One of the very best reasons for having children is to be reminded of the incomparable joys of a snow day.
Susan Orlean
Snow day!!!! We own a snow clearing business so we are happy about this… sort of LOL
Ninja and Dad were up at 4:30am and SBean was up at 5 followed by HBear at 6:45. Once the girls were up they raced to the backdoor to see the winter wonderland outside J
This is our like 3rd snowfall this year and HBear was very worried she wouldn’t be able to try out her new Hello Kitty Snow Racer LOL. The kids all bring their sleds to school for recess fun!
After we dropped HBear off at school, SBean and I came home and got dressed for SNOW FUN! Ninja got home later and joined us!
This was HBear at 12 months…
Oh it gets better LOL… HBear at 14 months,
SBean at 14 months,
I actually could have put SBean in the same PJs LOL
Anyways… tonight is Taco Lasagna! A Rah Cha Cha!
This might be scary…
I try not to use canned products as much as I can. So I also used corn that I froze earlier in the fall and dry black beans. I also have 20 lbs of tomatoes in the freezer that I ALWAYS forget to use!!! The point is that you can use a can of enchilada sauce, a can of refried beans and a packet of taco seasoning J I know it seems crazy to make it all but it only took lunch. I mean, as I fed SBean I also made the sauce, the seasoning and the beans. By the time lunch was over I was at the same spot as if I had bought the items J. It only seems scary lol but you can do it!
Taco Seasoning
Adapted from Can’t Stay out of the Kitchen
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon corn starch
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon ground coriander
1 ½ teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
In a Tupperware container, mix together all ingredients.
Shake it up.
Homemade Enchilada Sauce
Adapted from Kitchen Meets Girl
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon flour
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 cup chicken stock
Heat oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add diced onion and cook until just browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, flour, chili powder, cumin, salt and Italian seasoning and cook for about 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
*Sautéing your spices brings out a fuller flavor, did you see on Masterchef Canada when he asked if she toasted her spices? That is the reason J*
Add in the tomato sauce and chicken stock. Bring mixture to a simmer and cook for approximately 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove from heat, and strain mixture through a fine mesh strainer, pressing on the onion to extract the sauce.
*I set the onion aside and used it in my lasagna*
Refried Beans
Adapted from Simply Recipes
2 cups of dry pinto beans
1/2 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 tablespoons olive oil
2-3 cups chicken broth
Salt and pepper
Rinse the beans in water and remove any small stones, pieces of dirt, or bad beans.
Put beans into a pot and cover beans with at least 3 inches of chicken broth (add water to reach the level).
Bring to a boil and then lower heat to simmer, covered, for about 2 1/2 hours.
*The beans are done when they are soft and the skin is just beginning to break open.*
Strain the beans.
Add oil and onions to a frying pan on medium high heat. Cook until translucent. Add garlic and chili powder. Stir and cook for 30 seconds.
Add the strained beans and about a 1/4 cup of chicken broth to the pan.
Using a potato masher, mash the beans in the pan, while you are cooking them, until they are a rough purée. Add more water if necessary to keep the fried beans from getting too dried out. Season with salt and pepper.
Taco Lasagna
Adapted from Can’t Stay out of the Kitchen
1 ½ lbs. ground pork
1 large pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped (I used the onion from the enchilada sauce)
2/3 cup water
2 tablespoons taco seasoning
15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained (or dry beans that have soaked overnight)
1 can corn, drained (or frozen corn)
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
2 cups refried beans
16-oz. shredded Tex Mex cheese blend
Flour tortillas
2 cups enchilada sauce
fresh cilantro, salsa, sour cream *optional
*I used pork because we are having steak tomorrow but you can use beef, chicken or pork.*
Preheat oven to 350.
In a large skillet, cook the pork, pepper and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add water and taco seasoning; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 2 minutes.
Stir in the black beans, corn and tomatoes. Simmer, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes.
Place a layer of tortillas to cover a greased 9×13 baking dish. You will have to break one of them up in half.
So I am making lasagna for 3 adults, a 5 year old and a 14 month old… So, I am making this to freeze as well! But you can do it in a large pan too J
Spread with 1/3 of the refried beans.
Spread with 1/3 of the pork mixture;
sprinkle with 1 cup cheese. (In my case I spread the cup out for all of them)
Repeat layers twice. Reserve 1 cup cheese. The top layer should be tortillas.
Pour enchilada sauce over top.
Package up the freezer ones and write the instructions on top J There, now I have 2 dinners for another time AND dinner for tonight!
Bake about 25-30 minutes.
Add remaining cup of cheese and cook another 5 minutes until cheese is melted.
Top with fresh cilantro, sour cream, and salsa, if desired.
HBear loved this lasagna but SBean wasn’t so sure LOL. but I have to say, this lasagna is GOOD!
