I am so excited I can hardly stand it.  I hope I can get Mr. Linky to cooperate!! I have heard horror stories.  But I am keeping a positive attitude!! Mr. Linky and I are going to be good friends!! (right Mr. Linky?!?)

So, without further ado, I bring you (drum roll please)…

Taco Rice Casserole (from Laura@HomemakingJoyfully)

What you need:

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1/2 medium onion, diced
• 1 1/2 cups uncooked brown rice ( I used regular white rice *note* if you use white rice adjust cooking time)
• 1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes and enough water to make 4 cups (I used diced tomatoes with green chilies)
• 4 t. taco seasoning (about 2 packets)
• shredded cheese to put on top

What to do:

• in a large pot, brown ground beef and onion, drain excess fat
• add remaining ingredients (except cheese) and bring to a boil
• reduce heat to low and simmer until rice is done (45 minutes to an hour) stirring occasionally

Serving Suggestions:

• in a bowl with shredded cheese
• over tortilla chips, with cheese
• as dip for tortilla chips, with cheese
• rolled in a corn or flout tortilla with cheese

Are you seeing a pattern of CHEESE here?? LOL we LOVE cheese!!  I left mine a little soupy cause I used it for dip for chips and cheese!!!

Thank you Laura for a great recipe, my family loved it!!!

Now for the Meme part.  Assuming this works, you link up below with your post.  Please comment after linking up!!! Thanks for joining me for my first Meme!!!

now if i can just get the mr. linky people to cooperate and acknowledge that i am a paid member so i can name my own meme, we can get started….i will keep you posted!! let your friends know about this new meme…i think i’m gonna name it “Foodie Friday”, maybe  “Food&Friends Friday”….not quite sure yet,what do you think??? any other name ideas??

Here is what has happened since I last talked to you…

My sweet Jasmine went to live with a new family.  We miss her tons, but this was the best thing for her and us.  I think the hardest thing is when we come home and she isn’t  here to greet us with all her excitement that we are home, it’s just the empty house.

Buster had hernia surgery yesterday, for the second time.  Last time he threw up for three days after the surgery, which tore the stitches that repaired the hernia, so he got another one.  So, when they fixed this one, they gave him meds that would help with nausea and they put a mesh screen in that would prevent it from happening again.   He is very sore and tired, but he has no thrown up at all!! Praise the Lord for answered prayers!!

So that is what has been going on here…Don’t forget to enter my Giveaway !!

CSN stores is  an online retailer with headquarters in Boston.  They had a meager start in 2002 with just two employees and one online shop. And now, they have become one of the top 3 online US retail stores of home and office goods now employing over 400 people and running over  200 online stores. They sell cookware, toys, furniture, pet supplies, the list simply goes on and on.  AND most items will ship to Canada.

Now, on to the business at hand…MY VERY FIRST GIVEAWAY!!!!  I had a hard time choosing with all the great things they have to offer, but I when I found this item and I knew this was the one.  I make a cookie that has all kinds of stuff in it , including ROLO’s  candies, and they are so hard to get off the cookie sheet, it makes me crazy.  I am hoping that this Paula Deen cookie sheet with the silicone insert will make my cookies easier to get off the pan!!

Isn’t it a beauty?  I can’t wait to get this and use it!! Here is the deal, CSN is sending me one to use and review, but they are also sending YOU one just to have and keep and love and use!!!  Are you as excited as I am??  Here are the details….

THE GIVEAWAY:

If you would like to win the Paula Deen cookie sheet, visit CSN and then come on back and leave a comment on this post telling me  what caught your eye.

Please include your email or have it visible in your profile.

Doing the above earns you 1 entry in my giveaway, to get extra entries in my giveaway you can:

1. subscribe to my rss (1 extra entry)

2. follow me on Twitter and leave me your id (1 extra entry)

3. tweet about this giveaway and send me the link ; you can do this once a day  (1 extra entry each tweet)

4. blog about this giveaway and send me the link  (3 extra entries)

5. add me to your blogroll (3 extra entries)

This giveaway is open to US and Canadian Bloggers!!  Your prize will be sent directly to you from CSN stores!!

GIVEAWAY ENDS MIDNIGHT MARCH 20th.  Please leave 1 comment for each entry you earn, this will make it easier for me to keep track of.  Winner will be randomly picked out of a hat by my daughter on the 21st of March.  Winner will be announced within 3 days of that.  Thanks for participating and GOOD LUCK!!!

Not much time to post today, I gotta get the house ready for a paaarrttttaaaayyyy!!   Buster is turning 38 today!!  Man, we are getting old!!    I woke up this morning with this song in my head….

Just another manic Monday..ohoooooh, wish it was Sunday…..that’s my fun day…my I don’t have to run day…..Just another manic Monday.  Remember that one??? lol Didn’t Cindy Lauper sing that?? I don’t remember……

Happy Monday everyone!! **singing** Just another manic Monday….ohoooooh…..

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BUSTER!!!!!

Today’s Tribute goes out to MealPlanningMommies… thank you so much for your family friendly, easy, yummy recipes.

I have made a few of your recipes recently and have linked up to you on my blog and I have to say, you guys are awesome!!  You have step by step instructions, shopping lists, ingredient lists….It’s just the coolest thing!!  I enjoy browsing your blog for new and tasty things to make for my family.

So, MealPlanningMommies, this tribute is for you!! My family thanks you, my tummy thanks you…

*Wordful Wednesday is for those of us that like to showcase a photo(s) but that just can’t seem keep our mouths shut about it(them).

This is just a picture I found online a while ago, but it is so darn cute!! I love it!! Makes me wanna go get me a panda bear baby to luv on!!!!  Have a great Wednesday everyone!! I am sick so I won’t be around much, but leave me tons of comments to make me feel better!!  LOL  Be blessed!!

Let’s join in on the fun with  BlessedWithGrace shall we???

This week I made Bubble Pizza.  It was very yummy!! I will definitely be making this again!!  The recipe is as follows:

What you will need:

2 cups pizza cheese (or any cheese you have on hand)

about 1 lb. browned sausage (can use pepperoni, hamburger, ham, or bacon instead or in any combination you like)

1 med. jar pizza sauce

2 tubes of buttermilk biscuits

any other items you would normally put on top of a pizza (i.e. black olives, green olives, cooked onion, etc)

What to do:

#1  brown and drain meat

#2 cut tubed biscuits into quarters

#3 put biscuits into a bowl along with pizza sauce

#4 add meat and any other ingredients you are using

#6 mix well

#7 pour into  ungreased 9×13 baking dish

#8 bake at 350° for 2-25 minutes

#9 take out of oven, sprinkle with cheese, bake another 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly!!

#10 ENJOY!!!