Going to miss My Maria....

Well I haven't posted in forever....and I can say that it has been crazy around this place for the past little while. I have been busy with the biggest loser competition (and I am not doing that great), Marc from Denmark was sent home early for being a turd, constant family crisis (but I try to just ignore it), and just basic life happening all at once :)

As for me....I am getting to that point in my year that I am reflecting about what it has been

like to host Maria. Of course, as with every one of my kids, I thought she hated me. I know

it is pretty bad when at my age I still get nervous about people liking me :). I am finding that

every year it is getting harder and harder to say goodbye. I really grow to love each one in

so many different ways. Maria is very direct, and I love that about her. She is going places and

even if she thinks that she is shy and reserved, she will never be taken advantage of. She tells

you like it is. :) She is lots of fun and I love hearing her laugh...even if it is at nothing :)

I will miss her deeply. I know that she is very excited to return to her family, but she did what she came here to do...she gained a second family here with us. She said that she has learned many things about herself, and that she was happy to join our family after all. She said that she knows that she has changed a bit because I made her do things...like talking and getting out with friends...When she told me that....wow....I don't think she even knows what that meant to me. It makes opening my heart, my family and my home worth everything. My life changes so much that I don't think that any of my kids know what they have meant to me :).....They are my kids, and I have spent 10 months out of their lives...watching them grow into independant people. I love each and every one of them. I'm gonna cry when she leaves. :' )

I have married a comb over!!!!!

I never thought that I'd be a huge fan of hats and short military haircuts, but now I have a reason to be!

Mawage.....Mawage is wot bwings us togeder tooday.

And so I find myself married for five years this coming Valentine's day....really? As with everything in my life it has been full of UPS and DOWNS. Marriage is a lot of work. But it also has a lot of rewards. I'm looking forward to what the next five years will bring.

Pinwheel Baby Quilt

My new project is making some baby quilts for my little girl, and I am planning on making one for my neighbor for her new baby. It has been fun putting it together.

Where did January go??

I was just wondering where in the heck January went! I did not have enough time to do anything this month, and now I am facing February...which is the most unforgiving month of them all...with only 28 days to get things done!!! Before I know it March will be here and gone. April will spring past....leaving May and my final moments with my student this year. June and July, well they are just gone in a blink of an eye....August is always way to busy with my little guys b-day....Then back to school in September. Of course the blur of October with Halloween, and Thanksgiving in November.....Christmas...I don't even want to think about it!!

And then next year at this time I will be asking once again

WHERE DID JANUARY GO??

Biggest Loser

As with any new year, weight loss is always a high ranking resolution for most people. I am not immune to this seemingly unattainable goal, but this past year I have been extremely successful in the weight loss department....although it is with huge reservation that I am celebrating this at all ( I am waiting for some type of mystery diagnosis to be the true culprit) I have not put the "normal" effort into losing the weight, basically it has just been falling off. Literally dropping 10-20lbs. a month.
So my dilemma is this, I really want to see what would happen if I really tried to make some healthy changes and exercise. One of our local gym's is having a "biggest loser" contest. I really want to join it and see what happens. I'm nervous that they may think I have had surgery or something else is going on, because in 15 months I have lost 108lbs. Oh well...I'm going to try it anyway and see if I can really make some good changes. :)

Cafe Rio Pork Salad Recipe

So I am posting the recipe I found when I made this salad for my family a few months back. It was sooo yummy. Many have asked for the recipe so here it is.

Tortillas
Cheese
Cafe Rio Rice (see below)
Cafe Rio Black Beans (see below)
Cafe Rio Sweet Pork (see below)
Lettuce (NOT iceberg, use leafy green or Romaine)
Diced tomato, onion, and cilantro (pico de gallo)
Guacamole (optional)
Sour cream
Tortillas Strips
Parmesan cheese
Cafe Rio Cilantro Ranch (see below)


We picked up some of the aluminum cake pans from the store to be able to heap all the stuff on the salad like at the restaurant. Lay a tortilla in the bottom of the pan, sprinkle cheese on it, and put it in the oven @375 for about 5 min. or until cheese is melted. Remove from oven, add beans, rice, pork then lettuce and a little scoop of pico de gallo. Add guacamole and sour cream. Add tortilla strips, or chrushed tortilla chips, a shake of parmesan and serve with the cilantro ranch dressing. Eat and Enjoy!

Sweet Pork:

2 lbs. pork
3 cans Coke or Dr. Pepper (don't use diet!)
1/4 c. brown sugar
dash garlic salt
1/4 c. water
1 can sliced chilies
3/4 can enchilada sauce
1 c. brown sugar

Put the pork in a heavy duty ziploc to marinade. Add about a can and a half of soda and about 1/4 c. brown sugar. Marinade for a few hours or overnight....I recommend overnight.

Drain marinade and put pork, 1/2 can soda, water and garlic salt in crock pot on high for about 3-4 hours or until it shreds easily. Remove pork, drain liquid, replace pork and shred.

In food processor or blender, blend 1/2 can soda, chilies, enchilada sauce and remaining brown sugar (about a cup...you can add a little more or less to your taste). If it looks thick, add more soda little by little.

Add sauce to crock pot with pork and cook on low for 2 hours.



Cilantro-Lime Rice:

1 c. uncooked rice
1 tsp. butter or margarine
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. fresh squeezed lime juice
1 can 15 oz. chicken broth
1 c. water
1 Tbsp. fresh squeezed lime juice
2 tsp. sugar
3 Tbsp. fresh chopped cilantro

In a saucepan combine rice, butter garlic, 1 tsp. lime juice, chicken broth, and water. Bring to boil. Cover and cook on low 15-20 min. until rice is tender. Remove from heat. In a small bowl combine lime juice, sugar, and cilantro. Pour over hot cooked rice and mix in as you fluff the rice.



Black Beans:

2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp. cumin
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/3 c. tomato juice
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. fresh chopped cilantro

In a non-stick skillet, cook garlic and cumin in olive oil over med. heat until you can smell it. Add beans, tomato juice and salt. Continually stir until heated through. Just before serving stir in cilantro.

(**NOTE** you can add a can of corn, drained, to the beans with a dash of cumin and chili powder)


Cilantro Ranch:

1 pkg. Ranch dressing mix(not buttermilk kind)
3 tomatillos (remove papery skin) rough chop
1 c. mayo
1 c. buttermilk
1 c. cilantro, rough chop
3 cloves garlic
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 tsp. green Tabasco sauce
juice from 1 lime

blend together.



I hope that you enjoy this as much as we did!! I'm making some this Sunday...so I'll post some pics to go along with all these recipes later!