Saturday, January 31, 2009

DIY harwood

I have to say, I have been a bit overwhelmed with home projects lately. It feels like once we finish one, there are three more in it's place. We finally made some progress on the dining room floor. After I stripped it a few months back, it sat untouched through the holiday season. You can see in the before picture we had some trouble spots where the black felt pad and adhesive refused to come off. I can't see why anyone would want to cover this beautiful floor.
Anyway, Nate's dad came over on Friday while I was at work and he and Nate sanded it down. They rented a sander from Tru Value. I think it was $40 for four hours or $50 for a day. I think
I've seen or heard estimates of $1,000 to refinish a hardwood floor. I think by the time all is said and done, we may have spent less than $200. Of course, that doesn't include time, strength and
the annoyance of having a coating of wood dust covering my entire house. I am not complaining (well, maybe just a tad) but I was so happy to see it done.
All the yucky stuff was gone and this is what was in it's place. Nate still has to stain and varnish it. We also have to place a decorative border around the trim to fill in the gap, but hopefully we can finish that in a timely manner. After we finally pick out a light and paint the built-in buffet (surely a blog-worthy event) our dining room should be done. Which is great, because then we can concentrate on the office, or kitchen or garage roof or the bathroom door.....oh heck. I know the list will never end!

Friday, January 30, 2009

Creative art

Erin, my friend, gave Nate and I this awesome piece of art for our wedding gift. When I first opened it I had no idea what it was. But if you look closely, you can see that the objects in the pictures form letters that spell "Stiger." How cool? I can't wait to put it in the office. Erin said she saw the idea on a Web site for close to $150, but knew she could do it for less! That's my girl. She kept an eye out for objects where she lived and worked that could double as letters. It turned out amazing.
With more and more people equipped to take their own photos and Web sites like Snapfish and Shutterfly to order them on, there are endless options for personalized art. Erin said she was able to find the 6-letter frame at Target and a longer name might be harder, but I am sure with a little creativity, you could make it work for your name, too. When you see something you love, but it's just not in the budget, think outside the box of ways you can make it your own for much less money.

Thursday, January 29, 2009

Sprucing up lamps

During my 5-plus years at the YDR, I thought I was missing out on daytime TV. Let me tell you, Oprah and Dr. Phil aren't much to miss. But I have caught up on a lot of HGTV. And one thing I notice on nearly all of their shows is that they do many creative things with lamps. Some involve drilling and light kits, while others are as easy as hot glue.
It reminded me of this project, at left, that I did several years ago when I lived with Amy in an apartment. I found the really cool green lamp at Goodwill for $2. It didn't have a shade, so I purchased one at Wal-Mart for less than $10. I chose the brown to add contrast and for something different. I hot glued the gold trim around the top and bottom. For the dangling beads (which I realize are as in vogue as they were five years ago) I used jewelry making supplies. I placed the beads on head pins with flat bottoms. I then bent a circle at the end of each beaded head pin and slipped in onto a jump ring. I then ran each separated each jump ring and ran it through the trim. Voila...a one-of-a-kind lamp that makes a great addition to any room.

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Watching paint dry

All the schools are closed today, so clearly, I am home. Since I am not getting paid, I figured it was probably best to try to get some things done around the house to make me feel useful. And, no, I am not watching paint dry while I write this blog, but I am waiting for it. After I shoveled the sidewalk and walkways around the house, I finally got to work on our tired, white bedroom. I painted the wall behind the bed (our accent wall) the deep maroon that is in our bathroom. I love the color, but the room is too small to paint entirely maroon, so we'll probably do the rest in the tan color of our hallway to tie the three areas together.
It looks awesome. But, since the wall behind it is white, I need to do two coats. (I am too lazy to prime.)
But what took up most of my morning was the finishing the afghan that I started SO long ago. I have to tell you that I can see that my knitting improved over time. The overall piece is definitely amateur, but doesn't look too bad considering it took so long to do. And I hate to say it, but even though Red Heart doesn't have dye lots, you can tell exactly where I ran out of green. The greens are different enough to see. And I think it's wider at the top where I started than at the bottom where I finished, which means I dropped some stitches. But I have to say, it stays together and is a nice warm blanket.
The photo shows the afghan folded in half. The dark color that looks black is actually brown. Now that I look at this photo, I can see more than one color change in the green...oh well. It's a handmade item that hopefully my husband will cherish forever.

