Burritos Grande

Remember back in the day when you’d buy those frozen burritos and either pop them in the microwave or oven and have a quick and easy dinner in no time?  That’s pretty much what these homemade burritos reminded me of last night for our annual Cinco de Mayo backyard dinner. 

Last year I did taco burgers, but this year, I wanted something more traditional.  Burritos.  Now you know me – I’m big into ground turkey – but last night I went for the ground beef… more “authentic” I suppose.  With some refried beans down the center, topped with the beef mixture and a sprinkle of cheese, these little guys were wrapped up, baked, topped with cheese, and baked a little more before being topped with sour cream and salsa. 

They were awesome… especially on our patriotic paper plates in the backyard.

Burritos Grande

 

Burritos Grande

What You Need:

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 packet taco seasoning
• ½ c sour cream
• 1 can refried beans
• 12 tortillas
• 2 c shredded Mexican blend cheese
• Salsa and sour cream for topping

How You Do It:

1. Brown ground beef until no longer pink.  Stir in taco seasoning and ¾ c water.  Mix to combine.
2. Remove from heat and stir in ½ c sour cream.
3. Spread spoonful of beans down each tortilla and top with about ¼ c meat mixture.  Sprinkle with a tiny bit of cheese and fold like a burrito (sides in, then roll).
4. Place in a 9x13 baking dish (I had to use two), cover, and bake at 350* for 25 minutes.
5. Uncover, top with remaining cheese, and bake an additional 5 minutes or until the cheese has melted.

 Burritos Grande recipe adapted from Kraft Recipes.

Garlic Teriyaki Edamame

Last night’s salmon left much to be desired, but I’d be doing you all a disfavor not talking about the edamame we had alongside.

First off, edamame are fun – you can eat them with your fingers without being frowned upon, they fun to suck out of the pods, and let’s not forget the amazing nutritional value behind them.

Usually pan seared and sprinkled with sea salt, you’ll find these little gems in most Asian restaurants.  We, however, had them at home last night and they were amazing.

The sauce really deserves all the credit.  A little garlic, teriyaki, and brown sugar goes a long way.  Once the pods are all tossed and covered in the goodness, sprinkle the bowl with some sesame seeds for the added flare and sense of “fancy”.  When you combine it all together, you are left with the perfect combination of sweet and salty.

Garlic Teriyaki Edamame

Garlic Teriyaki Edamame

What You Need:

• 1⁄4 c water
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 16 oz package frozen edamame, in the pod
• 1⁄4 c teriyaki sauce
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• Sesame seeds

How You Do It:

1. Bring the water and garlic to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat.
2. Stir in the edamame, and cook until the edamame are hot, and the liquid has nearly evaporated, about 5 minutes.
3. Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the teriyaki sauce, brown sugar, and vinegar.
4. Stir constantly until the sauce has thickened and coats the edamame, about 4 minutes.
5. Sprinkle with sesame seeds to serve.

Garlic Teriyaki Edamame recipe adapted from Kitchme.com. 

Mexican Stuffed Shells

I always love it when my husband comes home from work and asks if I had blogged about dinner the previous night.  Usually it means he brought leftovers for lunch and all the lady teachers around the table want to either try what he brought or make it themselves!

Such was the case last night when he came home.  I had made these Mexican stuffed shells the night before and sent them for lunch the next day.  They take a little prep, which is why I put them together Sunday afternoon, so that when I got home from work on Monday, all I had to do was add the taco sauce on top and pop them in the oven.

These are a great combination of those infamous Italian stuffed shells and tacos.  The salsa on the bottom combined with the taco sauce on top make the perfect sauce and you control the heat – we use mild everything in our house, but go for the hot stuff it that’s what you like!  And who doesn't like melted cheese.  I topped mine with sour cream and the hubs ate his as-is.

Give these a try and to the ladies at FIS – enjoy!

