Karen’s Opinion

I have been dropping E cards and on most blogs there are advertisements. I can usually look away but the past few days, I have been having trouble. Why? Because I love shoes.

Here is a picture of my husband trying to keep me out of a shoe store in Branson, Missouri. A man we didn’t even know was helping him by keeping the store door shut!

One might call me a shoe addict. I keep clicking on these advertisements and find myself drooling over shoes. Fortunately, I have been able to talk myself out of buying any but OMG! It is the end of the season. Sandals are on sale! I hear that song Help Me Rhonda in my head.

I was wondering if that is really a song and lo and behold it is!
From Wikipedia
“Help Me, Rhonda” is a song written by Brian Wilson and Mike Love for their American rock band The Beach Boys. The song is the first Beach Boys song (with the exception of their Christmas Album) to feature a lead vocal by Al Jardine. It was released in March 1965 on the album Today! as “Help Me, Ronda”. By that time, it had already been re-recorded; this second recording was released as a single through Capitol Records in April 1965, re-titled with the more well-known “Rhonda” spelling.

The single peaked at number one in the United States, their second U.S. number one single after “I Get Around”.

I know that the folks in California are feeling the heat but here in Indiana, we are experiencing cool, fall weather. It is time to think about making soups and chili. One of my favorite soups is Taco Soup.

We are eating healthy food in this house. At least, we are trying to eat healthy food! There are a few chocolate truffles and some saltwater taffy laying around trying to ruin my resolve to eat better. I hope they don’t win. I found this great recipe for Taco Soup from my favorite cook, Paula Deen.

Taco Soup

2 pounds ground beef
2 cups diced onions
2 (15 1/2-ounce) cans pinto beans
1 (15 1/2-ounce) can pink kidney beans
1 (15 1/4-ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can Mexican-style stewed tomatoes
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can tomatoes with chiles
2 (4 1/2-ounce) cans diced green chiles
1 (4.6-ounce) can black olives, drained and sliced, optional
1/2 cup green olives, sliced, optional
1 (1 1/4-ounce) package taco seasoning mix
1 (1-ounce) package ranch salad dressing mix
Corn chips, for serving
Sour cream, for garnish
Grated cheese, for garnish
Chopped green onions, for garnish
Pickled jalapenos, for garnish

Brown the ground beef and onions in a large skillet; drain the excess fat, then transfer the browned beef and onions to a large slow cooker or a stockpot. Add the beans, corn, tomatoes, green chiles, black olives, green olives, taco seasoning, and ranch dressing mix, and cook in a slow cooker on low for 6 to 8 hours or simmer over low heat for about 1 hour in a pot on the stove. To serve, place a few corn chips in each bowl and ladle soup over them. Top with sour cream, cheese, green onions and jalapenos.