Save the White Bread

Among all the problems threatening our once-great country, might I add to the list that whole- and multi-grains are taking over the bread aisles, squishing the white bread in to ever-smaller spaces.

Those of you who like the stuff that sticks to the roof of your mouth had better act now. Write letters. Post You-tube videos. Buy up extra loaves to skew their sales statistics.

Either that, or get yourself over to the international foods aisle, where the white stuff comes already squished in the form of flour tortillas. If this is what it means for immigrants to take over our nation, I am weaving a big welcome mat for them because, if you visit Bye-Bye Nesquik very often, you may have already noticed that I have a weakness for those things.

Yep, I give you another recipe featuring flour tortillas. This was my birthday dinner, so you know I ate a lot of it. Our toddler wouldn't try it (he's a hard case, food-wise), but our adults, some of whom are sophisticated enough to appreciate sushi, pretty well licked their plates clean, then launched into heavy negotiations about who gets the leftovers.

BEEF TACO SKILLET

1 pound ground beef
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Condensed Tomato Soup
1/2 cup Picante Sauce
1/2 cup milk
6 flour tortillas (6-inch), cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese


Cook the beef in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until well browned, stirring often to separate meat. Pour off any fat.

Stir the soup, picante sauce, milk, tortillas and half the cheese in the skillet and heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Cook for 5 minutes. Stir the beef mixture. Top with remaining cheese. 595 cals./serving


As for your book, I'm reading about a president of the United States who is just as bland as white bread, with approval ratings in the twenties ("the high twenties" his staff will tell you), who cannot get the Senate to approve his Supreme Court candidates. So he nominates a fetching TV judge.

In Supreme Courtship by the wacky Christopher Buckley, Washington and Hollywood egos abound. The lines between reality and TV criss-cross like yarn strung around the house by a kitten. I'll be finishing this book when I get on a plane tomorrow and I hope my frequent loud laughter doesn't disturb my fellow passengers too much.

It is with regret that I leave behind what's left of the Beef Taco Skillet, but at least Buckley's book will comfort me.