Update From the Tex-Mex Kitchen

Yesterday was Day Two of my quest to cook stuff out of the Tex-Mex Cookbook. And when I put it that way... the quest seems a little lame. Whatever! It's no secret that I'm not an expert in the kitchen, so even attempting a new recipe is a big deal for me. Presenting...

Still working on my food photography skills. It was way more appetizing than it looks.

Chili Mac! The recipe was super easy, helped me get rid of some pantry stuff I've had around forever (ahem, elbow macaroni), and I even successfully upped the ante by making my own taco seasoning. Granted, buying the spices to stock the cabinet made it the most expensive taco seasoning ever, especially considering I could have bought the generic brand packet for mere pennies. But now that I have the paprika, onion powder, etc etc, I can make it anytime for a fraction of the pre-packaged cost. Along with super easy, it was super tasty. Surprisingly spicy. Will be a great go-to dish on a cold, winter night. Matt said he would definitely eat it again, which is pretty much how I judge the success of a recipe. So it's on the keeper list. Next up, I might just have to try those Mexican Wedding Cookies. Baking makes me nervous around Violet, because something in an oven must be paid attention to. But maybe this weekend...

Aside: In the comments, Kristin offered to send me her recipe for Pasta Yum and Chicken Awesome. Um, yes please! With names like those, you can't go wrong! Seriously, I gotta start naming things like this. This is my Cake Delish! Try my Margarita Tomorrow's Hangover! I'll try them (Kristin's recipes, not mine) and report back. And if they're not Awesome or Yum, well, I'm sure the fault will be entirely mine.

 Wearing Uncle Lukas' hat and lookin' good!

In other news, I'm very excited because I just got contacted by the magazine I used to work for, Fayette Woman, and asked to write another freelance story! Yay! I wrote my first one for them last month and I guess it was good enough that they want another one. (Actually, the editor wrote and said I did a "wonderful job" to be exact.) It's weird... I used to be the editor there and do exactly what the current editor is doing now. To be on the other side is a little strange. But the good news is, having worked on the inside for so long, I feel like I know exactly what they're looking for. Plus, if this blog didn't make it obvious enough, I love writing. I'd like to think I'm pretty good at it. I'd love to one day make lots and lots of money off of it. But for now, I'm happy to scribble a couple stories here and there.

It is so nice to have something outside of being a mommy. Not that being a mommy isn't the number one most important and favorite job I'll ever have. But for just a few minutes while I interview an expert or brainstorm an opening paragraph, it's like I have a window open to another world. Through that window, there's a refreshing breeze blowing and colors mixing up together into a delicious kaleidoscope. It's a little reminder that life is moving by outside the bubble of my Violet-world, and that life out there isn't so bad. It's nice to keep the writing skills honed, to know I can still do it when it's for more than just my own pleasure. Writing that first article (due out in the September issue, FYI) was like sticking my favorite writing utensil into the pencil sharpener. What was once a dull, soft point become sharp once again, whittled to a fine edge. It's the same way I feel when I read a really good book. It reminds me that the world is bigger than the four walls of my house and the routine of our day. It's that open window again, the fleeting glimpse, the lingering taste of sweet on the tip of your tongue. We all need reminders like that from time to time.