Sunday, January 25, 2009

I've been busy....err...lazy.

I don't really have an excuse as to why I haven't posted in a little while. I only subbed two days this week and worked at Cracker Barrel two days. I find that when I have a whole day with no concrete schedule, I tend to dilly dally. I did give blood on Wednesday, which takes 2 hours apparently, even if you are the 4th in line. After a smooth blood donation (except for having to prick my fingers twice to check my iron), I drove 15 minutes south on 83 to the Shrewsbury Wal-Mart to get one $2.47 skein of yarn for my afghan. When I bought the yarn five years ago, I had different ideas for the pattern, so it turns out I had too much brown and not enough green to complete the thing. I was tempted to just change the pattern, but after all that work, I figured it was best to do it right.
Wouldn't you know it, Wal-mart was out of the only color I needed. Fortunately, I bought Red Heart, a brand without a dye lot, so I didn't have to worry about matching up the yarn.
I asked the employee to call another Wal-mart before I drove all over looking for it. Reluctantly and with a roll of the eyes, she called the East York store. So nearly 2 hours after I set out for my one skein of yarn...I had it in hand and was back at home. See, it pays to know what you are doing before you try to do it to save gas, time and the interaction with Wal-mart workers.

Friday, Nate and I went to Ikea in White Marsh looking for some home project ideas and supplies. He's now all into my 1950's black and white war-themed room (adding the war part to the decor was his idea of course). It's transformed a bit. He's starting to add his two sense, and can I blame him? It's his house, too.
We came home with a really long curtain rod and accessories for about $13. We also bought two paper lanterns to hang in there. When we returned home and sat in the room and looked around for inspiration, I pulled out the fabric I spent hours picking out to coordinate with the black and white quilt (as seen in photo with the fabric) that used to be on my double bed when I was single. The black and white quilted curtains were the anchor and the reason for my ideas in that black and white room and he didn't approve. I was a little disappointed, but he's probably right...it might not fit with Army-green walls and hard wood floors. Oh yeah, we decided to rip up the carpet in there, too. Fortunately, it involves no stripping. The upstairs floors weren't soiled with black felt padding that takes a lot of effort to strip.
I quickly got over the curtains. Marriage is about compromise, after all. So, I will probably use the fabric for pillows on the futon. The thin black and white fabric will make better pillows than curtains. So, I have to add curtains to the list to complete the black and white room. It's a never ending list.

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Decorating the office

This is some of what I have in the black/white room so far. Nate and I bought this bookshelf at Oak Express for a decent price. It's a little too tall for our low ceiling, but we improvised and turned that nice little accent piece on top upside down so it would fit. I love the look books create in decorating, and of course, I love to read them. I organized them together and tried to make a nice display, stacking some vertical and leaving the others horizontal. I also use a lot of glass bottles to decorate. They are a few bucks a piece at yard sales, auctions and the thrift store and they make great accents to any picture/book/art display. Nate has a penchant for collection coins, so instead of having them scattered throughout the house getting stuck in the washer and dryer, I put them in a jar and used it as a book end. You can see it in the top left corner of the shelf if you look really close. It's full. I am working on getting them wrapped and into the bank.

And as promised, here is the art I made on Saturday morning while waiting for my assignment from Amy. It was free. All it cost was the ink from my mom's Sharpie marker and my time and imagination. I am really into the quilted look. I divided the paper into 4-by-4-inch squares and made each it's own little picture. I tried to mix dark and light. I think it turned out OK. I did it all free hand, except for the bottom right corner, I used a stencil.

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Craft addiction

My craft addiction is getting out of hand. I went to A.C. Moore with my mom and sister yesterday and my head was spinning like that little girl in exorcist. I know I have five million projects at home, enough fabric to make a quilt to cover my house and all the supplies to do it. Yet, I still spend money EVERY time I go. If something is on sale, it's even worse. I think, "Oh, I will use this eventually so it's better to buy it on sale." That is usually OK. One time, though, I bought printer cartridges on sale at Staples (like 6 of them for $35) and my printer broke before I even opened one.
I bought an embroidery book. It's like sewing, only you actually make a pretty design. I did it once a few years ago on a pillow I made for Nate's mom, and she raves about it all the time. I REALLY need to finish my afghan. I have fabric to make curtains, a quilt I started using my race T-shirts as the patches and beading ideas like mad. I'm making recycled cards now and I also make my own potpourri. I get it from my mom, I know it. If we go shopping, she always picks up things and tells me she can make them. I'm the same way. I have a hard time buying stuff because I think I can DYI. That is all good if I have the time. I need to prioritize my projects.

