Southwestern Steak

Quick. Easy. And only 267 calories per serving. Oh, and everyone loved it. Does it get much better than this?

Southwestern Steak and Pinto Beans
Recipe courtesy of Cooking Light Magazine

1  teaspoon  garlic salt
1  teaspoon  ground cumin
1/4  teaspoon  ground red pepper
1  pound  boneless sirloin steak, trimmed
Cooking spray
1  teaspoon  vegetable oil
1  cup  diced red bell pepper
1/2  cup  bottled chunky salsa, divided
1  (15-ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1/4  cup  chopped cilantro

Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Combine first 3 ingredients. Remove 1 teaspoon cumin mixture, and set aside. Sprinkle remaining cumin mixture evenly over steak. Lightly coat steak with cooking spray. Place steak in grill pan; cook 4 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Remove from pan; let stand 5 minutes. Cut into thin slices.

While steak cooks, heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add bell pepper; sauté 4 minutes or until tender. Add reserved cumin mixture, 1/4 cup salsa, and beans; cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated, stirring constantly.

Place 1/2 cup bean mixture on each of 4 plates; divide beef evenly over bean mixture. Top each serving with 1 tablespoon salsa and 1 tablespoon cilantro.

Fiesta Wraps

Sometimes you want something delicious for lunch but don't have a lot of time. I'm so not a fan of boring, bland, same-old, same-old sandwiches. When I saw the recipe for Fiesta Wraps over at Fashionably Foodie I knew they would be the perfect solution to my lunchtime dilemma. Black beans, brown rice, fresh, juicy tomatoes and creamy avocado, sprinkled with cheese and topped with your favorite salsa. How can it miss?

I keep brown rice and black beans on hand and in the fridge at all times so this wrap went together in no time flat. Lots of fresh ingredients, plenty of protein and fiber and fairly low cal (if you are careful with the avocados and cheese), in addition to great taste make this the perfect choice for a quick lunch, especially on a hot, sunny summer day. (I keep telling myself we will actually have such a day. At the moment it seems like we all we have is cloudy days or rainy days! Enough already!)

Check out the recipe here.

Pastel Chicken Azteca

As usual, Ben from What's Cooking? has hit another home run. Pastel Chicken Azteca definitely scored in this household. It was so much fun to make that Picky DD's friend wandered away from the dance music and video games and ended up in the kitchen helping me put this dish together. Fully of winning ingredients, this is a greatt recipe to throw together with pantry staples -- canned tomatoes, tortilla chips, left over chicken breast. It was the perfect last minute guest for dinner recipe.

Pastel Chicken Azteca
Recipe by Ben of What's Cooking?

1 chicken breast shredded
1 lb Roma tomatoes
1 medium size onion
3 garlic cloves peeled
1-2 canned chipotle adobado peppers
24 corn tortillas
3 cups chicken broth
8 oz. Chihuahua cheese shredded (2 cups approx.)
Salt to taste

Cut tortillas in triangles (quarters) and fried them in batches until they turn hard, Mexican restaurant style.

Blend together tomatoes, ¾ of the onion, garlic and adobado peppers using one cup of chicken broth.

In a large pot pour the tomato mix

Add the rest of the chicken broth and salt and let it simmer for about 10 minutes over medium heat. Stir constantly.

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Cut the rest of the onion in thin slices.

Place a layer of tortilla chips at the bottom of a 9”x13” baking dish using 1/3 of the tortillas.

Add another layer using half of the shredded chicken, 1/3 of the sliced onion and 1/3 of shredded cheese.

Pour some of the tomato sauce.

Add another layer of ingredients, tortilla chips, cheese, onion and the rest of the chicken.

Finish up with a layer of tortilla chips and onion.

Pour the rest of the tomato sauce.

Top off with the remaining cheese.

Bake for 25 minutes.

Shrimp Quesadillas

Here's an old favorite I haven't made in awhile: Shrimp Quesadillas. I first found this recipe over at Closet Cooking, an awesome place to find yummy recipes and drool-inspiring photos. Since I always keep frozen shrimp around, this is a quick, easy and delicious meal I can whip up in minutes. I'm usually too hungry to let the shrimp marinate as long as I should so I can testify that they are still quite yummy even if you can't make wait the whole 30 minutes. :-)


