Mexican Dorito Casserole

I am a big fan of all things Mexican.  And if you put Doritos in the title, my interest might be further piqued.  So when I spotted a pin for Mexican Dorito Casserole, I knew I had to try it at least once.......

 Mexican Dorito Casserole

(copied from original source)

2 c. shredded cooked chicken
1 c. shredded cheese
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup sour cream
1 can Ro-tel tomatoes
1/2 packet taco seasoning
bag of Doritos

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except Doritos.
3. In a greased 2 qt baking dish, put a layer of crushed Doritos (about 2 cups), then a layer of the chicken mixture. Repeat once more, ending with a layer of chicken mixture. Top with more shredded cheese, cover, and bake for 30-35 minutes, till bubbling hot.

*   *   *   *

My notes:

• A 2 quart baking dish is roughly a 9 x 9 inch baking dish.  Thank you Google.
• I added some crushed Doritos to the top before I baked it.  
• The mister picked out every last tomato.  (And I thought I was the one who hated cooked tomatoes.)  Soooo next time, I'll forgo the Rotel and add diced green chilis instead.  
• The thought of eating this leftover scared the heck outta me.  All I could think about was soggy chips.  And when I mentioned it to the mister, he was skeptical too.  So I told him I'd test out a tablespoon myself.  So brave.  Well, we were both glad I did, because it was great!   

  

(Annnnd I didn't have to cook that night.)

Linking up with:

Winner Winner

As the coins poured into the machine, and the amount kept increasing, I'm pretty sure my jaw hit the floor........

$64.94?!?

Over $40 in quarters?!  Check out those dimes!

So who had the closest guess without going over?

Jamie!!

With a guess of $51.00! 

Congrats to Jamie!  I'll be sending a Hobby Lobby gift card in the mail this week!!!

Thank you so much to everyone who played along!  I hope you had fun guessing!!!

Happy weekend to you!

Five Things Friday

1.  I used to be so scared to order clothes online.  Now I am almost giddy when I know a package is "out for delivery".  It's like Christmas.  It's even better when it's coral-esque pink skinnies that have been out of stock for a month annnnnd a chevron dress.  Both of which arrived Wednesday.......

2.  Last week, I might have mentioned being one friend away from 100 followers.  Next thing you know, I'm in the triple digits!  Thanks a bunch!  Because of my new friends, I decided to celebrate with a little giveaway!  If you're reading this, and it's not yet noon (CST) on Friday (April 27th) you still have time to enter!!  GO DO IT!  Entries will be taken til then, and I'll announce the big winner tomorrow!  Here's a hint.........

ENTER THE GIVEAWAY

3.  Some feature love happened this week.  One blog linked my Parmesan Honey Pork Roast on their weekly meal plan, and my Crockpot Ravioli was featured on another!  EEEEKKK!

4.  Sir Chester was very needy the other night........and he sort of had a crazed look in his eye.......it might be due to a rare car ride he enjoyed......

5.  STOP THE PRESSES!  Thanks to Nancy, I found another pair of green skinnies this week (Kohl's).  Due to the controversy surrounding my first pair, I was determined to either vindicate those OR find some that were greener.  And as I look at them side by side, I am still not fully convinced that my original pair aren't green.  Maybe a tad on the light turquoisy side, but not full on blue........

first pair                                                                         new pair

But I'll let you be the judge.........

TGIF

17 more days of school!

Thrifting Frenzy

Never-been-worn Montgomery Ward shoes......

$4.98 & $3.98

Mary Janes for me.  Loafers for the booth.

*   *   *   * 

A vintage "Positive Attitude" dress that fits perfectly....

$3.98

But I'm not sure how I feel about the colors, 

so I'm leaning toward putting it in the booth.

*   *   *   *

Randomness.........

*   *   *   *

I bought these only for the frames......

$1.98 each

But now I think I like them.  

Anyone know if they are paint by number?

*   *   *   *

Who doesn't love round frames.......

$0.99 each

I will probably keep these.  

I'm thinking they would be good for DIY silhouettes?

*   *   *   * 

And parting with every single one may prove to be impossible.....

 $10.00 for all three

Do I realllly need an old mailbox?   Probably not.

Do I realllly want to keep one?  Of course.

Linking up with Her Library Adventures.

A Contesty Giveaway - Closed!

This giveaway is now closed!

Thanks to everyone who participated!
 Check out who won! 

The milestone of 100 followers has been reached annnnd surpassed!  Three lovely new friends joined as readers (thank you).  Sooooo it's time for a silly little game!

Some of you may remember when I did this last year.  Well, it's that time again.

It's change jar cashing in time.....

Contest Directions: 

• First, become a follower of This Vintage Grove via Google Friend Connect.  

• Next, make a "how much change is that" prediction in the comments area.  Make sure your email is accessible.....via your profile or in the body of the comment.  

Prize:  The winner gets a $10 Starbucks card ORRR a $10 Hobby Lobby card.  You pick!  Mention your choice in your comment!

