Supper-Time Sunday!

Hello all! It is time for another recipe round-up! There are lots of delicious eats around the web and here are the ones that we have tried lately!

THE CHEW'S BAKED ARTICHOKE CHICKEN

Recipe + photo courtesy of Stacey over at Stacey Snacks

From Stacey Snacks blog, "This recipe won a contest on a television show called The Chew.

Mario Batali and others judged 3 chicken recipes made by regular people, and this won first prize!"

Confession... it has been a long time coming before I thought I would ever be okay eating artichoke hearts and mushrooms - let alone this much! But, I kid you not, we loved this meal SO much that I made it twice in two weeks. Every bite is extremely flavorful and the combination of the mushrooms with the onion and artichokes is just heavenly. 

And guess what? I did this in the crockpot! I placed all of the veggies on the bottom of the crockpot, topped with the chicken, topped with the sauce and let it go to town. My crockpot believes that it is the depths of Mordor itself and I have to keep a careful eye on my dishes so that they don't get over cooked but I think that if you go by the standard of 6 hours on low that you will be alright. I did this in the crockpot both times and both times it turned out great.

I also did not use chicken with bones or skin. I used 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts and 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs. The only other changes that I made were that I used dijon mustard and chicken stock instead of the wine. We served this over Lemon Parmesan brown rice. YUMMY!

Make this one! You won't be disappointed!

Pin it!

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CROCK POT PICANTE CHICKEN AND BLACK BEAN SOUP

Recipe + Photo courtesy of Gina over at Skinnytaste.com

Was the above crock pot recipe not really to your liking? Well I have another one for you! This came together so quickly and got rave reviews from cute hubster, my girl [A] and my boy {N}. The chicken came out tender and delicious and shredded with hardly any effort whatsoever on my part. 

Unfortunately, I waited too long to make this after buying my groceries and so my avocados were no longer good. But we did use the lime juice and sliced scallions (aka green onions). I sprinkled a little bit of cheddar cheese into the family portions - not mine though. I like my food tasting more fresh!

Cute hubster added some Greek yogurt to his 2nd portion to tone down the heat a bit. It is fairly spicy but neither of my babies complained about it. If you are worried about it I would use Rotel tomatoes without the green chiles and it should be just fine. 

I didn't have ancho chile powder so I just used normal chile powder but I kept everything else the same. I know that 2 chicken breasts seems like a small amount but it really was perfect for this recipe.

Pin it!

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CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

Recipe + Photo courtesy of Katie over at Chocolate-Covered Katie: the healthy dessert blog

Sometimes a girl just needs some chocolate! And chocolate mousse/ice cream is a delicious treat that I have not been able to enjoy for a long time thanks to my body rejecting refined sugars. 

Enter the always reliable Chocolate-Covered Katie! I love love love love her. I have never had trouble with any of her recipes and I have ALWAYS liked them. This dessert did not disappoint at all. And at only 4 ingredients there is NO reason to not try it out!

I didn't need to refrigerate my coconut milk overnight - it was thick enough when I opened the can. I used Stevia in the Raw + a little pure maple syrup to sweeten our desserts. I would normally be alright with just stevia but my family likes things a little bit sweeter than stevia can provide without going too bitter. 

I divvied this recipe up into 4 small cups and stuck them in the freezer while we ate dinner. When they came out they had just started freezing around the edges but the middle was decadently creamy. If you want a mousse like texture = refrigerate. Ice cream = freezer.

Pin it!

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QUESTION FOR MY DEAR READERS: What recipes have you tried from around the web lately? Share your faves with me! 

Loves...Shayla

Chicken Tacos with Thick Black Bean Salsa

I am definitely the kind of cook who wants to eat something that tastes fabulous but doesn't want to spend all day in the kitchen to get there. Of course I will put in the time if it is absolutely necessary... [insert Raspberry Ribbon Pie here] but it is absolutely not my personal preference.

Insert Tacos! Who doesn't love a good taco? I certainly love tacos and I don't mind getting quite messy to eat them up. My cute hubster is more conservative in the packing of his tacos but I love mine busting at the guts.

I have made this recipe SEVERAL times and, once again, I will apologize for my complete lack of photography skills. There is really only so much that you can do with a camera phone at night. So... it is what it is!