Shrimp Quesadillas
Recipe from Kevin at Closet Cooking

1/4 pound shrimp (shelled and de-veined)
1 lime (juice and zest)
1 jalapeno (chopped)
1 green onion (chopped)
1 handful cilantro (chopped)
1/2 teaspoon cumin (toasted and ground)
salt and pepper to taste
2 flour tortillas
a touch of butter (or oil)
1/2 cup shredded cheese (Monterey Jack or Cheddar etc.)
1 avocado (sliced)
1 tablespoon sour cream

Directions:
1. Cook the shrimp in boiling water, about 1-3 minutes.
2. Rinse the shrimp in cold water to stop the cooking.
3. Mix the lime juice, zest, jalapeno, green onion, cilantro cumin, salt and pepper in a bowl.
4. Add the shrimp and marinate for 10-30 minutes.
5. Melt the butter (or oil) in a pan.
6. Place a tortilla in the pan and rub it around in the butter to coat.
7. Heat the tortilla until air pockets form in it flipping a few times.
8. Repeat 5-7 for the second tortilla and leave it in the pan.
9. Drain the liquid from the shrimp and place the mixture on the tortilla in the pan.
10. Place the cheese on and then top with the other tortilla.
11. Cook the quesadilla until golden brown on both sides and the cheese is melted flipping once. (You can place a plate on top of the quesadilla in the pan and then flip it onto the plate and slide it from the plate back into the pan to easily flip it without loosing the contents.)

Chicken-Green Chili Straws with Jalapeno-Honey Dip

I know I've blogged about these Chicken-Green Chili Straws with Jalapeno-Hone Dip before but since I've made them twice in the past couple of weeks, I just had to rave about them again.

Despite seeming like these Chicken-Green Chili Straws would require a lot of prep time, I had these rolled and in the oven in less than 15 minutes. I used already cooked chicken but those pre-cooked fajita strips would be perfect in this too. I mixed the Jalapeno-Honey Dip before I started and by the time the Chicken-Green Chili Straws came out of the oven the flavors had melded into a delicious mix of sweet and spicy. We loved the heat added by the jalapeno peppers and they cut the sweetness of the honey, but feel free to adjust to your tastes. I've also made these using ground beef flavored with taco seasonings and the are quite tasye too.


Chicken-Green Chili Straws with Jalapeno-Honey Dip
Recipe courtesy of Robin Miller

Cooking spray
1 1/2 cups cooked chicken thigh meat, chopped
1/2 cup sour cream
1/3 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend (recommended: Kraft or Sargento)
1 (4-ounce) can diced green chiles
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 package egg roll wrappers
1 cup honey
3 tablespoons chopped pickled jalapenos
1 tablespoon cider vinegar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine chicken, sour cream, cheese, green chiles, cilantro, and cumin. Mix well to combine.

Arrange egg roll wrappers on a flat surface. Place a small amount of filling in the lower third (towards 1 corner) of each wrapper. Fold over the bottom corner of the wrapper, tightly roll up 1 turn and then fold in the sides. Dip your finger in water and run it along the corner and edge. Tightly roll up the rest of the way, sealing the edges and seam shut. Place "straws" on prepared baking sheet and spray with cooking spray. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, until golden brown.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine honey, pickled jalapenos and vinegar. Mix well and serve alongside straws.

Taco Salad Made Over

Another hectic day: dentist appointments, school fundraiser, basketball games. Par for the course around here lately. Here's a new recipe I tried for Taco Salad Made Over from the Kraft.comwebsite. I had all the ingredients on hand and the recipe goes together quickly. Making the tortilla bowl made the ordinary taste of tacos seem a little extra-special without taking any extra time. Definitely a recipe that I'll be making again and again.

Taco Salad Made Over from Kraft.com

What You Need

4 flour tortillas (8 inch)

3/4 lb. extra lean ground beef

1 Tbsp. chili powder

1 cup drained canned kidney beans, rinsed, well drained

1/2 cup TACO BELL® HOME ORIGINALS® Thick 'N Chunky Salsa

4 cups torn mixed salad greens

1/2 cup KRAFT 2% Milk Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese

1 large tomato, chopped

2 Tbsp. KRAFT Light Ranch Dressing

Make It

HEAT oven to 425°F. Crumple 4 large sheets of foil to make 4 (3-inch) balls; place on baking sheet. Top each ball with 1 tortilla; spray with cooking spray. Bake 6 to 8 min. or until tortillas are golden brown. (Tortillas will drape over balls as they bake.)

MEANWHILE, brown meat with chili powder in large nonstick skillet. Stir in beans and salsa; cook until heated through, stirring occasionally.

FILL tortilla shells with salad greens, meat mixture, cheese and tomatoes. Drizzle with dressing.

