With lots of snacks and a portable DVD player in hand, I had two special guests in the studio late yesterday (due to Jill’s Breaking Dawn premiere.

Even when brief, Roy is still brilliant:

Roy Walker & Drew - US 99.5 November 2011

Jill’s card still has me laughing …

It said I could have something I would never usually get, but only for 24 hours:

“You get to be right!”

What about you?  Favorite cards you gave or received?  Share with us!

A new year means trying new recipes, and the Southwest Lasagna was a HIT over the weekend!

Ingredients

4 whole wheat tortillas
1 can of enchilada sauce
1 lb. of ground beef or turkey
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 packet of taco mix
1 can of corn (drained very well)
1 can of tomatoes (drained very well)
1 bunch of cilantro, chopped
1 can of chopped chilis
8 oz of cheddar cheese, or the Mexican blend
Handful of chopped olives for the top

Instructions

In a frying pan, brown the ground beef. When close to fully-brown, add the chopped green pepper and onion.   Then follow instructions on the taco mix packet (to add).  Drain the grease and transfer to a large bowl.

Next, add the corn, chilis, tomatoes and chopped cilantro to the bowl and mix well with the ground beef mixture. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.   Use cooking spray or butter to grease the sides of a 1.5 quart casserole dish.  Pour enchilada sauce into a bowl. Cut the tortillas into strips, about 1 1/2 inches side.  Dip in the enchilada sauce and cover the bottom of the pan.

Add a layer of the ground beef and then cover with cheese. Cover the mixture with layers of tortilla strips, dipped in enchilada sauce. Repeat this step until the pan is full.

The last layer should be tortilla strips, cheese and olives (if you would like to add them).

Cook in oven for 30 minutes.  The dish is done when the cheese is melted and lasagna bubbling.

Serve immediately.

Makes 8 servings.

Jill fired up the Chicken Pot Pie crockpot recipe again yesterday, before I left for downtown … the smells are amazing!

Ingredients

3 cups diced cooked chicken or turkey
3 cups cubed peeled potatoes
2 cans (14 1/2 oz each) chicken broth
1 package (16 oz) frozen mixed vegetables
1 medium onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper, divided
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1 bay leaf
1 cup milk
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1 (9-inch) refrigerated pie crust

In Crockpot Slow Cooker, combine chicken, potatoes, chicken broth, mixed vegetables, onion, celery, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon salt and bay leaf.  Cover; cook on Low 8 to 10 hours or on High 4 to 6 hours.  Remove bay leaf.

Preheat oven to 400F. In small bowl, mix milk and flour. Gradually stir flour mixture into Crockpot.  Stir in remaining 1 teaspoon pepper, poultry seasoning and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. If using a removable Crockpot, carefully place 9-inch pie crust over vegetable-meat mixture. Place removable crock inside preheated oven; do not cover. Bake 15 minutes or until crust is browned.

For a non-removable Crockpot, spoon vegetable-meat mixture into 13 x 9-inch casserole dish. Roll out pie crust and carefully place on top of vegetable-meat mixture.  Bake in oven for 15 minutes or until pie crust is brown.

Serve immediately.

Makes 8 servings.

Just before lunchtime today, Jill returned from a quick trip to the city…

Yuuuuummmm … cupcakes from one of our favorite bakeries!

What was YOUR best surprise recently?  Share above.

Even with my two favorite women donning their Bears gear, the guys couldn’t pull out a win …

But this morning, Vivian confirmed her first real word, so it’s all good at our house (and there’s always next year)!

Her word?  ”Uh-oh!”   Remember your kids’ first words?  Share above!

Jill’s resolution to de-clutter & cleanse our home (through donations to Goodwill, family / baby hand-me-downs, women & children shelters, and ultimately, the trash) continues at full strength …

Week 4 (photo below): Embarrassing! I cleaned out under the sink in our 2nd floor bathroom and filled 1 garbage bag full of expired makeup, lotions and potions. An entire bag of trash!

I also separated any recyclables / old chargers / electronics and filled 2 Target plastic bags from the bathroom purge:

Drew also went through his t-shirts again and we have another garbage bag full of shirts to donate, plus a couple of curling-irons and flat-irons … so technically, this was more than 1 bag leaving the house!

Next week, the guest room closet!

A cute picture of the kiddies & Jilly hunkering down, minutes before it all went to p**p.  Literally.

Notice the essentials?   Facebook, a boppy pillow, and a case of beer.

Just before 3rd period …

In our seats 35 minutes before game time …