CHICKEN TACOS WITH THICK BLACK BEANS SALSA
A Shayla Original
Serves 2-4 (depending on the hunger level of those you are serving!)

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken, cut into chunks
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp smoked paprika (optional, but amazing)

1/2 medium onion, sliced
1 (14.5 oz) can reduced sodium black beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 cups salsa (whatever kind is your favorite)
1 tsp arrowroot powder (or cornstarch if you aren't worried about gluten free)

Leafy topping of choice! I am very preferential to purple cabbage
Cheese topping of choice! Love love love the pepperjack
8 small corn tortillas

Turn on the broil option on your oven. I do high broil but you gotta keep a close eye on your tortillas if you do!

In a nonstick skillet mix together your chicken and seasonings. Cook thoroughly until no longer pink. I don't use any nonstick spray or oil to cook my chicken but you can if you must.

In the meantime, heat another nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add your onion slices and cook until tender, about 4-5 minutes. Add in your black beans and heat just briefly before adding in your salsa. You can cook it for a few minutes and leave it more runny or you can do what I do and add in a bit of arrowroot powder to thicken it up. It sticks together wonderfully and stays in the tortilla shell better. If you add in the arrowroot, turn your heat to medium and cook until salsa reaches your desired amount of thickness. (About 5 minutes for me).

Place your tortillas on a cookie sheet. Place in the preheated oven and just heat the things until you reach your level of desired crispness. You can let them go longer and eat these tostada style or just warm them so they are flexible.

Serve by topping a tortilla with the thick salsa, chicken, leafy topping of choice and cheese of choice.

YUMMMMMMM delicious!

Supper-Time Sunday!

Key Lime Coconut Bars

Rating on cooking method: B-, Rating on taste (for me): B, Rating on taste (for everyone else): A+

Lol. Are you laughing at my ratings? Well I needed to give you an accurate representation of this recipe! This is not an easy dessert to make. And make no mistake - this is not a healthy dessert. This is an indulgent dessert that I made for a really big family party. :-) Squeezing enough key limes to give you the juice you  need for this is a PAIN. And if that weren't bad enough, you have to zest them too. Luckily we have a cool squeezy tool that made the job a bit easier. But you will need a TON of key limes. I made the mistake of underestimating how many I would need. If you happen to do the same thing, make up the rest of the "key lime" juice with a mixture of 1/2 lemon juice and 1/2 lime juice. It will taste almost exactly the same.

I doubled the amounts called for in this recipe since I was making it for a big party and it fit into a BIG pan. Like, the one bigger than the 9x13. I am not exactly sure on the size... 11x17? Something like that. But it filled it to the BRIM.

I didn't think that the crust held together well enough. It seemed like it needed more butter to help it along. But it worked just fine with the amount called for and I used fat free sweetened condensed milk and it still worked out perfectly. 

If you choose to whip your own topping instead of using Cool whip like I did I used 1 pint of whipping cream and it covered the whole thing in a nice thin layer that offset the richness of the dessert. It was a bit too rich and sweet for me (remember I don't eat a lot of sugar) but everyone seriously ooohed and aaahed over it. And what matters most is that my mom loved it and since I made it special for her that is what I care about!

LINK: http://projectsforyournest.blogspot.com/2012/04/key-lime-coconut-bars.html

Spinach Quesadillas

Rating: A

This is a really easy and tasty lunch (or dinner) idea. I added some red pepper flakes to mine since I like things a bit spicy and used whole wheat tortillas.

LINK: http://www.shape.com/healthy-eating/healthy-recipes/healthy-sandwich-recipes?page=5

Vegan Quinoa & Sweet Potato Chili

Rating: A-

I really enjoyed this chili and liked the different textures. My whole family liked it as well, including my children. We topped ours with avocado and a little bit of Greek yogurt. That would nullify the fact that it is supposed to be Vegan but it is a wonderful addition and a great alternative to sour cream. I thought that it tasted a lot like a regular chili and since it is so much healthier that is great. My husband didn't agree but he liked it all the same. We will definitely be making this one again!

LINK: http://www.milkfreemom.com/vegan-quinoa-sweet-potato-chili/

Supper-Time Sunday!