I am really interested in starting the 1950s-style office. I scanned in some old black and whites my grandfather took when he was an U.S. Air Force photographer and drew a black and white wall hanging (that I will post a picture of soon). I need to decide on paint and get some shelves hung, but it should be fairly simple. I have the idea in my head, I just have to carry it out....just like all those other projects collecting dust in the craft closet.

Saturday, January 17, 2009

BB's Grocery Outlet

I know I've talked about this before, but BB's Grocery Outlet in Lancaster County is awesome. The address is 581 Camargo Road, Quarryville. It's located just off Route 222. It's hard for me to get there because the hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

***Update: The hours are now until 8 p.m. weekdays (still 4 p.m. on Saturday and closed on Sunday)

I didn't work yesterday, so I visited my mom and sister in Lancaster and made a run to BB's. It's really hit-or-miss. If you find something you love, you better stock up, because a lot of times you go back and they don't have it.

For example, they have boxes of 48 granola bars for $4.99. When I went yesterday, none were to be seen. They still had bags of 12 to 15 for 50 cents, so I bought six of those for my mom. She also had me pick up a case of Propel for $7.99 and a case of Gatorade for $5.99. I buy Kashi granola bars when they have them...which is rare. I've bought bags of 10 for 50 cents. I checked at the grocery store and a box of 6 is more than $4.

They always have crazy sauces, spices and canned goods for 25 or 50 cents. I love that because you can try out a new seasoning without shelling out a lot of money. With the cold weather, I just recently entered the refrigerated section. I can buy cold stuff and not worry about it spoiling until I go home. They had packaged lunch meat for 99 cent to $2, which is super cheap and it keeps long.

One warning, I have bought stuff there that tasted stale and old (and I am not picky, so you know it was bad.) A lot of stuff is past the sell-by date, but is completely edible and good. My experience was with REALLY old snacks, so just steer clear of those.

I spent about $60 on what would easily cost me $150 at the grocery store, no lie.

The other BB's locations are:
20 Quigly Road, Newburg
Rt 419, Schaefferstown
6180 Morgantown Road, Morgantown

Friday, January 16, 2009

Freezing meat

This one is for Jen, because I know she is afraid of freezing meat. I live by it. I am a huge planner, so I buy way ahead at the grocery store. At any given time we have 48 rolls of toilet paper, five bottles of shampoo, eight cans of soup and 50 bottles of water and sports drinks.

When I lived in an apartment, I couldn't buy too much meat ahead because I only had the freezer attached to my fridge. I invested in a freezer when we bought the house, just a small used one that was my grandmothers. When meat is on sale at Giant for buy one get one free, I stock up. You can beat two 2-pound roasts for $10. I always buy boneless, skinless chicken breasts in bulk when they are buy one get one. For about $20, you can get 10 or more large breasts. When I get them home, I divide them into freezer bags, about two to each. I usually trim them down to normal size and freeze the trimmings as chicken tenders. I write what it is and the date on the outside of the chicken and pop it in the freezer. The day before I use it, I put the chicken in the refrigerator to thaw. If it's too much for the recipe I am using it for, I cook it off and save it for casseroles or chicken salad. The thawed chicken/pork/beef is no different than what you buy fresh. Once you add the seasoning, etc, you will never know the difference.
Today, I put a piece of pork that was thawed from the freezer in the slow cooker with beef broth, mushrooms, onions and seasoning. I'll serve it with mashed potatoes and a vegetable. YUM!

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Planning dinner

Since I have been working earlier, I have had a lot more time to make dinners. I keep forgetting to take pictures when it looks all yummy and delicious. I opted for no pictures to pictures of leftovers (which we have a lot of.) I've been making a list of meals for the week, planning out what I will make and making sure I have all the ingredients. It makes life so easy. And if something doesn't work out, I just switch out days. It's hard to come up with recipes that I can leave in the oven or on the stove on warm for when Nate gets home late. But, this week I made something called a cassoulet, which according to the Web is a slow cooked bean stew. It was basically a lot of adding and cooking. Nate loved it. And I have to say it was pretty tasty.

