And there you have a quick yummy snack. I am not the biggest fan of hummus but once it is mixed with the salsa it sort of tricks your taste buds into thinking you're having a queso of some sort. QUESO is my mother f*ckin jam! It's one of the best things to eat. Sadly isn't not the best for you! This is a new option for me now to substitute when needed to try to keep those pounds I've already lost off!

...the future is bright!

xoxo

D.Hord

So this post began this morning during my regular social media round up (aka stare at my phone for 2 hours). I saw tons of stuff on the debate last night but I won't even get started on that! I also started to see several posts which were [in my opinion] attempting to take away the validity of the Black Lives Matter Movement. Sadly our media, social media, and press are not as impartial as we would hope. 

You need to remember that the news is a business 

and the owners of that business want to make a profit. 

What we see on television or that is shared on social media has to be examined. Is this statement, comment, or article truthful and factual? You'll want to look for data behind the 'facts' that are being listed. The person you are listening to, are they being truthful and factual, are they using full quotes and accurate information? Is this a one sided argument being shown? I think this is one of the biggest problems that is keeping people divided.

 
To the people who think Black Lives Matter movement is wrong and there aren't prejudices in our society that still rule how some people are treated and the opportunities that are open to them or not; how can you be so ignorant?!

These articles and videos I saw today which led me to this post; once examined were unfair and biased. All lives matters was created AFTER the movement Black Lives Matter. It was in response to the African-American community standing up and saying that they will not stand for these injustices. The problem with all lives matter is that you are [once again] diminishing what this particular community has suffered, in the past, in the present, and if nothing is done in the future. If you deny that the African-American community has been unfairly treated; you are part of the problem.

If you really think about it Black Lives Matter is the same as all lives matter. We don't need to be reminded that white lives matter because they always have in this country. White lives have always had it easier, me included. White privilege is real.

 

Black lives matter doesn't mean you have to be sorry for being white, DUH!

"If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of oppression."
-Desmond Tutu

What a profound statement! It applies in so many situations but this one so deeply. When you watch the country around you and you do nothing; you have chosen. What can I do? It's so simple - change the way people are thinking, vote to change the policies or the people making the policies that are creating an unjust society. When you are walking down the street, see a man not a color. When you are listening to someone make jokes and it gets to the point where you are questioning if this is wrong, say something. Tell that person they are wrong. I do it all the time. People sometimes even makes jokes about it - but I don't care. I do not and will not support the continuance of racism or bias in my life. You need to make a decision that it doesn't matter what reaction you may get, RACISM IS NOT OK!


I think, and I could be wrong, but the first step is acceptance. Accept that African-Americans are justified in their thoughts and feeling that they are not being treated fairly. That in itself can help bring us together.

Next, start looking at the facts - and let's talk about the facts: One argument against the BLM movement is the that more white people are shot by cops than black people.

Yes, that is a true fact BUT remember that our country is not 50% black/50% white. The Washington Post studied the facts and adjusted for population, "As The Post noted in a new analysis published last week, that means black Americans are 2.5 times as likely as white Americans to be shot and killed by police officers. " When accounting for unarmed killings the statistics are even worse, "U.S. police officers have shot and killed the exact same number of unarmed white people as they have unarmed black people: 50 each. But because the white population is approximately five times larger than the black population, that means unarmed black Americans were five times as likely as unarmed white Americans to be shot and killed by a police officer." (link to original article at end of post)

So remember that truth next time someone tries that argument. The Black Lives Matter movement is justified and right for wanted to take a stand and make change!

It is so important that we stand next to all Americans and come together to have more love and less hate. That's what the US needs. Stop turning your shoulder, take a good look around at the things happening! Learn about the struggles others have that you don't. Speak up and defend what is RIGHT!

Quote taken from Washington Post, orginal article link:

This afternoon Hubby and I went to Haring Brothers Meats to pick up some meat that will be used in a future post. While we were there we decided on dinner for the evening...burgers made from ground sirloin!

I love cheeseburgers but I also like them mostly plain as you saw in Part 1.

This burger was made especially for Jason. It's a very easy recipe to follow. I hope you enjoy it as much as he did!

Items Needed:
[Affilitate links below, they will give a 
small commision at no charge to you]

• 1 lbs Ground Sirloin
• 8 strips bacon
• 2 leaves Boston Lettuce
• Pickles
• 3 tbsp BBQ Sauce [Haring Bros. Prefered]
• Grill (or alternative cooking method)
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tbsp McCormick Grill Mates Hamburger seasoning*
• 4 tbsp Montreal Burger & Steak Rub*
• 2 slices of your favorite cheese (Jason chose pepper jack tonight)
• Meat thermometer
• 2 kaiser rolls

Recipe makes 2 burgers if you want them large!

The first step is to gather all of your ingredients, you'll want to double check you have everything before you get started! The worst is when you are partially through a delicious recipe when you realize that you need to make a grocery store run, UGH!

Grab your ground sirloin and toss it in a medium size mixing bowl.  Empty in each of your spices. Use your hands [Yes it is gross, but really is the best way to do it] to thoroughly mix the meat and all of the spices. 

Pan fry about 8 strips of bacon. I cut the strips in half to make the process easier. Use paper towels to remove some of the grease from the cooked bacon. Set aside 2 pieces for the topping of the burger. Crumple up the rest and dump it into your meat. Once again you'll need to mix the meat with your hands to make sure all of the bacon is spread out. 

Split the meat into two equal parts. Form each into a ball, flatten, then push a thumbprint into each side the of burger. [This is to help prevent your hamburger patty from turning into a ball during the cooking process.] Repeat with the second patty. Now you'll want to start up the grill! Finally toss the burgers on the grill.

