Recipe #16 - Taco Meat Again!

This past summer and even into fall (tomorrow is October 1st!), we've been eating alot of taco meat done different ways, layered over chips and shredded cheese, topped with a dollop of sour cream.
Last night, to take a break from the handyman bedroom work I had been doing, I decided to use up a pound of ground pork I had just thawed. We also still had tons of green peppers given to us from our neighbor that we needed to use, so I devised this on the fly, while watching Denver crush Philadelphia.

one pound ground pork
one medium yellow onion diced
four or five small green peppers diced
2 banana peppers diced
one Roma tomato diced
one can 14.5 oz seasoned tomatoes
one cup water
ground cumin
hot chili pepper powder
black pepper
garlic powder
onion powder
dried oregano
red pepper flakes
corn chips
shredded colby jack cheese
sour cream

I browned the meat, drained the grease, and added the chopped vegetables to simmer for about ten minutes. Then I added the seasoning and water, cranked it up to high and let the water boil off, stirring occasionally.
Two huge spoonfuls over some chips topped with cheese and voila!
The pepper smell is still lingering in the house a day later; there was no need for Tupperware containers lsst night.

Peace!

Fibonacci

0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144, ... is commonly called the Fibonacci Sequence, named after Leonardo Fibonacci, who dabbled in such things in the 13th century. This particular sequence of numbers can be generated by starting with 0 and 1, and then adding the previous two terms together to get the next term.
0
1
0+1 = 1
1+1=2
1+2=3
2+3=5
and so on.

The tiling below is formed with squares having side lengths of successive Fibonacci numbers. The spiral then consists of 90 degree arcs connected along adjacent squares' opposite vertices. 

The 20th Fibonacci number is 6765.



The coolest thing is this: the ratio of any two consecutive Fibonacci numbers is approximately 1.618, commonly known as the Golden Ratio. :-)

Look at the sunflower model to see the Fibonacci curves

Mama Knows, Honeychild: I'm No Theologian

Mama Knows, Honeychild: I'm No Theologian

T is for Thanksgiving

Father of Mercies~
This morning I am thankful for a new day, new week, new beginnings, new life, new time of year, newness in Christ!
Thank You for Your Spirit in me, for the peace that passes understanding, for wisdom for every circumstance.
Thank You for my beautiful wife, and all that we've shared together.
Thank You for family and friends, and for their prayers throughout the years
Thank You for Your Word.
Thank You for Your Church.
Thank You for the Via de Cristo movement, and the way You touch people through it.
Thank You for my job, and the people I've met through it.
Thank You for this time of year, with the fall color and temps.
Thank You for our Tigers, who are still playing meaningful baseball games.
Thank You for the talents and abilities You've given me.
Thank You for Your love, mercy, forgiveness; and for Your amazing grace.

 
 

 

Recipe # 52 - Tremendous Taco Salad

This event began the night before as my neighbor brought over a bag of green and red peppers from his garden for us. Next morning at work, boss comes up the stairs with 'I brought ya somthin' and a big smile on his face: fresh from his garden green peppers and lime colored banana peppers. Then a quarter in the slot to get a cart to hold the remaining items that I found at Aldi in Brighton.

Ingredients:

Blue and Yellow corn chips
two glugs of extra virgin olive oil
2.16 lb ground beef
1 medium yellow onion chopped
1 can diced tomatoes drained
3 small red, 3 small green, and 1 banana pepper chopped
3 large cloves of garlic minced
about a cup of your favorite salsa
seasoning - I use a mix of onion powder, cumin, chili powder, red pepper flakes, ground pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and oregano
half head of lettuce chopped
your favourite blend of shredded cheese
sour cream, if'n you like

 

I got out my biggest Wolfgang Puck fry pan and poured in a turn of the pan of the oil. As it got up to medium heat, I added garlic, onion, and peppers; then let these get soft - about 10 minutes.
Next I added the meat and browned it.

I drained the grease and turned up the heat a wee bit. I added the seasoning, the tomatoes and salsa, and about a cup of water. Stir occasionally. This simmered uncovered for maybe 20-25 minutes - until most of the water was absorbed or boiled off.

Find yourself a big old mixing bowl, break up a couple handfuls of chips, add a bed of lettuce, pour in the meat, top with cheese aplenty and some salsa, and sit down with your fork and a cold beverage and enjoy!!

Our Soldier and His Little Girl

On my mind this afternnon...

In the mortgage industry, the realtor who is trying to sell your home is called the 'Listing Agent' and the realtor who is trying to find you a home to buy is called the 'Selling Agent'.

Why do eastbound flights take longer than their westbound return trip?

Why does the team with the highest batting average in MLB have 8 shutouts on the season?

