Doritos Casserolly-polly

This weekend was our Partner Appreciation weekend at work. Rules changed starting this month though and we are no longer allowed to wear jeans during this (as opposed to our black or tan pants we ALWAYS wear). This weekend we decided on having an ongoing potluck meal. Each day I chose a theme and we made food based on that theme. Yesterday was Mexico, today was Italy and tomorrow is America.

So I was in a predicament. I didn't want to spend so so so much time on a meal for yesterday. I wanted something quick, simple-ish, and big enough for everyone to share. That's when I turned to y'all. I asked my chatroom to give me suggestions of delicious dishes and that's when "Doritos Casserole" was thrown at me.

I had never really heard of a Doritos Casserole before but knowing that I love casseroles and you can't ever go wrong with Doritos, I knew it was a perfect choice for the potluck. I started my research.

I'm extremely picky when it comes to recipes. I Googled "Doritos Casserole" and tons of recipes popped up. I didn't want to deal with chicken bones so I chose beef. I didn't want a recipe too short because I know they left way too much room to "play around" with flavors. I finally found a good recipe.

Now, I'm not saying I perfected the recipe after the first try, but I believe with my little modifications, the casserole turned out tremendous. Everyone at work loved it, that is, everyone that eats meat. I even shared some with a couple customers who said they loved it. I was pretty impressed by how the flavors complimented themselves.

So here it is, make it, tweak it, share it, give some feedback!

Jane's Doritos Casserole
Feeds: 1,000,000 (or 6-ish humans, depending on who or what you are feeding)
Prep + Cook: about 1 hour, depending on how multitask-ready you are

Ingredients
[ ] 2 - 10.5oz cans Cream of Mushroom soup
[ ] 1.5 cups water
[ ] 1 - 10oz can Rotel tomatoes, diced
[ ] 1 - 12oz bag Nacho Cheese Doritos
[ ] 1.5 cups chopped onions
[ ] 1 lb ground beef
[ ] 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
[ ] 1 - 15.5oz can pinto beans
[ ] 1 box Spanish style Rice-a-Roni

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cook rice according to recipe (will take about 20 minutes) but do NOT add tomatoes to rice. Set aside.
3. Cook beans according to recipe. Set aside.
2. Bring soup, water, and tomatoes to a boil in a separate pan.
3. Brown the beef with the onion.
4. Layer the bottom of a casserole dish with slightly crushed Doritos. You can just crush it while the bag is sealed. Easy.
5. Add a layer of ground beef, a layer of rice, a layer of soup mixture, a layer of beans, and a layer of Doritos.
6. Continue until all ingredients are used.
7. Top with all the delicious cheese.
8. Bake in oven for 25-30 minutes on the middle rack.
9. Eat!

The recipe originally said this dish serves 2. I don't see that at all. It's huuuuge and perfect to share with family and friends!

So enjoy and let me know how you like it! Link me to pics and give comments below when you make it!

Happy 2 year!

Today is my partner (or "employee") review with Starbucks! Can you believe it has been TWO years since I started working for the company! I'm surprised myself!

Anyway, check out some of these videos that have to do with my last 2 years with the company!

JBOC Contest'ddddd!!!

"The time has come," the Walrus said, "to talk of many things. Of shoes and ships, and sealing wax, and [a box of crapful things]."

February the Third. Put that date on your calendar for ONE REASON. Jane's Box of Crap Contest.

We are having a JBOC drawing on another randomly-picked date off the calendar! February 3: no use for the date except to have a useful contest during it's existence in the year 2010 (Speaking of which, have you gotten any resolutions spoiled yet?? Let me know in comments below!)

If you do not know where I got the "Box of Crap" (otherwise known as a "BOC") idea, check out Woot. They thought of it first. I'm just a fan-girl...and a copycat.


RULES!

1. Each entry is $1 USD
2. Up to 10 entries per person, please. If you WANT to give $100, by all means, feel free! You will only be given 10 entries though.
3. To enter, email me at jane.ds.tv[at]gmail.com telling me your screenname from where I know you, PayPal email address and how much you are entering. Entries due by February 2nd.
4. PayPal payments only accepted.
5. Once payment has been received, I will assign numbers for each entry. This is why it is important you let me know your email address! These numbers will be put into a drawing.
6. Winner will be randomly selected live on JustinTV on February 3.
7. Need not to be present to win. Just make sure I have your email address!
8. Everyone is invited to win!