Mexican Stuffed Shells

Mexican Stuffed Shells

What You Need:

• 1 lb. ground turkey
• 1 package taco seasoning
• 4 oz. cream cheese (I used 5 wedges of this)
• 18-20 jumbo pasta shells
• 1 ½ c salsa
• 1 c taco sauce
• 1 package shredded Mexican blend cheese

How You Do It:

1. Cook shells according to package.  Drain and let cool.
2. While the shells cook, cook ground turkey in large skillet until no longer pink.
3. Add taco seasoning and required water, and stir to combine.
4. Add cream cheese and incorporate until blended.  Let meat mixture cool.
5. Once shells and meat are cooled, pour salsa in the bottom on a baking dish (I used a 9” square dish)
6. Fill shells with meat mixture and place seam-side-up in dish.
7. Top with taco sauce, cover with foil, and bake for 30 minutes at 350*.
8. Remove foil and top with cheese. Bake an additional 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Mexican Stuffed Shells recipe adapted from The Way to His Heart.

Stove-Top, Broccoli, Cheddar, and Chicken Casserole

Once upon a time, my college roommate / best friend and I lived in this super run-down red house in Minneapolis.  It was pretty bad… the floors were slanted, there was a hole, yes a hole, in our shower, and once, the ceiling leaked from the toilet in the upper unit right down into our kitchen – disgusting.

I was almost always done with class before her and would almost always be sitting on the couch watching Food Network when she got home.  She would walk in, say hello, and shake her head at me thinking “you really need to watch that every night?!”

Well, if you ask her now, she knew why.  I would cook up a storm, and now, so does she.  So much so, that back before we were both East Coast transplants and both still living in Minneapolis, she had me over and whipped up this little doozie.

Super easy, super fast, and super tasty – what could be wrong with chicken, broccoli, cheese, and a little stuffing.  This quick casserole (or hot dish, as they call it in Minnesota) comes together in no time – dice some chicken, cut some broccoli, dump in some soup, cheese, and milk, top it with stuffing… and into the oven it goes.

So last night’s dinner gives a shout-out to The Adventures of Liz and Molly – four years (and then a couple post-college) never to be replicated…

Stove-Top, Broccoli, Cheddar, and Chicken Casserole

Stove-Top, Broccoli, Cheddar,
and Chicken Casserole

What You Need:

• 3 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts, cut into small cubes
• 2 crowns, fresh broccoli, broken apart
• ½ c milk
• 1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
• 1 ½ c shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 6oz package stove top stuffing

How You Do It:

1. Combine chicken and broccoli in a baking dish.
2. In a medium bowl, combine soup, milk and cheese; pour over chicken and broccoli mixture.
3. In another bowl, add 1 ¼ c hot water to stuffing mix and stir to combine; top casserole with stuffing.
4. Bake at 400*  30 min. or until chicken is done and casserole is heated through.

Stove-Top, Broccoli, Cheddar, and Chicken Casserole recipe adapted from Kraft.

Mushroom Ramen

Last night’s main dish didn’t even make it out of the pan… I don’t know if it was a sour jar of lemon curd or a faulty recipe, but it just wasn’t happening.  In fact, the sour smell was so awful, the dish went from pan to garbage to dumpster within minutes, and dishes promptly washed to rid the kitchen of the awful smell.  Too graphic?  Sorry… it was just that bad.

However, I will say the side dish was the saving grace and turned into my husband’s complete dinner.  Talk about easy, inexpensive, and flavorful.  Find yourself a package of sliced mushrooms, a package of ramen noodles, and a little butter, and you’ve got yourself a side dish (or in this case, main dish swap out) in minutes.

This really comes together in no time at all – the mushrooms sauté up as quickly as the noodles take to soak, toss it together, and you’re in business.

So while the chicken was less-than-appetizing, I’ll certainly give the side dish three thumbs-up for quick, easy, and delicious, and a gold star for salvaging what was a horrifying attempt at dinner.

Mushroom Ramen

Mushroom Ramen

What You Need:

• 1 package chicken-flavored ramen noodles
• 1 package sliced mushrooms
• 1 tbsp butter

How You Do It:

1. Sauté mushrooms in a saucepan with ramen seasoning packet.
2. While the mushrooms cook, soak noodles in hot water until soft.
3. Once mushrooms are cooked and noodles are soft, drain noodles and add to mushrooms.  Add butter and toss to combine.

Mushroom Ramen recipe adapted from Food Network

Cheeseburger Meatballs with "Special Sauce"

It’s been quite some time since I've been this jazzed about a recipe, but let me tell you about this new- turned-favorite meatball recipe. 