"Fast Food Fix" Taco Bell Mexican Pizza

The kids could eat tacos every night I think. Unfortunately they prefer their's of the meat-and-cheese-only variety. I'm all about the veggies and toppings. Here's a recipe that makes it easy to compromise: "Fast Food Fix" Taco Bell Mexican Pizza. Each individual "pizza" can be customized to suit each person's tastes. DS had his with only meat and cheese and mild sauce while I had mine with refried beans,tomatoes and hot salsa. These were easy to make and pretty quick since you bake them all in the oven at the same time. This is definitely a recipe I'll be pulling out on a regular basis.










"Fast Food Fix" Taco Bell Mexican Pizza
Recipe courtesy of Devin Alexander

1 1/2 teaspoons Taco Bell Seasoning Mix (see below)
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon paprika
2 teaspoons water
2 ounces 96 percent lean ground beef (about 1/4 cup)
2 flour tortillas (7"), 98 percent fat-free
3 1/2 tablespoons canned fat-free refried beans
2 tablespoons mild picante sauce
1/4 ounce (about 2 tablespoons) finely shredded fat-free pepper jack cheese
1/2 ounce (about 2 1/2 tablespoons) finely shredded low-fat mozzarella cheese
1/2 ounce (about 1/4 cup) finely shredded low-fat yellow Cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons chopped tomatoes
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped green onion tops

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

In a small bowl, combine the seasoning mix, chili powder, paprika, and water. Stir until smooth. Set aside. Preheat a small nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until drops of water sizzle when splashed on the pan. Crumble the beef into the pan. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until no longer pink. Stir in the reserved seasoning mixture.

Cook, stirring, for 1 to 2 minutes, or until no liquid remains. Remove from the heat. Cover to keep warm. Place the tortillas in a single layer on a nonstick baking sheet. Bake for 3 to 5 minutes per side, or until just crisp and starting to brown. If air pockets form during baking, carefully pierce with a fork and press down to deflate.

Leave the tortillas on the baking sheet. Spread 1 tortilla evenly with the beans, leaving a bare 1/2-inch border. Evenly spoon the beef mixture over the beans. Top with the remaining tortilla. Spread evenly with picante sauce, leaving a bare 1/2-inch border.

Sprinkle on the cheeses in layers, first the jack cheese, then the mozzarella cheese, and last the Cheddar cheese. Top with the tomatoes and onions. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the cheeses melt. Cut into 4 wedges.

Makes 1 serving: 445 calories, 30 g protein, 67 g carbohydrates, 6 g fat, 2 g sat. fat, 9 g fiber Original Taco Bell Mexican Pizza: 550 calories, 21 g protein, 46 g carbohydrates, 31 g fat, 11 g sat. fat, 7 g fiber

Mexican Corn Chowder

I have to have a root canal done this week so I've been eating a lot of soup lately. This one was a great one (and it looked much better than the picture! LOL!) Mexican Corn Chowder was quick and easy and since you can adjust the amount of hot sauce you use, you can make it as spicy as you want!

Mexican Corn Chowder
Recipe from Conversations with a Cupcake

1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
3 tablespoons butter
2 cubes chicken bouillon
1 cup hot water
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
2 cups half-and-half cream
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese (I used Cheddar)
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained & rinsed
1 (14.75 ounce) can cream-style corn
1 (4 ounce) can diced green chiles
1 dash hot pepper sauce
1 tomato, chopped
fresh cilantro sprigs, for garnish (optional)

In a Dutch oven, brown chicken, onion, and garlic in butter until chicken is no longer pink.

Dissolve the bouillon in hot water; Pour into Dutch oven, and season with cumin. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes.

Stir in cream, cheese, corn, chilies, and hot pepper sauce. Cook, stirring frequently, until the cheese is melted. Stir in chopped tomato. Garnish with cilantro.

Chicken Wet Burritos

When I saw the picture of Chicken Wet Burritos over at FOODIE, I put it on the list to try soon. We love soft tacos. It one of the kid's favorite meals. Since this utilized all the same flavors but with a fancier presentation, I knew it would be a hit. And it was, even if I had to change it up a bit.

I got a bit sidetracked while making the sauce. (Three kids needing my attention, two hungry dogs begging to eat and two crazy cats racing back and forth under my feet, all while trying to set the table and prepare dinner. You think I'd be used to it by now!) I left it turned to high and then forgot all about it.

Lets just say the pan was not pleasant to clean.

