Tostada Pizza Recipe

We made this for dinner on Sunday.  It's one of the first things I remember Mj and I making together when we first started dating.  I made the 1 1/2 hour drive up to his apartment in Orange County for the weekend.  He suggested we make dinner together so he got out his cookbooks.  I was quite impressed that this young guy actually had cookbooks.  I on the other hand, had not a single one or even pots and pans for that matter.  We flipped through the pages and this one stood out to both of as fun and easy to make.  We went to the grocery store for ingredients.  I distinctly remember we HAD to get beer to go with it.  Our mutual love of beer is actually what attracted me to him.  Totally kidding, but it was definitely a plus.  We went back to his apartment, made dinner and watched a movie.  I can't believe that was five years ago.  We haven't made it in a really long time so it was fun to do it again and think back to the first time.

Pizza is my favorite food and I like it that making it hardly feels like cooking.  It's not a traditional Pizza but it still has cheese and therefore I love it.  Adding cornmeal on the pan gives the crust a nice crunch.  The beans and ground beef are a tasty combination.  We've never tried it with re-fried beans but if you don't want to mash up the pinto beans it would also be a tasty alternative.  We used a canned Pillsbury Pizza crust.  If you want another lower calorie and carb Mexican style pizza option check out the flatout version here.

Pinto Beans:  Mashed ones on the right

Ingredients:
1 pound lean ground beef
1 4 ounce can diced green chile peppers, drained
1/2 0.5 ounce envelope (about 2 Tbsp) of taco seasoning mix
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon cornmeal
1 10 ounce package refrigerated pizza dough
1 15 ounce can pinto beans, rinsed drained (or refried beans)
1 cup shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup shredded lettuce
1 medium tomato, chopped
1/2 cup green onions, chopped
bottled taco sauce (optional)

Directions
1.  In a large skillet cook meat until brown.  Drain off fat.  Stir in 3/4 cup water, chile peppers, taco seasoning mix and chilli powder.  Bring to boiling; reduce heat.  Simmer, uncovered 15 to 20 minutes or until most of the liquid is gone.

2.  Grease a baking sheet and sprinkle with cornmeal.  Pat pizza dough into a 12x8 inch rectangle on the baking sheet.  Bake at 400 degrees for 5 minutes.

3.  In a bowl mash pinto beans with fork (or just use re-fried beans) and spread over partially baked dough to within 1/2 inch of the edges.  Spoon meat mixture over beans.  Bake uncovered for 10 minutes or more until crust is just golden.  Sprinkle with cheese and bake 1-2 minutes or more until cheese is melted.  Top with lettuce, tomato and green onions.  Serve with taco sauce if desired. 

[From:  Better Homes & Gardens 75th Anniversary Edition Cookbook]

Nutritional Information: (1/16th)
Calories:  151
Total Fat:  18g
Saturated Fat:  3g
Cholesterol:  24mg
Sodium:  181g
Carbs:  19g
Fiber:  6.5g
Sugar:  1g
Protein:  12g

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Long Short Weekend

This weekend seemed to last for a lot longer then a ridiculously short 2 day weekend normally does. Usually I blink and it's over but for some reason on Saturday I felt like the next day was going to be Monday but it wasn't. I still had one more lovely day.  The last two weekends have been packed with social outings but this weekend we didn't have much planned which was nice.

Saturday I woke up and cleaned house.  I dreaded it so much but was so glad when it was over.  I also got the laundry finished.  That night we went to dinner at a friend's house for an Irish meal.  One of them is actually Irish.   The corned beef and cabbage with potatoes was really good.  I drank some wine, Mj had some beer, neither one of us wore green while doing it and that was the extent of our St Patty's day celebration.

Laundry is Fun-NOT // Grocery Shopping // Watching Figure Skating & Blogging // Mj doing taxes

Sunday we did Insanity first thing in the morning.  Insane right?   I was hanging in there okay with the cardio until the drills.  That's when it got REALLY hard and I had to stop a lot.  It's a tough work out and that's only the first one.  Mj is planning to do it for 60 days but I'm not that crazy.  I'll probably just jump in there and do it every now and then until he gets to the harder ones and then I probably won't be able to do it at all.

