Taco Night

At the Mason House we have a tradition. Every Wednesday we have taco night.  This is something Matt and I look forward to all week.  We both love Mexican food and Wednesday signifies that it is almost the weekend,  so it is our jam.  Plus we love the Wednesday night show line-up with Modern Family.  It is one night we can agree on the food and TV shows:)  I especially love it because I don't have to plan a meal I already know we are having tacos and that is easy!

We always start taco night off with Tequila.  We both like tequila, I love it, Matt tolerates it but it seems to go perfect with tacos.  When Matt gets home we each get a shot (small glass) of tequila that we sip while we talk about our days.   It is a nice way to unwind and catch up with each other.

 Hornitos is the Tequila we usually buy it is around $20, it is decent tequila but not awesome.  If you love tequila you should try Corzo or Partida both are about $70 a bottle but they are Amazing (trust me I have tried many a tequila).

We have taco night down to a fine science and now we make our own taco seasoning and Mexican Rice.   I can't stand the prepackaged kind it tastes so processed.    I am always in charge of the taco seasoning.  Excuse how tired I look, this is my standard look come 8:00 pm.

This is the recipe we use for our homemade taco seasoning.  Try it, I promise you will never buy the prepackaged kind again!  It tastes so much better with all fresh spices and no weird additives.  We make a big batch and keep it in an old jelly jar.

[TACO SEASONING]

1 tablespoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon paprika

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

Matt is always in charge of the meat.  He insists on 80/20 ground beef,  and don't judge but it does make a difference.  Lean meat doesn't crumble properly for tacos it gets all clumpy.  If you drain the 80/20 meat well alot of the fat and grease gets soaked up.

This how 80/20 meat should look red and fresh (according to Matt).

My man being a freak about the beef, I am not allowed near it while it cooks.

Hard taco shells are a must.  I actually love a soft taco but for our taco night we always do hard shells. 

And you can't forget the toppings.  We always serve ours with fresh diced tomatoes, julienned spinach, guacamole, diced jalapenos, sour cream, and shredded sharp white cheddar (I always shred my own cheese from the block I think it tastes better).

 

The end result, Mexican Heaven!  (You might remember this picture from my post a few weeks ago.  This is true I eat one taco and Matt eats 5. I am jealous of men and their metabolism.)

So me tell me do you have any weekly meal traditions in your house?  This is one tradition I hope Sterling will grow to love as well!  Who doesn't love a good taco??  I know we sure do!

TGIF Friends.



Thoughts For Thursday

So I am thinking about jumping on the Gallery Wall bandwagon.  I know everybody is doing it and for a long time I shunned it, but my hallway needs some sprucing up.  I am thinking of doing a wall with all black and white photos of our family in the same frames.  A very uniform look and all lined up not scattered.  So dish where can I find 9 frames with white mats and a black thin frame.  This needs to be cheap, I am thinking Ikea is my best bet.  I want something similar to this.

Can we talk about Jessica Simpson's Dad??  Are the rumors true?  Did he turn to the gay side?  I know he and the Mrs are divorcing but from the looks of this picture there is more to the story.  Star reported he has a young boyfriend.  I don't know why this shocks me, but it does a little.  I mean he was priest for crying out loud!

Have ya'll heard of the Animal Print Shop?  To say I am obsessed is a major understatement!  Shannon does an amazing job catching these animals in perfect poses.  I am convinced I need one for our house, well really I want more than one!!  You can check out all her work at the Animal Printshop Here.  Below are a few of my favs but there are so many amazing ones on her site!  I think this is the perfect Christmas gift mom and dad if you are reading- hint hint!

I am so excited Sean was picked to be the next Bachelor.  I love him- and I bet Emily is probably regretting not choosing him.  He is so cute and sweet.  I am ready for the new season to begin.  Side note- why do they make them pose with single roses, so cheesy!

Today my mother in law is taking Sterling for a few hours and I am finally going to tackle organizing my closet, it has gotten way out of hand!!  I will try and take some before and after pics.  If only it looked like this!

I started my Christmas list yesterday, my grandfather likes to get them early to get a head start shopping.  I think I may do a post about my wish list but here is one item I really want!  Jennifer Zeuner jewelry is my favorite. I own several of her necklaces and they are daily staples.  I see myself wearing this everyday.

{Jennifer Zeuner Horizontal Cross Necklace}

We had the best Halloween.  I swear it just gets better each year.  Sterling was so darn excited this year, it melted my heart.  He was giddy all day long.  Here is my Spider man in full effect.

This is such a great quote.  Ignore Kermit on it, he makes it seem cheezy but it is something to think about!

Southwestern Quinoa + Avocado Hummus

You guys are in for a real treat today.  Maybe it is all the Halloween candy I am jacked up on,  but I am feeling generous and thought two recipes is always better than one.  Especially when paired together they make the perfect lunch combo.

