Broccoli Cheesy Rice Casserole Stuffed Peppers

Mercury Retrograde! My favorite time(s) of the year... NOT.

Basically, it's a clusterfuck of communication that gets jumbled up and no one is completely thinking, seeing, or hearing clearly.

Thankfully, I have become aware of the very definite vibe that is radiating around this time and USUALLY am pretty tuned in and know when it's in the shadow faze.

This week, I felt it, but dismissed it since I was positive that the actual retrograde didn't happen till December. I ignored my intuition and allowed myself to get wrapped up in it and exploded like a tiny bomb.

Unfortunately, this has happened in the past when I haven't centered myself completely before a retrograde. Although, I do not regret what I said this time, but HOW I said it. I can be painfully honest, and sometimes my delivery is not the smoothest. Especially, when you rub my fur the wrong way. It was the day OF the beginning of the "pre-shadow".

I have never noticed myself personally affected by the pre or post-shadow, just the actual retrograde shadow. So, now not only do I have to keep myself totally centered for a couple weeks, but now a whole two months? Gah! I'm a little fiery lion. Containing my normal roar to a slight purr will be a definite task.

But, just like everything, I'm open to the challenge.

All in the name of personal growth (rolls eyes), FINE!

Truth be told, I usually just lock myself alone in my apartment and don't come out till after the retrograde. This could appear to be a cowardly move, but due to some MAJOR life altering changes during this time for me, I have learned the best bet is to stay in. Some of my most important relationships have been dissolved during a Mercury Retrograde and still have some guilt of my past actions. So, with my calculations with the; pre-shadow, actual shadow and post shadow I shouldn't speak to anyone till January 11th.

Fantastic!

Just the perfect excuse to bypass all of the holidays. I ducked out of Thanksgiving last year, and I'm not sure I'll be able to do it again. But Christmas, I don't know...I'll have to play it by ear. I'll have to do some grounding exercises.

I'm attempting to center and ground myself this weekend by keeping it pretty low key. I even passed on a Packer party today, but my main excuse is what appears to be some major ascension symptoms I have been feeling the last few weeks that are really interfering with my daily life. More on that later. Onto, these Casserole Stuffed Peppers. Say, whaaa? Oh yea.

I'm a big casserole fan. Easy to prepare, delicious and reheats well. You can throw pretty much anything in the dish and 99% of the time, it turns out good. I have been having some weird cravings for rice casserole and thought it a bit fancier if I stuffed it inside some peppers.

Look at me! Miss Fancy Pants.

Serves: 4 Mercury Retrograde Menace's to Society

Ingredients:

2 Red Peppers-Cut in half and seeds removed

1 Cup Rice-Cooked, it will double in volume

2 Cups Broccoli-Chopped

2 TBS Butter

2 TBS All Purpose Flour (I used GF)

1 1/2 Cups Almond Milk

2 Cups Cheddar Cheese-shredded + more to top peppers off with

1 TBS Granulated Garlic

1 TBS Granulated Onion

1/8 tsp Mustard

S & P to taste

Additional Toppings

Sour Cream

Sriracha

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Plop butter in a medium saucepan. Wisk in flour and create a roux. Pour almond milk in once roux is combined and smells nutty. Now add garlic, onion and mustard powders. Bring to a boil. Add shredded cheese and add salt and pepper to taste. Stir together till thickens. Now mix cheese sauce with cooked rice and broccoli. Fill the pepper halves with rice mixture and top with additional cheese. Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes till cheese is melty.