Web Security @ Housewife Eclectic

I'm a regular contributor over at Housewife Eclectic, talking about web stuff. Today's topic is web security. Check it out at her new URL: www.housewifeeclectic.com.

The Frog Princess, Princess Tales, and an invisible boy

M and I are in the middle of a reading competition with his 4th grade class to see who can earn the most Accelerated Reader points. I've been reading books from several different series so that I can maximize my point earnings. :) See what else I've been reading on goodreads.

Image: http://www.edbakerbooks.com

The Frog Princess series by E.D. Baker

Yes, the first book in this series is the inspiration for Disney's latest animated movie, The Princess and the Frog. No, the movie is nothing like the book! In fact, the movie and the book are so different that I can't even say which is better. Princess Emma (not Tiana) is a princess (not a waitress) and there is no voodoo involved. Just good ol' magic. :)

I really enjoyed all of the books in the series (seven in total), particularly the first five. I prefer Princess Emma to her daughter, Millie, who is featured in the final two novels. I can't say why, I just do. These books are cute, with just enough traditional and non-traditional fairy tale elements to create a magical world full of believable characters. These are perfect bedtime stories for any girl who loves fairy tales.

Final word: B+. Great for kids, and fun quick reading material for grown-ups. 

Images: http://www.harpercollins.com

The Princess Tales by Gail Carson Levine

Levine (author of my favorite book of all time, Ella Enchanted) is a master at retelling classic fairy tales. Cinderellis is an inventor, a not-yet-sleeping beauty named Sonora takes the spindle curse into her own hands, and fairy gifts go awry in these charmingly funny books. M and I both laughed out loud while reading. Each story is only about 80 pages long, so they are quick to read. I fully intend on reading these books with my children, both boys and girls, when they are old enough.

Final word: A-. These books are just plain fun.

Images: http://www.andrewclements.com

Things Not Seen, Things Hoped For, Things That Are (Things series) by Andrew Clements

As I discussed here and here, Andrew Clements is a go-to author for me. I have no hesitation picking up a novel with his name on it. All of his other works that I have read have been part of his series of school stories, though, so I wasn't sure what to expect from the Things series. I was definitely not disappointed to find that I *loved* it. :) The three books are told from three different character's views: Bobby, Gwen, and Alicia. In the first book, Bobby wakes up one morning and can't see himself--he's invisible. Using this invisibility as a lens, Clements shows how the three characters change through their experiences with their own versions of invisibility. 

Final word: A-. I would recommend these books to anyone. They gripped me from beginning to end, and I loved the distinct characters built in each of the three novels.

Mini Meatloaves

Until recently, I thought that meatloaf was very difficult to make, requiring very precise ingredients, and the hand of a gourmet chef (or at least one better than I). Then I made it for the first time. And it turned out great! If I can make a recipe successfully on the first try, anyone can make the recipe!

I have come to love making meatloaf (and meatballs) because I can have the freedom to add whatever I want and whatever I have on hand. My first excursion into Meatloaf Land followed this recipe by Kraft Foods, but since then I have altered it slightly. My hubby pronounces these "good enough that they don't even need to be dipped in more barbecue sauce."

Mini Meatloaves
makes 12 muffin-sized meatloaves

2 lbs ground beef (or pork or turkey)
1 6-oz pkg StoveTop stuffing (any flavor)
2 eggs
1 cup water
3 green onions, chopped
3/4 cup barbecue sauce
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese

1. In a large bowl, mix ground beef, StoveTop, eggs, water, green onions, and 1/2 cup barbecue sauce. (I don't like touching the raw meat any more than I have to, so I use my potato masher to mix this part. :) )
2. Fill 12 greased muffin cups with the meatloaf mixture. 
3. Top the meatloaves with a thin layer of the remaining barbecue sauce. (I used a pastry brush.)
4. Bake at 400*F for 30 minutes or until the meatloaf reaches 160*F.
5. Top with grated cheddar cheese and bake for 5 more minutes or until cheese is melted.

Tada! Our grocery store had a great sale on ground beef this week, so I also made a batch of meatballs (get my recipe here). I made these bite-sized, and I can't wait to try them out in our albondigas on Monday! (We're mixing things up for our Meatball Mondays--I'll let you know how it turns out...)

From left to right: a mini meatball, a small Atomic Fireball (to sub for a marble since apparently we've lost all of ours...), a regular-sized meatball, and a golf ball. Just to show you a size comparison. :)

Restaurant Ripoff: (Smothered) Sweet Pork Burritos

First off, I apologize for the lack of pictures in this post. Apparently, I've never bothered to document the making of the sweet pork burritos. I am okay with this because the burritos don't exactly look like works of art when they are finished. But boy do they taste yummy!

I love Costa Vida's Sweet Pork burritos. I could eat them every day of my life and never get sick of them. This sweet pork satiates my cravings without taking away from the bliss that is the Costa Vida Smothered Sweet Pork Burrito. This is perfect for us, because, as my sister said, "If it was a perfect replica, where would we eat when we go out?" :)

I first based my recipe on this recipe and then altered it from there. I don't make the pico de gallo, so if you want that recipe, you'll have to visit there. :)

Sweet Pork
Pork roast (a 4-5 lb roast makes twice as much sweet pork as we will use for one pan of burritos, so I freeze half of the pork after step 2)
1 cup brown sugar
6-8 oz (half a jar) salsa (medium is best for our tastes)

1. Place the pork roast in your slow cooker on low for 6 hours or until done. 
2. Shred the pork and save the juice. [I either do this the day before I want to have the burritos or the day that I get the roast. The cooked and shredded pork and its juices can easily be stored in the freezer until you're ready to use it.]
3. In the slow cooker, combine the shredded pork with the brown sugar and salsa and about 1/4 cup of the pork juices. [If your salsa has extra large chunks, you might want to run it through a food processor first.]
4. Cook on low for 3-5 hours or until the pork seems properly infused with the sweetness and heat. [I usually stir once after about 2 hours and taste it to see if I want to add more brown sugar because I like my pork *super* sweet.)

Cilantro Lime Rice
1/4 to 1/2 bunch of fresh cilantro
4 limes' juice (or appx 1/8 cup lime juice)
1 cup rice
2 cups water (or however much your rice cooker requires or you require to make the rice like you want)

1. Finely chop the cilantro. {Tip: Twist the bunch of cilantro together, like a rope, and then chop it.}
2. In a pan or your rice cooker, combine rice, water, lime juice, and cilantro.
3. Cook until the rice is done.

Assemble the burritos
We make our burritos enchilada-style, covered in sauce in a pan that goes in to the oven. Gather your...

Sweet pork
Cilantro lime rice
Black or pinto beans, cooked
Shredded cheese
Green enchilada sauce (14 oz can or larger)
Tortillas (the larger the better)

1. Fill each of your tortillas with small amounts of sweet pork, cilantro lime rice, and beans. You can also add some cheese and enchilada sauce to the inside of the burrito before you roll it if you'd like. 
2. Roll each burrito and place it in a glass baking dish. 
3. Slowly pour the enchilada sauce over the top of the rolled burritos, making sure that the sauce covers all of the tortilla. (You don't want crusty, dried-out tortilla once you take them out of the oven. Yuck!)
4. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top of the burritos.
5. Cover with aluminum foil.*
6. Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes.

*A huge gold star to anyone who can tell me how to prevent the melted cheese sticking to the aluminum foil covering. Please?