Banana Pudding Poke Cake

Rating: A+

Okay, maybe I am a bit biased but my all-time favorite "guilty" dessert is banana pudding. Why? I have no idea. Something about the flavor combination. Is this a healthy dessert? No. However, you can improve the recipe in many ways. When using a boxed cake mix the oil can be completely replaced with unsweetened applesauce. I have done it twice now and both times it turned out the most gorgeous boxed cake I have ever made. Secondly, if you whip your own whipping cream you get to control the amount of sugar that goes into it and it won't have a bunch of yucky additives like high fructose corn syrup. I added a layer of freshly sliced bananas between the pudding and whipped topping and it was soooo delicious. Everyone raved about this dessert at my baby boy's birthday party. Yummy!

Link: http://www.thecountrycook.net/2012/06/banana-pudding-poke-cake.html

Pasta with Cilantro-Peanut Pesto

Rating: F

No, I am not kidding. This dish was terrible. The lime zest was completely and totally overwhelming - So badly that you couldn't even taste anything else (and there are a lot of other ingredients that should have strong flavors!) This was bad enough that we rinsed off the noodles to try and save dinner and we could STILL taste the lime. Wow. Steer clear of this one. 

Link: The site is down right now so I can't get the link but if you really want to try this one here is the link to my pin on Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/pin/206954545347039565/

Zucchini Lasagna

Rating: A+

This meal was so tasty and I thought it tasted a lot like normal lasagna. I didn't miss the noodles at all and, even though the cute hubby wouldn't admit it, I don't think he did either. It came out with the most amazing pops of flavor. I used ground chicken instead of shredded and I ran out of zucchini and so I used part yellow squash. Ironically, we liked the yellow squash best. It takes on an almost cheesy taste to it. We will absolutely be making this dish again.

Link: http://munchercruncher.blogspot.com/2011/05/seasons-are-lil-bit-different-in-sunny.html

Oatmeal Chocolate Peanut Butter No-Bake Candy Bars

Rating: A- on flavor and texture

Sound healthy? Surprisingly, they are very respectable for a dessert. All natural ingredients and no added sugars except for honey (which isn't processed nearly as heavily as white sugar) and whatever sugar might be on your dried cranberries. These had a very rich and creamy flavor and texture and a little bit goes a long way. Unfortunately, a long way isn't very long for me when it comes to sweets and even after just a little bit my body went into "sugar shock" and I felt sick to my stomach for the rest of the night. *Sigh* So even though these were delicious I probably won't make them again. I bet you would enjoy them though!

Link: http://amy-newnostalgia.blogspot.ca/2010/05/best-recipe-ive-ever-messed-up.html

Oatmeal Breakfast Cookie

Rating: B

I really like the concept of this "cookie" and it turned out pretty good. I made a blueberry version and did agave instead of maple syrup. I also didn't have vanilla yogurt and so I added a tsp of 100% vanilla whey protein powder and just used plain, nonfat yogurt. It was tasty and I enjoyed it, however it didn't keep me feeling full for very long. That is a deal breaker for me and breakfast so I won't make this one again for me but maybe for my kids?

Link: http://dinnersdishesanddesserts.com/?p=2583#.UAlqqbRDwrc

Oreo Puddin' Poke Cake

Rating: A+ according to my husband

I have to confess... I didn't actually eat this one. My baby sister turned 7 yesterday and specifically requested a "Special Shayla Dessert" and she wanted chocolate cake. I knew that she would love this cake although I don't personally eat Oreos. Once again, you can replace the oil in the cake mix for unsweetened applesauce 1:1. My sister had 2 BIG pieces of this cake and my husband went on and on and on about how good it was. He doesn't normally like cake but he said this one was so perfectly moist and the perfect amount of sweet without being overbearing. I added a layer of whipped topping on top of the pudding after it had completely set (8 ounce container) and I think that that is what balanced the sweetness out. 

Link: http://www.thecountrycook.net/2011/07/puddin-poke-cake.html

Tijuana Tortas

Rating: A+

I cannot possibly say enough to praise this meal. It comes together in no time at all (like 5 minutes) and is incredibly tasty. I think I had it for 4 or 5 meals over the course of 2 days because we loved it so much. The avocado mixture is really what makes it. The limey, oniony creaminess is just a burst of flavor. I didn't want to search for pickled jalapenos so I used chopped banana peppers instead. I am actually planning on making this again tonight. Really. We also didn't hollow out our whole wheat sub rolls - we just ate these like sandwiches. I know that that is cheating and not really a torta but they were fantastic, nonetheless. And meatless too!

