Liquid Chocolate Could Change Lives

I mean in all seriousiness, liquid chocolate could really heal all wounds and fix all the world's problems. I've made hot chocolate two nights in a row as sort of a "bedtime snack," and I have felt blissfully happy when my head hits the pillow at night.

Why hasn't anyone else thought hot chocolate could change lives?
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I ran 5 miles on Sunday for the first time since September.

Distance: 5 miles
Time: 1:01
Best Pace: 9:40
Average Pace: 10:22
Calories: 562

Now when I say it was windy, I mean it was w-i-n-d-y. So windy that I would run into the wind and not really go anywhere. Just arms and legs moving and not moving an inch forward.

But I must say I did a pretty good job on this run. And I'm pretty sure had I pushed all the buttons on my watch correctly, I would have been under an hour. Dang that 1 minute.

This weekend marks the end of training for the 10K. I have my 5.5 mile run, and then it's smooth sailing until the 6.2 mammoth.

Today I will run 3 miles. I have to. I haven't run since the 5 miles on Sunday. But in my defense, it was raining excessively yesterday in the Big City.

Also, on a completely random note, I feel like I should invest in a heating pad to strap to my lower back to keep it from feeling like butter knives are continuously being stabbed in my back. Anyone have any insight as to why my almost 24-year-old back decides to ache all the time, especially after runs?
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I made beef tips and rice a few nights ago, and I thought you might like a new comfort recipe to try out.

What you will need:
1 package of stew meat
1 package of Lipton onion soup mix
1 can of beef consume
1 onion
1 package of sliced mushrooms
Red wine
rice
salt and pepper

In a large pan on screaming high heat, throw in the stew meat. Be sure to salt and pepper it before it hits the heat. The meat should get a nice browning effect and bits should stick to the bottom of the pan. But don't let the meat cook all the way through. De-glaze the pan with some red wine.

Put meat and wine into the crock pot. And the onion soup mix, mushrooms, big slices of onion, the entire can of beef consume. Add water to cover all the ingredients. Salt and pepper generously.

Turn crock pot on high. And cook all day. I ususally do all the prep work in the mornings, and I have a nice comfort food dinner when I get home.

Make rice. And serve the beef tips over rice. Mmmmmmmmmm.

What's new with you?

What is your favorite comfort food recipe?