Rules:  Your guess has to be closest to the amount without going over.  I'll take guesses all week.  If two folks guess the same amount, and it's the winning amount, the first commenter will come out the victor.  Guessing time will come to a close on Friday, April 27th at noon.  I'll post the amount on Saturday the 28th, along with the lucky winner!  I'll even prove the amount with the receipt from my bank!

Let the guessing begin!!!!

Five (or 6) Things Friday

What.  A.  Week.

1.  I had to attend math training this week which required having a sub in my classroom.  The sub was actually a friend and retired teacher......well-versed in the ways of fourth grade everything.  So I had to laugh when I read through her notes at day's end.  The best being this one.......

(names were changed to protect the not-so-innocent)

2.  My car decided to quit.  Luckily, it was in a parking lot, so I didn't have to be a damsel in distress blocking traffic.  It coasted nicely into a parking spot.  So I rolled the window down, enjoyed the breeze, and played on my phone while the mister (and a tow truck) came to the rescue.  Although it still had to be transported to the mechanic, the mister was able to diagnose the problem.....

(stupid serpentine belt)

3.  Upon getting home from the car fiasco, we sat down with our takeout.  As I got up to go grab my phone, my food took a nosedive.........

(stupid clumsiness)

4.  In cheerier news, a piece of my furniture was featured on a blog I adore!  Jamie from Owl Really asked if I'd like to participate in her "Favorite Find" series.  I was thrilled that she asked!!  Jamie has gone from being a blog crush of mine to becoming a new friend!!!

(go check out Owl Really)

5.  I finalllly got my Birchbox invite!  EEEEKKKK!  I cannot wait to get my first box of goodies!!!

source

6.  Annnnd lastly.  I am one friend away from having 100 followers.  DOUBLE EEEEKKKK!  Major excitement!  Once that milestone is reached, I want to celebrate with a silly little contesty giveaway for my readers!! 

No, contesty is not a word.

A Treasure

You know when you spot something, and it's love at first sight?

Like your heart kind of stops for a second and you have to catch your breath?

That happened last Friday.

At an antique sale.

Pheona's opened for the season.  And the first room I walked into sent me into a frenzy.  I almost didn't care if I walked through the rest of the sale.

Because I spotted an old metal basket on legs.

I pretty much knew immediately that I'd be spending my wad of cash on it.  And that's okay.  Because when you know, you know....

The tag read "egg basket".  But I still wanted to research my find.  So a few clicks later I found an exact replica, down to the same measurements and all......

source

The site claims that it most likely was used for produce or eggs in stores.  The site is selling the above basket for $350.

Mine was $62.

Yessssss!

A little further questioning (of the lovely Sheila) yielded a bit more info.  It had come from a local auction!  Maybe it was even used at an old general store in the area!

Anyway, you might be wondering what I plan on doing with a metal basket that is almost three feet tall.....

• I think it could be used as a hamper in the laundry room!

• Or a plant stand, with a huge fern inside.

• And one day, when I have my large bathroom with a clawfoot tub, maybe it could sit prettily on my white and black honeycomb tile while holding towels.

But really.  Do you really need a specific purpose for something you love?

Linking up with Apron Thrift Girl and...

Crockpot Ravioli

A rainy Sunday calls for domestic escapades galore!  And another tempting pin equals another crockpot recipe to try...

Crockpot Ravioli

(adapted from original source)

1 1/2 lbs. lean ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 can stewed tomatoes 

1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
salt/pepper
10 oz. frozen spinach, thawed

16 oz. bowtie pasta, cooked
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
1 1/2 cup mozzarella, shredded

Brown ground beef with onion and garlic.  Put in crockpot and add sauce, tomatoes, and seasonings. Cook for 6-7 hours on low.  Add the cooked pasta, thawed spinach, and cheese during the last 30 minutes of cooking and turn crockpot to high.  Save some mozzarella to sprinkle on top when served.

 *   *   *   *

This turned out so well.  The mister loved it.  I loved it.  It's a keeper!

My notes:  

• I hate stewed tomatoes, so I left those out.  Instead I added another 8 oz. can of tomato sauce.
• 6 to 7 hours on low was tooooo much.  After about an hour, I turned the dial to "warm" until I was ready to add the remaining ingredients!
• I'm not so sure a crockpot is really necessary.  Next time I think I'll try it without.
• It makes a lot.  I froze a large portion and still had leftovers.

Annnnddd I did not tell the mister that spinach was involved.  He did not ask.  He gobbled it up, none the wiser.

Do I tell him?

Or is it our little secret?

Five Things Friday

1.  For some reason, unbeknownst to me, I decided to prove to my class that I could still turn a cartwheel and do a back-bend the other day.

I woke up the next morning wondering why I was sore.  Then I remembered the stunt from the previous day.

But now I feel like I should prove it to you too.  You only get a back-bend though.....

2.  I won a blog giveaway this week!!  Creator Designs, along with The Vanilla Tulip, hosted a giveaway for a Tervis.  It even arrived by mail the next day.

It would be the perfect water cup.  If only I drank water....

3.  Speaking of drinks, I know what that Tervis will hold.  You know how I'm a Gold Card Holder at Starbucks?  Well, every 15 drinks earns a free handcrafted beverage.  I must have hit the magic number because my free drink postcard arrived in the mail on Monday.

