Friday, July 17, 2020

Crispy Vegan Potato Tacos

In an effort to document our family's favorite recipes, especially for later in life when my grown children want to reminisce about childhood and the smells coming from the kitchen, I thought I would start blogging about some of our frequent go-to meals.

This recipe has quickly become a family favorite. The creamy jalapeno cilantro sauce is what really makes it. With 2 adult kids, and 4 quickly on their way to adult-ing, this recipe feeds an army (If you double it. Which I do, of course.) on the cheap. I can't take the credit for this one. I'm thankful for Rene over at The Savory Vegan for providing such a gem (https://www.thissavoryvegan.com/crispy-vegan-potato-tacos-with-jalapeno-cilantro-sauce/).

These Crispy Vegan Potato Tacos with Jalapeño Cilantro Sauce are filled with beans, crispy potatoes, crunchy lettuce and the best sauce | ThisSavoryVegan.com #thissavoryvegan #vegantacos #tacotuesday

CRISPY VEGAN POTATO TACOS 
These Crispy Vegan Potato Tacos with Jalapeño Cilantro Sauce are filled with beans, crispy potatoes, crunchy lettuce and the best sauce.
prep time:15 MINS
cook time:30 MINS
total time:45 MINS

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 lb potatoes chopped
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 bell pepper chopped
  • 2 tbsp taco seasoning
  • 15 oz can black beans drained and rinsed
  • 15 oz can refried beans
  • 8 taco-sized flour tortillas
  • 2 cups lettuce chopped
  • 2 avocados diced
  • Jalapeño Cilantro Sauce*
  • cilantro, limes for serving

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Add the chopped potatoes to a large pot and cover with water. Bring the water to a boil and cook potatoes until fork tender (approximately 15-20 minutes). Drain the potatoes.
  • Heat olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add the bell pepper, potatoes and taco seasoning to the pan and toss to combine. Press the potatoes down into the pan and turn heat to medium.** Allow potatoes to cook for 5-7 minutes without touching them. Lift a corner of the potatoes with a spatula – if crispy, flip and cook for an additional 5 minutes. 
  • While the potatoes are cooking add the black beans and refried beans to a pan over medium heat. Stir to combine. Once heated through, turn heat to low.
  •  Prepare the Jalapeño Cilantro Sauce according to the instructions and set aside.
  •  Wrap the tortillas in a paper towel and heat them in the microwave for 30 seconds. 
  • To assemble, add a layer of beans to each tortilla followed by potatoes, lettuce, avocado and Jalapeño Cilantro Sauce. Serve with cilantro and lime wedges.


INGREDIENTS

Jalapeño Cilantro Dipping Sauce

  • 1-2 jalapeños to taste
  • 1 bunch cilantro
  • 2 garlic cloves peeled
  • 1 lime juiced
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1/4-1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1/2 cup vegan mayo
  • salt to taste

Instructions

  • Add all of the ingredients to a food processor (start with 1/4 cup of olive oil and add more if needed). Blend on high. Scrape down the sides and blend again. Taste and adjust salt as needed.
3 Vegan Dipping Sauces - Sriracha Mayo, Jalapeño Cilantro and Honey Mustard | ThisSavoryVegan.com #thissavoryvegan #dip #vegandip

Monday, March 26, 2018

Agent Peggy Carter

Emily in character as Agent Peggy Carter from Captain America. She sewed this costume herself and we had an impromptu photo shoot at an old nearby airport. Cosplay is her new hobby. She's so happy with the way it came out and I can't stop staring at my gorgeous girl! She's already got the next costume in production...standby! 















Monday, April 24, 2017

Oh, The Places You'll Go!

BREE CHOOSES UC Santa Cruz.! 

Bittersweet tears have been shed.

Am I sad ....OF COURSE!

Am I happy for her... ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY!