By now you've probably noticed I’m a sucker for meatballs.  So when we had a very lazy weekend at home, I took the opportunity to try yet another rendition.  This time, combining my love for meatballs with my love for hamburgers. 

Seriously – it’s like all the flavors of a Big Mac were combined into the perfectly moist little ball of burger and dipped into that infamous “secret sauce”.  You won’t even miss the bun.  And you know me, always using lean ground turkey in place of beef.  Not this time: beef was what’s for dinner.  I used lean ground beef – a 95/5 split – and they were moist enough that the hubs requested the leftovers for lunch today (he usually steers clear of anything that might dry out when reheated).  And don’t shy away from chopping up that dill pickle for the mixture – it adds just the right balance of pickle-to-burger.

I’m telling you – these are not to miss.   In fact, I’m already dreaming up the variations on a theme – mushroom and swiss, [turkey] bacon and cheddar, pizza ([turkey] pepperoni, mozzarella, pizza sauce), and my personal favorite: cowboy (bbq fried onion)... the possibilities are endless.

Cheeseburger Meatballs with “Special Sauce”

Cheeseburger Meatballs with "Special Sauce"

What You Need for the Meatballs:

• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 1 package onion soup mix
• 1 dill pickle spear, chopped
• 1 tbsp ketchup
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 egg
• 3/4 c panko bread crumbs
• 3/4 c shredded cheddar cheese

What You Need for the “Special Sauce”:

• 1/3 c mayonnaise
• 3 tbsp ketchup
• 2 tbsp sweet pickle relish
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp white vinegar
• 3/4 tsp onion powder

How You Do It:

1. In a large bowl, combine the beef, onion soup mix, chopped pickles, ketchup, garlic powder, and egg. Add the breadcrumbs and cheese and mix well. 
2. Roll into 1-inch balls and place on baking sheet.
3. Bake at 375*F, 15-20 minutes, until cooked through.
4. While the meatballs bake, mix the ingredients for the sauce and refrigerate until ready to eat.

Cheeseburger Meatballs with "Special Sauce" recipe adapted from BakeYourDay.net

Apple Cinnamon Breakfast Quinoa

Since today is pretty much a stay-at-home-Sunday, I took the opportunity to get in the kitchen and whip up a little something for breakfast this week.  And since quinoa is the latest craze out there in the foodie world, I took a stab at this one.

Quinoa can be a little tricky to cook, so I took to the best method I've found:  my rice cooker.  Just follow the 2-1 ratio (2 parts liquid, 1 part quinoa) and let your rice cooker do the work.   If you don't have a rice cooker, I'm sure there's a good stovetop version, but this seems to do the trick for me.

The flavors cannot be beat: apples, cinnamon, brown sugar ... what could be wrong?!  And quinoa - a superfood seed, not grain - is jam-packed with protein to keep you going all morning long.

I had to give 'er a little taste before portioning it out and packing it up for breakfasts this week and I must say, a pretty awesome alternative to that prepackaged brown-sugar cinnamon oatmeal.


Oh, and I also whipped up a little slow cooker dinner for tomorrow, so check back for the outcome!


Apple Cinnamon Breakfast Quinoa 

Apple Cinnamon Breakfast Quinoa

What You Need:

• 1 cup quinoa, uncooked
• 2 cups water
• 2 apples, diced
• 1 tbsp butter
• 3 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 c milk (I used unsweetened almond milk, but use your milk of choice)

How You Do It:

1. Place quinoa and water in rice cooker and cook according to appliance instructions.
2. While the quinoa cooks, melt 1/2 tbsp butter in skillet.  Add diced apples and cook until apples are soft and start to caramelize. 
3. Once quinoa is cooked, fluff with fork or rice paddle in large bowl.  Add remaining 1/2 tbsp butter, cinnamon, brown sugar, and milk.
4. Fold in apples.

Apple Cinnamon Breakfast Quinoa recipe adapted from Weight Watchers.

Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken

Here’s another one of those recipes that takes 5 minutes to prepare the night before and 30 seconds to set the slow cooker the next morning.  I tossed this one together Sunday night, let it sit in the refrigerator overnight, set the timer on the slow cooker before I left for work yesterday, and when we got home, not only was dinner ready, but the house smelled amazing!