Why does the team with the most runs scored in the majors have 11 shutouts this season?

Why do some people have a real easy time with math and some don't?

Will there be passwords in heaven?

Wednesday Blessings

Beautiful cool, sunny morning and I finally got Sierra up and outside and back in before I left for work. She likes sleeping in more than I do, I think! She's slowed down a bit in her 14th year but she still likes food. I can remember when any activity at all in the kitchen would beckon her to stand right in the midst, waiting hopefully for some fat off the bone or an end of cucumber. She would even take a hunk of onion and devour it, albeit slowly.
She still comes around if there's activity, especially chopping, but she is spoiled to the point that she does not accept vegetables of any kind any more. (spoiled or maybe 'more refined'). I tried to give her a big leaf of lettuce and she sniffed it briefly, put her ears back, and turned away.
We keep these treats for her that look like huge peanut cookies and she will gladly accept any number of them for doing 'good dog' things like going outside, going potty, coming back in from potty, not eating the cat, etc.
She is thoroughly enamoured with Beneful also. I tried, once upon a time, to substitute the Dollar General brand in the bag that looked like the Beneful bag but she would not eat it. Smart dog. Always has been.

Sierra the Malamute. Beloved by all, aging more gracefully than many, still beautiful and faithful.

Cheese, please?

A is for Adoration

"A great prophet has arisen in our midst!...
God has visited His people!" ( Luke 7)

LORD, You are holy, holy, holy
You are perfect and righteous and good and pure
Holy One in Three and Three in One!
Praise to You, on this Tuesday morning!
Praise to You, for You have created the earth, sun, stars, and the beautiful rainbow two nights ago!
Praise to You, for You have found it good to accept the sacrifice of Your Son!
Praise to You, through Your Church You have provided Your Word: Sacred Scripture!
Praise to You, for Who You ARE: The Great I AM!!
You are worthy of praise!
You are worthy of praise!
KING of kings, and LORD of lords!!!

Father, I adore You and I lay my life before You. How I love You!
Jesus, I adore You and I lay my life before You. How I love You!
Spirit I adore You and I lay my life before You. How I love You!

"Lift up your hands toward the sanctuary,
and bless the LORD." (Psalm 134)


Holy Holy Holy, Lord God almighty
Early in the morning my song shall rise to Thee
Holy, holy, holy, Merciful and mighty
God in three Persons, Blessed Trinity!

Cantate Domino canticum novum

More texts from Cheyenne...

Our lil papoose! L u gramps!

Campin out!

G.aft gramps!

Go Tigers!

G.morning gramps!

Dozing after my first field trip!

Sportin the d colors, xoxoxo!

Welcome, Liam!!

Introducing Liam Jason!

Good morning everyone!
I am a big sister!!

Nite gramps, one more cartoon!

 

Waffles and watermelon yummy!

Bless the LORD, the heat has been removed!

The heat moved out, the cool moved in; to God be the glory!! Air conditioners can rest, the dog will sleep peacefully without her ceaseless panting, Kitty of course will continue to play and frolic unaware of any change.

To-day's first reading~

 Col 3:12-17

Brothers and sisters:
Put on, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved,
heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience,
bearing with one another and forgiving one another,
if one has a grievance against another;
as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do.
And over all these put on love,
that is, the bond of perfection.
And let the peace of Christ control your hearts,
the peace into which you were also called in one Body.
And be thankful.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly,
as in all wisdom you teach and admonish one another,
singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs
with gratitude in your hearts to God.
And whatever you do, in word or in deed,
do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus,
giving thanks to God the Father through him.


May this be our prayer to-day. God bless us, every one.

Yummy mac and cheese and muffins too!!

Why do I sleep in so late?
Why don't I get up and enjoy the morning before I have to leave for work?
Why am I so lazy?

I used to regularly arise quite early, brew some coffee, and then do the things I do so much less of now: pray, write, think, read.
Sometimes I would make a bigazz breakfast and just enjoy that, without rushing. Sometimes I would just enjoy God's creation: birds, trees, water, sun, clouds, squirrels, chipmunks, bugs (well, 'enjoy' here is a stretch), ...

What has changed?
Why has sleep become so important?
I thought when you get older you need less sleep?

Warren Air Force Base, Cheyenne WY

Grandma has been out west with our very expecting daughter in law Jen and most precious grandchild Joslin Mia since Sunday...

Just waitin 4 the lil fella

Grillr cheese big girl sammich!

yummy breakfast!!

Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of Creation!!

O my soul praise Him for He is thy health and salvation
All ye who hear now to His temple appear
Join me in glad adoration.


Sound forth in glad adoration.