 My baby is moving away and will live in the dorms on campus. I'm so excited for her and blessed to have a daughter so driven and self motivated. She knows where she wants to go, she knows what she wants to do, and she does it. There is no stopping her. I think I've taught her well. I can't help but think of Dr. Seuss's book, oh the Places You'll Go. I swear it feels like yesterday that I read this to her, now she's acting it out.

Reflecting upon my own academic journey... I'll be finishing my graduate program with my Master's degree in the same semester my oldest is beginning her undergrad. CRAZY!!!

Never stop learning!


We watched her go to prom this year, get her first job, become the official uber driver for her siblings, accept a leadership role in church, and still maintain her 3.9 GPA. She'll be graduating high school with high honors next month.

Bree, I'm so proud of the young woman you are and I know, without a doubt, I'll be just as proud of the woman you'll be when you're my age. You'll get sidetracked sometimes, you'll take detours other times, sometimes you'll win and sometimes you'll lose... when this happens, I give you permission to sulk, but not for too long. Get back up, dust yourself off, and show them all there's still fight left in you. Whatever you are,  whatever you choose to be (teacher, mother, politician, garbage man [lady]) ... be the best damn one there is.

And remember... mama loves you.

And you can always re-read Dr.Seuss's words when you begin to doubt yourself  (He's long winded, I summed it up above for you. But, he gets paid for this and I don't 😛. )


Today is your day.
You're off to Great Places!
You're off and away!

You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself 
any direction you choose.
You're on your own. And you know what you know.
And YOU are the guy (GIRL) who'll decide where to go.


You'll look up and down streets. Look 'em over with care.
About some you will say, "I don't choose to go there."
With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet, 
you're too smart to go down any not-so-good street.

And you may not find any
you'll want to go down.
In that case, of course,
you'll head straight out of town.

It's opener there
in the wide open air.

Out there things can happen
and frequently do
to people as brainy
and footsy as you.

And then things start to happen,
don't worry. Don't stew.
Just go right along.
You'll start happening too.

OH!
THE PLACES YOU'LL GO!

You'll be on your way up!
You'll be seeing great sights!
You'll join the high fliers
who soar to high heights.

You won't lag behind, because you'll have the speed.
You'll pass the whole gang and you'll soon take the lead.
Wherever you fly, you'll be best of the best.
Wherever you go, you will top all the rest.

Except when you don't.
Because, sometimes, you won't.

I'm sorry to say so
but, sadly, it's true
that Bang-ups
and Hang-ups
can happen to you.

You can get all hung up
in a prickle-ly perch.
And your gang will fly on.
You'll be left in a Lurch.

You'll come down from the Lurch
with an unpleasant bump.
And the chances are, then,
that you'll be in a Slump.

And when you're in a Slump,
you're not in for much fun.
Un-slumping yourself
is not easily done.

You will come to a place where the streets are not marked.
Some windows are lighted. But mostly they're darked.
A place you could sprain both your elbow and chin!
Do you dare to stay out? Do you dare to go in?
How much can you lose? How much can you win?

And IF you go in, should you turn left or right...
or right-and-three-quarters? Or, maybe, not quite?
Or go around back and sneak in from behind?
Simple it's not, I'm afraid you will find,
for a mind-maker-upper to make up his mind.

You can get so confused
that you'll start in to race
down long wiggled roads at a break-necking pace
and grind on for miles cross weirdish wild space,
headed, I fear, toward a most useless place.
The Waiting Place...

...for people just waiting.
Waiting for a train to go
or a bus to come, or a plane to go
or the mail to come, or the rain to go
or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow
or the waiting around for a Yes or No
or waiting for their hair to grow.
Everyone is just waiting.

Waiting for the fish to bite
or waiting for the wind to fly a kite
or waiting around for Friday night
or waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jake
or a pot to boil, or a Better Break
or a string of pearls, or a pair of pants
or a wig with curls, or Another Chance.
Everyone is just waiting.

