Brittany's Graduation

We are the proud parents of our first college graduate.  Brittany graduated from Texas A&M last Saturday!  We were there to share the special day with her along with her grandparents, Adam Megan, and Kyle.



Congratulations Brittany!  We love you!

Brittany's Ring Day

A huge tradition at Texas A&M is Ring Day.  Once a student has enough credits to be considered a senior they are eligible to purchase a school ring.  Rings are distributed on a special day.  Brittany got her ring this past November on the 19th.  I've never seen so many students and families gathered in one spot for this occasion.  It was quite remarkable.  We had a wonderful time and it was just one step closer to her graduatiuon this December.  



Turkey Enchilada Pasta

After Thanksgiving I had an abundance of turkey leftover so I tried another Better Homes and Gardens casserole recipe called enchilada pasta.  The original calls for chicken but turkey was a suitable substitution. 

Here's what you need:
1 12-oz. pkg. dried jumbo shell macaroni
3 large green and/or red sweet peppers, chopped 
1-1/2 cups chopped red onion
1 fresh jalapeño chile pepper, seeded and chopped
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 cups chopped cooked chicken (or turkey)
1 16-oz. can refried beans
1/2 of a 1.25 oz. envelope taco seasoning mix (3 Tbsp.)
2 10-oz. cans enchilada sauce
1 8-oz. pkg. shredded Mexican-style four-cheese blend
1 cup sliced green onions
2 cups tortilla chips, crushed (2 oz.)
Avocado dip and/or sour cream


Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Rinse; drain and set aside.
2. In skillet cook sweet peppers, onion, jalapeño, and 1/4 tsp. salt in hot oil over medium heat for 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in chicken, beans, taco seasoning mix, and 1/2 cup enchilada sauce. Cook and stir 5 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup each of the cheese and green onions.
3. Divide filling among shells. Spread 1 cup of the remaining enchilada sauce in 3-quart rectangular baking dish. Arrange shells atop sauce. Drizzle with remaining enchilada sauce.
4. Bake, covered, for 30 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake 5 minutes more or until cheese is melted. Sprinkle with chips and remaining green onions. Serve with avocado dip and/or sour cream. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Thanksgiving 2010

Thanksgiving has come and gone but I will continue to be thankful for the family I have.  The girls were both home from college and it was nice to be all together again.  The day was hectic, as usual, but in between cooking and cleaning I managed to gather everyone around for a couple of pictures before the feasting began.