Link: http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/tijuana_torta.html

Baja Chicken Pizza

This recipe is a combination of a few recipes that I have on here with something new! I hope you have been following along but if not I will update you:

This is the crust: Jay's Signature Pizza Crust - Healthier!

This is the ranch used to make the sauce: Greek Yogurt Ranch Dressing

And this is the chicken that I used instead of what is called for in the recipe: Slow Cooker Cilantro Lime Chicken

And if you want to know how amazingly good this pizza turned out... my husband and his best friend, Mike, were over for dinner. They both DEVOURED this thing. Seriously. I made enough to fill an 11x17 inch cookie sheet and there was not a single crumb left. It was fresh and delicious and pretty incredibly healthy for a pizza!

I doubled the sauce recipe because I was making a really big pizza but I don't think I had to. However, this sauce is amazing for dipping crust in or for eating with a salad. Delicious low fat salad dressing too? This recipe is AMAZING!!!!

I will list the original recipe here in case you don't have leftover chicken like I did. But trust me, make the chicken for one dinner and then have this with the leftovers the next day - you WILL NOT regret it!

This recipe is courtesy of Blog Chef and can be found at this site HERE.

BAJA CHICKEN PIZZA

Adapted from Blog Chef

½ cup ranch salad dressing (I used the Greek Yogurt dressing)
1/8 cup salsa
½ tablespoon lime juice
1 ½ tablespoons cilantro
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (or replace with leftover Cilantro Lime Chicken)
1 (1.25 ounce) envelope taco seasoning (not needed if replacing chicken)
1 prebaked 12-inch pizza crust (or make your own healthier (and cheaper) crust)
½ cup tomato (chopped)
½ cup red onion (chopped)
2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend (I probably used this much for my huge pizza - it doesn't need this much if you are making the smaller 12-inch pizza crust. I would say 1 cup at most for the smaller crust.)
2 cups shredded lettuce
2 medium ripe avocados (peeled and thinly sliced)

Step 1: Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Rub chicken breasts on both sides with taco seasoning and place onto a lightly greased baking sheet. Place into the oven and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until the chicken breasts are fully cooked (the internal temperature has reached 165 degrees). Remove from the oven, allow the chicken to cool for 10 minutes and slice into strips.  In a blender or food processor add ranch dressing, salsa, lime juice and cilantro. Cover and process until smooth (this can also be done by hand, by whisking in a bowl). Set aside.
Step 2: Turn the oven up to 425 degrees. Place the pre-baked crust onto a 12-inch pizza pan. Spread the ranch dressing mixture evenly over the crust. Sprinkle with the sliced cooked chicken, tomato, onion, and cheese.
Step 3: Place into the oven and bake at 425 degrees for 17-20 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese has melted. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting. Sprinkle with lettuce and top with avocado slices. Serve immediately.
(Makes 4 Servings)

Slow Cooker Cilantro Lime Chicken

I love easy slow cooker recipes. I especially love healthy and easy slow cooker recipes that turn out absolutely delicious!

I only used 3 large chicken breasts for this meal. The sauce to chicken ratio was a little bit off - it was extra saucy. But it was fine as my family just ate it over brown rice and I had it over some romaine lettuce. It was delicious every single way and we didn't add any sour cream. And it made a TON! My 3 chicken breasts made enough for us to have a big dinner, leftovers the next day, and still have enough to use for an entirely different meal. (More on that later.) I am guessing that the serving size on this is supposed to be 8 but I might be mistaken.

It was a bit spicy and very flavorful. This is one that is going in my permanent recipe file. Recipes that are this easy and delicious must be repeated!

*HINT!!! If you want to make shredding your chicken insanely easy just throw it into a Kitchen Aide or Bosch mixer once it is finished cooking. Mix for 20 - 30 seconds until completely shredded. Really. It works!

I have been better about taking my own pictures lately but for some reason I don't think I took one of this one... hmmm... Oh well! This recipe and picture are courtesy of Thoroughly Modern Mom and can be found at this site HERE.