Here is what I did:

I chopped six pieces of bacon and fried them in a dutch oven (which my mom tells me is just a large pan with a tight lid) until they were crisp on medium high heat. I cubed a 2-pound pork roast and added that to the pot and cooked it until it was white. Then, I added slices of kielbasa and cooked it for about 2 minutes. Then I added one medium onion chopped, Italian seasonings, salt and pepper as well as a can of diced tomatoes with onions and garlic. I think I added a little water and then to top it all off I added a can of Northern white beans and a can of black eyed peas. The recipe called for something else, but I had those random cans of beans that I wanted to use. Then you stir and let the whole pot warm. The night I made it at 5 p.m., he didn't get home until 1:30 a.m. and it was still good. I just put it on the stove's warmer on low. It makes great leftovers if you can get past the bacon fat that congeals on the side of the bowl when it gets cold.

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

My first wood project

I bought this sewing table at an Amish Mud Sale about 2 years ago for $1. No, that is not a misprint. The Amish mud sales get many used items donated from the community that often don't sell for more than a few dollars. I actually missed this one and no one bid on it, so it had a little tag that said "NB." I approached one of the auctioneers and asked if I could buy it for $1. SOLD.

I've always been intimidated by stripping, sanding and painting wood. I mean, it just sounds complicated. But, this table was in sad shape. Look at the top. After tackling my dining room floor, I figured I could handle a small table. I am trying to convince Nate to let me decorate our upstairs office where I keep the sewing table. I want to make it a 1950s-style black and white theme. He says that we have other projects to finish first. But, I press on. So, instead of completely refinishing it, I decided to paint parts of it black and keep some wood.

Since the top was the worst, I started there. I added the same stripping liquid that I used on the floor (Citrus strip). I did the same to the drawers, but removed the knobs to keep them the wood color for a nice contrast. I waited about an hour and simply took a metal scraper (even though the jug said to use plastic, if you are careful, metal works better) and off slid the goo and a decent wood shone underneath.

Then I used an electric palm sander (about $30 at the hardware store) as well as my good old elbow grease to sand out the bumps and dents.

To finish, I used many layers of black paint on the drawer faces and the top until I was satisfied with the look. It took me a few days. I topped it off with a spray clear coat (but if I had to redo it I'd probably try to find a brush on. If you look close, you can see the spray marks.)

Anyway, my project cost me a fraction of what a new sewing table would look like. And even though it doesn't fit into the room quite yet, I promise I'll have Nate convinced sooner than later. Any suggestions on what color to paint the walls of a black and white room? I was thinking like a gray, but that seems so blah for the sunny room at the front of our house. Who knows?

Monday, January 12, 2009

Got my feet wet

Today was my first day subbing for the IU. It was the whole feeding, bathroom, lifting kind of classroom. I can honestly say I didn't have a bad day. The student I worked with was a little fighter, but I didn't get mad. A little frustrated, yes, but not mad. I can see how that job can be tiring and rewarding all at the same time. I get home before 4 p.m., but I almost always take a nap now! I still love teaching and am so thankful that I finally made the leap.

I plan to return to posting about home projects, money-saving etc. very soon. I completed my sewing table project, so that should be coming up. I am also approaching finishing knitting an afghan I started nearly 5 years ago...so I think that deserves its own post, too.

Sunday, January 11, 2009

My first night at Cracker Barrel

Last night was my first night at Cracker Barrel in Shrewsbury. Thanks to the weather, I made $14 from 5 to 9 p.m. Pathetic, yes. But for once, I was actually OK with it being slow. It gave me a chance to get acquainted with my new co-workers and learn that they keep straws and sugar in different places and sort the dirty dishes in a unique way.
And of the three tables I waited on, I actually knew one of the couples. And, one of the other waitresses met me when I was doing the Shawna Weil story. She is the mother of Shawna's best friend.
I realized that my time at the York Daily Record introduced me to SO many people in the community. And, I really can't hide!

