Happy Friday!

How is everyone hanging in there?  Due to coronavirus, here in the St. Louis metro area we are on a Stay-At-Home order until at least April 21st.  I’m all in, whatever we need to do to eradicate this virus, I will do.  You have my word health care workers.  I promise to do all I can to make your job easier and keep you safe.  We now personally know people who have tested positive.  So I say again, I promise to do all that I can.

I’ve got to give it to technology; it’s really pulling its weight right now!  Although we are not seeing anyone, I still feel a sense of support and community and I hope you do too.  My cousins and I are on a group text (about 1,000 texts each day).  It is full of helpful ideas but mostly a TON of laughs.  The laughs are my favorite.

I was always annoyed that so much of my kids school was done on iPads.  Not now!  School started yesterday.  Teacher instruction on their iPads via Zoom.  Mommy’s off the hook.  Thank you KSD and teachers!

Netflix and Amazon Prime are our family’s new best friends.  Husband is safe working from home.  I’ve had FaceTime book club, happy hour and birthday celebrations (including cake and blowing out candles) and Zoom happy hours and baby showers.  It really is amazing.  Wish I would have bought Zoom stock a year ago.

We have had lots of bonding time for which I am grateful.  We get to eat lunch and dinner together which is fun.  If it ever stops raining we take short walks together (and I take a long walk by myself).  There are good things happening here.  What are some good things you have noticed?  Post in the comments below.

We have had plenty of good meals while being holed-up at home.  Some fancy, some simple, some just for comfort.  I am the one cooking so the meal is decided by my mood.  Last night was burrito casserole.  It is easy, comforting and a crowd pleaser.  I don’t even have a picture of it.  Sorry.  But to be honest, it wouldn’t photograph well anyway.  Kind of looks like a pile of goo.  But man, is it delicious. You can top it however you like: sour cream, lettuce, tomatoes, lime juice, olives, etc. Serve the casserole with a side of taco rice or corn and Mango and Avocado Salad and you’ve got yourself a meal!

Burrito Casserole

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:
1 lb Ground Meat (I would say ground chuck but whatever you have is fine!)
Salt & Pepper
Granulated Garlic/Garlic Powder
1 packet Low Sodium Taco Seasoning
16 oz can Refried Beans
10 oz can Enchilada Sauce
Shredded Cheese
Tortillas (about 6 if 8″ tortillas)

Brown the meat in a skillet over medium high heat and season with a little salt, pepper and garlic powder.
When cooked, follow the directions on the taco seasoning packet.
Add the can of refried beans and stir until combined.

Preheat oven to 350.
Spray an 8×8 casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Pour a small amount of enchilada sauce on the bottom of the casserole dish (enough just to coat).
Arrange tortillas as the bottom layer (I usually do one as is, then cut the other tortilla in half and put the straight ends of the tortilla along two opposite straight sides of the dish).
Layer 1/2 of the meat and bean mixture on the toritillas.
Drizzle a little bit of enchilada sauce on top.
Sprinkle with cheese.
Repeat: tortillas, meat/bean mixture, sauce, cheese.
One more layer of tortillas on top and then pour on all the remaining enchilada sauce.
Sprinkle liberally with cheese.
Bake in preheated oven until brown and bubbly; about 20-25 minutes.