SLOW COOKER CILANTRO LIME CHICKEN

From Thoroughly Modern Mom

Servings 8

Nutritional Information per serving (calculated on MyFitnessPal.com): Calories 171, Carbs 16, Fat grams 2, Protein 24 (Calculated without sour cream) 

In a slow cooker, mix together:

One 24-ounce jar medium or mild salsa

Juice from one lime

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

One 1.25-oz. package taco seasoning

2 jalapeno peppers, finely chopped, optional (for less heat use larger peppers and remove the membrane and seeds before using)

Add 4-6 thawed chicken breasts and toss to coat with the salsa mixture.

Cook on low for 6 hours and serve immediately. (Always remember that slow cooker times are relative. This did NOT take 6 hours in my slow cooker but it may in yours... hopefully you know the ins and outs of your cooker. If not, plan on 6 hours and just check on it periodically.) 

*MAKE SURE TO STAY TUNED!!! I will post an AMAZING recipe tomorrow that you can use the leftovers from this meal for!

Spicy Bean and Rice Burritos

Well, it does happen occasionally. We didn't like this one. I even added the juice of a whole lime and about 16 oz of sweet corn. It tasted spicy and that was about it. The adobo sauce could have had a lot more of a presence and the cayenne didn't add anything to this dish - it just took away. All of the other reviewers on the recipe did like this one and said it was the "perfect amount of spice." I disagree, but maybe you want to give it a shot? I didn't like it enough to try it again and try to "fix it."

My husband did try one of his burritos with cheese (we don't normally eat a lot or any cheese) and he said it made a big difference in the taste. Good luck if you try it!

*UPDATE 4/15/12: Okay.... so I couldn't just leave it alone. This recipe makes a TON and we had so many leftovers that I just didn't want to see going to waste. Besides the corn I added originally, I browned a pound of ground pork and mixed it with a can of tomato sauce, about 1/4 cup Greek yogurt and 1 1/2 tsp paprika. I added this to everything we had leftover (which was most of the recipe) and it tasted SOOO much better! We had it for dinner last night and again for lunch today. And there are STILL leftovers. I told you it makes a TON!

Follow this link to see the recipe, courtesy of Tasty Kitchen: http://tastykitchen.com/recipes/main-courses/spicy-bean-and-rice-burritos/

Green Enchilada Sauce and Pico de Gallo

We had a huge family dinner tonight to celebrate the blessing of our beautiful nieces Serenthia Skye and Zakiya Mae. My responsibility for the dinner was these two dishes. Classic Mexican, right? We love these additions to burritos, tacos, or with well seasoned meat. When we got home with the leftovers (because I made enough to feed several armies...) my cute hubby announced that he wanted to eat it with rice sometime this week. Yes, they were that good.

So enjoy! And get someone to help you cut things up... otherwise these are easy dishes to make!

PICO DE GALLO
From.... somewhere on the internet? The picture is mine. (*I multiplied this recipe by 4. Yes, 4.)

3 vine ripe tomatoes, chopped
1/2 white onion, diced
1/4 bunch cilantro, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp fresh lime juice
Salt & Pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together and keep cold until ready to serve.

GREEN ENCHILADA SAUCE
From Our Best Bites
(recipe and picture source: http://www.ourbestbites.com/2010/03/green-enchilada-sauce/)

2-3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, minced
5-6 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
2 green peppers, chopped
1-2 jalapenos, seeded and membranes removed if desired
1 1/2 lb. tomatillos, husked and quartered or halved
1/2 bunch cilantro, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 1/2 tsp. cumin
4 c. chicken broth
2-3 Tbsp. sugar (optional and to taste; I leave it out.)

In a large saucepan or stock pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Saute onions and garlic until tender and fragrant.

While onions are sauteeing, combine tomatillos, green peppers, jalapeno peppers, and cilantro in your blender. Process until smooth; you may have to do it in batches and/or add some chicken broth to make things blendable.

Pour the tomatillo mixture over the onions and garlic and add chicken broth, salt, pepper, and cumin. Simmer 15 minutes-1 hour, depending on the consistency you want. You can turn the heat to high and boil it uncovered until you reach the consistency you want; it makes things go a lot faster. The sauce can also be simmered in a slow cooker all day.