FAQ's

* By "crap" you mean.... - Well, its not literal crap. This box is filled with tons of things that I just didn't have room for in my room anymore. A lot of times I'll buy things specifically for the box so not all the time will everything be used. It is also not limited on things inside. This thing is filled.
* Where does the entry money go? It goes toward shipping the box out. Depending on how many entries I get is how fast I can get the box to the winner! If I raise $10 it might be 5-7 days. If I get $500 million I can afford a time machine and give it to the winner yesterday.
* Can you put [insert desired item from my room] in the box? Not unless I decide to put it in. I don't take requests. I am a firm believer in the element of surprise.


Any more questions? Ask them below! This JBOC is filled with tons of goodies! I'm excited about it!

Also! Follow me on Twitter, add me on Facebook, my YouTube vids, and visit my new website!

Good and/or Great Ideas to keep in mind for 2010

We all learn our little lessons throughout our life. Some of them make us smarter. Other lessons make us, in another similar sense, NOT AS DUMB.

1. Eat before you go shopping. It helps you save money. When you're hungry and happen to walk down the oatmeal/cereal row, everything looks so... freaking... delicious. I literally have gone down the foreign foods aisle and started craving curry sauce.











2. Sing as loud as you can to music when you drive at night. Scream if you have to. The louder the song, the better. This way your mind is awake and you're not drowsing off into dreamland (which happens to be the next ditch or underpass).
ADDED BONUS: It will keep other drivers alert if they see you screaming at your windshield. Oh no...I'm sharin' the road with one of them crazed maniacs.













3. Sell your textbooks early. Yup, another money saving tip but seriously publishers come out with a new edition almost every freaking year. Wait too long and no one's gonna buy your book back. That's $3,215,890,813 you paid for that stupid thing down the drain.




















4. Create and save an ongoing Christmas list. I know once December hits, I'm not thinking about what I want to get for Christmas, I'm more stressed about what to get everyone else. As the year progresses, remember things that would be nice to have and create a Christmas List Word Document. Know what I thought up today? Ross gift card. Yeah. Original. I should probably change it to a Charlotte Russe gift card. Yup. Much better.













5. Change and/or wash your bedsheets and blanket at LEAST once every month. Just do it. Please. It seems like it should be common sense but you'd be surprised how many people don't.















6. Aaaand watch JaneTV. :) Had to throw it in. Oh and also my lovey dovey website.



Got some feedback earned, lessons learned? Comment below on what you've learned in the last year.

Don't Get Sick!

Wow Thanksgiving has already come and gone. Can you believe its less than a month until Christmas? It's a stressful time of year sometimes and too many friends and family are getting sick and missing out on the fun and festivities of this time of year. It's also a bummer if we miss out on a long hard day at work because we've got a migraine and the sniffles. Not too many people understand that we can prevent colds. Keep these tips in mind as you go on your day, especially this time of year. It's frustrating when you're sick. You can't enjoy the time spent with family as much as you'd like to. Here's how to prevent a cold.

1. Keep stress level low - Stop putting yourself in charge of everything. Don't pile your to-do list so much. You'll seriously topple over. What keeps you the busiest this time of year? Delegate it out. You don't have to put off something if it stresses you out, just get someone to help you.

2. Do some water aerobics - Okay, maybe not water aerobics if its -34 degrees F outside but exercise keeps you healthy and you should be out on your feet doing something. Walk up the stairs as opposed to an escalator or elevator at the mall or work. Ride your bike to the grocery store. You could even *gasp* run or walk for 30 minutes a day. I know, I know. You're no Arnold Schwarzenegger.

3. Candy = bad - It seems like a bad season to say this but we really need to cut back on the sweets. We shoved it in our mouths at Halloween so now we need to take a break and limit ourselves. It's one of those "quick energizers" so energy from candy/sodas/sugar wears off fast and could stress us out.

4. ZZZzzzzz.... - GET ENOUGH SLEEP. Get as much as you can. Your body charges itself while you sleep. If you're up on your feet or watching late night Telly, you're not giving your body the time it needs to re-energize itself.

5. Wash hands - It sounds cliche, but it's not. Do it for the sake of getting/spreading germs. Keep your sink handle and bathroom door knob clean as well.

