not so MANIC MONDAY

"it's just another manic monday..."

FLASHBACK a few weeks ago
FINALLY!! we pick up our csa veggies (click here to learn more about community supported agriculture) and get bell peppers. big, fat, red bell peppers. the bk starts complaining that we never have stuffed peppers. hmmmmmm. i wonder why not?
FLASH FORWARD a few days later
i search the web for a good stuffed pepper recipe. i'm not really feeling any of them. then, i remember, my sissie in~law posted one on her blog a loooonnnggg time ago (click here for her original recipe). let's try that!!

EASY PEASY STUFFED BELL PEPPERS

ingredients:

4 bell peppers (i used 2 red and 2 yellow)
2 pounds of ground beef (can substitute ground turkey)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 14 oz can of diced tomatoes
1 c water
⅔ c jasmine rice (you can use whatever, jasmine is my favorite)
2 tbsp worcestershire sauce
1 tsp dried oregano 
salt and pepper to taste
dash or two red pepper flakes (not in original recipe but i wanted to add a little heat)
1 c shredded cheddar cheese

cut the tops off the peppers. remove seeds and membranes.  place peppers into boiling water for 3 minutes.  sprinkle insides with salt and place upside down on a paper towel to drain.
in a deep skillet, cook the meat and onions till meat is browned, drain fat. stir in undrained tomatoes, uncooked rice, worcestershire sauce, and oregano, 1 cup of water and a dash of salt and pepper, and red pepper flakes. bring to boiling; reduce heat. cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until rice is tender. stir in cheese. remove from heat.  place peppers into a baking dish and fill with meat mixture.  If there is any remaining meat mixture just put in dish around peppers. you can sprinkle shredded cheese on top of peppers, if you want. bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes.
serves 4.

yummmm!!! enjoy!!!

THE SUNDAY PAPER (or blog or book or mag)

"today is where your book begins...the rest still unwritten..."
as i've said before, sundays are made for a hot cup o' joe, blankets, and reading. and every sunday i snuggle in my blankie, drink a cup of steaming (very caffeinated) coffee, and scroll thru my favorite blogs. and i am in L~O~V~E with bleubird.  i'm not quite sure how i stumbled across this beautiful little blog, but i really had to share it...
bluebird is written by "miss james" (a nickname)...she is married to aubrey...and they have 4 children (ages 12 to not quite 1). james did have an online vintage thrift shop that she has closed, indefinitely, since moving from texas to tennessee. she is a clothing designer, blogger, mother, home schooler, and photographer. she takes all the photos on her blog (with the, obvious, exception of shots of herself *aubrey takes those*. family shots are done with a tripod and self~timer) and they are amazing. she recently designed a line of children's sunglasses for bonlook that are super cute and i wish would fit me!!
each week you get a portrait of her kids, with stunning photos she's taken of each of the 4 children...also, what i want need wear read, which features a different person, each week, showing you their favorite product in each of the 4 categories. but my FAVORITE(!!!) entries are a video series that just started, conversations with birdie!! simply a must watch!! there have only been a few of these 3~5 minute conversations with her 2 year old, so it will be easy for you to catch up. if you don't find yourself laughing there is, quite simply, something wrong with you!!
this morning pour yourself a gigantic mug of java, head on over to miss james' blog, and see what you've been missing!!
happy sunday!! happy reading!!

^a glimpse into bleubird's life^

THE SUNDAY PAPER (or blog or book or mag)

"dear sir or madam, will you read my book?...it took me years to write, will you take a look?"
FLASHBACK december 2010
the bk and i meet with a new, to us, tattoo artist (you can find out all about matt clemmer here). he works out of his basement, meaning we get to meet his lovely family. his girlfriend, katie, and her cute~as~a~button son, max. katie and matt are freelance artists and they're work is displayed all over the house. katie is, also, a blogger. 
FLASH FORWARD january and march 2011
matt does an addition to the bk's tribute to his great~grandmother, america, and a beautiful portrait of my flock. mine takes two sessions. a total of 14 hours. it's painful. i cry. i cry a lot. but the end product is well worth it. a piece of art on my right thigh. also, i get to learn quite a bit about this beautiful little family. and i discover katie's blog...a glimpse into her life with these two charming men.
FLASH FORWARD today
it's sunday. i get up early...before the sun is even fully up. i make coffee. i scroll thru facebook. i scroll thru twitter. and i read katie's pencil box. full of stunning pictures, snapped and edited by katie, and quick peeks into her day~to~day, this blog just makes me warm and fuzzy. katie doesn't tell you how to dress, how to make the perfect breakfast casserole, or how to keep the perfect house. she just shows you how an artist,  mother of two (phoebe is just 8 months old), and future wife takes the time to simply be. 
sunday mornings are for coffee, and blankets, and reading. take this time to check out katie's pencil box...you won't be disappointed. 
happy reading!!

            

 

^before and after^

^portrait of a flock^