crissycates.com

Living life on purpose.

  • BLOG
  • COUNSELING

Supper Suggestion: Sizzlin’ Taco Soup

April 8, 2018

Once again, North Texas betrayed us this week and regressed back to winter temps. Booooo. Just when I break out the self-tanner and sundresses, BOOM! It’s 30 degrees again. But, you know what they say about Texas: if you don’t like the weather, stick around a few days and it will change completely! #truestory

This week’s Supper Suggestion was born out of the desire to warm our insides with a hot meal. We LOVE taco soup, chili, etc. around here, so we don’t always wait to have a good excuse to make it, but when we do, it. is. on. This taco soup is my own recipe, thrown together in different variations each time based on what I have on hand. This way is pretty spicy (which we like)! If you need to tone it down for kids you can omit the spicier ingredients and use less taco seasoning.

Here’s the recipe I (mostly) stick to:

SIZZLIN’ TACO SOUP Print Version

Ingredients (double to have extra for leftovers and to freeze for a later date!)

1 lb ground beef

Taco Seasoning to taste (I make my own – recipe found here)

1 tsp red pepper flakes for extra spice

28 oz can diced tomatoes

Small can diced green chilies

1 red bell pepper, finely chopped

1 green bell pepper, finely chopped

1/2 large onion or 1 small onion, finely chopped

Fritos and shredded cheddar for serving

Instructions

In a large pot, brown the ground beef and season it with taco seasoning. Use however much you’d like. More for spicier and less for milder! (Don’t add salt if you’re using a lot of taco seasoning, because it will turn out too salty!)

Add the diced tomatoes,  green chilies, red pepper, green pepper, and onion. (I slice the peppers and onion and put those in a food chopper to make them verrrry fine. Like almost puree. I love to have the flavor of them in the soup without having large chunks of peppers and onion. YUM.)

**NOTE: You can add more or less peppers, red pepper flakes, etc to get the desired flavor! 

Let this mixture get nice and bubbly, then let it simmer on low for as long as you’d like. The longer, the better! I usually let ours simmer 2-3 hours (unless we’re starving to death). Serve hot with plenty of shredded cheddar and Fritos!

VERDICT:

Me: Ohhh yeah. This is one of my absolute favorite things to eat. The leftovers are even better! AND it’s perfect for freezing! All the wins.

Hubs: LOVES IT. He loves when I make this and wants there to be tons of leftovers so he can have it multiple times.

11 & 7-Year-Olds: My 11-year-old is totally down with the spice and he loves this. My 7-year-old, not so much. He does like taco soup when I make it on the less spicy side.

2-year-old: No, I would never try to feed him a spicy taco soup. 😉

Leftovers: I LOVE to double (or triple) this recipe to have plenty of leftovers for the next day(s) and freeze some for another time!

LABELS ~ Food

SHARE >>

Easy Verse Memorization: An Essential Tool for You and Your Kids

March 26, 2018

As a kid raised in an old Baptist church (we were there every time the doors were open), I’m pretty sure I was born knowing John 3:16 by heart. I remember being shocked when dating my husband and he told me he didn’t have that verse memorized. (What a heathen he is.) Having said that, I can’t say I continued on the path of scripture memorization as I grew older. I never grasped the value it holds until I became an adult and realized the impact of having those verses inscribed on my heart to guide me.

The Bible relays to us that memorizing scripture is kind of a big deal.

These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. Deuteronomy 6:4-9

I should not only be memorizing scripture myself, but also (and especially) be teaching my children to memorize scripture. If they don’t learn it while they’re young, they will miss out on the many blessings and comfort it provides. If it’s a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path (Psalm 119:105), we certainly should not rob ourselves and our children of such a tool.VIEW POST

LABELS ~ Calling, Faith, Family

SHARE >>

Supper Suggestion: Tuscan Garlic Chicken

March 25, 2018

If you’re anything like me, finding a simple, real food dinner suggestion is like hitting the jackpot! If I add a new winning recipe to my repertoire each week, I feel like I’m doing a-okay at the whole “feeding my family” thing.

I’m going to set aside Sundays each week to share with you one new recipe my family has tried and loved that week. These are guaranteed to be:

  • Real food (nothing out of a box)
  • Real and simple ingredients
  • Easy to make
  • Tested and approved by me and my family

Here’s this week’s find:VIEW POST

LABELS ~ Food

SHARE >>
  • « Previous Page
  • 1
  • …
  • 10
  • 11
  • 12
  • 13
  • 14
  • …
  • 19
  • Next Page »

Hi, I’m Crissy!

called and capable, crissy cates, woman on steps, counselor, mental health

My fascination with psychology and mental health and my passion for healthy people and cohesive families drove me to become a licensed Mental Health Counselor. Knowing who you are and where you come from, sharing your story, being heard and understood, and acknowledging and working through life's ups and downs will make all the difference in your life and that of those around you. If you need someone to walk alongside you, reach out via the counseling tab above.

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

LOOKING FOR SOMETHING?

CATEGORIES

  • Calling
  • Faith
  • Family
  • Food
  • Uncategorized

ARCHIVES

POPULAR POSTS

energize your marriage

Eleven Ways to Energize Your Marriage

5 Ways a Busy Mom Can Be Present

A Speck on a Rug

Know Better. Do Better.

So, This is 35 Years Old

FACEBOOK INSTAGRAM

© 2018 CRISSY CATES