Luckily I had a can of enchilada sauce in the pantry. I heated it up and we were good to go. I was right. It was a hit. I had more chicken than we ended up using so I used the leftovers in a delicious Tortilla Soup the next day. Yum!

I can't wait to make Chicken Wet Burritos again and actually pay attention to the sauce this time!

Chicken Wet Burritos
Recipe by Tara of FOODIE

For the sauce:

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 tablespoon flour
1/8 cup chili powder
1 1/2 cups chicken stock (or a bit more depending how thin you want it to be)
6 ounces tomato paste (1 small can)
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 cup sour cream

For the filling:
1 tablespoon olive oil
3-4 chicken boneless skinless chicken breasts (depending on size)
1 small onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
4 small plum tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon cumin
salt and pepper to taste
juice of 1 small lime

4 large (not extra large) flour tortillas
1 cup shredded colby jack cheese (or cheese of your choice)

1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and sliced for garnish
sour cream for garnish
sprigs of cilantro for garnish


Make the sauce:
In a medium saucepan heat oil, add flour, smoothing and stirring with a wooden spoon. Cook for 1 minute. Add chili powder and cook for 30 seconds. Add stock, tomato paste, oregano, cumin, and salt. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and cook for 15 minutes. The sauce will thicken and smooth out. Add the honey and sour cream and adjust the seasonings if needed. Keep warm until you're ready to ladle it over your wet burrito.

Make the filling:
Start by cooking your chicken in a bit of olive oil until cooked through. No need to even season the chicken at this point because it will be seasoned later when it's mixed with the vegetables. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.

In the same pan, heat some more olive oil if needed, then add the onions, bell peppers and garlic. Saute for a minute or so, then add most of the tomatoes (reserving some for garnishing the burrito), cilantro, cumin, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. While that's cooking, quickly chop up the cooked chicken and add it to the pan along with the juice of 1 lime. Cook for a few minutes more and it's done.

Assemble the burritos:
Pop the flour tortillas into the microwave for 30 seconds or until they're warm, soft, and easy to bend and work with. Quickly spoon some of the filling into the tortilla, fold in the sides of the tortilla, then roll the tortilla enclosing the filling inside. Do this with the other four tortillas to make four burritos.

Ladle as much sauce over the burritos as you like, then top with some of the shredded cheese immediately so it can start to melt.

Garnish the burrito with slices of avocado, the rest of the tomatoes, sour cream, and a sprig of cilantro. Serve with a knife and fork. Makes 4 wet burritos.

OMG! Migas!

I am in love! Seriously. Totally. Head over heels in love.

I needed something quick to make for dinner last week. Something that didn't require a trip to the grocery store. Flipping through one of my Rachael Ray cookbooks I came across a recipe for Mighty Migas. Eggs, red pepper, jalapeno, onions and crushed tortilla chips, scrambled and topped with cheese and a spicy tomato-chipotle pepper sauce and placed on top of a blistered tortilla. O.M.G. Heaven on a plate. Seriously. I found myself thinking about these while standing at line at the grocery store. Wondering if I had enough eggs to make one while I was brushing my teeth at night. Plotting a way to get someone to bring me some eggs while I was lying in bed at night. Really. These things are like crack. I've made them three times in the past week. My cholesterol is probably through the roof. There really needs to be a 12 step program for these things. LOL!

The recipe is from Rachael Ray's Express Lane Meals cookbook. As I was looking for the recipe online (and jonesing for my next fix) I realized there are a million migas recipes out there and they all sound delicious. Imagine my surprise when I came across a link ... to my own blog! Yes, it's true. I actually blogged about Slightly Cheaper Than Therapy's recipe for Migas back in May! I remember (now) that I did like them but for some reason I never made them again. I think what I love the most about Rachael Ray's recipe is the Chipotle Sauce on top. All that smoky, delicious heat. ::sigh:: And the RR version isn't really a taco. The flour tortilla is blistered in a dry skillet for 30 seconds or so per side so that is crispy. Mmmm!

Here are a few recipes for Migas for you to check out. And I'll include the recipe for the wonderful Tomato-Chipotle Sauce to top them with.

The Pioneer Woman Cooks!

My Italian Grandmother

Homesick Texan

Rachael Ray.com

Serious Eats

Love and Cooking

Culinary Kicks

The Spicy Skillet

Midwest Neurotica

Slightly Cheaper Than Therapy

I'm Running to Eat!


