I (Jaime) find inspiration, laughter, and emotional connections in stories. Song, book, or TV, I will always find a quote to match any given situation.

Going through a divorce? Meet Ross, “the divorce force” (Friends). Having a girl’s night out? Make it “legen…wait for it…and I hope youre not lactose intolerant because the next part of that word is dairy!” (How I Met Your Mother). Emotional crisis ensuing? Go all ‘Native American’ with Jess – “Two moons have passed!” (New Girl).

So it would logically follow that after dating John a few weeks, and him growing accustomed to my unique embrace of crazy, I began the process of introducing him to my television family, from the classics Frasier and Friends to the current How I Met Your Mother and Big Bang Theory. Though initially resistant, he soon began quoting Sheldon and bemoaning Ross and Rachel with the best of them.

Whenever I hear him throw a phrase such as “I will give you a hundred dollars to whistle right now” (Chandler “The One With All The Cheesecakes”) into everyday conversation, I fall a little more in love with my husband.

In the beginning, John and I watched TV whenever it fit in, normally during homework sessions or lazy Saturday afternoons. With the onset of marriage, parenting, and altogether grown-up responsibility, we transformed our college kid all-nighters into scheduled evenings we affectionately (and alliteratively) began to call “TV and Taco Tuesdays”.

Of course, switching from cable to Hulu delayed the premiers of our favorite shows and led to the adaptation of “TV and Taco Wednesdays”, which doesn’t flow off the tongue as easily, but does save us about $60 a month.

Every Wednesday evening, John and I put the baby to bed, cook up our latest recipe for baked tacos, and settle in to watch as many TV shows as we can fit in. Our lineup includes New Girl, The Mindy Project, Bones, and Modern Family, though we don’t always make it through them all in one evening.

It is our one night a week to unapologetically sit in front of the TV for a few hours, snuggled under a blanket, occasionally pausing to tell a story about our day. And the best part?

The baked tacos, obviously.

We mix it up by trying out a new taco recipe every couple of weeks, searching cookbooks, pinterest, and facebook for quick, easy, and delicious variations on a classic.
John and I are not the first family to have an evening dedicated to food and television, but in a world growing increasingly complex and demanding, I am proud to say that we take pleasure in the little things.

The same husband who will debate with me over the philosophies of war and humanity will laugh with me over a scripted sitcom blunder.

At the end of our Wednesday evenings, we have lived vicariously in different cities with different families, solving crimes and going on dates, and found ourselves more than satisfied in our own house, our own town, cooking and laughing together.

Quick Baked Tacos

Brown 1lb ground beef, add taco seasoning, 1 can of refried beans, and ½ can of tomato sauce.Mix well. Scoop into tortillas and line up in a baking dish. Sprinkle with jalapenos if desired, and shredded cheese. Bake on 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Enjoy!