Serve over tacos, as an enchilada sauce, inside burritos, or as a dip for chips.

Best Spanish Rice

This is a huge go-to side dish in our house. I LOVE this recipe and we frequently have it with all of our Mexican dishes. It is super easy too. I make mine in our pressure cooker but I am sure you could do it in a rice cooker or a normal pan as well. I do several things differently than the original recipe but if you want to see the original you can find it and the source of the picture at this site here: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/best-spanish-rice/detail.aspx

BEST SPANISH RICE
From Allrecipes.com

1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups uncooked white rice
2 cups chicken (or vegetable) broth
1 cup chunky salsa

Place all ingredients in rice cooker. Stir twice and cook as you would normal rice.

OR

Place all ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cover. Cook, COVERED, for 20 minutes - DO NOT LIFT LID!

Fluff with fork before serving.

Foil-Pack Chicken Fajita Dinner

I love this concept and the flavor was awesome but the rice definitely did not cook quite right. I don't know exactly what happened. But I do know that these were fantastic leftovers when the rice had been able to sit for a while longer and was actually soft. If you want to be adventurous and try this recipe as written, go for it. Next time I make it I will cook the rice separately and then serve the ingredients of these foil packs on top of it.

This picture and recipe are courtesy of Kraft Foods and can be found at this site here: http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/foil-pack-chicken-fajita-dinner-111262.aspx

FOIL-PACK CHICKEN FAJITA DINNER

From Kraft Recipes

Printer Friendly Version

1-1/2 cups instant white rice, uncooked

1-1/2 cups hot water

1 Tbsp TACO BELL® HOME ORIGINALS® Taco Seasoning Mix

4 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1 lb.)

1 each green and red pepper, cut into strips

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

1/2 cupKRAFT Mexican Style Finely Shredded Taco Cheese

HEAT oven to 400ºF.

FOLD up all sides of each of 4 large sheets heavy-duty foil to form 1-inch rim; spray with cooking spray. Combine rice, water and taco seasoning; spoon onto foil. Top with remaining ingredients.

BRING up foil sides; fold to make 4 packets. Place in 15x10x1-inch pan.

BAKE 30 to 35 min. or until chicken is done (165ºF). Cool 5 min. Cut slits in foil to release steam before opening packets.

Super Bean Burritos

I love love love love this recipe!!!!!!! Some of the highlights for you: 1) It is easy to make. 2) None of the ingredients are abnormal. 3) It makes enough to feed an army. 4) It is versatile. 5) It has a great flavor. 6) It is healthy. 7) It is meatless but doesn't have to be. (But it really doesn't need the meat.)

Are you convinced yet that you MUST make this recipe? What if I told you that I am making this again tonight? What if I told you that you and your husband and even your kids will have dinner today and lunch tomorrow and you might STILL have leftovers that you can continue to enjoy after that? Or there are even directions for freezing these if you want. What if I told you that I might have even had these for breakfast one day....

So, needless to say, these are excellent. I do have to add one disclaimer: if you don't like onions this is not the recipe for you. It calls for a LOT of different onions. We love onions so that is not a problem for us.

And, like I said, this is a healthy recipe; however, if you want to make it even more healthy you can use brown rice, serve it on whole grain/whole wheat tortillas, use black beans instead of pinto, don't smother it in sour cream and cut back on the cheese. I didn't put cheese on mine at all and didn't feel like it was missing anything. I love eating mine with green salsa; the hubby loves his with red salsa. Like I said, it is versatile.

I also used a whole 8 oz can of tomato paste the first time I made this by accident but I didn't feel like it was a problem at all. In fact, I plan on doing it again tonight!

Thanks a MILLION to Real Mom Kitchen for the picture and recipe. You can visit her fantastic site here: http://realmomkitchen.com/1087/super-bean-burritos/

Super Bean Burritos

From Real Mom Kitchen
Printer Friendly Version

• 1 cup brown or white rice (or 2 cups already cooked rice)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 jalapeno, seeds and membrane removed, finely diced (can substitute 1 can of green chiles which is what I did)
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 cans (15 oz. each) pinto beans, drained and rinsed (I used black beans)
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 (10 oz) package frozen corn or 1 can whole kernel corn, drained (I personally would recommend the frozen corn)
• 6 green onions, white and green parts finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 16 burrito-sized (10-inch) flour tortillas
• 2 cups shredded Monterrey Jack cheese (or whatever kind of cheese you have)