Saturday, January 10, 2009

So far, so good

Well, it's been one whole week since I left the YDR. I do miss it, but I am keeping in touch with my friends. Do I love teaching? Absolutely. I am sure there are hard days to come, but I haven't had a bad day, yet. Challenges? Yes. Like today I had to teach conversion of quarts and pints to gallons. That isn't easy stuff, even for an adult. But the students are helpful and understanding. The two classroom aides were understanding and accepting of my lack of math knowledge. But I got to read a chapter to the class. I LOVE reading aloud. Amy never let me do it for her ;-) It was just all around a busy, but fun day. I can't wait to see what's in store next week!

On the dinner front, Nate wanted to order out. I reminded him that our income has been bumped down a few brackets. I talked him into letting me make him a pizza. I use Betty Crocker crust. It's powdered and comes in a packet. It's 75 cents. All you do is mix it with water, let it sit for 5 minutes, then spread it out. I added sauce (I buy the Delgrosso sauce usually on sale for 99 cents. It only takes 1/3 of a jar to make the pizza.) Then I top it with cheese, pepperoni, mushrooms, onions and peppers. It's a fraction of the cost of ordering out and probably much, much healthier. I ate leftovers...again!

Friday, January 9, 2009

What can you get at Salvation Army Thrift store for $27.39?

This having off thing is pretty cool. I got to go to the Salvation Army Thrift Store on half-off day** when I wasn't in a hurry. I got to go early so the lines weren't long and I didn't have to wait for 10 other people to try on items in the dressing room. I intended to go in there to get new pants and shirts for Cracker Barrel that weren't worn thin. Of course, I found mich more. Everything is in practically new condition. This is what I came out with.

A Columbia windbreaker (pictured) $4
An Old Navy Black Pea Coat (for Amy) $4
Bass black shoes $2.00
Anne Klein boots $1.50 (Pictured)
Liz Claiborne dress shoes #1.50 Banana Republic dress pants $2.50
Work shirt $2 Work pants $2
Lerner pants $2 Other dress pants $2
A Gap fleece for nate $2.50


**Wednesdays are family day at all or most Salvation Army Thrift Stores. It's 50 percent off clothes, shoes, linens and purses. There are exceptions, but it's by the color of the tag, so it's really easy to tell. The sign at the front of the store always tells you what is excluded for that day.

Thursday, January 8, 2009

What a great gift

My dad and step mom gave Nate and I this old cheese container filled with homemade canned foods. It was my favorite gift. Partly because it contained pickled beets. I LOVE picked beets. I can eat a quart jar in two days. It also had Nate' favorite -- homemade beef jerky -- and salsa, peppers, spaghetti sauce and cherries. I hope that by next Christmas, I will be able to give a few homemade gifts of food that are healthy. I used to bake dozens and dozens of cookies and candies, but I took a break this year. This seems like such a better idea. I have plans to start my garden, so maybe I can schedule a canning lesson with my dad and make great gifts. I am going to paint the cheese container with a pretty design. Hopefully I can schedule a craft day to get that done.

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

An easy make-ahead dinner

I know this picture doesn't look too appetizing, but I promise the casserole was so yummy. And it was one of the easiest I made in a long time. It's Creamy Chicken and Rice. I freeze two chicken breasts in each packed and when I cooked off the chicken for the enchiladas, I had a leftover cooked breast. So, I found this recipe. All the ingredients are really inexpensive. I cut the recipe in half and served it with lima beans for Nate and pickled beets for me.

Here ya go, the whole recipe serves 6-8:

4 cups cooked rice
1/2 cup butter, divided
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
2 teaspoons chicken bouillon granules
1 teaspoon seasoned salt 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon pepper 4 to 5 cups cubed chicken
12 ounces process American cheese cubes 2 cups sour cream
1 1/4 cup crushed butter flavored crackers (about 32)

Spread rice in a greased 13-by-9-inch pan; set aside. In a saucepan, melt 1/4 cup butter. Stir in flour until smooth. Gradually add milk, bouillon, seasoned salt, garlic powder and pepper. Bring to a boil; cook and stir 2 minutes or until thick and bubbling. Reduce heat; add chicken, cheese and sour cream; stir until the cheese is melted. Pour over rice. Melt the remaining butter; toss the cracker crumbs with the melted butter. Sprinkle over the casserole. Bake uncovered at 425 degrees for 10-15 minutes. If you refrigerate or freeze, increase cooking time.