I remember that wonderful hymn from my Missouri Synod Lutheran Church childhood. 13 years in the Lutheran Schools of Greater Detroit with once-a-week chapel afforded me many opportunities to sing hymns - good hymns - not those 7-11 songs they sing now'days. Hymns with pic

S is for Supplication

... and You know the burdens on the hearts of our loved ones, but we lift them up to you by name this morning: Jack, Mare, Stan, Rita, Stan, Kathleen, Charlotte, Justin, Joey, Dana, Stacie, Stosh, Ryan, Emma, Mary Ann, Dean, Meghan, Jake, Quinn, Courtney, Rusty, Drew, Mason, Kacie Elizabeth, Brett Michael, Kenny, Ken, Pamela, Kendall, Carolyn, Douglas Carl, my beautiful Monica, Jon Michael, Jen, Joslin, Joslin's little brother, Robert, Jason, Terrence David, Jeannie, Rindy, Tigh, Trent, Sophia, Kevin Paul, Michael, Michael's mom, Justen, Torey, Kaley, Kristine, Gary, Susie, Joshua Michael, Taylor, Jeremy Breeze, Ruben, Nancy Ann, Carlos Luis, Ramon Emilio, Alexander Joseph, Isabelle Anna, Ricardo, Benjamin Miguel, Paul, Paul's brother, Paul's parents, Kevin and John, all the Team and Participants for GNVDC #53, Fr. Pung, Fr. Mangan, Mike, Mike, Troy, Ron, Michelle, Tom, Shelly, John, Betsie, Little John, Little John's sister, Jim, Miggy, Max, Doug, Little Ricky, Justin, Anibel, Alex, Brayan, Jose, Torii, Victor, all our elected officials, Francisco, Earl, Bob, Dana, Little Bob, Doreen, Vicky, Dave, Danae, G-man, Jerry and his family, Wendy, Adam and their kids, Brad, Brenda, Blake, Bill, Nancy, Mrs. Chuslo, Kelli, Anna, Doug, Jeff, Dawn and their kids, Kim, Mario and their kids, Cathy, Jeff, and their kids, Arlene, Art, Dottie, Shirley, Sandy, Jim and their kids, Sharon, Janice, Kenny, Grace, Bob, Jimmy, Melvin, Grace, Wally, Lil, Mary Ellen, Jack George, Mitsey, Helen, Connie, neighbors, the nice UPS man, the nice mail lady, the park ranger, Butch, Joe, Wanda, Jeanette, Helen, Joe, Barbara, James L., Richard, Robert, Corky, Julie, LVCCM Secretariat, Ron, Kurt, Kurt, Dan, GNVDC Secretariat, Bill.
All of these we pray for LORD, that You would bless and protect. 
LORD, in Your mercy, hear our prayer.

 

Family II

LORD,

Please protect my sweetie as she travels this weekend and next week. Bless her time with little Joslin, Jon and Jen; and may she be a huge blessing to them while Jen is expecting. I also ask that You would bless and protect their new baby due any minute now. May he grow up knowing You, loving You, living for You, and always wanting more of You. 
Thank You for this opportunity for travel, LORD; thank You for making the tickets affordable and for covering the work schedule. Thank You for our children and grand-children. 

Please fill the hearts of all people in the world with Your peace, hope, love, and goodness. Forgive us for being so selfish so often. Heal us, as a global community; guide us so that we would strive for peace first and foremost, above all, at whatever cost.

Thank You, and we love You too.

 

Family

I have a younger brother who lives outside of Champaign, IL. His name is Gary. He runs a kinesiotherapy clinic in Champaign (fitnesssynergyopt.com) and does personal training. He has competed in triathlons and I think he is currently house-sitting for some clients of his who are out of the country.
He married a gal with two beautiful children several years ago; her former spouse had abandoned his family and he had no contact with the kids. Gary has been a father to those two children as if they were his own, and also produced another son with his wife. He has since split up with his wife but he continues to father his three kids.
I love him dearly and I have such fond memories of us laughing, praying, crying together.
He is busy (aren't we all?!?) and we don't communicate like we used to, even though we are both technologically literate. I miss his company, his sense of humour, even his venting about his poor fantasy football choices.

I give our relationship to God, and know that He grieves when there is broken-ness even more than any of us could.

And yet more Thanksgiving!

For this time of year in southeast lower Michigan; the cooler temperatures, cooler breezes, cooler nights, ... for the green, green that is holding on in all the trees, for the beauty of the color of the flowers in our garden, for the hummingbird couple who greet us daily, for our health and victuals and clean water and charcoal grill (safely covered with two tarps!), for our jobs and family and home and vehicles,

and especially, we are thankful for the love of God, and the forgiveness offered through His Son Christ.

Go Tigers!