Tomato-Chipotle Sauce
Recipe from Rachael Ray's Express Lane Meals

1 cup tomato sauce
1-2 chipotle chiles in adobo, finely chopped (I used two.)
A handful of cilantro, finely chopped

In a small bowl stir together the tomato sauce and the chopped chipotles. Stir in cilantro and serve.

Chicken, Chorizo and Tortilla Soup

It's nice to know that when I'm drawing a blank on what to fix for dinner, I can usually count on Rachael Ray to give me a little inspiration. I'm not particularly a fan of her shows, though I do watch them sometimes. But I love, Love, LOVE her cookbooks. I think I have them all and while most of my other cookbooks have been banned from the kitchen for taking too much space, seven of the 13 cookbooks I've allowed to stay are Rachael Ray's.

After another hectic day, I was looking for a recipe to use up some chorizo I had in the fridge. Chicken, Chorizo and Tortilla Stoup sounded like a perfect solution. The soup/stew was easy to prepare and done within 30 minutes and it was much more filling than I expected. When I make my usual tortilla soup recipe I can't stop myself from having two bowls. After this dish, dh and I were both stuffed. The addition of the beans and potatoes really makes it much heartier. Definitely a great dish for a chilly autumn night. A little too spicy for the kids but perfect for the adults. Another keeper. Thanks Rachael!

Since I've had this one bookmarked for awhile over at the Food Network site, this will be my contribution to this week's Bookmarked Recipes event over at Ruth's Kitchen Experiments. Check out this link to see all the yummy recipes from last week's event, hosted by Heart and Hearth. And since Ruth is still on vacation, Pam over at Sidewalk Shoes will be hosting this week.

Chicken, Chorizo and Tortilla Stoup
Recipe courtesy of Rachael Ray

1 pound chicken tenders
Salt and pepper
3/4 pound chorizo sausage, in packaged meats case near kielbasa
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, smashed
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
6 small red potatoes, diced
1 (15-ounce) can fire roasted chopped tomatoes (recommended: Muir Glen)
1 (15-ounce) can dark red kidney beans, drained
2 teaspoons hot sauce
1 quart chicken stock
1 sack red or blue corn tortilla chips
2 cups shredded pepper jack or smoked Cheddar
Suggested garnishes: chopped scallions, chopped cilantro or fresh thyme leaves

Preheat medium soup pot over medium-high heat.

Chop tenders into bite-size pieces. Wash up, then season chicken with salt and pepper. Dice chorizo. Add extra-virgin olive oil and chicken to pot. Lightly brown chicken 2 minutes, then add the chorizo and garlic. Cook another 2 to 3 minutes, then add peppers, onions and potatoes. Cook 5 minutes, then stir in tomatoes, kidney beans, and hot sauce. Add chicken stock and bring soup to a bubble.

Preheat broiler.

Reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender 10 to 12 minutes. Ladle soup into shallow bowls and top each bowl with a generous handful of crushed tortillas and cheese. Melt cheese under hot broiler. Garnish with scallions and herbs.

Black Bean Enchiladas

After spending Labor Day at a nearby state park, we were tired and hungry by the time we made it home. Too tired to run into the grocery store so dinner needed to be something we had on hand. Since we had no meat, I grabbed a can of black beans and pulled up a recipe for Black Bean Enchiladas by Jill at Simple Daily Recipes that I'd bookmarked earlier.

I knew these enchiladas would be good. So far we've loved every recipe we've tried from Jill's site. These Black Bean Enchiladas were easy to throw together, used ingredients that I normally keep on hand and were a hit with the kids as well as the adults. (Jill's advice to make a few all cheese enchiladas was right on the money!) This is one that will definitely show up on our table several times during this hectic school year. Did I mention they were delicious? So much so that I didn't even realize that I forgot to take pictures until after the enchiladas were all gone! Instead, you get a picture of me playing around with my favorite birthday present: my new kayak!

Black Bean Enchiladas
Recipe by Jill at Simple Daily Recipes

12 corn tortillas
2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
2 cans Ranch Style Black Beans
1 teaspoon cumin (optional)
your favorite salsa
sour cream

Preheat oven 400F degrees. Mist a 13×9x2-inch casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray, cover bottom of dish with one can of black beans and stir in the cumin. Line up the cheese, onions, and green pepper to build the enchiladas.

Now for the BIG TIME SAVER - place a paper towel on a small plate, stack the tortillas on top, cover with other half of towel, then cover with microwave safe bowl that will fit over tortillas. Microwave on high for 50 seconds to 1 minute. Tortillas will be hot, soft and pliable, be careful not to burn yourself.

