Why wait for the fair or a carnival to come along to enjoy an Indian Taco?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Indian Fry Bread
Ingredients
4 cups flour
2 tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup warm water
Go see step by step recipe for indian fry bread

Indian Tacos
Ingredients
fry bread (see above)
pinto or Ranch style beans
2 pounds ground beef
iceberg lettuce
tomatoes
red or yellow onions
cheddar cheese
salsa
sour cream

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Get fry bread together

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Make pinto beans or heat ranch style beans. You can look through some of the steps to get beans ready by reading my 15 bean soup recipe


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Brown 2 pounds ground beef and season

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Wash all the veggies. Did you know not washing your produce can make you sick?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Cut iceberg lettuce into thin strips

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
dice onions

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
dice tomatoes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
shred cheddar cheese

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Make salsa (I like fresh salsa). Get sour cream into serving bowl

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tada.. now how do you throw an indian taco together….

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Put the fry bread down first and add beans

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Add the meat

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Add the onions

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Add the lettuce

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Add the tomato

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Add the salsa and cheese

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and finally add the sour cream… tada (again but louder this time)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Are you hungry yet?

Fry bread is a flat dough that is fried. It can be served alone or with toppings

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Indian Fry Bread
Ingredients
4 cups flour
2 tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup warm water

Measure out flour

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You need 4 cups

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

add baking powder

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

add salt and mix together.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Add the shortening

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Cut it in (shortening that is) will look like small peas

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
add water 1/2 cup at a time of water (only enough water to make dough stick together). This is what it looks like when it starts to come together

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Knead dough lightly until smooth

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
This is what it will look like

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
make into fist-sized balls

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Cover them with a towel for 10 minutes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

pat them out into circles

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Fry in skillet until brown on both sides

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

drain on paper towels and serve. You can eat these plain, with jelly or as the bottom of an indian taco.

 

The fires raging in Texas over this summer became personal in June. There was a raging forest fire by my house in Spring, Texas which is a suburb of Houston. I remember early in the day smelling smoke and trying to figure where it was coming from. Once I was able to spot the fire I knew it wasn’t going to be good. I started going in and out of the house trying to figure out if it was still going on. I didn’t know if I needed to leave. The day got windy where ash kept blowing past me.

That fire endangered around 200 homes in my neighborhood. The fire was estimated to be around 50 acres in size. It started in the area behind Gloria Marshall Elementary School. Officials evacuated residents from my neighborhood around 3:20 p.m on Friday June 17th, 2011. First United Methodist Church in Humble was used as a shelter for those displaced by the fire. We decided to just hang in the cars.

The Texas Forestry Service reported that the fire started around 10 a.m. It began as a 3-acre fire but grew over the course of the day. Firefighters were having trouble containing the blaze due to lack of humidity, heat and dry vegetation in the area. They battled the fire with extra help from helicopters and a plane. I heard they dropped 200 gallons of water at a time! Then three tractors plowed through the area to help as well to keep it from starting back up again.

The evacuation notice was lifted later that same evening. We went home to find everything was fine. We were lucky that they were able to stop it before we lost anything. We had another fire on September 5th which was farther away but close to home. We did not have to evacuate that time. The Waller fire burned more than 10,500 acres and destroyed more than 76 structures which included 60 homes. While I am very fortunate that I still have my home I feel really bad for those that lost everything.

  In my pictures you can see the helicopters flying over and the plane.

 

Interstate 45

Spring, TX 77388

The food quality for casual dining is really decent. The prices are surprising for the amount of food they offer as well. There is always at least a 30 minute wait or more at this location.

I have eaten at several Cheddars locations in both Oklahoma and Texas. Some are better than others for service. The food has all been the same. I believe that the quality of the design and mood of the place along with the quality of food brings people in no matter how long the wait is. When food is good people are willing to wait for it.

This particular location has a serious problem with service. My family has resorted to asking for particular servers instead of just being seated. It seems they are so busy that they need everyone to work even if they are absolutely horrible. Instead of letting the bad staff go they just keep them on. One night we were seated for 30 minutes before someone came over to get our drink orders. They explained they didn’t know we were sitting there. She was rude the rest of the night. We still continued to go to the location after this and saw her working. I watched a group of people call the manager over to complain once and heard them say they would never be back. I have had this very thought when leaving.

