Bean Sandwiches

Have you ever even heard of bean sandwiches? 

This is NOT going to be your typical recipe from me.  I'm going old school on this one.  :)  I like to think of bean sandwiches as a cross between my Mexican and American heritages. 

Here's what you need:

As you'll notice I have refried beans in a pan.  I mash my beans with a potato masher.  Something my Mom taught me.

You also need bread.  My choice is wheat.  It's healthier, right?

Here's how you do it:

Put the refried beans on the bread.  Simple.

Now for as long as I can remember my Mom has made us bean sandwiches and I love them. 

I love them for breakfast, lunch or dinner.  They are delicious any time. 

I like to fold mine in half like this.  Yummy for the tummy!

High 5 for bean sandwiches!!

Technorati Tags: refried beans,bean sandwiches,High 5,AfwingMom,Mom and Dad

HEY KOOL-AID!!!

How many of you remember when you were a kid and your Mom would make Kool-Aid?  And on the back of the Kool-Aid packets there were Kool-Aid points you could save to get free stuff?  Yeah, well when I started having kids and making Kool-Aid I also started saving Kool-Aid points. 

Back in 2007 we remodeled our kitchen / living room.  Most everything was literally shoved in to the garage.  Everything.

Fast forward to one of our many attempts to clean our garage and I uncovered several plastic baggies filled with Kool-Aid points.  In fact I had over 750 of those little suckers.

I looked up on the internet to see if I could still do anything with them and sure enough you can.  This promo ends 06/30/2010 so don't delay!  Click HERE and get all the details. 

Staci, one of my friends, was kind enough to help me count them.  I put them in an envelope with a check to cover P&H and mailed it off. 

In just a few short weeks I received.....

So dig around and see if you have any Kool-Aid points lying around.  Time is running out!  I almost threw them away and instead I got some pretty cool t-shirts out of it! 

High 5 for Kool-Aid points!

Technorati Tags: Kool-Aid,AFWingMom,High 5,kool-aid points,t-shirts

So...I met an Olympian

He came in and was working with one of my employees.  Super nice guy.  He talked about R.A.C.E. - the Rockwall Aquatics Center where is the head coach among other things.  In all of our conversation he failed to mention that he was an Olympian.  AND he was a 2 time gold medalist!

But then again, why would he?  It's not like he'd stroll in and say hello, my name is Neil and I'm an Olympic champion.  That would be weird.

I found out about his awesomeness by accident.  A local publication called "Lakeview Image" was delivered to work and right smack dab on the front was a picture of Neil wearing his medals.  Craziness!

I quickly turned to the article and learned more about Neil and his many accomplishments.  He also has a website swimwalker.com and his bio page includes the following:

"Neil finished his collegiate career as one of the most decorated athletes in Texas history, and as one of the best Longhorn swimmers ever. In addition to his 25 All-American awards, he won two back-to-back NCAA individual titles in the 100yd backstroke, and six individual Big XII titles. In 1997, he set an American, US Open, and NCAA record in the 100yd back, with a time of 44.92, a record that still stands. He also set the NCAA record in the 50yd free with a time of 19.08. His accomplishments, which were shortened by a broken hand he received the second day of the meet, earned him the NCAA Swimmer of the Year award for 1997. Since finishing college, he has gone on to swim in numerous international meets, including several World Championships, Pan Pacific Championships, and the 2000 and 2004 Olympic Games. Considered one of the most versatile swimmers, Walker has held records in every stroke (breaststroke through an Individual Medley record) and over multiple distances as well."

See what I mean?  Pretty impressive.

The very next time I saw him I approached him about his swimming career.  We talked for a little while.  I mentioned the article and before I could even go through the awkward "I'd like to ask for an autograph / pic but I don't want to invade your privacy" moment, he volunteered to do both!!  Yea!! 

He's pretty tall, isn't he?  I should have asked him for a High 5.  Wonder how that would have looked?

The inscription reads, "Lisa, CHASE your dreams!  Neil Walker USA".  I mean seriously, how freaking cool is that?  I didn't even tell him what to write and he put something that really hit home. 