1. Cook rice; set aside. Meanwhile, heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, jalapeno and cumin; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are softened and golden, being careful not to let the garlic burn. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring for 1 minute.
2. Add one can of beans and mash gently in the pan (a potato masher or fork works great here). Add the second can of beans and the water and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 10-12 minutes, being careful not to let the mixture stick to the bottom of the pot. Add corn; cook to heat through, 2-3 minutes. Stir in onion and garlic powders. Remove from heat; stir in green onions and cooked rice.
3. Heat tortillas in microwave for about 30-45 seconds or until all are warmed through.
4. Fill each tortilla with about 2/3 cup bean and rice mixture and 1/4 cup cheese on one side of tortilla. Fold, and hold in sides. Starting from filled end, holding sides in as you work, tightly roll into a bundle. Place on a baking sheet, seam side down, and prepare remaining burritos.
5. Serve warm immediately, with salsa and sour cream if desired — or, to freeze for later consumption.

For enchilada style:I put 5 burritos in a baking dish. Then I poured a (10 oz.) can of green enchilada sauce. You can use more enchilada sauce if you like. The 10 oz can just gave them a light coating. Make sure that the sauce completely covers the burritos, you can use a spoon to help spread it around. Then sprinkle with 1 cup or so of shredded Monterrey jack cheese. Turn oven to broil. Place baking dish on middle rack of the oven (not the top) and broil until the cheese is nice and melty.

To Freeze: Put burritos on a baking sheet in the freezer for at least 30 minutes, or until very cold so that they don’t come apart in the wrapping process. Remove them from the freezer and wrap each burrito individually in plastic wrap and place all the wrapped burritos in a freezer-safe resealable bag and freeze up to three months.

To reheat from frozen: Remove plastic wrap from the burrito. Poke holes in the top several times with a fork. Microwave on high for two minutes. Gently poke a few more holes in the burrito and microwave for another minute. Be careful as the burrito will be piping hot!

Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Soup

I am not a big soup fan but I like soups that are chock full of ingredients. Hearty and thick and less liquidy. I am a big fan of taco soup and this recipe was a good change up from our normal. It wasn't drastically different but it had a good flaovr to it and it is a really easy way to use up leftoever turkey if you have some in a few weeks!

This recipe and picture are from Sweet Treats and More and can be found at this site here: http://www.sweettreatsmore.com/2010/11/i-hope-you-all-had-great-thanksgiving.html

Crock Pot Chicken Enchilada Soup
From Sweet Treats and More, Adapted from allrecipes
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2 c. chicken broth
1 10 oz. can enchilada sauce
1/4 c. sour cream
1 (16oz) can diced tomato
1 (4 oz) can diced green chili
1 can black beans, drained
1 cup frozen corn
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp pepper
4 boneless skinless chicken tenders (2 breasts OR abt 2 cups shredded turkey)
4  corn tortillas

Place everything but the tortillas in the crock pot, stir together, and cook on high for about 3 hours (or low for 6-8 hours). (I ALWAYS aim low!)

Shred corn tortillas into small squares and stir into soup 5-10 minutes before serving.  Garnish with cheese, avocado, and additional sour cream if desired.

Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos Verde

Slow Cooker meals are really a must in this day and age of rush and go. This dish was really easy to put together. I was a little disappointed though because there was so much beautiful and delicious looking sauce in the crockpot and you only utilize it in a very small portion. And then the chicken ended up tasting far less flavorful than I was expecting. It was good, but not amazing. If you are looking for a solid slow cooker recipe than this is a good one but I wouldn't use it to plan on "wow-ing" guests.

The picture and recipe are courtesy of Real Mom Kitchen and can be found at this site here: http://realmomkitchen.com/6924/slow-cooker-chicken-tacos-verde/

Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos Verde

From Real Mom Kitchen

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• 2 pounds of boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 (16 oz.) jar of salsa verde
• 1 (4 oz.) can diced green chilies
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• shredded cheese
• guacamole
• pico de gallo or fresh salsa
• tortilla shells

1. Place chicken in the bowl of a slow cooker. Top chicken with the diced green chiles, cumin, onion and garlic. The pour the salsa over the chicken.
2. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.
3. Remove chicken from pot and shred.  Mix in enough of the juice leftover in the slow cooker to make the meat moist.
4. Spoon chicken into tortillas and top with shredded cheese, guacamole and pico de gallo.