Work quickly to fill tortillas with approximately 2 tablespoons of cheese, a little onion, a little green pepper then roll up and lay in dish seam side down.

KID FRIENDLY TIP
Fill half the dish with cheese only enchiladas and the other half with the works. Be careful to remember which side is kid friendly. I usually lay the enchiladas perpendicular to each other.

After you fill the dish, pour the next can of black beans over the enchiladas, use any leftover cheese, onions & peppers to garnish the grown up side. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until hot. Serve with salsa, sour cream.

Fish Tacos with Quick Slaw, Avocado Sauce and Green Rice

I caught the recipe for Fish Tacos with Quick Slaw, Avocado Sauce and Green Rice on The Rachael Ray Show as I was headed to the grocery the other day. I had planned something else for dinner but fish tacos sounded good so I picked up the ingredients I needed and made them for dinner. We'd had fish tacos before and even dh, the fish-phobic, enjoyed them.

The finished fish looked great. Nicely colored and perfectly flaky. The slaw provided some texture and contrast. The color of the avocado sauce blended perfectly with the side of green rice.

To sum up the meal in one word ... Blech!

The rice was easy to make but totally lacking in flavor. Despite adding 1/2 cup of cilantro I couldn't really taste it. The spinach added plenty of color but little in the way of flavor. I used two jalapenos and even that didn't add much zing.

The tacos were also pretty flavorless and we didn't care for the slaw at all. For all the chopping, slicing and dicing, this one is one we definitely felt wasn't worth the effort. I took two bites of the rice and couldn't stomach any more. Dh took one. Dh did finish one taco but after two bites, I was done.

If you want to try the recipe, you can find it here. But if you are in the mood for seafood with southwestern flair, these crab quesadillas from Kevin at Closet Cooking are much tastier (and a lot less complicated to prepare.) If you prefer shrimp, Kevin also has a great recipe for Shrimp Quesadillas.

Huevos Racheros: Heaven on a Plate!

I found the most amazingly simple and incredibly delicious idea for a quick and easy dinner over at Smitten Kitchen. Huevos Rancheros. I've heard of them for years but never really thought much about them ... until I saw Deb's gorgeous photos and simple recipe. After reading her post I knew we'd have to try it. I even picked up some corn tortillas at the grocery so I knew I'd make them, I just didn't know when.

Ds has given up running cross country and has decided to try out for the tennis team instead. He'd been wanting to go to the middle school and practice for awhile. Today was sunny, yet cool for August in Indiana so off we went. He hit balls with dh while I moseyed on over to the track and got about 3 miles in. It felt good to get back out there. I hadn't run in almost a month. Hopefully now that school is starting, I will be able to get back into the exercise groove. It should be a bit easier if ds has tennis practice every day. I won't have an excuse not to use the track! LOL! Last year I did most of my running during cross country and wrestling practices. In the beginning, the other parents looked at me like I was nuts but by the end of the season there were at least 5 or 6 others who were running or walking during practices. :-)

Coming home with no idea what dinner was going to be and pretty wiped out (in a good way!) I deciped to give Deb's Huevos a try. O.M.G.!!! So quick. So delicious. So easy! Corn tortillas, eggs, cheese, black beans (I used Trader Joe's Cuban Black Beans. Mmmm!), fresh salsa toped with some leftover guac. Heaven. On. A. Plate!

My pictures don't do it justice. Head on over to Smitten Kitchen and check out Deb's drool-worthy pictures and her awesome idea of frying the egg on the tortilla.

Black Bean Confetti Salad

What do you do when you realize it's time to leave for a party and you've forgotten to shop for the ingredients of the dish you intended to make?Make pantry-friendly bean salad, of course! This Black Bean Confetti Salad from The Smitten Kitchen was a great choice. It looked pretty. (Much prettier than in the photo. We were in a hurry and I didn't have enough time to get a good shot.) And it was quite tasty. Very flavorful without being heavy or overwhelming. Perfect for a picnic on a hot summer day.


Black Bean Confetti Salad
Recipe from The Smitten Kitchen

2 cans black beans, (15 ounce) drained and well-rinsed
4 bell peppers, a mix of colors, chopped into a small dice
1/2 super-large or 1 medium white onion, chopped into a small dice
Juice of one lime
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon honey
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
Optional: If you’re the kind of person who loves cilantro, it’s a great match for this salad.