As a kid we always watched the Olympics and being involved in gymnastics of course I always watched the summer games.  I've always been inspired by the dedication and the determination that these athletes show. 

It was a pleasure to meet Neil Walker.  As I said he was a super nice guy with some major accomplishments to his name.  It was a privilege and certainly an honor to be able to talk to someone who represented my country in the Olympics.  It's something I'll never be able to do myself and it's pretty impressive if you think about it.

So yeah....I met an Olympian!

Technorati Tags: Olympian,Olympics,Neil Walker,swimwalker.com,gold medal,swimming,R.A.C.E.,Rockwall Aquatic Center,Lakeview Image,AFWingMom,autograph,pic with a famous person,High 5

Sour Cream Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Today I made a recipe that is not new to me.  I've made it many times before but it's a family favorite so I thought I'd share it with you!

Here's what you need:

3-4 chicken breasts, cooked and diced or shredded

14 corn tortillas

1 large can Green chiles, chopped

16 oz sour cream

2 c shredded cheese

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can cream of chicken soup

I usually make a double batch so I of course double everything.  Use as much chicken as you like and as much cheese as you like. 

Here's how you put it all together:

Combine the sour cream, cream of mushroom, cream of chicken soups with the green chiles in a bowl.  This is your "sauce". 

Place a small amount of sauce in the bottom of your pan.

Next add a layer of tortillas completely covering the bottom.  I tear them in half but you can lay them whole or just tear them into pieces. 

Next add a layer of sauce, chicken and then cheese.  Repeat layers one more time ending with the cheese layer.

Now it's ready to pop in the oven.  Bake at 350 for about 35 minutes or until bubbly. 

Serve with rice and beans and you have one tasty meal!  The leftovers are good the next day for lunch. 

Technorati Tags: Sour Cream Chicken Enchilada Casserole,cooking,chicken recipes. AFWingMom

Why I like phones & phone booths etc...

It's not because I like to talk although that may be your first guess. 

I have a sentimental affection for phones and phone booths etc.  It's mostly because my Dad was a phone man.  He began his career in November 1967 with the Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone Company of Virginia as a frame repairman.

After about a year or so he became an installer/repairman.  He used to go into peoples houses to fix their phones and even had to climb a telephone pole or two.  Around '80 or '81 he then became a PBX repairman which means he repaired big systems - those with 60 phones or more.  He retired in 2000 with 33 years of service.

This is the phone in my Dad's workshop.  I really like it because it's vintage.  I used to want a princess phone because I thought they were fancy looking.  Nowadays I'd rather have one like this.

This is a pic of me playing the phone game with a statue of Alexander Graham Bell on the streets of downtown Rapid City, SD.

South Dakota Air and Space Museum outside of Ellsworth AFB in Rapid City, South Dakota.

Here are a couple of pics from the Greater Southwest Historical Museum.

Here's one of me making a call on the streets of Rapid City, SD.

And here I am again in lovely downtown Keystone SD. 

I wonder who I am talking to??

This is a phone hanging on the wall of Wall Drug in Wall, SD. 

This is a pic of a phone booth near my home.  Sadly it is no longer there.

And no blog post would be complete without at least one Air Force pic.  :)  This is a picture of the phone booths at Lackland.

I wonder how many wonderful connections were made using these phones? 

So now I try not to pass up an opportunity to take a photo of a phone or a phone booth or anything related to those things.  It reminds me of my Dad and makes me smile.

Technorati Tags: phones,phone booths,Dad,workshop,South Dakota Air and Space Museum,South Dakota,Alexander Graham Bell,phone game,Greater Southwest Historical Museum,Rapid City,Keystone SD,Wall Drug,Wall SD,Air Force,AFWingMom,Lackland AFB,Ellsworth AFB

Nancy Drew #3 - The Bungalow Mystery

I seriously love my Nancy Drew books.  I can read them and re-read them and they never get old for me.  But after re-reading them so many times I begin to notice odd things that she wears and eats in them.  Or to put it better, things that are odd to me.  I understand this is primarily the time period that these were written in and I'm sure they've been updated but I find them odd nonetheless.  Now, on to the things I noticed. 

