Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Life is Taco Soup

Okay...

The SITSgirls crew recently issued a Back to Blogging Challenge for all of us bloginnistas who sort of fell off the wagon during the summer. Bless their awesome hearts! For people like me who sometimes get stuck too long in the valley of writer's block, this was just the kick in the pants I needed. These writing prompts have helped me so much! It's the little things, you know.

So today, the challenge is to post a favorite fall photo and blog about it. As I pondered what I was going to use as my subject, something lovely and beautifully simplistic came to mind. It's the perfect pictorial to express the essence of my FAVORITE season - fall. From it's rich southwestern flavors to its luscious, comforting aroma, TACO SOUP is unequivocally the signature dish of fall to me. The fall-like colors of all it's satisfying ingredients are the perfect ending to these short days and long nights. And it's the epitome of no-hassle cooking. Just dump everything together in one big pot. Doesn't get any better than that!

If you've never tried a bowl of this heavenly soup, I strongly suggest that you brew up a pot of it for yourself as soon as you feel that first cool snap in the air. After you do, come back and post a comment about what I KNOW will be your newly appointed favorite fall dish!

Taco Soup



Photo and recipe, courtesy of My Blessed Life 

Monday, September 22, 2014

My Fall 2014 Bucket List



It's fall ya'll!

Okay. Now that we've established that I'm a Texan...

I have to say, fall is my absolute favorite season of the year (winter is a close second). I know. I'm weird. But give me a break. Living in southeast Texas, we spend most of the year hovering somewhere warm and sweltering. So, the first inkling we get of a cool breeze in the air (usually by mid-October), we're all about the long sleeves and Uggs down here. But more importantly, we... well I... look forward to certain "Fallicious" things, like welcoming back all things pumpkin (coffee, cupcakes, pancakes, you name it!).

But there are a few things I'd like to do or at least revisit that symbolize fall to me:

  • The Texas State Fair (growing up in the DFW area, it was a family tradition)
  • A really good, crowd-screaming, band-dancing high school football game (I miss the Friday Night Lights of my teen years)
  • Visit a local pumpkin patch (did I mention that I celebrate pumpkins?)
  • Go to a Houston Texans home game (they're my favorite NFL team)
  • Attend a murder mystery dinner theater (the longer nights just add to the color of it all)
  • Having an indulgent lunch at this trendy restaurant called Low Brow (I hear they've mastered all kinds of ways to use crushed Cheetos in gourmet dishes)
  • Have fried turkey for Thanksgiving (haven't had it in years and I feel like I'm long overdue)
I could go on, but I need to save some energy (and calories) for Christmas! LOL!