Recipe: Bubble Up Enchilada Casserole

This recipe is one of Adam's favorites, so I make it a lot. It was orginally from the blog Emily Bites which I read a lot and totally love- Here's the orginal: Emily Bites Recipe. I have made a few tweaks to our tastes. It's so easy, I'm sure your family will gobble it up and ask for it a lot, too!

Ingredients:
- 1/2 lb lean ground beef (we never use a whole pound, and it really is filling with only half)

- 1 (10 ounce) can enchilada sauce
- 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 can reduced fat refrigerator biscuits (I use Grand MultiGrain)
- 1 1/2 cups shredded low fat Mexican Cheese (I use half low fat and half sharp cheddar)

-Handful of cilantro and onion

Directions:
1.    Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2.    Brown beef in a large skillet and drain if needed, adding onion during browning.
3.    Add the can of enchilada sauce and can of tomato sauce and stir to combine. Add a little bit of cheese to this mixture. Add cilantro as well.
4.    Cut the refrigerated biscuits into fourths and stir them in the meat mixture.
5.    Spray a casserole dish with cooking spray and add the mixture evenly. Top with cheese.  Bake for 25 minutes.

This looks kind of odd in the pan but it will "bubble up" and make it into a casserole. It is SO good and since we only use a 1/2 lb of beef and the multigrain biscuits, it's actually pretty low fat!

2012 Resolutions

It's been awhile since I've posted, but nothing much has been going on. Christmas came and went, we waved goodbye to 2011 and hello to 2012. Around Christmastime, I started thinking about my New Years resolutions, even though I've never been one for claiming that the new year brings a "fresh slate". But, here it goes...

Resolution #1: In 2012, I will... be healthier. This may sound cliche, but instead of saying, "This is my year! I'm going to lose 2000 lbs and pose for Playboy!" I am just being general about it. This really started in November, and I've made some progress, but I know that the cardinal rule of weight loss is to not announce it to the world, as it will come back to bite you. Instead of putting numbers on it, I resolve to make an honest effort of working out when I can (recently got back into Zumba and I have fallen in love all over again!), eating healthy with more vegetables than potatoes, and generally not subsisting on soda, pizza and chinese food. 

Resolution #2: In 2012, I will... make more friends! Ever wonder why you're friends with someone? And then you realize, that they just kinda came around 10 years ago when you met them at Fitters during Happy Hour and now you two are buddies, but you have nothing in common and she pretty much grates your nerves? Yeah, I have a few of those. I feel that by surrounding myself with happy, friendly, positive people, I will be happier overall. When you're surrounded with negative energy, it makes you feel sluggish, bitter, bitchy. I don't want to have a bitchy 2012!

Resolution #3: In 2012, I will... keep plans. Say yes to more outings. Be more social! Those who know me would say that I'm the most social person you'd ever meet, but sometimes I get into odd moods where I don't want to do anything but stay home and eat ice cream while watching Teen Mom. But when someone drags me out, I have the best time! So I don't want to be a flake in 2012. I want to commit and keep plans when people invite me out- kind of like the movie, "Yes Man". 

Resolution #4: In 2012, I will... Chill. Out. I get so worked up over little things sometimes. I want to learn to relax. I resolve not to take out a bad day on Adam... to let the laundry pile up for a few days... to not freak out when a coworker makes a big mistake... to not turn into a crazed person when someone cancels plans. Life happens, and I need to learn how to go with the flow!

Resolution #5: In 2012, I will... be self-sufficient. I let others get me down so much, and I need to let things go. If someone cancels plans to work out, I'll go anyway. If someone lets me down, I'll let it go. I feel that, in order to accomplish all of my other resolutions, I need to start with learning how to forgive and forget. I used to be a big grudge-holder and keep everything bottled up inside. All that does is eat away at your heart and make you bitter and cold to the world. I realized that as soon as you start forgiving and forgetting, your life is better, easier, and happier. You can start to give people second chances. Not everyone deserves them, but some do, and you're the bigger person if you can extend that opportunity.

I predict that 2012 will be great for me. Not because I'm lucky- because I'm making it great. I'm taking control of my health, my attitude, my relationships, and my happiness- and I'm the only one who can make it a good year. Bring it on 2012!!