First off The List, so I can clear my head.
It's that kind of morning for me. Too many things whirring around the skating rink of my mind. As you will see these are not the sort of things meant for deep reflection. Trust me. (And feel free to skip on down the Caliente Bean Dip recipe below. I wouldn't blame you.) I just can't focus.
1. I have been knocking over liquid filled vessels a lot lately and it has really got to stop. I just mopped up a huge amount of soapy water from my bathroom floor with my bathmat. At least I can call the floor clean now...right?
2. I bought some really good smelling shampoo and conditioner yesterday. I really want to use it right now as opposed to using up the last bit of the perfectly nice smelling shampoo and conditioner that is currently residing in my shower. A deep, soul revealing battle is being fought between the resourceful, bargain shopping, side of me and the what-if-I-get-hit-by-a-bus-today-and-never-get-to-use-my-new-shampoo side of me. It's a personality flaw.
3. If I remember I'll let you know who won later.
4. I am a sucker for packaging. Which means if you take a mediocre wine and put it in a bottle with a fabulous label (Mad Housewife wine anyone?), I will buy it. Over and over.
5. Our hairdresser (hair stylist?) (hi Janna!) had her baby 3 weeks early in December. Right before we were all supposed to get our hair cut. Which means my hair, and the kids' hair is all pretty shaggy and will remain so until February. Can we really go to my grandma's funeral in shaggy hair?
6. It's a gorgeous, why people fork out big money for tiny houses and even less property, sort of Southern California day. And I have too much inside work to do to be out and about in it. I hate that.
7. I'm 2 weeks into my photography class which I am hoping will mean soon I will be able to figure out how to link photos to my blog. I know weak sauce writing coupled with amateur photos. I'll understand. Am I too old to say weak sauce?
8. I'm pretty sure computers, and electronics in general, are punishment for dating the athletes in high school instead of the smart dudes.
9. It's Football Playoff Season and this bean dip is the be all and end all of bean dips. Forget that cold 7-layered thing we've all been passing around since the 90's. Make THIS one and you'll see what I'm talking about.
Caliente Bean Dip (I just renamed it that, because it's original moniker Warm Bean Dip is bor-ing!)
1 can Fritos Hot Bean Dip (it's usually in the chip aisle, don't go with plain standard Fritos Bean Dip. Bland. Blech. Just don't. I did by accident once and I'm deeply scarred.)
4 oz. (1/2 a block) of cream cheese, softened (You can do this in the microwave. Just take it out of the foil wrapper - foil catches on fire in the microwave, don't ask, just trust - put it in a bowl, and zap it for 15 seconds or so, until it's soft.)
1/2 cup sour cream
BTW there is nothing healthy about this recipe.
1 Tablespoon taco seasoning mix
1 garlic clove - pressed
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded (Colby Jack is really good too. In fact, it's probably my favorite, but mostly I have cheddar on hand.)
The rest of these are optional, I like it with everything. Some of the younger males in the household prefer that I stop at the cheese. So make 2 like I do. Don't worry, it will get eaten in short order.
1 tomato - seeded and diced
1 small can sliced black olives
1 Tablespoon chopped cilantro (mmmm, I love cilantro.)
1 avocado - diced
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Spread the bean dip in an 8" square baking dish (or something similar).
Combine the sour cream, cream cheese, taco mix and garlic. Spread the mixture over the bean dip.
Top with the cheddar cheese.
Bake 15 to 20 minutes until it's all melty and bubbly and delicious looking.
Live with abandon and top with the some or all of the optional ingredients. Or, if you live with younger male children types who don't eat things like tomatoes, olives or anything green for that matter, like I do, top it with none.
Serve with tortilla chips and devour. But you probably already knew that.
Oh, and you can make this ahead of the game, take it with you to friend's houses who don't mind if you make yourself at home with their oven, that sort of thing.
The Quandary
I homeschool our 2 boys. We do this for many reasons, but mostly so we can do it our way, be flexible and hopefully produce curious, involved, solid citizens. I started using a charter school to homeschool with a few years ago when I realized a) those are my educational tax dollars and b) I could use them for cool things like field trips, karate lessons, elaborate chemistry sets that scare me, an egg incubator to hatch eggs, and electric guitar lessons. So today my quandary is this...my boys are mildly sick with a head cold. It's a beautiful day. I have a lot of non-school related stuff to do. Every ounce of independent homeschooling mom in me is screaming out to cut to the chase, do our 3 R's (Readin', wRitin', aRithmetic) and call it done. Let them rest and soak up some fresh air and sun. The responsible, has to report to the charter school guilty conscience me, wants me to catch up on our science...
I still don't know.
Keepin' it real today,
~S
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