Mix beans, bell peppers and white onion in a large bowl. In a separate, smaller bowl, whisk remaining ingredients into a vinaigrette. Ideally, you’ll have a 1/2 cup of dressing. Pour it over the bean mixture, toss it well and adjust seasonings to taste.

Tortilla Soup

I love spicy food, especially when it gets hot outside. And boy, it sure is hot here. Heat indexes of around 100 degrees F all week. The skies are bright blue with big fluffy white clouds and no trace of rain. Woohoo! Great days to hang around at the lake and enjoy the Midwestern sumer.

It's odd to think that a week ago it was 63 and raining. But then again, it was perfect weather to make my favorite Tortilla Soup. This originally started out as Rachael Ray's Chicken Tortilla Soup with Chipotle and Fire Roasted Tomato but over time it has sort of evolved into a "kitchen sink" type soup, good for using up anything extras you have lying around. No red onions? Use yellow. No cilantro? Throw in some scallions. No black beans? Pinto's will work. One thing that can't be changed IMO, is the fire roasted tomatoes. They give the soup a great flavor that is just missing in regular diced tomatoes.

For me, 30 minutes is too long to make lunch so I'm always looking for shortcuts. For this soup, I use pre-cooked chicken, usually Tyson Diced Chicken Breast. I also try to keep plastic containers of pre-chopped onions in the fridge so that cuts even more off the prep time. I like this soup with some added black beans and if I'm out of chicken, I'll just add a few more beans. And if I'm really in a hurry, I'll use that pre-cooked bacon that, thanks to Jill from Simple Daily Recipes, that I keep in my freezer all the time. ;-)


Teresa's Tortilla Soup
Inspired by Rachael Ray


1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
4 slices of bacon, coarsely chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 chipotles in adobo, chopped, plus 2 tablespoons sauce
1 can crushed fire roasted tomatoes (14.5-ounce)
1/2 cup black beans, drained and rinsed, or to taste
4 cups chicken stock
Salt
lightly crushed corn tortilla chips
shredded cheddar cheese
1 lime
1/2 red onion, coarsely chopped
Freshly chopped cilantro leaves

In a soup pot, heat extra-virgin olive oil over medium-high heat. Add bacon and cook until crisp; Remove and drain on paper towels. Drain off excess fat from pan, leaving a little to flavor the onions. Add onions and garlic to the skillet and cook 5 minutes then stir in chipotles and tomatoes. Add diced chicken and beans to pot. Add chicken stock and simmer until heated through.

Place a few crushed tortilla chips in the bottom of each soup bowl. Cover cheddar cheese then ladle the hot soup over it. Sprinkle with lime, raw onions and cilantro and serve.

Black Bean Nachos

It's sort of funny that we seem to be eating better during this major emergency than we do normally. Normally I cruise the internet looking for something to make for dinner and then run to the store when I'm picking someone up for school or taking someone to practice. Being told that you *can't* leave your home and that the nearby stores are under water must bring out my creative side. LOL!

Yesterday I wanted to make a quick snack for dh and myself. I remembered seeing these Black Bean Snack Bites that Jill over at Simple Daily Recipes blogged about recently and after a quick look in the pantry, realized I could make them or at least come close. I didn't have black beans but I did have some Spicy Black Bean Dip after my last Trader Joe's run.

Black Bean Snack Bites
Recipe by Jill at Simple Daily Recipes

Tostito Scoops
1 (15oz) can of black beans, drained
cheddar and jack cheese, shredded
thinly sliced onion (optional)
chopped cooked chicken (optional)
habanero sauce (optional)

Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
Fill each scoop chip with any combination of the ingredients above.Bake for 7 minutes. Serve hot!

Chicken-Green Chili Straws

I guess I need to re-think my position on Robin Miller and her recipes. I love, love, love the idea of her show. If you have to cook, make it do double duty and make multiple meals out of it. Unfortunately, the first few recipes I tried were not particularly tasty. I'm glad I perservered though. This one makes the rest all worthwhile! The Chicken-Green Chili Straws with Jalapeno-Honey Dip was excellent. So good that ds's girlfriend even jumped in the fray to fight over who got the last one! (She won and she also took the recipe home to give to her mom.)

They are simple to make. I used the leftover chicken from the Chipotle-Lime Chicken Thighs from the other night. Since we were not impressed with that dish at all, I think next time I'll make chicken specifically to make these Chicken-Green Chili Straws. Probably using chicken breasts since I won't be using the crockpot. I'd also kick up the spice level a notch since without the yummy Jalapeno-Honey Dip they were pretty bland. The Jalapeno-Honey Dip was wonderful. I worried that the recipe was wrong when it called for 3 tablespoons of jalapeno since my dip didn't look like hers did on the show. I was afraid it might be too much but it was perfect. We will definitely be repeating this one soon!