I always have quiona on hand.  I buy the large bag at Costco that lasts forever, so I am always looking for new quiona recipes.  This one had great flavor and took no time to whip together.  We served ours as a side at a cookout and it was a big hit.  It would also be great for dinner with grilled chicken or shrimp served over top. 

As for the hummus. I am a hummus freak. I eat it everyday and most times I eat half a container in one sitting, that is how much I love it. I have made my own hummus before but never avocado hummus. The avocado with the white beans creates such a creamy, smooth,  and flavorful hummus. Seriously delicious and all you do is toss all the ingredients in a food processor- easy right??  For the past week I have been eating the quiona salad and avocado hummus with pretzel crisps for my lunch. It is the perfect lunch combo!Enjoy and Happy Halloween!

{Southwestern Quinoa}

Recipe adapted from Kalyn's Kitchen

Salad Ingredients:

3/4 cup quinoa (rinsed if needed, check the package)

1 1/2 cup water

1/2 tsp. salt

1 red bell pepper, chopped into small dice

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 cup thinly sliced green onion

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

2 diced jalapenos

Dressing Ingredients:

2 T fresh-squeezed lime juice

1 tsp. Spike Seasoning (optional but highly recommended) (I could not find this anywhere so I omitted)

1 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. ground Ancho chile pepper (I used regular chile powder instead)

fresh ground black pepper to taste

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions:

Check the quinoa package to see if it needs to be rinsed (it often does) and rinse in a fine-mesh strainer if needed. Combine quinoa, water, and salt and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer covered for 15 minutes, or until all the water is absorbed. Fluff quinoa with a fork and let it cool while you prep other ingredients.

Drain the beans into a colander placed in the sink and rinse well with cold water, until no more foam appears. Let beans drain until they are quite dry (or pat dry with paper towels if you want to speed it up.)

Cut out the stem and remove seeds from the red bell pepper and cut into very small dice (about the size of the black beans.) Slice the green onions into thin slices, dice the jalapenos and wash, dry, and chop the cilantro.

When the quinoa is fairly cool, combine quinoa, black beans, diced red bell pepper, and sliced green onion in a bowl. Add enough dressing to moisten all the ingredients. (You probably won't need all the dressing, but save the extra to stir into any leftover salad that's been in the fridge.) Gently stir in the chopped cilantro and serve.

This keeps very well in the fridge for several days. The salad absorbs the dressing when it's refrigerated, so it's best with a little more dressing stirred in when you're eating the leftover salad.

{Avocado Hummus}

Original Recipe and chalkboard photo from The Lovely Cupboard

Add the following to your food processor:

-1 can of white beans, drained and rinsed

-1 avocado, cubed

-juice from 1/2 of a lime

-1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon of olive oil (a lower fat option: substitute oil for juice from the beans)

-1/2 teaspoon sea salt

-1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

 Blend until smooth

 
side note- I always drizzle my hummus with infused harrisa olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper before serving!

On The Lovely Cupboard blog, she had the fabulous idea to plate the hummus on Pretzel crisps with Cilantro sprigs for a party.  How cute is that?

 

Obsessions

{Gold Name Bar Necklace}

I am absolutely in love with this name plate necklace from Etsy. I have seen several options similar to this one, but the price of this necklace beats the rest.  It is only $47!!  I am ordering one for me with Sterling's name on it for sure.  This would make such a sweet gift to give a friend who just had a baby as well.

{Parker Colorblock Wrap Dress}

I am in love with this dress.  I have the Multi-squares version from last year and wear it all the time, it is such a great versatile dress.  I love the nude sleeves paired with the black such a classic combo.

This is me sporting my version, it really is a such a great dress, I am convinced I need the colorblock version.

{Homemade Fruit Chews}

I am so making these for my little man.  He is seriously obsessed with fruit chews- eats like 3 packs a day.  I always worry about how processed they are.  These look delish, even I want to eat them!

{Pency Standard Warrior Blazer Blazer}

I need this blazer in my life.  It is soft (french terry cotton) and I love the color blocking detail.  Plus it is steal for a blazer.  I am actually digging this model's entire look, such a chic casual look.  Must recreate.

{Fleur-de-lys Juice Glasses}

I spied these gorgeous glasses at the Anthropologie store opening here in Charleston last week and I have been dreaming about them ever since.  I love the pink mainly because I have a set of small pink wine glasses from my grandmother and I would love a few more for entertaining purposes.  These are supposedly for juice but I would use them for wine or liquor drinks.  They also come in clear, yellow, and green.  These would make Christmas gifts!

{Land of Nod TeePee}

I really want to get this for Sterling for Christmas but dang it is expensive for a teepee!  Love the modern look of it though.  He would be so excited to see this Christmas morning.

Getting Down with Books.