If it's free, you know you better order a Venti.....

4.  My sis let me borrow a book, and I read the whole darn thing in two days.  The movie is coming soon, so I needed to be prepared......

5.  I got a manicure and pedicure with my sis.  Sis was unsure of my choice to not match my toes and fingernails.  The nail tech even said most folks go with the same color.  I was pretty firm in my decision though, so I couldn't be talked out of it.  Therefore, I have purple-ish toes and pinkish fingers.  Is that bad? 

Have I broken some rule that I didn't know about?

Come on.  You can tell me.

Life as a Thrifter

On any given day, my car will look like this......

Because I'm constantly in search of merchandise for my booth.

It's like a revolving door.

Things come home to be cleaned, priced, or hoarded.

Then they might end up back in the car to be added to the booth.

When I'm thrifting, I have specific items that I like to spy.  Here are my five favorite things I keep my eyes peeled for....

1.  Frames, mirrors, or pictures.  Plain old frames and mirrors fly outta my booth like hotcakes!  I usually give them a little color before putting them in my booth.  Spray paint is my best friend. 

If I do same color groupings, the stuff usually sells as a set!!

2.  Vintage suitcases and carry-on cases.  Can't keep these in my booth either.  But I also sort of have my own collection of them.  If they are light green or red, they are staying at home with me.

Found the suitcase for $2.50.  The carry-on was $2.25.

3.  Textiles in the form of vintage napkins, towels, or tablecloths.  And afghans or pillows.  I have quite the stockpile of vintage tablecloths.  And vintage pillows cause my heart to skip a few beats.

Fifty cents for the feedsack fabric (both pieces).  Pillow...$1.98!!!!

4.  Kitchenware:  Pyrex, Fire King, and ironstone.  The booth loves all of these things.  So do I.  Therefore, I must limit my hoarding.  I try to focus my Pyrex and Fire King collections:  Turquoise Butterprint Pyrex and Jadite Fire King.  All others go to the booth....

Pyrex casserole.......$3.98

5.  Skirts.  This new addiction started more recently.  Skirts are easy to alter.  And vintage pleated skirts are irresistible. 

It has belt loops!  Only $1.30!

I do not limit myself to these five categories.  I have tons of weaknesses.  In fact, the mister banned me from buying lamps or mirrors unless they are going into the booth.

I have a hard time separating my love for my finds from the practicality of putting them in my booth.

It's a work in progress.


Linking up with Her Library Adventures and Apron Thrift Girl.

Five Things Friday

What a long short week!  

We only had school four days, but it sure felt like six or seven.

I know why.  Three words:  state achievement testing.

And maybe two more words:  spring fever.

Anyway.

This week I.....

1.   Had the most viewed recipe on a blog hop I linked up with.  These features catch me by surprise!  I get so excited!  

recipe

2.   Made a new soup recipe.  I pinned this recipe awhile back.  Schlager beat me to making it and convinced me it was necessary despite the warmer temps.  She was right.  Creamy Tomato Tortellini Soup.  Make it!

 

recipe

3.  Broke out the best teacher t-shirt ever.  It's an annual event.  Every year, on the first day of testing, Whit and I wear them....

#2 is #1 if you're a pencil!

4.  Bought a vintage dress via a blog I love.  She wrote about a clothing swap she attended.  Pictures of her finds included.  I asked if the dress was for sale.  It was.  It also happened to be my size.  And it'll be on my doorstep in a few days.

image source

5.  Joined the world of Instagram.  The app was finally made available for Androids.  EEEKKK!  So excited.  Although I have yet to take a photo.  I've had it less than 24 hours.  I'm "thisvintagegrove" if you care to follow me!

image source

Luckily,  I'm staring a three day weekend square in the eye.  I bet there will be lots of chances to try out my new camera app.  

And I welcome any Instagram tips or pointers you'd like to throw my way!

Oh, and Happy Easter!

Boothiversary

It's time to celebrate one year as a booth owner!!  According to my inventory, I put my first items in Relics on April 2, 2011.

It started out as an adventure for four.  Then about six months in, two of us moved into our own separate spaces.

Now, here I am six more months in and celebrating my boothiversary!

A year ago, I didn't know if I'd make it til Christmas.  And now I'm buying up Christmas things to save for next holiday season.

And speaking of buying things, welllll, I've been at it again.

A perfect vintage Wilendur dogwood tablecloth in my favorite color....

$3.98.........I'm adding it to my tablecloth collection.

An afghan in shades of gray....

$3.98........It's perfect for my spare bedroom.

A child's desk chair.....

$2.49.......Too cute to sell!!??

Another afghan in lovely browns....

$5.98........Leaning toward keeping....

And a framed floral print....

$2.98..........Keeping, keeping, keeping.

Here I am talking about my boothiversary, and I'm planning on keeping all of these items! 

I swear I buy things for the booth too.  In fact, I'd like to prove it to you.

Check out my brand new Facebook page!  Where I plan to post pictures of my booth items regularly!

Maybe that will convince you I don't hoard every single thrifted find.

Just the best ones.



Linking up with Her Library Adventures and Apron Thrift Girl!