Finally ready to say hello!

It still feels strange that it's no longer my kitchen.

Hello friends! As I write this I am sitting in my dining room taking in my new surroundings. They are a little less new now that our family has been living here for three weeks. The past four weeks have been interesting to say the least. My first week of being a stay at home mom (SAHM) was strange. I sent little one to daycare and spent the week packing our house. Being a SAHM is so easy when your little one is in daycare all day! The next three weeks were a mixture of moving trucks, boxes, lists, and the exhaustion of trying to establish new routines and a comfortable living space. Now that we are happily moved into our townhome tucked on a tree lined street in Minnesota I can finally sit down and write.

Last day in our old home.

This afternoon I sit in this very very tan townhome. My Scandinavian blood misses the blues, greys and dark woods of our last home. I miss it so much I find myself watching Scandinavian cooking shows on public television!  But I love our location so much. I moved a block away from one of my sorority sisters without even knowing it! She has a sweet little boy just a few months older than little one. There is a park in between our homes so I couldn’t ask for more! I’ve had a lovely surprise visit from my college roommate and my maid of honor stopped by for an afternoon with her little (itty bitty) boy. Little one’s godparents have visited a few times and we spent Father’s Day with my MN in-laws. My calendar is slowly filling with play dates and visits. It really is easy to find joy in our new home.

My kitchen is still a work in progress. I lost cabinet and pantry space with this move so I will have to adjust my cooking habits accordingly. I do have a bigger fridge though so I find myself eating much more fresh fruits and veggies. This is a very very good thing! I’m still searching for solutions to cookbook and spice storage but I know those will come with time. I’ve cooked quite a few meals already and it feels good to be making things from scratch again. I haven’t really tried many new recipes as I find old standbys are easier during this transition time but I do have a few recipes and pictures to share. These will be coming soon! For now I must return to menu planning and adjusting my new schedule to fit little one’s needs.

Thank you all for your patience during this busy time in my life!

Shredded Beef Burritos

Today was my last day at work. It was a very bittersweet day. It was very tough to say good-bye (or see you soon) to my friends and coworkers. I’ve been working with most of them for the past three years. When I started my position it was almost brand new. Lots of changes were going on in the building and my position was a mish-mash of different positions rolled into one. It was a steep learning curve and in all honesty it took me a little over a year to figure some things out. I think I may have left with still quite a bit to learn.

I knew that it would be easier to leave the second I picked little one up from daycare. He gave me his sweet smile and jumped up and down repeating “Mama, mama, mama!” Then he tried to grab his shoes from the closet and sat down while I put them on him. He waved bye to his friends, looked at me and said “Om mama.” Yup, I get to spend every day with that little sweetheart. I’m nervous about becoming a stay at home mom. I’m not afraid to admit it. But I am also excited to take on the role. I have happy visions in my head of trips to the park, art projects, grocery shopping on a Tuesday morning and just enjoying watching him grow. This will be an adventure!

With all of our belongings getting slowly packed I have adjusted our dinners to ones that are very simple. I haven’t reverted to sandwiches yet but I’m almost there! This recipe has been popping up from time to time over the past few years. It’s yummy, easy and quick. This time I really did make it my own.

I had a pound of roast sitting in my freezer needing to be used up so I put it in the slow cooker and let it cook for about three hours. After the meat cooled just a little, I shredded it and got rid of any fatty pieces. I decided to use the shredded beef  in the burritos instead of the ground beef that the recipe calls for. It really kicked the recipe up a notch.

I didn’t have ¾ cup of just one type of salsa and I wasn’t about to open another jar for just this recipe. Instead, I took all my salsas and mixed them together. Very yummy and it helped clean out the fridge! I feel like this recipe could be adjusted to work with whatever you happen to have hanging out in your fridge. It’s a nice pre-moving meal because aside from a pan and a spoon you really don’t need much to make this.

Enjoy!

¾ lb. shredded beef
15 oz. kidney beans, rinsed
¾ cup salsa
½ cup Mexican style cheese, shredded
6 10 in. wheat tortillas, warmed
½ cup sour cream
2 cups romaine lettuce, shredded
3 tomatoes, chopped

Warm beef in a large skillet. Stir in beans and salsa and cook for three minutes or until heated through, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in cheese.

Spoon meat mixture down centers of tortillas and top with remaining ingredients. Fold in opposite sides of each tortilla, then roll up burrito-style.

Adapted from www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/burritos-el-grande-made-113694.aspx