Next on the agenda was the ordeal that is grocery shopping.  We haven't really been on a proper shopping trip in about two months.  We've only been picking up little things here and there so it was time to make that trip to the commissary.  We spent $170 which sounds like a lot but would have been a lot more had we not been on base and it should last us for a while.  I really don't like grocery shopping but it's not as bad when  we do it together.  Our pantry was a mess.  Mj totally re organized it as we put everything away.

The tax man finally did our taxes.  It was just Mj and Turbo Tax gettin' it done.  He's been our tax man for the last three years and each time he gets better and better at it.  We don't owe!  We are actually getting a nice chunk of change so that's cool.

For dinner we made Tostada Pizza.  I love this Pizza just as I love all Pizza in general.  I'll be posting the recipe soon.  We had Margaritas on the rocks with it.  I used a skinny margarita mix that has only 10 calories per 1/2 cup left over from my trip to Vegas last year!  It's about time I finished it up.  We watched an episode of Breaking Bad and Walking Dead.  Then watched The Office while eating Jello.  I forgot how good that stuff is. 

We got a lot of quality time in together just being at home and getting stuff done.  It was nice not to have much to do.  I really need that every now and then to re group. 
 
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I Confess!!

 I don't know about you but I like the time change!  It's dark when I get up but I start at 8am so by the time I hit the road the sun is out.  I haven't had any problem with the 1 hour loss because that extra daylight at the end of the day is so energizing.  I did way worse when it went the other way and we gained an hour because it felt like the darkness sucked away my day and my energy.  Now, let's get to my confessions.

I confess that I have no clue what's going on with the whole death of google reader.  I read blogs in my dashboard on Blogger.  Is that the same as google reader?  I also don't understand what the point of GFC might be without the reader when the whole point of following with GFC is that the blog shows up in your reader for easy following.  I have no idea how to import my blogs to Bloglovin' with that weird download thingy so I'm probably going to add them  manually one...by one....by one.  Woe is me.  I knew something was up when people started following me on Bloglovin'.  No one follows me there!   Who needs a giveaway to raise Bloglovin' numbers when the end of Google Reader does it for you?

I confess that I'm a new clothes hoarder.  I will buy something, stick it in my closet and wait months or even a year to wear it.  I've had this condition since I was a kid.  Obviously I'm not concerned about what's in season right now.  I guess I just love knowing it's there for me to wear more then I love the idea of jumping right into it the next day.  I have gotten much better about it.  Most of the things I bought over the last 6 months have been worn but I will admit I have a few tops with tags still on that I can't remember exactly when I bought.  And no I'm not a shopaholic.  Not technically anyways.

I confess that I was super excited to see this awesome mouth wash dispenser in the bathroom.  Nice touch don't you think?  And it totally worked out that no one was in there at the time so I didn't have to look like a freak taking a picture of it.  Aaahhh the perks of dining out at a fancy schmansy- read way over priced yet delicious restaurant where all they offer for parking is valet.  Truluck's is a sea food restaurant which I don't eat but their sliders are better then any I've ever had.

Link up with Leslie @A Blonde Ambition

I confess that I HATE making left hand turns out of driveways without a light onto semi busy streets.  I'd rather drive in circles then take the risk.  I'll make a right turn and then a left down another street and then a right to avoid it if I have to especially if there is someone waiting behind me.  I simply can't take the pressure.  I also suck at parking.  And driving in general.

I confess that I pretty much ate this whole bag of tortilla chips by myself in less then a week and I got busted for it yesterday when Mj couldn't find them in the pantry.  What can I say?  Anyways,  I always get a kick out of buying these because the homeboys made 'em and it says jobs not jails on the bag.  Homeboy Industries has books, T-shirts and even a restaurant.  The homegirls have their own stuff too. 

