Spicy Taco Bake

There are so many yummy variations on tacos.  My sophomore year of college, Mik and I lived in an apartment together and our most requested dish was my taco salad.  We may or may not have eaten it a little too often, so I've taken a break from taco salad.  This dish might become my new taco go-to, it was so easy and so delicious!

Ingredients:

• 3 flour tortillas (8")
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 packet spicy taco seasoning
• water
• 3/4 cup salsa con queso
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cheese (I used the Mexican blend)

Directions:

Brown ground beef on stove.  Empty excess grease.  Add taco seasoning.  Fill seasoning packet with water, add to meat.  Follow directions on packet (bring to boil, then simmer).

Turn off heat.  Add in salsa con queso (I used medium salsa con queso with spicy taco seasoning and it had some good heat, use mild if you don't want it so spicy) and combine.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease a round 8-inch pan.  Lay a tortilla in the bottom of the pan, then add in 1/3 of the cheesy meat, top with 1/3 of the shredded cheese.  Repeat until all 3 layers are finished.

Bake 15-20 minutes until cheese is melted and edges begin to brown.

Slice and serve with sour cream and diced tomatoes on top.

 

Adapted from The Country Cook

#tbt - First day at Stanford

Now that I'm a few weeks into graduate school, I have been reflecting a lot on the last time I started school - nearly 5 years ago when I began my freshman year at Stanford University.

 

This photo was taken by one of my roommates' parents, right after we all got there and moved in.  I couldn't have been luckier with the roommates I was given for my freshman year.  We had a wonderful year, and Mik and I essentially lived together all through our undergrad experience and miss her every day now that we live more than a couple feet apart.

 

Tal E. Whacker

I'll be the first to admit that rodents totally freak me out. Yet, I think hedgehogs are super cute.

For a short period of time during college I had decided I wanted a pet hedgehog because I found them so adorable. My wonderful roommate of all four years of college, knowing my fear of rodents, set out to change my mind and save me discomfort when I realized they are rodents on my own. She sat me down and made me watch hedgehog videos with her on Youtube until I realized their rodent-ness and decided a hedgehog wasn't the right pet for me.

Fast forward most of a year. Tall Dark and Nerdy and I somehow get on the subject of hedgehogs and how absolutely awesome we both find them. We both talk a little bit about how they could be a really fun pet.

The next day, I get a text from my mom with a picture of her classroom's new pet, Tal E. Whacker (the name is a play on the word "tallywacker," which FFA members use to refer to the zipper pull on official dress jackets).

I had to wait several months to meet this little guy, until I went back to SD to visit my family. He was pretty cute. Although, when he curls up on his side and I can see his little belly and feet, he's a little too rodent-y for my taste. Just keep him on his feet, though, and he's the best!



French bread pizza

I don't know why, but I've been in the mood for pizza a lot lately.  My roommate from college was always talking about how much she loves French bread pizza, and I just so happened to have a coupon for a free loaf of French bread at the grocery store.  It was made to be.  And it was delicious!

Ingredients:

• one loaf French bread
• marinara/pizza sauce
• mozzarella cheese
• pepperoni
• any other toppings

 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cut loaf in half lengthwise. Place on cookie sheet.

Spread cut sides with sauce.

Top with cheese, then toppings.

Bake 25-30 minutes, or until cheese is melted and starts to brown.