbia: Week One.

Here are some lessons learned this week:

7th Floor Living: Remember in my "things I will miss/not miss" post how I mentioned I was ready to not deal with an elevator and living 10 stories up from my car? Well, turns out it did have some benefits. Now I realize I can't just have my windows open all the time cause people can see what I'm doing all the time. Good thing I adjusted quickly to my ground floor living.

Yard: Currently it's a jungle. I would love to pay someone to revamp it. Condo yard lifestyle is a lot less maintenance.

Channels: So one of the reasons we almost didn't buy our house is because our HOA fees are super high. The reason they are super high is because it includes cable and internet. Well we set up our TV and stuff last weekend and HOLY CHANNELS! OMG! You might remember when we went through the big cable debate in 709. Well this is a world of difference. We have networks called "love," "drama," "WE," and most exciting of all game show network and big ten network!!!!

Stairs: What a pain in the ass. Enough said. 

Role Reversal: For the entire time we lived in 709 I had to get up earlier to get to work. Most of the time when I left Matt would still be sleeping. He would always make fun of me for going to bed early. How times have changed. Matthew has to get his butt out of bed unless he wants to miss the train into the big city. I have also received many texts about how he needs to go to bed early.

Bus: Monday morning I was getting ready for work and I heard what sounded like fighting and arguing. I thought the people next to us were like fighting or something. So I looked out the window expecting to see neighborhood drama. That's when I remembered we now live among many, many children...including the children who are of the wonderful middle school age. It was just boys being boys waiting for their bus. 

This Happened

Tuesdays Top Three Events:

1. Matt just turned to me serious as ever as we are watching Sex in the City....it's one where Carrie is dating Aidan. He says, "do you think I look like him?" I said, "not really." Then I thought to myself "why is he asking that"...so I ask, "why do you think you look like him?" Naturally his answer was yes. So modest.

2. Today a baby chick hatched at school. So creepy yet so cute. I can't wait to see his fluffy self tomorrow at school. I might steal it for my country home...then return it when it's an ugly, squawky chicken.

3. So picture this: I'm teaching first graders today. They are sitting on the carpet and I'm imparting the wisdom of The Rainbow fish on them. Mid story a kid leaves the carpet and walks over to his desk. I decide to keep reading and keep him in the corner of my eye. He pulls a book out of his desk and I'm about to be like get your little self back here and listen to my story when he bolts to the bathroom with his book. I was at this point in hysterics by myself and completely distracted. He remained in the bathroom forEVER!

Recipe of the Week!

This celebrity recipe is from the facilitator of the Wedding Cookbook herself, Sarah Stere. I have only had these once at a work function when we use to work together and they were amazing. I've never made them for fear I would eat the entire pan. Seriously. I do remember them melting easily so keep them in the fridge if you do make them. I can't find an accurate picture, or picture using the same recipe online so you will have to use your imagination or just take the plunge and make them yourself.

Peanut Butter Bars:

Ingredients:

2 packages white chocolate chips

3 cups rice crispies

2 cups peanut butter

3 cups mini marshmallows

Directions:

Melt chips over low heat in a large pan. Add peanut butter until combined. Remove from heat and add the marshmallows and rice crispies, stir until combined. Put in a greased 9x13 pan. Chill. 

Saying Goodbye

Now friends don't get me wrong, I am excited that Matt and I became real grown ups with a mortgage last month, but I've been feeling a little sentimental these past few weeks. I have come to love my weird neighborhood and my teeny tiny condo these past three years. I'm a little sad to go. After all, this is mine and Matt's first home together, and I'm sure the walls could tell some stories about my crazy antics. I was thinking that I should create a list of all the things I will miss and all the things I am excited to be leaving so that I can hopefully look back at this blog in a million years and remember 709 fondly. Ugh, I love the name 709!

Things I will miss:
Urban eateries...I can hardly bear the thought of this, really. Chain restaurants or long drives are in my future. I know it.

Wegmans, Fairfax. 

Metro Access.

Proximity to DC.

Up-and-comingness: For the past three years I have really had to work had to explain where the Dunn Loring/Merrifield area is to people. No one really knows about it. It's becoming a hot spot, seriously. We suffered through the ridiculous amount of construction for 3 years (and still going) and now we leave when its getting cool. Typical.

Tyson's Corner: (sort of).


Things I am so happy to be done with:
My commute: and when I say my commute I mean not only the mass amount of miles I drive a week, I mean the waiting for the elevator, my journey through the parking garage, waiting for the gate to open, trying to make a left out of the front of the building every morning at rush hour...rant over.

Constant Construction.

Living up the street from INOVA Fairfax: I mean I am glad my life could be saved next door, but the constant ambulance and life flight sounds will not be missed

The little parklet thing they built next to me...the dogs seriously have taken over and they bark all the time.

Carrying groceries up 10 flights: When I say carrying, I mean carrying from the trunk to the elevator and again waiting for the elevator for what sometimes feels like an eternity.

NO SPACE: OMG...I can't even describe to you how creative I have been with storage and organization, especially post wedding gifts. Maybe I'll even get to use some of my wedding gifts.

Paying rent.