6. Echinacea and Goldenseal - I've been taking Echinacea since my mom shoved it down my throat because I had a raspy voice. These 2 will help with symptoms and build immunity against competing bacteria that might get you sick.

7. Z-z-z-z-z-Zinc! - Do you get enough of it? Probably not. Zinc can be taken in forms of calcium-magnesium-zinc capsules and even lozenges. Take it. It's good for your body.

(Tips taken from eHow)

Reckless Driving

First of all, she was holding her phone with her shoulder when she turned her little red Cavalier onto the main street I was on. I could tell she was arguing with whom ever she was speaking to onto the phone because of the wide hand gestures and angry facial expressions she was giving out when I viewed her through my rear view mirror. Next thing I knew, she had moved over to the middle lane and sped past me. I don't know. Something about these kinds of drivers makes me a little mad. I look forward and she stops, not even at the light. She's about 40 feet from the turn, which I found she had been close to missing and stopped in the middle of the road to move over quickly. I was too close to wait for her to move over so I go ahead and pull in. She decides she would get in behind me and I see she stalls mid-lane, 2 or 3 cars behind her. She's still arguing on the phone, maybe a little more mad because of her current situation. She turns on her emergency lights as she fumbles for the key and starts it back up again so she could pull up behind me to turn.

Okay, to wrap up this vent, we really need to watch what we do on the roads, guys. I'm talking "techies", Generation Y's, Millennials. This girl was so close to being hit so many times today. We've been so wrapped up in the latest technology that we're taking it to places that it really shouldn't be messed with. Scrolling through your iPod or iPhone looking for songs or texting while driving really should not be happening. Too many things go on in front of you and really it kills your response time if something or someone were to jump out in front of you. Trust me, it has happened to me before, several times. In neighborhoods, in YOUR neighborhood, it is the worst. Keep an eye out for children. A short text message, even a tweet, is not worth a child's life.

So to end on a better note, there is hope for us! Haha. Remember bluetooth headsets? Yeahhhh. Those still exist and they still WORK. They might not be the fanciest looking thing ever but they are a great investment so we can keep our eyes and hands focused on driving. Holding a phone with your shoulder is dangerous. It limits your eyesight. Even just holding a phone with your hand is dangerous. We need to make sure we can have full control of the car. Are you looking to buy a new car? Check into bluetooth enabled cars. In the Fiesta, I a phone pad and the phone call will play through the speakers. It even has a little mic on the roof by the console light. It is extremely handy. If you're not looking into getting a car anytime soon, look into bluetooth enabled GPS's. Before I had the Fiesta, I would use my Garmin to answer calls.

Also, answer text messages when your car is stopped, whether it be at a light or at your destination. Texting is terrible to do when driving because you are staring at something other than the road.

It's really a great investment to look into bluetooth enabled devices. We need to do whatever we can to keep the roads safe. It's not just children's and other's lives we're saving. We are also saving our own.

Box o' Jane Crap Contest! Redux!

It's that time of year again! My 2 year anniversary is quickly gaining on us and its time for me to do some cleaning around my room. It's JANE BOX OF CRAP BOX THING CONTEST TIME!

Again, if you've ever participated in Woot's BOC giveaways, you know where I got the idea from. You don't have to pay shipping though! Here's the updated rules.



RULES!

1. Each entry is $1 USD
2. Up to 10 entries per person, please. If you WANT to give $100, by all means, feel free! You will only be given 10 entries though.
3. To enter, email me at jane.ds.tv[at]gmail.com telling me your screenname from where I know you, PayPal email address and how much you are entering. Entries due by October 24th.
4. PayPal payments only accepted.
5. Once payment has been received, please tell me the numbers you would like to be added to the drawing. (Example - You entered $5 in the drawing and your lucky numbers are 3, 18, 472, 94, and 44927. I will enter those numbers into the drawing! If you numbers have already been taken, I'll let you know to choose again.)
6. Winner will be randomly selected live on JustinTV on October 25, 2009 (my anniversary!).
7. Need not to be present to win. Just make sure I have your email address!
8. Everyone is invited to win!


Box is filled with tons of goodies, including a duct tape wallet made by yours truly! Winner will also receive a FREE JaneTV mug.

Again, email me for entries, and if you have any questions!


Also! Follow me on Twitter, add me on Facebook, and watch my YouTube vids!