Whip up a quick sauce with ingredients most of which you probably have on hand, toss it over some chicken thighs (though if you prefer, you could probably use breasts), and shred it when you get home – it’s that easy.  The sauce has that garlic-honey flavor we all (or at least we all should) love and though there’s some onion and red pepper flake in there, you’d never know – in fact, I might even kick it up another notch with the red pepper flakes next time.  And don’t be shy about adding that blackberry jam – it adds a certain sweetness and cuts the sharp garlic, onion, and soy – but doesn't make it too sweet even when paired with the honey.

I served this over some rice noodles and spinach, but this would surely make some good sliders for an upcoming party, say Super Bowl?

Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken

Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken

What You Need:

• 3 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1/2 c honey
• 1/2 c low sodium soy sauce
• 1/4 c blackberry spreadable fruit
• 1/4 c hoisin sauce
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, pressed
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 1 large pinch red pepper flakes
• 3 tbsp cornstarch + 3 tbsp cold water

How You Do It:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the honey, soy sauce, blackberry jam, hoisin, olive oil, garlic, onion and crushed red pepper flakes.
2. Add chicken to bottom of slow cooker basin and top with sauce.
3. Cook on low 6-7 hours.
4. Using tongs, break apart the cooked chicken – this should happen very easily.
5. Combine cornstarch and water and add to slow cooker.  Carefully mix to combine, cover, and crank the heat to high for about 15 minutes until the sauce has thickened.

Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken adapted from JustATaste.com.

Cranberry-Pinot Noir Meatballs

Here’s a recipe that only lasted on my Pinterest board a mere 3 days before making it into the weekly plan.  And with two great football games on last night, meatballs were just the thing to have for dinner.  That, and they involved a bottle of wine, which is always a win in my book.

The original recipe would have been just four ingredients – meatballs, wine, cranberry sauce, and brown sugar, but I chose to make my own meatballs.  I just prefer to control the ingredients that go into them.  I’m sure the recipe would have been just as good if you used packaged meatballs, and honestly, would have taken only about 15 minutes to prepare the entire dish.  My version took about 30 minutes, 20 of which was all bake time, and the meal was still done in no time with little effort.

The sauce for these meatballs was a little sweet, with a nice balance of cranberry and wine.  I did thicken it a little just before adding the meatballs, since mine was a little thin… but I’ll leave that up to you.  And don’t forget – use a bottle of wine you wouldn't mind drinking… especially since the sauce only calls for 1 cup, there’s more than enough for a glass (or two) with dinner (or while making it!). 

I served this over rice with a side of broccoli – a standard combo when I make meatballs.  I love how the rice soaks up the sauce and how the broccoli adds that freshness and green.  Oh and mom: no need to double the sauce, there was more than enough…

Cranberry-Pinot Noir Meatballs

 

Cranberry-Pinot Noir Meatballs

What You Need:

• 1 lb ground turkey
• 1 egg
• ½ c seasoned breadcrumbs
• 6 tbsp milk
• 3 tbsp dried minced onion
• 1 c Pinot Noir
• 1 (16 oz) can whole cranberry Sauce
• 1/2 c brown sugar
• 1 tsp deli (or spicy brown) mustard

How You Do It:

1. To make the meatballs, combine ground turkey, egg, breadcrumbs, milk, and onion.  Mix until just combined.
2. Form into small balls and bake at 400* for 15 min or until cooked through.
3. While meatballs bake, in a saucepan combine cranberry sauce, brown sugar, Pinot Noir, and mustard. Whisk to combine over medium heat. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes or until mixture has thickened, stirring frequently.
4. Remove from heat and add cooked meatballs.

Cranberry-Pinot Noir Meatballs adapted from Julie's Eats and Treats.

Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken

Talk about an easy recipe!  Three ingredients, the slow cooker, and then finish it off in oven just to melt the cheese - can't get much better!  Not only that, but the chances you have two, if not all three of these ingredients in your pantry/refrigerator/freezer, is pretty good.

