Friday, November 27, 2009

Foodie Friday: Taco Soup

I love soup at this time of year, and it's about all that I've been cooking lately.  It' great for me because soup is usually quick, easy and easy to freeze.  I'll eat it for 2 meals and freeze the rest for later.  Love it.

For more great recipes, visit Eliz's Foodie Friday page.

Taco Soup
(adapted from cooks.com)





1 lb. lean ground beef or turkey (I prefer the turkey)

1 med. onion, diced

1 pkg taco seasoning

1 pkg ranch seasoning

2 large cans diced tomatoes, undrained

1 can of Rotel tomatoes, undrained

1 can of black beans, drained

1 can of pinto beans, drained

1 can of whole kernel corn, drained

Brown meat and onions.  Drain.
Add your spice packets.
Add the corn, beans and tomatoes.
Simmer until warmed through and all the flavors combine.
Top with sour cream, shredded cheese, green onion, tortilla chips...whatever you like!



ENJOY!

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Word for November- Manikin

The second month's addition of my new word for each month (25 Things To Do While I'm 25):


manikin |ˈmanikən | (also mannikin)
noun
   1. a person who is very small, esp. one not otherwise abnormal or deformed.
   2. a jointed model of the human body, used in anatomy or as an artist's lay figure.

ORIGIN: mid 16th cent.: from Dutch manneken ( Middle Dutch mannekijn), diminutive of man ‘man.’

USAGE: See usage at mannequin .

USAGE: In English usage, the word mannequin occurs much more frequently than any of its relatives manakin, manikin, and mannikin. The source for all four words is the Middle Dutch mannekijn (modern Dutch manneken) ‘little man,’ ‘little doll.’ Mannequin is the French spelling from this Dutch source.

My example sentences:

1.  I am a manikin. (Ha!)

2.  Using mannequins instead of people in clothing commercials makes me not want to shop at that store.

Thursday, November 19, 2009

More Precious Than Gold

"The law of the LORD is perfect,
reviving the soul.
The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy
making wise the simple.
The precepts of the LORD are right,
giving joy to the heart.
The commands of the LORD are radiant,
giving light to the eyes.
The fear of the LORD is pure,
enduring forever.
The ordinances of the LORD are sure
and altogether righteous.
They are more precious than gold,
than much pure gold;
they are sweeter than honey,
than honey from the comb.
By them is your servant warned;
in keeping them there is great reward."

Psalm 19:7-11

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

The Bug Has Bitten

The Christmas Bug has certainly bitten me.  I am so excited to be in America for the holiday season!


Some of my pretty Radkos ready to go.

More to come...



Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Sweet Home Alabama?

Y'all, this Georgia girl has moved to Alabama.  Never in my life did I think I would live in Alabama, much less be so excited to.  I live in the great town of Dothan, Alabama, just a quick one hour drive from my hometown in Georgia.  Dothan has great restaurants, excellent shopping and is the home of the National Peanut Festival that just ended this past weekend.

I thought I'd give you a little tour of my new apartment.  It's filled with pretties from all over the world, and I feel so at home there.  I love it.  My family and friends helped me move this past weekend.  I can't thank Mama and Daddy, Sam and Wanda enough for all their help and creative talent.

From the door, you can see my bedroom.  You go through the living/dining area to get there.


To the right of the entry is the kitchen.


To the left of the entry is the guest bedroom and bathroom.  The bed is my parents' old bed, and most everything else is from my apartment in college.




From the entrance to the living area, you can see the computer niche on the left.  I love this because I can't stand to have my computer in the living space or in a bedroom.  Eventually, I'll have have a tv in that cabinet, but for now it's going to hold all my souvenirs from around the world.


The living room includes a bargain sofa and bargain coffee table as well as fun stuff from India.


On the opposite side of the living area is the dining room.  I'll tell you more about that table in another post.  It was a bargain, do-it-yourself project.  So much fun!


Finally, my favorite, my bedroom.  The "blanket" at the end of the bed is a tablecloth from India that was the inspiration for the color scheme.  The bedskirt is a window panel cut in half and staple-gunned to the box spring because we couldn't find one that matched.  I don't have a headboard yet, but I am planning to do something like THIS that I saw on bhg.com.




There's still a bit more I'd like to do and hang (for example, uh, curtains, Indian wall hangings/art and pictures of people I love).  I still need a few major pieces of furniture in the bedrooms, but that will come in time.

You're welcome to come any time you want! I love hosting and serving up some South Asia and Southern hospitality.

Sunday, November 1, 2009

The job so far...

I love it!

After one week of working, I am sure that I am going to like my job.  I am a payroll operator at PR Employer in Dothan, AL.  Companies and businesses hire us to handle their payroll, human resources and risk management so they can focus their time and money on the product or service they offer.  This week, I've been in training and orientation mostly, but towards the end of the week I started running payrolls and contacting the businesses that will be my personal clients.  I love this because I get to build relationships with theses folks and try to assist them in any way possible. 

I've found a place to live about a mile from my office and will be moving next weekend.  More to come on that.