Chicken-Green Chili Straws with Jalapeno-Honey Dip
Recipe courtesy of Robin Miller

Cooking spray
1 1/2 cups cooked chicken thigh meat, chopped
1/2 cup sour cream
1/3 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend (recommended: Kraft or Sargento)
1 (4-ounce) can diced green chiles
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 package egg roll wrappers
1 cup honey
3 tablespoons chopped pickled jalapenos
1 tablespoon cider vinegar


Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, combine chicken, sour cream, cheese, green chiles, cilantro, and cumin. Mix well to combine. Arrange egg roll wrappers on a flat surface. Place a small amount of filling in the lower third (towards 1 corner) of each wrapper. Fold over the bottom corner of the wrapper, tightly roll up 1 turn and then fold in the sides. Dip your finger in water and run it along the corner and edge. Tightly roll up the rest of the way, sealing the edges and seam shut. Place "straws" on prepared baking sheet and spray with cooking spray. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, until golden brown.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine honey, pickled jalapenos and vinegar. Mix well and serve alongside straws.

Quick Sopa Aguada

I'm all about the quick and easy recipe. With four kids who all seem to be participating in three different activities at the same time, if a recipe isn't quick then I just plain don't have time for it. But while quick is important, taste is paramount. I've seen recipe sites that trumpet these great quick recipes that only take X number of ingredients and can be made in less than15 minutes. Too many times those dishes are way too bland for my crew. I want dishes that taste like they took a long time to make and also taste like they were whipped up by a restaurant chef.

The recipe for Sopa Aguada posted by Ben over at What's Cooking? looked perfect for us. While I haven't tried it with homemade pasta yet, but I plan to try it soon. Between the onions, garlic and the fire-roasted tomatoes I used, this soup was anything but "watery". ;-)


Sopa Aguada (Pasta Soup)
Recipe by Ben at What's Cooking?

All you have to do is fry some pasta in a large pot. In the meantime blend tomato, onion and garlic and add to the pasta once it starts turning brown. Add chicken broth to make it watery (aguada means watery), salt, pepper, oregano and crushed peppers if you want to make it spicy. Cover and let it simmer until the pasta is soft. Serve with cilantro, cheese and avocado and you have your first course of the evening.

Here's what I used in my soup:
pasta (I've tried it with both dried linguine and dried spaghetti.)
onion, chopped
garlic, minced
chicken broth
fire roasted tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato paste
red pepper flakes
salt and pepper
oregano
cilantro
avocado
cheddar cheese

Cinco de Mayo!

My morning routine usually consists of me staggering into the kitchen, fixing a hot chai latte and settling into the computer to check out new recipes and food blogs. Peanut Butter Etouffee is one blog that I make sure to check often because something there is always sure to catch my eye. Since today happens to be Cinco de Mayo, when I came across their recipe for the Taquito Sauce from their favorite L.A. taco stand, Cielito Lindo, I knew I'd have to make it for our Cinco de Mayo Fiesta. It turned out to be quite a surprise. I knew I'd like it but I didn't really expect dh to even try it. He tends to have an aversion for all things green and healthy. ;-) In the middle of dinner he asked to try it and really liked it. The kids enjoyed the taquitos as a change from our regular tacos and they really didn't take much longer to make. The taquitos were fun and the sauce was tasty and quick to make.

Nupur from One Hot Stove was paired with PBE during the most recent Taste & Create over at For the Love of Food. She's created her own version of this yummy Taquito Sauce which you can check out here. Next time I have a little more time to prepare dinner, I'm going to try her version and see how that turns out. It'll be nice to have a more "homemade" version as well as a quicker one for those busy nights we seem to have around here so often.


Taquito sauce
Recipe from Peanut Butter Etouffee

1 can of Herdez Salsa Verde, or something that has tomatillos, onions, serrano peppers, salt, and cilantro.
1/2 ripe avocado
about 1/2 cup cilantro, packed
one serrano pepper, no seeds

Blend this in a food processor until smooth. Add salt to taste or extra serrano peppers if you like it hotter. Strain out all the seed.

Now here's the odd part, bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook for about five minutes. Don't boil, just simmer, this isn't a reduction. Thin with a bit of water or chicken broth. This is a real thin sauce. Maybe as thin as tomato juice. Cool and refrigerate.