Loving This Wednesday

I haven't done a What I'm Loving Wednesday in a while so I thought "why not?"

I'm loving these chips. They've changed my life. It sounds dramatic, but it's true.

Source: fritolay.com via Megan on Pinterest

I was never a big fan of the kettle cooked potato chips but these changed my mind. I may or may not have eaten these at 7 a.m. on a Saturday morning.

I'm loving that my baby sister hosted a Houseparty last weekend featuring Breakstone's Zesty Blends sour cream and sour cream dips. She had some yummy appetizers featuring the Zesty Blends Chipotle and Garlic and Herb sour creams.

Baby Sister made our Aunt Peggy's famous taco dip with the Chipotle Sour Cream and it gave the dip a nice kick.

Even more than the food, I enjoyed an evening with my family in the home that I used to visit my grandparents in...now home to my baby sister and her family. 


I'm loving a conversation I had with some friends the other night. One of them recently lost her brother to a long battle with cancer. For his obituary and memorial photo, they used one of him in his mid-twenties because that is what he'll look like in heaven (when you get to heaven you revert to the age/look of your best self). I guess this thought is from a book that I must find and read soon. I LOVE the idea, just absolutely love it.

I'm loving all the great things on Pinterest...especially my board dedicated to Butterflies!

Source: butterfly-magic.net via Megan on Pinterest

Source: polkadot-butterfly.tumblr.com via Megan on Pinterest

I'm loving that I'm getting to walk more often these days. I don't think my pace would be considered "exercise" by most, but I sweat while I walk so it's exercise to me!

Source: diethoroscopes.tumblr.com via Megan on Pinterest

Walking Tacos at the Supper Table

My mom called me early Saturday morning while my older sister and I were out Christmas shopping (we left home at 6:45 am...yikes) and told me she decided that the whole family was gathering at her house that evening and we were having taco salad for supper. She then asked me to pick up the ingredients - other than hamburger (that comes from the freezer) - to complete the meal.

Now, I'm going to admit something here...I am NOT a salad lover. I enjoy a good spinach salad, especially when you add bacon, but other than that I try to avoid salad.

So, I was a bit confused when I was chosen for this assignment. Then after a bit more discussion, I realized that she wanted me to make what I call "walking tacos." Now this dish usually includes lettuce and tomatoes and I guess if you go heavy on those two items, it CAN be considered a salad...but I never have, so I don't!

This is a very easy meal to whip up and there really is no recipe but I'll take you through the process.

First, if you have a house full of people when you are starting your meal prep, set out some quick and easy appetizers. we went for an array of delicious Fair Oaks Farms cheeses, like Provolone, Asiago, Muenster and Butterkase (I think).

Great way to quiet the masses so you can work in peace. Don't forget to snag some for yourself, you'll need to energy since you are the one cooking.

 Next, brown some hamburger. We cooked up two pounds for our meal (and it was just enough).

See that cool tool, that's a Pampered Chef item that my mom cannot live without. Rumor has it that I may be getting one for Christmas...hmmm.

 After your hamburger is cooked and drained (ours is so lean that we seldom have to drain it), put it back on the stove and add a packet (or two) of taco seasoning mix. Cook as directed on the seasoning packet.

While the hamburger is cooking, you (or a helper) can prep any toppings that you like on your tacos. I just had Baby Sister cut up a head of iceberg lettuce. The grocery store didn't have any nice looking tomatoes so I opted for a jar of chunky salsa instead. You can also dice up some onions but since I don't really like them, I didn't worry about it...too bad for those in the family that do - they should have helped!

Now, here's where I think this dish is a bit different. Grab a can or two of chili beans (with sauce) and heat those up - I just dump the can in a bowl and microwave them. I also grabbed a pouch of black beans in a traditional Mexican sauce from the store that morning and heated that up as well.

When everything is ready, set up an assembly line starting with...

either corn chips or tortilla chips...if you want to go crazy, grab the Chili Cheese Fritos. Crunch those up as your base then add the hamburger and beans. Top with your choice of lettuce, tomatoes, salsa, sour cream, cheese...the possibilities are endless.

This is a great meal for kids because they can crunch up the chips and build their own plate.

Now, I had a great photo of my brother-in-law's plate. He masterfully put together a beautiful example of this meal...unfortunately I couldn't find the photo when it was time to do this post.

I do have this photo of what was left of the meal...



As you can see, we may have to bump it up to three pounds of hamburger as the nephews get older!

Will be linking up to Hunk of Meat Monday over at Beyer Beware later today!

Linking up to some other fun Monday parties, including...
Making Friends Monday
Follow Us Monday Morning


I received a fan pack from Frito-Lay that included the Tositos chips above. No other compensation has been received. This post is based on my own honest and uninfluenced opinions and experiences.

Fan of Frito-Lay...Chips Made in Indiana

I love salty snacks. I love them so much that I don't normally keep them in the house because I've been known to eat a bag in one sitting.

Recently, I joined the Frito-Lay Fan Program and as luck would have it, I was enjoying a bag of Lay's Cheddar Sour Cream potato chips when my Frito-Lay Fan Pack came in the mail! Unfortunately the photo I took of the very cool reusable shopping bag, chip clip, water bottle, coupon for a free bag of chips (yeah) and, of course, chips is lost somewhere (maybe on my laptop but probably on my camera) so just close your eyes and imagine a great looking presentation.

I would normally just re-take the photo but I've since eaten the chips! Because...

Now I heart Frito-Lay for more reasons than just their yummy potato and corn chips...

I appreciate the fact that one of their largest production facilities (where they make the chips!) is just up the road in Frankfort, Ind. I know that they make a lot of their "specialty" chips up there so it's cool to grab a bag of Sun Chips and think that my neighbors played a part in making them.

I recognize that they are a major employer of Hoosiers and a wonderful part of their community in Frankfort.

I love that they feature actual farmers in their new TV ads that show us that Frito-Lay gets its potatoes from farms across the US.

I feel better eating their chips because the ingredient list on many of their bags is short. Some chips just have three ingredients: potatoes or corn, all-natural oils and salt.

I love that they offer a Lightly Salted line of chips. I know they still not a health food, but they contain 50 percent less sodium (salt) than their regular counterparts.

That's a lot of reasons to love Frito-Lay, huh?

Now, I didn't just devour all of the yummy chips myself. I took the bag of Tostitos Scoops, along with a purchasued by of Frito's Corn Chips, with me to my folks' house this weekend where I prepared supper (dinner to some of you) for my whole family...all nine adults and five children (well, really four kids because my niece is just a couple of months old)!

I made a version of walking tacos that was yummy! Stay tuned for the recipe tomorrow when I hook up with Leah over at Beyer Beware for her "Hunk of Meat Monday" blog hop.

I received a fan pack from Frito-Lay. No other compensation has been received. This post is based on my own honest and uninfluenced opinions and experiences.