Recipe adapted from No Fuss Fabulous

Garlic & Lime Grilled Chicken Skewers

I know that the summer is now officially over but I don't think that that means the barbecue should go into exhile. I mean, grilled food is DELICIOUS and if my hubby or I are willing to go stand out in the cold to get it.... so be it!

This was a deliciously tasty and flavorful meal. I served it with a side of grilled corn on the cob and mashed potatoes and it was so satisfying. My husband's only complaint was that he wanted something to dip the chicken in. I would recommend dipping it in more salsa, if anything. Personally I liked it all by itself and didn't need anything to dip it in. If you want more "liquid" in your meal, serve with a side of applesauce.

This recipe was adapted from Campbell's Kitchen. I didn't change the ingredients at all, just the method of cooking. To see the original recipe and the source of the picture follow this site here: http://www.campbellskitchen.com/RecipeDetail.aspx?recipeId=24757&ref=%2fSearchRecipesResult.aspx%3ffilter%3d%26q%3dgarlic%2band%2blime%2bgrilled%2bchicken%26fbid%3d0AKYTyFPE4c&fbid=0AKYTyFPE4c

GARLIC & LIME GRILLED CHICKEN SKEWERS Adapted from Campbell’s Kitchen Printer Friendly Version 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

3/4 cup Pace® Picante Sauce

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 tablespoon lime juice

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder or 1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1. Cut chicken lengthwise into large chunks. 2. Stir the picante sauce, oil, lime juice, garlic powder and cumin in a small bowl. Add the chicken and toss to coat. 3. Place the chicken and marinade in a plastic bag and place in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. (I did closer to 2) 4. Place chunks of chicken on 8 skewers. Lightly oil the grill rack and heat the grill to medium. Grill for 10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through, turning and brushing often with the picante sauce mixture from your marinade bag. Discard any remaining picante sauce mixture. Helper: If using wooden skewers, soak the skewers in water for 30 minutes before using. Makes: 4 servings (2 skewers each).

D's Famous Salsa

There is a plethora of fresh veggies going around right now with all of the gardens being ripe for harvest. We reaped the benefits of family gardens since we don't have our own and made some delicious salsa. This recipe is a great one and I have TWO versions for you! Some members of our family preferred each version so try both and see which one you like best.

VERSION 1: The original. If you don't have fresh veggies on hand and you don't want to buy them, you can make this homemade salsa with things from your pantry. This salsa is definitely more sweet and it has a red color to it that is much darker than the fresh salsa. This salsa tastes a lot like the salsa that you would get in the jar like Pace Picante. Recipe and picture are courtesy of Allrecipes.com and can be found at this site here: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Ds-Famous-Salsa/Detail.aspx

D’S FAMOUS SALSA

From Allrecipes.com

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• 2 (14.5 ounce) cans stewed tomatoes
• 1/2 onion, diced* (I actually used green onions with the green and white parts sliced)
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/2 lime, juiced (about 1 Tbsp.)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup canned sliced green chiles, or to taste
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1. Place the tomatoes, onion, garlic, lime juice, salt, green chiles, and cilantro in a blender or food processor. Blend on low to desired consistency.

*NOTE: When you dice the onion make sure you don’t dice it too much otherwise it will get very strong when you blend it up and it releases its juices. Also, I used a spoon to stir up my ingredients before I started blending so that the blending distribution was more even.

VERSION 2: The fresh. If you DO happen to have fresh veggies on hand this recipe is a great variation. It is definitely more spicy and tastes really fresh. It is not as sweet and tastes more like the fresh salsas you can get at Cafe Rio.

D’S FAMOUS FRESH SALSA

Adapted from Allrecipes.com

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• 3 cups tomatoes, cut into small pieces
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/2 lime, juiced (about 1 Tbsp.)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 large anaheim pepper diced with seeds included
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1. Place the tomatoes, onion, garlic, lime juice, salt, peppers, and cilantro in a blender or food processor. Blend on low to desired consistency.