Casseroles!

I am such a mom now. We had a potluck at work today and I was excited to share a casserole I made, based on the Southern Living Homestyle Cooking book. It's a pretty fun book, and there are a lot of easy to make things in there. If you get this one from the library you simply must make the deep fried okra (OMG it is SO GOOD) and the quick and easy hoppin' john. YUM. It's the southern food I didn't grow up with and it is sooo tasty.

The casserole I brought today was based on their taco casserole. Here's my interpretation:

1 lb ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped into smallish pieces
1 packet taco seasonings
1 15 oz can, chili beans in sauce
1 8 oz can of tomato sauce
crushed corn tortilla chips
shredded mexican style cheese (I'm lazy, I just buy the Kraft bag)

Brown the meat with the onion until it crumbles and is cooked through. Drain the fat. Add the taco seasonings, stir well. Add the chili beans (the sauce, too!), and the tomato sauce. . Mix well and heat though (this doesn't actually take very long). Layer the bean/beef mix, a layer of cheese, and a layer of chips in a 9x9 (or similar size- a smallish pyrex will work fine) and repeat. Cook for about 20 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

*Note- you can add toppings like sour cream, chopped avocado, green onions, salsa, whatever- this is a really good basic recipe. You can also double the beans if you like beans. You could probably even bulk it out a little by adding some uncooked oatmeal to the meat mixture. (My grandma's depression-era trick to making your meat dollar stretch even further- great for meatloaf and meatballs, too).

This is a good second day casserole, too. It's good microwaved, so leftovers can go with you to work. (or home or whatever). I really feel old when I realize that I do enjoy a well crafted casserole now. All those years of church potlucks have led to this.

Oh, you're welcome.

Also, I need to stop whining about contractions. Even though today was enough to make me call the OB's office, I'm starting to bore myself with it. I do love calling their office about this stuff (you know you are supposed to, but damn it, Babycenter.com- you have made me somehow less worried and more knowledgeable) I know I need to be having more than 4 an hour, and the nurse at the OB's office even said 6 in an hour- six painful ones. Mine today were more in the neighborhood of 4 per hour, and although there were about 5 that were strong enough to shut me up for a minute, they tapered off and I drank a crapload of water to try and slow things down. It's only um, way early to be worried at all about going into labor. It's funny, but since I had some issues with my last pregnancy, I didn't really think I would this time.

I hear Nelson from "The Simpson's" in the distance...

"Ha-ha."

Ack.