I like the food and am willing to pay the price of waiting and bad service just to be close to home on occasion. If you go be prepared for the wait. If you get someone who is good remember their name and ask to sit in their section the next time.

 

Shenandoah location
18035 Interstate 45 S
Shenandoah,TX 77385

Tex-mex with Elvis! I really like this place! The creamy jalapeno dip is something different on the table normally served with chips. It is addicting! That is not the only sauce they have here either. They actually have over 7 different sauces with different heat levels. One of my favorite dishes is chicka chicka boom boom. Hand pulled chicken with boom boom sauce that is made from cheese, mexican green chiles, tomatillos, green onions, cilantro and lime juice. The heat level varied from day to day depending on who is making it. I have made may way through the menu but have not tried everything yet. I am open to eating anything here though. To help you with making your food choices through the menu they offer specials to try different things every day.

From what I understand the very first Chuy’s was opened in 1982 in Austin, Texas. It became a hit and began to grow. Usually chains do not do the same justice to food as one really amazing place. This is not the case with Chuy’s. They really know Tex-Mex. They hand make their tortillas in an area where you can watch. Everything tastes this fresh.

The Shenandoah location as with most locations I have been to usually has a line of people waiting to be seated. Why? Because when you have good food people are willing to wait for it! Come ready to sit on the patio and perhaps enjoy a margarita.

I believe life is a gift and I use this gift to love others through service. One of the ways I am able to be of service to the community is by being the case manager for the Society of the Haunted. In this role I take calls from people wanting to understand what may be happening in their home. Most of the time they are scared and hope they are not loosing their mind. Sometimes I take calls from people who think the activity is cool and they just want verification that it is spiritual and not the hot water tank. All the callers feel they have nobody they can really talk to so they find relief telling me their stories. I am happy to listen and help them.

Another way I help is by going onto the property where strange things are happening. I investigate along with other members of the team to try to find logical explanations. This itself is a huge help to our clients. We will point out the hot water tank which is making noises and then they are able to get it fixed. The problem for them in this type of situation is now solved. It is also a help when we catch the activity for ourselves. The homeowner is now not alone because they have a witness. Sometimes there is no explanation that can be found. In that type of situation it looks like they may perhaps have a visitor. Science has not yet been able to explain everything yet. Our whole team is there for others to help them through the discovery of what may be there. We are also a team that will continue to be there for them in the future.

If you know someone who may be experiencing a problem feel free to refer our group. Even if they do not want us to come out I am available to help by listening to their stories.

Earlier in 2011 our team was featured on the season premier of Animal Planet’s “The Haunted” show in the episode called The Monster in the Closet. This house was a place we had investigated numerous times trying to help the family.  Animal Planet was originally going to call this episode the “wrath of the wraith”. The term wraith is defined as a vengeful spirit with red eyes which is fitting for the description of what we knew to be there. The thing that was called red eyes has been gone since we performed the house cleansing that was aired on the haunted episode.

We have investigated their house since the episode aired because there was still some activity going on. The last time we were at the house Tal wanted to give me a gift she had made herself. She offered me one of her paintings and allowed me to choose which one. She would only give it to me if it were going to hang in my house. Everyone that has been in my home knows I am an art lover. I also love to paint myself when I have the time. It is a shame but I haven’t had time to paint in a long while now.

I decided on which painting I wanted and picked the one in her bedroom. This was the main area for activity in the home when red eyes was there. She told me the name of the painting is titled “Ode to the Oklahoma Winds” and wanted me to remember that. She didn’t just hand it to me because she wanted both of us to bless the painting. We said the “Our Father” and anointed the painting with holy water on all the corners. She also wrote a prayer of thanks and love on the back so I would always remember her and that the family loved us. I will never forget them. None of us will forget them!

