Chili-Beef-Stuffed Zucchini

Ingredients

4 zucchini, halved lengthwise and seeded

2 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

¾ pound ground beef

1 tsp ground cumin

salt and pepper

2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped

1 cup jarred pickled jalapeño chiles, finely chopped

1 (8-oz) bag Mexican-style shredded cheese

View full reInstructions

Preheat oven to 450°. Arrange the zucchini cut side up in a 9x13-inch baking dish. Add ½ cup water to dish, cover with foil and bake until the zucchini begins to soften, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the beef and cumin and cook, breaking the meat up, until just browned, about 4 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Stir in the tomatoes and pickled jalapeños.

Uncover the baking dish, pour off the water and season the zucchini with salt. Fill with the beef mixture and sprinkle the cheese on top. Bake, uncovered, until the cheese is melted, about 10 minutes.

National News Happening Down the Street

When driving home from the gym, I saw a black cloud of smoke near our house, but as a I got closer to home, I couldn't see it any longer. About 45 minutes later I saw the news of the plane crash on television. I just wanted to give you an idea of how close our house is to where it happened. The business park is less than a .5-mile walk from our house. Mom and I walked down to see which building it was but otherwise there was not a lot to see, because you can only approach on foot from the back. There were many emergency vehicles and employees from the building standing around. Honestly, everyone looked a little bored after a few hours of waiting around. It is good news that not many people were injured.

Mom and Dad's anniversary flowers

The Video

Today is Katherine's 8th Birthday! She got a flipvideo from her parents, and thanks to Kellie's help, we are posting our first homemade video of Katherine opening gifts.
Enjoy!

I'm still working on it - I can't get the video to upload!

Winter Wonderland

We had 3 inches of snow last night. The birds were very demanding. I had too go out for a suet cake for my woodpecker. Hopefully I'll catch a photo tomorrow. Am trying some different settings on my camera. Shooting the birds through the windows do not make for the best pictures. Watching the Surrogate. The jury is still out on this one. It's a good night to hunker down under the blankets and keep warm. Sammy is snoozing. Now that I know how to post a photo, his may be next.

For all those lost fans, google Lost the Transmission for interesting weekly podcasts. This group has been transmitting since at least 2007. Love their insights. They are a couple in Hawaii. Can't wait to see how it is all tied together.

For those of your disappointed by the new flavors of the Necco sweethearts, do not fret. Target carries Brach's version. The traditional flavors we grew up loving.

Take care and keep you posted.