As most of you know I am avid reader. I don't have much time to read during the day but I love to get into bed with a good book.   I also love reading to Sterling.   Since he was little I made it a priority to make sure we read to him each night. I think that is how children learn to love books through their parents taking the time to sit down and read to them.  Every night Matt and I each read Sterling at least one book a piece and he always asks for us to read more when we are done, which makes me smile.

 Don't worry I am not about to get all preachy in this post, although I do think it is important to read to kids and encourage them to read and use their imagination. 

 I thought it would be fun for me to share the last few books I have read and enjoyed also some of Sterling's favorites in hopes that you would recommend some new ones for us. I need a great new book to curl up with at night , and I also would love to give Sterling a few new books for Christmas, so I need ideas!

Here are the last few books I have read.  I loved them in all different ways and would recommend each of them.  Gone Girl and Wild were two surprising favorites of mine out of the bunch because they are not the types of books I typically read.   They were both awesome!   As you can see I am all over the place with my reading choices.   So, please dish what have you read recently that I need to get my hands on??

1/ 2/ 3/ 4/ 5/ 6

Here are a few recent favorites of Sterling's that he insists on reading every night!  Any of these would make great gifts for little boys (or girls).   And yes we are already reading Christmas books round here:)  What other books are must haves for a soon to be three year old?

 

1/ 2/ 3/ 4/ 5/ 6

While we are on the subject of books, oh how I dream of having a library in my house one day!  How amazing are these home libraries?  The book worm in me is swooning over all these beauties.

And because Christmas is right around the corner, here are a few coffee table books on my wishlist  I am hoping to add to my collection (hopefully Santa is reading).

1/ 2/ 3/ 4/ 5/ 6

So please help a sista out and recommend some books for me and my little man!

Happy Monday and almost Halloween!

Green Love Affair

It all started with this picture I pinned a few weeks ago.  I became convinced I needed a pair of hunter green jeans,  so my search began.  I didn't want to spend alot of money but I wanted the pants to be a good fit at the same time.

Low and behold I found the perfect pair at Forever 21.  They are not jeans, more of a cotton blend pant but they are so so comfortable and cute on!  They sit higher on your waist and really kind of suck you in.  I do recommend ordering a size up from what you normally wear because they are pretty fitted.  I ended up with a Medium.  I plan to pair mine with a loose white blouse and knee high boots or TB flats.  They seriously feel like you are wearing pajamas.

{Love 21 Contrast Panel Pants}

So the pants got me started on a green love affair and the more I looked,  the more I realized it is hard to find clothes in Hunter or Emerald Green.  I think those are the two shades of green that are most flattering on everybody.  Why don't more people make stuff in those two colors? 

I rounded up a few of my favorites:

So tell me do you love this shade of green as much as I do?  I am on the hunt for some more pieces but trust me on the pants they are worth the $19!

Have a great weekend!

xoxo

Thoughts For Thursday

I can't tell you how excited I was to see this peek of Jessica and Justin's wedding day on the cover of People.  I really like them together and can't wait to devour this issue.  I think she looks stunning and I read he played the guitar and serenaded her as she walked down the aisle (tear,  so sweet).

Has anyone heard of the Kid Fresh line before?  I stumbled upon this while aimlessly browsing at Harris Teeter yesterday while Sterling was in school- ah the joys of grocery shopping alone.  Anyways it is a kid line that has hidden veggies in the food.  I served Sterling the mac and cheese that had carrots mixed in last night for dinner and he gobbled it up.  Now I know, some of you are thinking you could just puree carrots and do that yourself,  but I am too lazy this is way easier. (Mel this is precisely why your baby food line will rock!)

I just found the perfect little black shift dress (and statement necklace too).    This dress is on its way to me and I just adore it, especially the exposed zipper in the back.  Of course I had to have the necklace to go with it.  Great Fall Outfit.

{Velvet Tara Ponte Dress} and {Kenneth Jay Lane Agate Necklace}

My latest book I am reading from the Library is Andy Cohen's "Most Talkative".  This book has been pretty funny and I have loved all the gossip on the Housewives in it.  If you are obsessed with the Housewives likes me you should check this book out.   It is a great easy breezy read.  Plus how can you not love Andy?

Thanks to my friend Katie I think I found the light fixture for Sterling's room.  She sent me this link from Land of Nod and I am sold.  This light is adorable and super affordable.    It looks similar to the Sputnik but I like that it is a more kid friendly version.
{Up and Atom Chandelier}

I am obsessed with the new Mumford and Sons CD, Babel.  If you loved their first CD you must buy this one.  Every single song is good.  It currently on repeat in my car (I love songs 1,6, and 10).

We got some sad news this week that one of my friends fathers passed away.  It got me thinking alot about things and how we need to really embrace and appreciate our time on Earth for it is fleeting.   We need to tell our families we love them everyday.   It made me realize things quite often don't go the way we had planned them but we have to trust God and his master plan.  I ask for you all to say a little prayer for my sweet friend during this difficult time to give her strength to get through this.