I confess that I usually don't know how old my parents are.  I did ask my mom on her birthday but I will forget in a few months and that's fine with me.  I don't ask, they don't tell and I don't keep track because I really don't want them to get older.  Not that not knowing stops aging but it's just my way of dealing with it.

I confess that even though I absolutely was not interested in picking up any new shows Mj got me into Breaking Bad.  It's about a Chemistry teacher with a cancer diagnosis turned Meth manufacturer.  We've been watching it on Netflix over the last few months and are on season 3.  It's sooooo good and it's soooo easy to get sucked into new shows.  We usually watch 2 episodes at a time.

I confess that I was really happy to see a few anonymous readers come out of the wood works to leave a kind comment on my first outfit post.  It's always so strange to hear someone say they've been reading for a long time and yet I don't know who they are.  I tend to think if 5 people commented then those are the 5 people who read the post which is completely silly.  Thanks to everyone for for your encouraging comments.

 
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Mom's Birthday

Birthday season has begun.  Saturday was my mom's Birthday.  She really wanted to do something besides hang around the house all day but I vetoed the Zoo idea because it's just too cold.  Is that mean?  I knew I would be miserable so they would have had to go without me and it just makes more sense to wait and go on a warmer day when it will be much more enjoyable for me everyone.  We are planning to make a day of it sometime before my older sister moves away.

Cheddar Bay Biscuits

 Mj and I drove up there and we hung out at the house and then we went to dinner at Red Lobster.  Those Chedda Bay Biscuits are to die for.  That's the best thing about that place if you ask me.  I ordered a Cobb salad so I splurged and had 2 but back in the day I used to eat 3 or 4 or probably even more.  I never kept track.

Me and Mj

My nephew DJ

This kid ate about 5 croutons pulled from the extra salad we got by accident and called it a night.  How sad that he does not yet know the joy of Chedda Bay?  How sad is it that I ate most of the fries that were intended for him?

Mom and Dad

If you aren't sure what cake to get or you want to have variety get both!!  My mom, sister and I went to Ralph's to pick out a cake and they sell them in half sizes which is a genius idea.  Mom wanted Carrot cake and my sister and I got to have our chocolate.  This was seriously one of the best chocolate cakes I've ever had!! There is no shame in a grocery store bought birthday cake.  They've stepped up their game and I think I want the chocolate for my Birthday.

Chocolate Cake or Carrot Cake?

Mom and sister

She is another year older and just as beautiful as she's always been.  I love my mom so much!!  I don't even like to know how old she is because I don't like to think about her getting older.  

Me and sister

We were there pretty late.  We didn't leave until about 11:30pm so I could barely keep my eyes open on the drive home.  My mom had a really nice birthday and I think we all had a nice time together even though we didn't do much of anything.   Next Birthday up is mine.  

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My First Outfit Post

I've never been all that stylish or trendy.  I either didn't have the money or I didn't have the eye to know how to put things together and you definitely need to have one or the other.  Looking stylish doesn't have to be expensive but you at least have to have that good fashion sense to know what to look for and how to put it together on a budget.  Since I've started blogging and following fashionistas like Emily, Faith, Yasi, Britt and Shanna I've become so inspired to do better when it comes to my wardrobe.  Seriously, these ladies put together some awesome outfits and having them pop up in my news feed every day is starting to rub off on me.  I'd read fashion magazines and still be confused about what to buy when I'm out shopping but reading blogs by real girls with real budgets shopping at real stores I can afford to shop at who look really fashionable has made such a huge difference.  I'm a casual girl.  You will not catch me running around in stilettos very often and I like to be comfortable and hate being cold.  I'm not big on wearing make up every day and if I must do errands chances are I'm going to throw on yoga pants and Sketchers.  I'll never be a bona fide fashionista but I am making more of an effort because it feels so good to feel good about what I'm wearing.

