Recipe Review: Beef and Bean Burritos

Another stolen recipe form The Pioneer Woman.  It's not really stealing since she posts them on the web, so we'll call it sharing.  It's not like I claim them to be my own concoction.  I loved this recipe.  I've made a couple other burritos recipes here and there and they've been okay, but this one was excellent.  It would be easy to mix it up too and make beef and rice or whatever.

Ingredients


■2 pounds Ground Beef

■½ whole Medium Onion

■1 can (7 Ounce) Mexican Tomato Sauce Or Enchilada Sauce

■Salt And Pepper, to taste

■Cumin, Oregano, Chili Powder, Garlic To Taste

■1 can (28 Ounce) Refried Beans

■¾ cups Grated Cheddar Cheese

■12 whole Burrito-sized Flour Tortillas

■Extra Grated Cheese, For Sprinkling

■Extra Sauce, For Drizzling

■Cilantro Leaves, Optional

■Optional Filling Ingredients: Mexican Rice, Sour Cream, Guacamole, Green Chilies, Pico De Gallo

Preparation Instructions

Brown ground beef with onion and season to taste. Pour in sauce and simmer over low heat. Add water if mixture gets too dry.



Heat refried beans in a saucepan. Add cheese and stir in till melted. Keep warm.



Heat tortillas in microwave for one minute.



Spread a small amount of beans on each tortilla. Add meat. Fold over ends, then roll up. Place two burritos on a microwave-safe plate. Drizzle red sauce over the top and sprinkle with more grated cheddar. Microwave for one minute, or until cheese is melted and burritos are very hot. Serve immediately.


Here's the deal with the Mexican tomato sauce, blog shows El Pato, which Walmart sells.  I bought and thankfully tasted it before dumping it in the meat mixture.  Now I love spicy stuff, but this stuff is mucho caliente.  So I added a little and 1/2 a can of Enchilada sauce that I had.  I did the same thing for the topping and it was perfect.

Camp Otter Family Night

We recently went to Family Night at Camp Otter.  Here are some pics from the evening.

The cabin area

Alex outside Algonquin

Cabinmates from Cayuga

Working on the maze together

Targets area

Alex at archery

Rachel (the bow was bigger than her)

Disappointed she didn't hit the target since she usually gets bullseyes

Getting some pointers from Greg

At the beach at boating

Wading around Captains Pond

Allen leading the sing along

Lost her first tooth!

Camp Otter; Week 5

1.  Otterlympics week rocks!

2.  When you are on the team representing Somalia it's tough to come up with a catchy song.

3.  Little kids make the best toppers for pyramids (just ask the Becotte's!)

4.  Cone ball = boo boo's

5.  Being the only girl (according to Rachel) not allowed to wear a bikini is no fun.

6.  Getting your parents to finally give in and let you wear said bikini is awesome!

7.  Alex does not understand all the hubub over bikinis.  Just give it a few years buddy and you will appreciate them.

8.  Having a family Night at Otter where you get to show off all the cool stuff you've been doing is great.

9.  Riding the bus is almost as much fun as going to Camp.

10.  Knowing that the Camp season is half over and that school is only about 5 weeks ago stinks.

Weekly Menu 7/18/10-7/24/10

Last week wasn't too bad.  Moved a thing or two around, ended up out to eat on Friday...darn it all I have no wil power when it comes to Mi Mexico Lindo.  This week is an easy week meal wise, since we are busy.

Sunday-Out to eat with Bob & Gail, why you ask?  Because they invited us.

Monday-Grilled Pork Chops, summer squash & zucchini and something else

Tuesday-Chicken a la King (I'll make this one of these days)

Wednesday-Family Night at Camp Otter is the weather behaves

Thursday-Ham & Eggs

Friday-Going away for the weekend for our anniversay so we'll be stopping at the Tilt'n Diner.

Camp Otter Week 4

We just finished up Otter's Got Talent Week.  Here are 10 interesting facts the kids have learned.

1.  A day of rain after 3 weeks of 90+ weather isn't so bad

2.  However, rain brings out the mosquitos so now Alex is pretty much one big walking mosquito bite.

3.  Rachel's first overnight was a blast, despite being a bit lonely for her cat.  And they gave her donuts in the morning!

4.  The kids at Camp Otter have alot of talent, the show rocked!

5.  Alex loves the Gummy Bear song!

6.  With scrapes on her knees & elbows Rachel is one big booboo.  I should buy stock in the Band Aid company.

7.  Kids make some awesome friends at Camp that they look forward to seeing each week.

8.  Having a Mom that won't give you money every day for the Camp store stinks.

9.  However, having friends who buy you stuff is pretty cool.

10.  Again, the kids have earned beads for cleaning their cabins but once again they will not clean their rooms.

Weekly Menu 7/11/10-7/17/10

Last week was a disaster.  Way too hot to cook.  Ended up with take out 2 night and out to eat on Saturday.  Looks like we won't be eating out for the rest of the month.  Good news is this weeks food shopping was managable since I had so much left over from the previous week.