The story begins with Nancy Drew and her friend Helen Corning at Twin Lakes.  Nancy has to unexpectedly return home because the housekeeper Hannah Gruen has sprained her ankle. 

In Ch. 5 Nancy is going to heat up a casserole for dinner for Hannah in the modern pink-and-white kitchen.  She arranges two wooden trays with doilies, napkins and silver.  She places bread, butter and a glass of milk on each.  And lastly she makes a crisp salad of lettuce and tomatoes marinated with tangy French dressing. 

Has anyone ever even used a doily?  I checked and the copyright on this particular book is 1960.  That could also explain the phone number she called on the next page of the book.  942 HA 5-4727.

::sidenote::  NOT SO OBVIOUS 5 ALERT!!

9 + 4 + 2 + 8(H is the 8th letter of the alphabet) + 1 (A is the first letter of the alphabet) + 5 + 4 + 7 + 2 + 7 = 49  4 from 9 is...drum roll....   5!

Also in chapter 5 they have a fairly normal breakfast of pancakes and sausage with extra juicy oranges. 

Nancy is going to help her Dad with some investigating in Ch. 6.  To do this she wears a two-piece navy-blue dress which made her look older than her 18 years.  She added a pair of comfortable pumps and tiny pearl earrings. 

Also in Chapter 6, even though Hannah had a sprained ankle she managed to prepare a fresh fruit salad and had rolls that were ready to pop in the oven.  Mmmmm....sounds good.

Nancy wanted to do some sleuthing in Ch. 9 and wore a forest-green cotton dress and flat-heeled brown play shoes.  I still haven't figured out what play shoes are.  Anyone have any guesses?

Ch. 10 lets us know that Nancy always carries an overnight case in the trunk of her car.  It contained pajamas and robe, two changes of clothing, toilet articles, and, this time of year, a bathing suit. 

For supper in Ch. 11 Nancy chose to wear a simple black cotton dress.  She selected a steak, a baked potato and a tossed salad for her meal.  After supper Nancy changed to walking shoes, sweater and a skirt to do some detective work. 

The Bungalow Mystery wraps up with everyone enjoying ice tea and some of Hannah's open faced sandwiches.

 

Technorati Tags: Nancy Drew,Hannah Gruen,what Nancy Drew eats,what Nancy Drew wears,AFWingMom,detective,sleuthing,The Bungalow Mystery,Nancy Drew book #3

Scarborough Renaissance Festival 2010

30th Anniversary

My sister and I once again attended the festival in Waxahachie Texas.  Opening day is always a fun day to go and each year we are amazed by the sights and sounds.  Mostly the sights.

It took us less than an hour to travel back in time for the time of our lives and it is well worth the trip.  Spread out over 35 acres, you are able to enjoy artisans demonstrate their skills and shop for one of a kind handmade items.

You can relax while listening to the various musical sounds filling the air.  You are also able to feast on lots of wonderful food and enjoy the entertainers as they amaze and amuse everyone.

Now all that would be more than enough to entice visitors as it has successfully done the past 30 years.  But the big question is....

:::  WHY DO WE GO?? :::

And the answer simply is...the people. 

I am an avid people watcher and this event offers plenty of opportunity to do just that.  Some people get "into" the Renaissance stuff.  Like, REALLY get into it.  Which is totally cool with me.  And there are some people we see that I just don't get and probably never will. 

Here are some pics of our fun time at Scarborough Renaissance Festival along with a few comments. 

If you have never been before you should be advised that you will see lots and lots of cleavage. 

This is a water fountain.

A girl's gotta eat, right?

Italian ice.....yummy.....

Didn't realize we'd see Santa Claus!

All in all I thoroughly enjoyed myself and I look forward to returning year after year.  You should check it out!

Technorati Tags: Scarborough Renaissance Festival,30th anniversary,Waxahachie,Texas,renaissance,people watching,AFWingMom,festivals