 I've been terrified to do an outfit post.  I've taken a few outfit pics, hated them and then decided not to post them.  I looked awkward, my hair didn't look right or my shirt was crooked.  It was always something but this time it's really happening! I tried so hard to do these on my own with the timer because I thought they might turn out better if I didn't have to worry about anyone looking at me.  The problem is that my camera can't focus the way it should without me in the frame. The focus happens when the shutter is pressed but when the shutter is pressed I'm out of the frame pushing it so every single one turned out blurry. In the end I broke down and had to have Mj take them for me anyways.

Sweater:  Merino Sweater, Banana Republic // Shirt:  Soft Wash Plaid, Banana Republic 
Jeans:  Straight leg, Joe's Jeans // Boots:  Perchinski, Aldo
 

Outfit posts are hard for me because I don't always get done up and when I do it's usually just in time to walk out the door and get where I'm going.  I feel like I don't have time, but maybe as I get more comfortable I won't need that much time.  These actually just took a few snaps and it was done.  If I hated them I just wasn't going to post it.  I'd rather it be something that I can do by myself just so I can do it on my own time and don't have to bother Mj about it but I don't know that I want to invest in a remote control for the camera.   I don't know how often this will happen but I knew that I wanted to get at least one down in the books on the blog.  Good thing I'm not a fashion blogger. This is my first outfit post and it could also be my last but here it is.

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Amazing Quest & The Guys

Team #9 AKA Lay off my Biscuits (long story...inside joke)

I could hardly believe that we were doing this again.   Last year's amazing quest took us about 3 1/2 hours, involved a trolley ride to an entirely different part of town and had really hard challenges.  This year it was definitely watered down.  It was only about 2 hours, kept us right in downtown and had much easier challenges.  The take off point was a bar called Barley & Mash.  When they yelled GO we opened our first clue and took off running our little hearts out and trying to get through each challenge really fast.  It was in the 80's so we were HOT, sweaty and out of breath. 

They had us break at the half way point back at Barley & Mash.  Big mistake for us because we found out that even with all of our hustling we were still in 13th place!!  How did the #1 team do it so fast?  We couldn't figure it out so we took it easy in the 2nd half.  There was no way we would win or even come in the top 3...or even 5!  We took it so easy we skipped the last challenge because we were already over time and finished dead last.  We were tired, hungry and all we wanted was our free happy hour.  By the time we got back the other teams were probably on their 3rd drink.  The last round of the food was being put out and devoured within minutes.  I got a glass of wine and for the first time ever ate french fries so sloppy they required a fork.  Awesome by the way.  While everyone else was still partying it up in the reserved area downstairs the four of us ordered some food at the bar upstairs.  We were THE losing team so we got ran out of there.  No not really. We just got there so late we didn't get enough food. I was so worn out that night.  By 8:30pm I could barely keep my eyes open.  I felt so bad for Mj because he got busy writing a 10 page paper while I got busy falling asleep on the couch.

One of Mj's good friends L is moving out of the state so we planned a day at the park on Sunday for one last time all together.  It would have been nice if we could have flip flopped Saturday and Sunday's weather but even in California you can't always get the weather you want when you want it.  Saturday was in the 80's while we were running around the city but Sunday at the park the temperature dropped to the 60's.  It was still high 70's where we live but this was closer to the coast.  We ordered Pizza and ate this yummy cake with L's face on it.  I'm not even gonna tell you how many pieces of pizza I ate.  I was freezing for most of the day but I zipped up my hoodie, sucked it up and had fun anyways.  I got some laughs when I busted out the gloves but I didn't care. If I was smart I would have joined in on the volleyball and wiffle ball games so I could burn some calories AND stay warm. 

The Guys (L is the one on the right with the baseball cap)

Mj has a really great group of friends.  They don't just stay in touch on Facebook; they make sure that they hang out and see each other in real life too.  They bike, do dinners and take trips together.  I don't have friends like that.  Gosh, I can remember meeting all of these guys and their wives five years ago and hoping that they would like me and now I feel like part of the group.  L is really the center of the group and so good at bringing everyone together for Bar B Q's and gatherings at his house.  It's a part of life that things change and people move on but it's so sad.  It's going to be a good move for him but he will be missed by everyone.

 
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