Mexican Skillet

I've been making this Mexican skillet for a few years now. This week when I made it and my husband commented that it is actually one of his favorites. Its just a filling stick to your ribs no fuss meal. Classic Mexican flavors that come together in a cinch, easy to feed a crowd with. 

Ingredients: 

1 lb lean ground beef

1 small onion, diced

1 packet taco seasoning

2 tsp olive oil

2 cups cooked brown rice

1 tsp butter

1 can black beans

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 cup diced tomatoes

1 avocado, sliced 

2 tsp chopped cilantro

Directions: Cook your rice with 1 tsp butter and a pinch of salt. While that cooks, in a large pan heat some oil, cook your onions until they begin to brown. Add your ground beef and crumble and cook until golden brown. Mix in your taco seasoning, and beans. In a large dish, layer your cooked rice on the bottom, meat mixture on the top, then cheese, tomatoes, avocado, and cilantro. 

Enjoy!

BBQ Ranch Chicken Salad

There are so many wonderful things I have to say about this salad, that I barely know where to start. This is the very first recipe I tried ripping off from a restaurant. My husband loved a particular island grill fast casual place and would make me go there constantly. I didn't really love anything on their menu particularly until I found this delicious BBQ Chicken Salad. I craved it constantly and spent a hefty portion of my meal budget on it weekly. I decided I could make it for much less at home, so this recipe was born. It took a little tweaking, but it is amazing. This is the type of salad where I want to lick the bowl when I'm done. Its hearty, tangy, full of goodness. Even my 2 year old gobbles it up, and you will too.

Salad Ingredients:

1 head green leaf lettuce, washed dried and chopped

1 avacado, sliced into cubes

1 chicken breast, grilled and cubed, cooled 

1 can corn, drained and rinsed

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup tortilla chips, crumbled

1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

Dressing:

1/2 packet of hidden valley ranch dressing mix

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup milk

3 tablespoons bbq sauce

2 tablespoons water 

Assemble your salad ingredients (lettuce, cheese, avocado, chicken, corn, beans, chips) in a large bowl. One quick tip is to use your salad spinner that you just cleaned the lettuce with, to also drain and rinse your beans and corn. Its a great way to wash all your ingredients while removing the excess moisture that can make a salad soggy. For your dressing, combine all your dressing ingredients in a mason jar or something similar with a lid. Stir it all together or shake it up until combined. Refrigerate dressing for at least 30 minutes. When you are ready to serve, add your dressing to your salad and mix until incorporated. This will serve approximately 4 people. 

I'm not kidding when I tell you that this is a salad that I crave. It has enough protein to keep you full and satisfied, the chips add a nice carb to keep us carb addicts happy too, and the dressing, well lets just say its a little bit of heaven. You will not regret making this for dinner. Enjoy!

Southwestern Hay Stack

My husband decided to call this dish a Southwestern Hay Stack. He said even though the name doesn't sound very gourmet, its a pretty descriptive way for you to picture what this meal is about. I had to remind him; "Hey we aint no gourmet family, aight?"  Its basically like a Hawaiian hay stack, but with more of a Mexican flair. 

This meal is something that is deeply satisfying and healthy at the same time. I love win win dishes like that. Its easy to whip up and a meal where you can do lots of the prep ahead of time. Again, a win win. Normally when I make this dish, I add shredded cheddar cheese to it. I forgot to do that today and guess what? It was just as good. So I'm leaving the cheese out of the recipe because if it doesn't need it, why add the expense or calories? Right? 

Ingredients: 

2 cups uncooked white rice 
2 chicken breasts
1//2 cup salsa + extra for garnish
2 tsp fajita seasoning 
2 ripe avacados
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp cumin
1 can black beans
1 can corn
2 tsp dried cilantro 
1 tsp lemon juice
Salt & Pepper

Place your chicken breasts, 1/2 cup of salsa, and fajita seasoning in a slow cooker. Turn the slow cooker to high and cook for 3-4 hours or until your chicken breaks apart when cut. 

While your chicken is cooking, you can also cook your white rice in your rice cooker. 

When your chicken is almost ready, you can begin to cook your beans. Add your olive oil to a warm pan. Then add your onions, salt and pepper them. Let them sauté until they are translucent. Add your garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, until fragrant. Then add your beans, corn, cumin, and cilantro. Let those mix on low heat while you make your guacamole. 