NO!
That's not for you!

Somehow you'll escape
all that waiting and staying
You'll find the bright places
where Boom Bands are playing.

With banner flip-flapping,
once more you'll ride high!
Ready for anything under the sky.
Ready because you're that kind of a guy!

Oh, the places you'll go! There is fun to be done!
There are points to be scored. There are games to be won.
And the magical things you can do with that ball
will make you the winning-est winner of all.
Fame! You'll be as famous as famous can be,
with the whole wide world watching you win on TV.

Except when they don't
Because, sometimes they won't.

I'm afraid that some times
you'll play lonely games too.
Games you can't win
'cause you'll play against you.

All Alone!
Whether you like it or not,
Alone will be something
you'll be quite a lot.

And when you're alone, there's a very good chance
you'll meet things that scare you right out of your pants.
There are some, down the road between hither and yon,
that can scare you so much you won't want to go on.

But on you will go
though the weather be foul.
On you will go
though your enemies prowl.
On you will go
though the Hakken-Kraks howl.
Onward up many
a frightening creek,
though your arms may get sore
and your sneakers may leak.

On and on you will hike,
And I know you'll hike far
and face up to your problems
whatever they are.

You'll get mixed up, of course,
as you already know.
You'll get mixed up 
with many strange birds as you go.
So be sure when you step.
Step with care and great tact
and remember that Life's 
a Great Balancing Act.
Just never foget to be dexterous and deft.
And never mix up your right foot with your left.

And will you succeed?
Yes! You will, indeed!
(98 and 3/4 percent guaranteed.)

KID, YOU'LL MOVE MOUNTAINS!

So...
be your name Brianna or Breezy or Bree
or Mordecai Ali Van Allen O'Shea,
You're off to Great Places!
Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting.
So...get on your way!




Thursday, February 2, 2017

C is for College

Bree is headed for college. She got accepted into her first choice!!! CBU..... with the highest academic scholarships she could possibly receive! Proud Mama over here. I'm so excited for her. I'm also anxious to hear back from the other colleges that we've applied to. Life is going by so quick, before I know it, all my babies will have left the nest. What's a mom to do???? .....1 kid down 5 more to go!

Wednesday, December 28, 2016

Happy New Year ...

Happy Christmas is over!  Time to financially recover.  :/  Looking forward to everything 2017 holds. 

Tuesday, December 6, 2016

LeMelle Christmas Party -2016

Every year my parents host a festive Christmas party in early December. Through the years the party has grown in size. People get married, have babies, sometimes get divorced, and then have more babies. In other words, the number of attendees has increased so much so that we no longer fit in my parent's home.  This is the first year we moved it to an outside location. The larger venue fit us perfect, but the closeness and intimacy of us being squeezed in the cozy, warm garage amongst family and friends wasn't there. Nonetheless, it was still so special to celebrate this month with my sweet cousins, aunts, uncles, and family friends.  That's what Christmas is all about... oh, and Uncle Vic's Gumbo too!
Merry Christmas from the LeMelle's and the Mejia's!!!

Side note: wish I took more pictures, but I was too busy running around being a social butterfly!

Monday, November 21, 2016

Sarah Ties The Knot!!!

I'm a few months behind because life is so busy right now. Back in early September, our huge LeMelle Family and the Velasco Family traveled up to Flagstaff, Arizona to watch Sarah and Jorge say "I DO." The whole weekend was magical and I cried like a baby watching my baby 'sister' get married. I was so honored to be part of the day from helping her get ready, getting our nails done, toasting with champagne all morning, giving a speech at the reception, and most importantly, holding her dress up while she peed! Megan was the prettiest flower girl I've seen in a long time and Ben did well with his bride introduction. Sarah was the most stunning bride I've ever laid eyes on...aside from myself ;).... There's not much else I can say about the weekend because words won't do it justice. Congratulations Sarah and Jorge!!! I love you both so much!