I've missed you!

Ok today is a day of firsts.

First for the year - woke up at 4:30 AM on purpose.
First for my life - I attended a Camp Gladiator class (see above - ugh).
First for my life - I've just applied to teach a cooking class for my town during the next Recreational catalog offering for Fall!
First for way too long - adding a blog entry :( I feel like I've lost so much momentum due to corporate travel and just life.

My son is on two indoor soccer teams which eat up two nights for practices and a lot of time on Saturdays. Household chores, cooking and just being eat up most of the rest. My dear friend who I walked ALOT of miles with just moved to Ohio recently and my workouts went with her and I'm ashamed about that. Its time to straighten up and fly right, as a friend of mine once said.

So that said - COOKING CLASS!!! "Cooking Remedies from The Remedy Cook!" Woot f**king Hoo!! Sorry - I'm excited and they haven't even officially excepted it yet. But they do not have anything like that being offered so I have a good chance. I expect all my homies to sign up if they except me!

And I get to practice at home on July 29th when I host a Pampered Chef party BBQ style. Yes its a hostess party and yes its multilevel marketing but its COOKING and FOOD and DRINKS and no one cares if you buy anything or not. Well *I* certainly don't. If you didn't get an invite and want one, please post a comment!

More to come on the class!! And I promise to post a recipe - soon.

A side dish to go with my leftover Tamales...

So I haven't posted about my tamale making experience yet or my first dutch oven experience. I had to travel two weeks out of the month of December, one being right before Christmas and I've been busy with other stuff but my mind is always on food and this place here that I never get to visit when I want to. Sundays I try to make something easy and each time I find myself saying "Yeah, I should kick it up by doing this." Then I say, "nah."

So last night I take the last of my leftover Tamales and need to figure out a side dish. This is what I came up with. It will take you longer to read the post then to assemble.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Pie Pan
Can of Fat Free refried beans
Can of black beans, rinsed and drained.
2 Roma tomatoes - diced
1/4 cup of salsa
1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese, can be reduced fat but fat free doesn't melt well.
2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese - Regular or reduced fat.
salt and pepper to taste
Scallion or spring onion for garnish.

Spray the bottom and sides of pie pan
Spread re-fried beans on to bottom of pie pan
Spread rinsed and drained beans on top.
Bake in 400 degree oven for 15 minutes to warm through.
Mix diced tomatoes with salsa salt and pepper.
Spread over beans and place in oven for another 10 minutes.
Reduce heat to 350
Top with cheese.
Return to oven until cheese is melted through but not browned
Top with chopped scallion or green onion to taste or preferences.

I put a spatula of this next to my tamales - yum.