Sunday-Ginger Pepper Stir Fry w/ rice
Monday-Hotdogs & Mac &Cheese
Tuesday-Chicken ala King
Wednesday-Lemon Chicken Pasta (if it's not too hot to run the oven)
Thursday-Steak Tips w/summer squash & zucchini
Friday-Probably going to have to do some shopping to cover the weekend
Saturday-????

Camp Otter Week 3

Week 3 at Camp Otter just finished up.  This week was Fantasy Week, with the kids acting like superheroes, princesses, cartoon characters etc.  Here are our Top 10 for Week 3.

1.  When little kids play Dodge Ball they do much better when they hide behind Big kids.

2.  Rachel participated in Princess Training where she learned how to courtsey, dance, make & wear crowns and perfect their manners.  Sounds like Finishing School to me.  Just saved myself a bundle.

3.  Skipping a day of Camp to go to the beach on the hottest day in something like 50 years is a good idea.

4.  Alex hates mosquitos but they LOVE him.

5.  Rachel moved to Advanced Archer after she hit a bullseye in archery.  Next up Air Rifles.....just kidding.

6.  Wearing a Princess Dress to Camp everyday in 90+ degree heat is not a good idea, but 6 years olds seem to think it is.

7.  Alex thinks overnights at Camp rock!  Allen not so much!

8.  Gimp is awesome!

9.  After 5 days of 90+ degree heat kids become extremely cranky and have meltdowns easily.  Actually so do adults.

10.  Jon aka the Professor, who is the counselor of Alongonquin is awesome (according to Alex).

Salisbury Beach

I played hookey from work last Tuesday (not really I had a floating Holiday I hadn't used so I took it).  The kids and I headed out with all our gear to Salisbury Beach Reservation.  We got there around 9 ish and stayed until almost 2 pm.  Keep in mind Tuesday was around 98 degrees with a crazy humidity level.  I figured everyone and their brother would be at the beach but they weren't.  We got a nice spot not far from the water, which is where we spent the majority of the day.  The kids didn't want to get out.  We took a walk down to the rocks, ate lunch, hydrated excessively and then headed to Dairy Queen for Mistys on the way home.  Perfect day.

Mom stop making me look up its sunny and hurts my eyes.

Fine I'll suffer for your picture, happy?  Yes I am

The view from my chair

Making sand castles

Fresh out of the water

Hiding inside the umbrella to keep cool

Ginger Pepper Beef Stir Fry

Nice easy weeknight recipe.  Nothing fancy, but it's good nad quick.  I serve it over white rice.

Ingredients

3/4 cup water
1/2 tspn. ground ginger
1 Tbls. soy sauce
1 packet McCormick Brown Gravy
Package of Flank Steak or whatever you would purchase for a stir fry
1 each slice onion, red & green bell pepper

Cook beef, onion & peppers.  Mix the Brown gravy, water, soy & ginger together.  Once the beef is cooked and peppers are tender crisp pour liquid mixture over it.  Cook for a couple of minutes until thickened.  Serve over rice.

Hawaiian Day

Camp Otter had Hawaiian Day a couple weeks back.  I forgot to post the pics so I'm doing it now.

Camp Otter Pics

Last Friday Rachel was awarded the Caring Camper award for Week 2.  Here are some pictures from the day.

Weekly Menu 7/4/10-7/10/10

Last week went great, I didn't even post what I was making but we didn't get take out which is the overall goal.  Hopefully this week goes as well, especially considering how much I spent food shopping.  On a positive note, really need to start stopping by Peters Farm more often for veggies.  I got a ackage of scallions, 2 zucchini, 2 summer squash and a huge bundle of cilantro for $2.85. 

Sunday-Cookout at Randy & Kristine's.  Happy 4th of July everyone!

Monday-Lemon Chicken Pasta

Tuesday-Pepper Steak StirFry w/Rice

Wednesday-Steak Tips with something

Thursday-Grilled Chicken

Friday-Ham & Eggs

Saturday-Plenty left in the freezer so something from there

Camp Otter: Week 2

Week 2 at Camp Otter was holiday Hoopla Week.  The kids had a great time, celebrating a different holiday each day.  The newness of camp is wearing off for Rachel and she is starting to feel like the experienced camper that Alex is.  Another exciting Top Ten list

1.  Be careful where you stand, taller people sometimes don't see you and you get a lump/cut on the noggin.

2.  Rachel is a really good swimmer, she passed Polliwog 2

3.  Alex swam to the raft with the noodle, despite being scared the whole time.  Next time won't be so scary.

4.  Children are oblivious to the amount of dirt on their bodies

5.  You could waste hours playing connect the dots with the freckles that have come out on both of them

6.  Fort building is a blast!

7.  Rachel earned her Caring Award, minus a nights sleep for all of us....thanks a lot Nelson!

8.  Chipmunks aren't scary

9.  ABC it's easy as 123, my Mama takes care of me, my Daddy watches MTV...wow brings back memories

10.  While the weekend is short it can't end fast enough they can't wait to get back to camp!