The back of the painting says : “You have blessed this house, you have blessed me! I love you always & God is always with us both! “Deliver all of us from evil!” The painting now hangs on my wall in my home where I get to look at it and think about their family every day

This is a very easy recipe my Aunt Mildred used to make. She served it with a slotted spoon as a side potato dish on a plate. I always loved to put it in a bowl, where to me it belonged as a soup. This recipe comes from the time of the depression. There was not much money for lavish ingredients so they would gather up what they did have and try to make the most of it. As a child at my Aunts house I only cared that this was really good. Crackers or french bread and butter served on the side will add to the flavors in your mouth and make  it a satisfying meal.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients:
(For amounts see below the photos)

Potatoes
Onions
Water
Butter
Salt and Pepper to taste

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Start by peeling the potatoes

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How many potatoes to use? One per person and one for the pot is what my Aunt always used to say. I can also still hear my great-grandmother telling anyone peeling the potatoes to make sure to get the eyes. I always cut up more potatoes than that. It really depends on my mood and how hungry everyone is.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Slice them up

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next comes the onion. One per pot unless you are making a huge batch according to my Aunt. I go with one or two again depending on my mood and who is eating. I have members of my family who will say “oh mom why so many onions!” I really love onions so I want to put as many in there as possible.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You want to make slices like this because you want to see the onions as you are eating this. This makes certain members of my household happy because they can pick them out if they want.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Add the potatoes to a pot

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Add the onions and cover with water

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Season with salt and pepper. Cook until done

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My favorite way of serving this is as a soup. My aunt would use a slotted spoon to serve these potatoes on the side. I think the potatoes are too bland that way. You could use an immersion blender and add heavy cream to make it a cream of potato and onion soup. There are many variations I am sure you can think of. I like to eat it just as my Aunt would make it as it brings back childhood memories

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yum! Crackers or french bread with butter really add something when you are eating this treat. Are you hungry yet?

 

The next time you have a pumpkin, butternut, acorn and spaghetti squash don’t throw away the seeds. Try to roast them instead for a very healthy snack

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1 cup squash seeds

1 tablespoon olive oil

salt and pepper or to taste

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees. You can line a baking sheet with parchment paper or stir every 5 minutes to prevent sticking

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After removing the seeds from the squash, rinse with water, and remove any strings and bits of squash.

Pat dry, and place in a small bowl.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stir the seeds, olive oil and seasoning until evenly coated. Spread out in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bake for 15 minutes, or until seeds start to pop. Remove from oven and cool on the baking sheet before serving.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The nutrition of these little seeds is great. Squash seeds are rich in calcium and zinc. They contain nine minerals, 13 vitamins, 18 amino acids and three fats.

That test is going to be a doosey! Yesterday I posted an article about life being a gift. This gift is wonderful, sad, scary and amazing. There are emotions and so many questions that come up  when you think about life. Two examples I can think of off the top of my head are why are we here and what am I going to accomplish while here?  I believe in the concept that life is but a moment so make the most out of it. This does not mean party til you drop. Life has a much deeper meaning, don’t you think? No matter what your religious background everyone has the believe or hope in life after death. If we are here for a brief period of time and life goes on after we die then maybe we should all be thinking that life could be a test.

Speaking of tests my dad used to say keep up we are going to have a test. I have memories of him saying that all the time. As a child I actually thought we were going to be taking a test on what I didn’t know.  He also used to say “did you hear the frog “when he would pass gas. In my childlike mind I believed him and would look for the frog while he was laughing. One day I remember riding in the back of the car watching my dad drive. He wanted to drive this day even though he was very sick. We were going to the hospital where he would have surgery for colon cancer. Trying to make the situation light I asked him when are we ever going to take “that test.” He just laughed at my little joke. I was thinking we have been taking that test the whole time. That was the last time I would ever sit behind my dad watching him drive.

If you were to be forced to sit and examine your life right now would you like what you see? Why wait for a traumatic experience to make you realize life is fleeting? Why not live every day as if it were the last day of your life. Be proud of what you have done. If you are not proud, change things. Grab the bull by the horns and take charge of your life. You are the master of your own fate and the captain of your own destiny. Make it happen!

Go read a fascinating account of examining your life called file cabinets