Foodie Friday - and More Pooter Problems

Welcome to Friday Foodie -

hosted by our friend and Foodie Specialist,

Michael at Designs by Gollum.

Please stop by her wonderful blog not

only to partake of her wonderful

Foodie Advice - but to also see a full

list of all the Foodie participants.

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So you're gonna have to forgive me

this week. I am re-posting a recipe and

dish I shared a few weeks back -

Mexican Taco Pasta.

You see it was a lazy North Carolina Day!

The weather was perfect, and I pretty much

just played hooky from life all day.

So - I hope you don't mind that I am

bringing back an older post.

Enjoy!!!!

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So what happens when one wants Mexican

and another wants Pasta?

Mexican Taco Pasta....of course!

It's actually one of my favorite, easy-to-fix comfort

foods. I can prepare this dish, make a salad, fix garlic

bread and ring the dinner bell in well under an hour.

It's pretty common sense cooking - but I took

lots of pics...

As with most of my dishes, my first visit is to my

handy-dandy scale filled with onions and garlic.

When I am out of onions and garlic - we eat out

because I do not know how to cook without them. :-D

I also start with a generous portion of cilantro, rough

chopped and set aside. While I am chopping the veggies...

I heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in a pan.

Here are some of the basic ingredients...

...many of them already in your pantry.

Oh... what is that I spy in the lower left-hand corner?

How did that get there?

Okay, it's not exactly an "ingredient" needed for the

dish...but as the saying goes...

"I like to cook with wine...and sometimes

I put it in my food."

Yea...that's me. :-D

So...while the veggies are being chopped...

I start my pasta water.

I like to add salt, olive oil and fresh herbs. I threw

in a handful of cilantro.

Saute onions, garlic, ground beef and half the

cilantro until done.

By the way - this is one of my fave kitchen gadgets.

It's a "burger-chopper-upper" from The Pampered Chef.

It works really well when browning ground beef.

Next, drain burger then add one package taco

seasoning mix - stir well.

Add one large can of tomato sauce, and one small

can of tomato paste.

Add a can of Southwestern- style Corn w/ Black Beans

(I like to add extra black beans - but did

not have any handy)

Mmmm....baby bella's. Pre-sliced...pre-easy! ;-)

Toss 'em in....

Can you smell the scents? Cumin, onions,

cilantro, tomato....oh yea!

Turn the heat to medium, and just let your

sauce simmer.

Now it's time to break out the ole' Pasta

Bowl...I lugged it back from Mexico when we

went to a downtown market outside of Cancun.

Ain't she a beauty? It holds a LOT of pasta!

Once the pasta is cooked al dente (in Southern speak -

that means "pert near done!")

:-D

Go ahead and mix noodles with sauce.

Well, this looks awfully plain. Time to dress it up...

Add a layer of shredded cheddar cheese - then

some crushed corn chips.

Chop some lettuce - I used romaine but any kind

will do.

Add the lettuce around the outer edge of the bowl.

Finally, add some sliced black olives and fresh,

red tomatoes. I happened to have some left-over

red cherries which I halved.

I used my hand-painted Portuguese pottery plates.

I love how the colors of the dish are reflected

in the colors of the plate.

This is a down-home comfort dish with a twist

of worldly flavors....

So the next time your family is indecisive about

what they want for dinner....give them both.

I hope you have enjoyed sharing dinner with us tonight.

There's plenty more - so you are welcomed to seconds. :-)

Please make sure you head over to Designs by Gollum

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I want to update you on my recent Pooter Problems.

My new computer arrived a few days ago.

I was excited because I had ordered a really

nice carry case.

So - I opened up the case and knew

immediately something was very, very wrong!

To make matters worse, the mouse was missing!

I did not think it looked very user-friendly.

But I plugged it in anyway - and it made some

hissing noises.

Uh-oh!

I thought I would give it a chance to warm up...

.. but it just started running slower and slower.

What is wrong with today's electronics?

In the end, I knew this wasn't going to work.

So I called the company, explained the problem and

asked for a new computer.

The company was very apologetic and sent me

a new one right out. Thanks Goodness.

It arrived today!

Oh good grief!

Are they kidding me?

It was a very cute pooter...but this one ran even

slower than the last!

I tried rebooting - but to no avail.

I give up!

I knew I should have been suspicious when the

company motto was...

"Eat...Drink...and Be Hairy!"

:-D

May You Have a Comforting Weekend...Barb

Tablescape Thursday

Welcome to Tablescape Thursday!

One of the most looked-forward to events in Blogtown.

This weekly event is graciously hosted by

Susan at Between Naps on the Porch.

Please stop by Susan's site. Her tablescape

is always a shear pleasure, and you don't

want to miss a single tablescape being shared

today for this event.

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I found two of these lovely hydrangea filled teacups at

Marshall's several days ago. I wanted them to go

in my Morning Room where my collection of

blue and white transferware is

displayed in all its splendor.

I also envisioned a tablescape.

I had several things going through my mind,

and said to myself ... "Self, you need to get busy

tomorrow and start the tablescape."

Then "Self" realized it was WEDNESDAY!

Awwwwww.....

I started running around the house like

a mad woman. What did I have?

Did I go with pink and blue, all blue...?

I grabbed my blue and white biscuit tin.

Isn't it lovely? I purchased a set of these

canisters years ago at Restoration Hardware.

Out came the floral box....

I am in love with how this arrangement turned out.

I started with a base of ferns, added blue hydrangeas,

white roses, chartreuse orchids and limes.

I added a blue and green, striped french ribbon.

I think its the perfect combination of whimsy

and "purdy!" :-D

Simple green placemats were placed on top of a

plaid blue, green and white tablecloth.

Then I layered wicker chargers for a

Summertime feel - followed by a green

and white transferware dinner plate,

then a blue and white transferware

salad plate.

Matching plaid napkins were simply tied with

two ribbons lengths ... the striped ribbon as

seen in the flower arrangement.

A fun green and white polka-dot ribbon

is a fun compliment. Have you discovered I

heart polka dots? :-)

It is definitely a Summer table.

And the very warm weather here in North Carolina

makes this seem appropriate!

More limes and a few pieces of ribbon were

turned into placecard holders.

Small gems frame each name.

The blue goblets are new - at least to me.

I found six in a second hand shop. I do not know

anything about them...but I love the details.

I love all the layers....

It's a simple table....

I wanted the colors to speak for themselves.

When I first started assembling this

tablescape - my first thought was that it was

too busy. There was a lot of pattern.

Was it too much??? Nahhhhh..... :-)

Scrapbooking supplies decorated simple Dollar

Store square candleholders.

I added some soft green tapers to the mini

teacup arrangements.

But the candles were too plain...

So they were embellished with some

pretty pearls.

So from a biscuit tin filled to the brim with

flowers and limes....

... comes a table that is pretty, soft and sublime.

Please stop by Between Naps on the Porch for

more Tablescape eye candy!

Have a Beautiful Day...Barb