This is one of my favorite recipes, mostly because it is one of my favorite flavor combinations; cilantro and lime. In addition to tasting great it also freezes and reheats well. Any recipe that serves my monster family for more than one meal is a big winner. It comes from Pennies On A Platter, still my favorite food blog.

My photos are craptastic. I don’t know how to use the camera. Sorry.

Baked Chicken Taquitos
Barely Adapted from Pennies on a Platter
Ingredients

3 Oz. Cream Cheese, softened

1/4 Cup Green Salsa or Green Taco Sauce

1 Tbsp. Lime Juice

1/2 Tsp. Ground Cumin

1 Tsp. Chili Powder

1/2 Tsp. Onion Powder

2 Cloves Garlic, minced

3 Tbsp. Cilantro, chopped

3 Green Onions, chopped

2 Cups Chicken, cooked and chopped

1 Cup Monterey Jack Cheese, shredded

12 Snack Size Flour Tortillas (or more)

Combine the first seven ingredients. Add in everything else, except the tortillas. It’s not a casserole silly!

Once everything is combined, put a few tablespoons of the mixture in each tortilla. Just eyeball it. This is one of those recipes that works without having to measure anything. That’s awesome because it means you don’t have to wash the measuring stuff. Yay. My husband doesn’t wash measuring cups or spoons unless they are used for liquid. It’s gross. I swear I will never forgive his mother for teaching him that. That’s why I love this recipe, I don’t have to pick up a measuring spoon that is covered in cinnamon or salt or whatever he used last. If I make this every night we’ll probably stay married forever.

As you fill the tortillas, roll them up and place them on a baking sheet, seam-side-down. Spray them lightly with cooking spray. I use one of those pump jobbies with olive oil in it. You could use Pam, but it has propane in it. Seriously, check the ingredients.

Bake them in a 425 degree oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown. I serve them with black beans because the twinkies do not enjoy the cilantro-lime flavor combo but they love black beans. If they eat just one thing on their plate, it’s a win.

Some internet thing was floating around a while back that said, “I can’t remember the last time I wasn’t at least a little bit tired.” I agree with that statement. I think my body has reached a plateau where it is always tired. No matter how much sleep I get, how much exercise I do, or how much water I drink. I’m tired. I’m tired from the minute I wake up in the morning until I go back to bed at night.

Seriously, I can’t think of anything I would rather do than take a nap.

Eat chocolate or take a nap? Nap.

Drink wine or nap? Nap.

Hang out with the family or nap? Duh, obviously nap.

Sex or nap? Unless I can do both at the same time, nap.

When the kids were younger naps were built into the day. Sometimes I napped when they napped, but not always. I used that time to clean the house, do the laundry, watch reruns of ER and Judging Amy, all the important stuff. They don’t nap anymore. Now when I need a nap I have to bribe them with lunch in the living room and movies. Sometimes it works. Other times they want to sit with me while they watch the movie.

Of course, I have zero interest in watching any kid movie. I have teenagers, I know how they all end. Even the new ones, I know how they end. But, if the twinkies insist on sitting by me there is no chance I’ll get a nap. They move constantly. They dig their little elbows and feet into my ribs and neck and pelvis. The worst is when I lay on my side with them in front of me. I have to keep my hands on constant hooter guard so I don’t get the dreaded “elbow to nipple pinch.” Ouch.

I understand tired. I’ve dealt with it for a long time. But this week, the tiredness has reached a new level. I spent five nights last week sleeping at the hospital. It totally sucked. They had a weird chair in the room for me to sleep on, but it was a death chamber. After one night I brought in one of our camping sleep pads and slept on it instead. It only helped a little. I was cold. There were people in and out all night long. One morning at 4:30 a phlebotomist came in to draw John’s blood. He was easily 6 ft. tall and 200 lbs. He yelled John’s name at the doorway like some sort of drill sergeant, turned on all the lights and proceeded to talk to us for five minutes.

It was unacceptable. The next night I told the medic if the phlebotomist did that again I was going to kick him in the teeth. I wasn’t kidding. Apparently the message got passed on because the next morning he stood at the door, knocked lightly, and said “Psssst.” I refrained from kicking him in the teeth. Mostly because it would have hurt my foot more than his teeth.

There’s a good chance I might never recover from our hospital stay. I’m almost 37, I think this level of tiredness is my new normal. It sucks. This age sucks. I’m not old enough for it to be acceptable to fall asleep in public places, but I’m too old not to be utterly exhausted all the time.

I’d be ok with being tired, if I didn’t look so tired all the time. If I can’t get sleep I at least need better make-up.