Cut and mash your avocado in a small bowl. Add salt, pepper, and lime juice, stir together. 
Take your chicken out of the slow cooker and chop it into small pieces. 

Assemble your "haystacks" part by part. Rice, beans, chicken, guacamole, then add salsa on top as your garnish. 

My husband said I could make this meal once a week and he would be a happy man. He loves fresh tasting healthy recipes, but that also leave you feeling satisfied. Hopefully this will satisfy your family as well. 

Enjoy!

Tico Black Beans

During our many visits to Costa Rica, one of my favorite things to eat was what they called a "tico breakfast". A tico is someone who is native to Costa Rica, so their tico breakfast is what all the natives preferred to have each morning. 

I've been on the hunt for a healthier breakfast routine for awhile. Something low in fat, full of protein, that won't have me hungry before lunch time. A tico breakfast is black beans mixed with white  rice to make a dirty rice, served with tortillas and a fried egg. Yum. 

Below is a combination of like 3 of my favorite black bean recipes. Perfect for my tico breakfast. 

2 cans black beans

1 bell pepper chopped

1 SMALL onion

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 bay leaves

2 garlic cloves

2 tsp dried cilantro

1/4 tsp red pepper

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp cumin 

1 tsp sugar

2 tsp white wine vinegar 

Salt 

Pepper

Heat olive oil in large skillet. Chop your onion and bell pepper and add to skillet. Once the onions are translucent add your garlic (minced). Then add your beans and all your spices. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 20 minutes. Use a potato masher to break up the beans just a bit. Let beans simmer until they reach desired thickness. Salt and pepper to taste. Would be great topped with a Latin queso fresco. 

Yum! Pura Vida! 

Shepards Pie ala Man Made

My first guest post! Dinner was made by my husband tonight. He made Shepards Pie and it was so much better than the one I usually make! So I made him post his recipe here. Enjoy! 

12 oz ground beef (85-90% lean)

1/2 pound fresh green beens, chopped

1/2 large onion, diced

1/2 bag of frozen peas corn and carrots

1 package of a good brown gravy mix

1 3/4 cup of water

1/2 cup red wine

3-4 pounds of potatoes

Fresh rosemary

1-3 bay leaves

and dried thyme

Rosemary mashed potatoes:

Boil and mash 3-4 pounds of potatoes.  Add 1/2 stick of butter and about a cup of milk.  You want to make these potatoes slightly on the wet side so add however much more milk you need to. Add 1 tbs finely diced fresh rosemary and salt and pepper to taste.

Filling:

Add 3 tbs of olive oil to a hot pan.  Add 1/2 dice onion and cook for a few minutes.  Add ground beef and brown thououghly.  Add red wine and reduce for a few minutes and then add the water.  Add the gravey mix and the fresh green beans and the frozen veggies.  Add the bay leaves and thyme and bring to a simmer. Summer down until green beans are cooked perfectly and the gravey has thickeners up-20 to 25 minutes.

Add the cooked filling to a 9x13 casserole pan and add the mashed potatoes to the top. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.  Turn oven to broil and broil for 3 minutes to add a little color to the dish. 

Mexican Skillet

This was a relatively easy weeknight meal. The only ahead prep is cooking the brown rice because brown rice always takes forEVER to cook. 

Sorry my photos aren't beautiful. Maybe someday I'll whip out my big camera, but today is not that day. 

Prep 2 cups dry brown rice (add a 1/2 cup extra water on top of what your rice cooker says to keep it moist)

While that cooks shred 1 cup cheddar cheese. Set aside. 

Then dice 1 large avacado. Dice 1 large tomato. Mince 1 bunch cilantro. Mix avacado, tomato, and cilantro. Season with salt and cover in the juice of one lime. Set aside. 

Cut up 1 small onion (I used a red one)

Add oil in LARGE skillet and brown onion with a little salt. 

Add 1lb lean ground turkey to skillet and brown it up. Add 1/2 pkg taco seasoning. Add salt and pepper as needed. 

Add 1 ear fresh cut corn kernels sliced off of the husk. 

Add 1 can drain and rinsed black beans to skillet. 

Once rice is cooked, add that to the skillet with the meat. 

Bring skillet, cheese, and tomato/avacado mix to table and let your guests mix their own skillet bowls to taste.