Easy Mexican Casserole

I got this recipe from my daughter, Ashley. I made it tonight and it was really good. Here is a picture of the casserole.

Easy Mexican Casserole

INGREDIENTS
1 pound lean ground beef
2 cups salsa
1 (16 ounce) can chili beans, drained
3 cups tortilla chips, crushed
2 cups sour cream
1 (2 ounce) can sliced black olives, drained
1/2 cup chopped green onion
1/2 cup chopped fresh tomato
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook ground beef until no longer pink. Stir in salsa, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed. Stir in beans, and heat through.
3. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray. Spread crushed tortilla chips in dish, and then spoon beef mixture over chips. Spread sour cream over beef, and sprinkle olives, green onion, and tomato over the sour cream. Top with Cheddar cheese.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.

Before and After

I am embarrassed to post the before pictures. I was using my spare bedroom as a storage room! It was a mess. I had several totes of clothing that Katy had out grown. There was a table with six chairs and four matching bar stools. A lot of stuff! I found a new home for some of it. I threw some of it away and the rest I organized and packed away in the storage building for a garage sale. Here are the before and after pictures.

Blast From The Past

I was looking for a recipe when I decided to organize my recipe box. I found this recipe that Ashley my oldest daughter had written many years ago. She called her Memaw for a cookie recipe and wrote it down as Memaw read it to her. It was a recipe for Giant Cookies. Notice how she wrote Jiant. I was laughing as I read over her interpretation of this recipe. In case you are wondering she was 7 years old. She is 25 now. It looks like she spilled some valina (vanilla)on it or maybe it was shortney(shortening)

Volcano

Poor Katy! I had her start her Volcano several days before it was due. I think maybe we should have waited. I don't know if she didn't get the dough mixed well enough or what. We decided painting the volcano would be a pain because Katy isn't very artistically inclined. (Neither am I)We made a batch of dough with brown food coloring and a batch of dough with green food coloring and had her mix them. We were going for a land and tree look! I could tell Katy was embarrassed because she asked me to carry her Volcano in to school her excuse was it was too heavy! When we got up Monday morning this is what the Volcano had evolved to. Notice the lovely cracks!

Jalapeno Peppers

I am not a big Jalapeno fan but Clint is! The Kids like them too. They do look pretty though. Every jar sealed!

My Special Girl

We had a meeting with the 5th grade teachers at school Tuesday evening. It was so we would know what would be going on through out the school year. They told us when big projects would be due and what was expected of the students. I didn't expect to feel so sad! I had to work at not crying as I listened to all that would take place knowing that Katy wouldn't be able to do most of it. It breaks my heart to know that she can not come close to doing what most of the other students will do with ease. Don't misunderstand I am so thankful and proud of each new milestone. It's just that the older Katy gets the more apparent her delays have gotten. I worry about how she will feel knowing that she is so far behind. She doesn't seem to notice right now.
Though she struggles to decode the words on the page in front of her getting frustrated easily she is a happy, growing, beautiful girl with a wonderful smile and friendly personality. I am grateful for each new thing she accomplishes and I continue to be in awe of how God chose us to be apart of her life.


Dear Child,You may not know me, but I know everything about you (Psalm 139:1). I know when you sit down and when you rise up (Psalm 139:2). I am familiar with all your ways (Psalm 139:3). Even the very hairs on your head are numbered (Matthew 10:29-31). For you were made in my image (Genesis 1:27). In me you live and move and have your being (Acts 17:28). For you are my offspring (Acts 17:28). I knew you even before you were conceived (Jeremiah 1:4-5) and I chose you when I planned creation (Ephesians 1:11-12). You were not a mistake, for all your days are written in my book (Psalm 139:15-16). I determined the exact time of your birth and where you would live (Acts 17:26). You are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14).