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

What to do with leftovers?

I love leftovers, but Nate doesn't. So, I end up eating them a lot over and over again. My parents sent ham home with me and I was sick of just eating plain ham sandwiches. I decided to make some ham salad for sandwiches. They will be perfect lunches to pack for substitute teaching when I don't have easy access to a microwave. The ham salad was super easy. I threw some cubed ham into the food processor. Pulsed a few times and then added mayo, mustard, chopped onions and some relish and voila, I had a lot of ham salad. I can't wait to dig in.

Monday, January 5, 2009

One day down

It's official, my first day of substitute teaching is over, and I lived to tell about it. I was actually really lucky to be placed in 6th grade jump start at Hanover Middle School for the day. It was a really small class -- 13 kids -- with a team teacher who took over all the teaching duties. The teachers were SO helpful. I really only had the students for a bit and they were good for the most part. I definitely need to learn to be more stern. The one kid said, "Well, I thought you were nice, but I guess I was mistaken." It didn't hurt my feelings, the poor kid can't even read, so I just felt sad for him.

I even survived a fire drill and two of the students made me cards (even though they were supposed to be working on their homework!)

I can really tell I am going to love teaching. I can see what challenges I will face, but I can also see the joys of being in the classroom. I am hoping to get a call for tomorrow, but if I have the day off, there will be no complaints from this gal. 5.5 years in journalism wore me out!

Friday, January 2, 2009

A new beginning

I can't believe it, today is my last day at the York Daily Record. I have worked for Media News Group since Sept. 2, 2003. I think people have gotten used to seeing my face. I was really surprised at the reaction of some of the readers I came in contact with over the past 8 weeks since I gave my resignation letter. They were going to miss me. You see, we journalists usually only hear from readers when we make a mistake and they want to rub it in. It was flattering to say the least.

I have had good times and bad, for sure. I realize that a lot of people think I am making a stupid move -- leaving a flexible job as a food writer, a job many people envy. Apparently, these people don't realize that every job, even this one, has its negatives. And if you haven't read the news - which wouldn't surprise me because that's why this business is weak - newspapers are struggling. I am not jumping ship because of that.

The funny thing is, I've always wanted to teach. I was getting recommendations letters from my J school professors to go back to school for my teaching certificate. But like a good little college graduate, I decided to try out this thing we call journalism. And here I am, 5.5 years later, still trying it out. I loved this job at one time, but it's always been in the back of my mind to teach. I love school and I love kids. And just because I am teaching doesn't mean I can't still write. I couldn't teach while I was writing.

Nate was so encouraging and (thank goodness) financially supportive enough for me to be able to make this move. And my family and friends know that I am a hard worker and no matter how uncertain my teaching career path is, it will work out. So, they support me, too.

I'll keep you updated on my teaching adventures. I am sure I will have great stories to tell, just like I did when I was a journalist.

Thursday, January 1, 2009

Enchiladas

I was so happy to be home today. I actually got to make dinner. And as this year has been going, I've been eating a lot of untraditional meals. I had Chinese on Christmas and now Mexican on New Year's Day. My mom was concerned that I skipped the pork and sauerkraut, but I had pork and sauerkraut on Christmas Eve and I like to save Pork for days when I don't have time to cook.

So, here is my recipe for chicken enchiladas. It turned out pretty good. It was the perfect portion for two. The photo is after we already dug in. I am trying to get better at remembering the photos.

Chicken Enchiladas

1/2 to 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 garlic clove, minced
1 medium onion chopped 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 cup chicken broth (or water0 1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup chopped jalapeno peppers Dash of salt
Dash of cumin 6 corn or flour tortillas
One chicken breast (about 1 lb.( shredded) 1 cup mozzarella cheese
Sour cream Green salsa

For the sauce, saute onions in garlic in olive oil in a saucepan until onions are tender. Blend in flour. Stir in broth, milk, jalapenos, salt and cumin. Cook and stir until thick and bubbly. Reduce heat; simmer the sauce five minutes; stirring occasionally. Set the sauce aside.

Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Spoon a little sauce in the center of each tortilla and spread to edges. Place about 2 tablespoons meat in the center of the tortilla. Sprinkle with some cheese. Roll up tortillas and place in baking dish seam-side down. Pour remaining sauce over. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Serve with sour cream and salsa.