If you followed this recipe you probably have some pretty thick burgers. To be sure that these burgers are cooked properly it is wise to use a meat thermometer to ensure that your burgers have cooked through to at least 160 degrees fahrenheit. Safety in cooking is always priority!

Once the burger reached the 

magic number of 160 degrees, it's time for cheese! 

Our burgers took approx. 15 or so minutes to cook. Grab your cheese and lay it on the burger. Let the cheeseburgers cook for an additional 2-3 mins allowing for the cheese to melt. 

Left to right: Jason's Bacon topped Bacon BBQ Burger with mayo & BBQ sauce with a side of macaroni salad. HordAholic's Lettuce Wrap Burger w. Sabra Spreads Honey Mustard and a side of applesauce.

This afternoon Hubby and I went to Haring Brothers Meats to pick up some meat that will be used in a future post. While we were there we decided on dinner for the evening...burgers made from ground sirloin! 

I eat about 1-3 burgers a week so I think I know what makes a great one. Hubby and I have even developed our own rating system where burgers are rated 1 to 5 Dickey's [my maiden name]. 

It's not that often I find a 5 Dickey burger. To keep my health in mind and in the on going quest to lose some pounds I went sans-bun tonight instead opting for Boston leaf lettuce to wrap my burger. Let me tell you it was every bit as satisfying as with the bun. WHAT? Did I just say that?! Well I never thought I would, but it's true I didn't miss the bread. It's definitely been an on-going journey of shutting up that little fat bitch in my tummy. I just keep on keeping on. Mess up with one meal or snack and decide to do better the rest of the day. I don't always make the right decision with food but I am actively thinking about it every time I do now. That in itself I see as a bit of a win! SO back to what you came here for; an amazing and delicious burger recipe!

Items Needed:

• 1 lbs Ground Sirloin
• 4 leaves Boston Lettuce
• Pickles
• 6 tbsp Sabra Spreads Honey Mustard (YUM!)
• Grill (or alternative cooking method)
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tbsp McCormick Grill Mates Hamburger seasoning*
• 4 tbsp Montreal Burger & Steak Rub*
• 2 slices of your favorite cheese (I chose white cheddar tonight)
• Meat thermometer

Recipe makes 2 burgers if you want them large!

The first step is to gather all of your ingredients, you'll want to double check you have everything before you get started! The worst is when you are partially through a delicious recipe when you realize that you need to make a grocery store run, UGH! 

(know as Hubby on HordAholic)

If you followed this recipe you probably have some pretty thick burgers. To be sure that these burgers are cooked properly it is wise to use a meat thermometer to ensure that your burgers have cooked through to at least 160 degrees fahrenheit. Safety in cooking is always priority! 

Once the burger reached the 

magic number of 160 degrees, it's time for cheese! 

Our burgers took about 15 or so minutes to cook. Grab your cheese and lay it on the burger. Let the cheeseburgers cook for an additional 2-3 mins so the cheese can melt. 

With some of my recent medical issues I have been trying to eat better. I have improved many bad habits already. This recipe is a middle ground. The cauliflower is taking the place of the higher calorie potatoes yet you are still getting some of those delicious flavors from mashed potatoes. It helps to trick your senses. The first time I made this I served my husband Jason dinner without telling him. He enjoyed it, though he did notice a slightly altered taste. I wanted to find out blindly if they really tasted that close. The mashed cauliflower was a hit! Once I told him it made sense. We now make this quite regularly! 

Let's get started so you can enjoy this delicious dish at your dinner table!

[Affilitate links below, they will give a 
small commision at no charge to you]

What ingredients you'll needed:

For the past two years my mother in-law has given us seeds from her sunflowers. They were put in the garage and forgotten about. Late May we finally planted them in the bed in front of our back deck. The soil from last season was still able to be used. Jason simply dumped the bag into the bed and raked them in for about 5 minutes... and the waiting began!

We saw the flowers sprout up and begin to grow. As the stalks began to lengthen we started to see some buds. So EXCITING!





Sadly the season ended and the flowers died off.


Luckily my mother in-law explained the process of saving the seeds so we can have these beautiful flowers every year!

Instructions for saving sunflower seeds (or other flower types)

I woke up today to a voicemail on my phone that made me feel positive about my health for the first time in months. I had gotten X-rays done on Friday and the results came in to the doctor this morning. The areas that came back normal were my ankles and lumbar. My neck however came back with at least two degenerative areas. The plan was already to make an appointment with the Rheumatologist. My appointment is now set for October 3rd. I will be seeing Dr. Dennis Jerdan, MD, MDA at the Rheumatology Specialty Center in Willow Grove. Dr. Jerdan has a long list of credentials and having this result on the X-ray and my appointment have given me a plan of action for the next few weeks. 

The X-ray coming back with proof of something wrong with me was so uplifting today. Sometimes I sit here in pain and wondering if my mind is making it up. How could I really be hurting and aching this much at 27? Well today I received evidence! 

So let's start by going back to a little under a year ago when this journey began.

November 2nd, 2015 was the day after I ran my last half-marathon with my best friend, Kit! I had stayed in the city and gotten home around 8pm. I realized that I was out of Kale and I wanted to keep being healthy and make a smoothie for breakfast. So I got in my car to head to the store.

At the stop sign of Kellers Church and 611 I waited as a truck of some sort was approaching. The truck pulled to the side slightly and flashed his lights for me to go. (Often happens at this stop sign as the stop light for Stump is very close.) I make my right and brake behind a Highlander at the red light.

For some reason I look in my rear view mirror and see the truck coming at me at what seems like full speed. The next thing I know the truck hit my back end, slamming my car into the Highlander. The truck then throws it in reverse and slams into a Cavalier that was approaching. The truck turns right down Kellers Church and disappeared forever.


My 2015 White Mazda3 totaled after the crash.