It's as easy as popping some frozen chicken breasts in the bottom of a slow cooker, dumping a jar of your favorite salsa on top, and three hours later, the chicken is ready to be topped with cheese and transferred into the oven to melt.

That's it - it's that easy.   No hidden secrets, no fancy tools.  Just a slow cooker, a baking dish, and the oven and you're left with super moist chicken with great flavor from the salsa with as much heat as you desire, covered with gooey cheese.

Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken

Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken

What You Need:

• 5 frozen boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 jar salsa
• 1 c shredded Mexican blend cheese

How You Do It:

1. Spray the basin of the slow cooker with cooking spray.  Add frozen chicken and cover with salsa.
2. Cook on high 3 hours.
3. Transfer chicken to baking dish and cover with salsa.  
4. Top with cheese and bake at 400* 15 minutes or until cheese has melted.

Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken recipe adapted from Jo Cooks.

Pancake Syrup Gone Wrong

No recipe to share tonight...

Why?  Because it was a flop. I could tell just by the smell I wasn't going to like it.  And I should have known better - every time I try a recipe that calls for maple/pancake syrup, I am always disappointed. I think it's because I use pancake syrup and not pure maple syrup (since I have some in the pantry), but at this point in the game, I'll probably forgo trying another, even with pure maple syrup instead. 

Does this ever happen to you - where you try and try again to the point where you just give up?

...and I'd better give a shout out to the hubs who, every time I attempt a recipe that ultimately fails, has to listen to me complain and apologize non-stop for the remainder of the night even though he wasn't upset or disappointed or complaining.  He's the best. He really is. 

...and in case you're curious as to what I tried tonight, it was this.

Saucy Chicken and Spinach Skillet

Meeting with the trainer last night, I knew when I got home I was going to be much too exhausted to cook dinner, so I had totally planned on throwing something into the slow cooker yesterday morning.  But, much to my dismay, I had forgotten to pick up the key ingredient for the recipe when I went grocery shopping this weekend.  So I whipped together this one that had been sitting in my stack (ok, mountain) of recipes to try and luckily I had everything on hand. 

Now, I will admit, I would use a different jar of sauce next time since I didn't particularly care for the one I used, or even make my own and measure it out to the 24-oz needed, but overall this was really good, really easy, and a really balanced meal… especially since I about tripled the amount of spinach the original recipe called for.

A quick and easy meal to whip together, even after getting your ass kicked at the gym.

Saucy Chicken and Spinach Skillet

 

Saucy Chicken and Spinach Skillet

What You Need:

• ½ box spaghetti
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks
• 4 cloves garlic, pressed
• 1 jar pasta sauce
• 16 oz fresh baby spinach
• Shredded mozzarella cheese

How You Do It:

1. Cook pasta to desired doneness.
2. While pasta cooks, cook chicken in a deep skillet until no longer pink.
3. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant.  Add sauce, stir to combine, and simmer 8-10 minutes, or until chicken is fully cooked.
4. Add spinach in batches, and cook until wilted, stirring frequently.
5. Serve chicken/spinach mixture over pasta and sprinkle with cheese.

Saucy Chicken and Spinach Skillet recipe adapted from KraftRecipes.com

Honey-Ginger Glazed Salmon

Happy New Year, everyone!

I must say, it’s been a while since anything coming out of the kitchen was blog-worthy.  Probably cranked out some decent stuff in the last month or two if you ask my husband, but nothing I could rant or rave about.

Until last night… which I presume makes a good start for 2014.  Since everyone (including us) goes for a healthy start to the New Year, here’s a really easy and really healthy salmon recipe to start the year off right.

The best thing about this was not only did I have all the ingredients on hand, but it used some of our most prized flavors, and they really shined through.  The honey, ginger, and garlic married perfectly together to balance with the salmon and provided a great, but not too overbearing, flavor with a splash of acid from the lemon juice to cut the sharpness.

I served this over a whole-wheat couscous with peas and mushrooms – which soaked up some extra glaze and added a nice balance of protein, carb, and vegetable.  A good win to kick of the New Year indeed.

Wishing for only good things in 2014…

Honey-Ginger Glazed Salmon

Honey-Ginger Glazed Salmon

What You Need:

• 1/3 cup honey
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp warm water
• ¾ tsp grated peeled fresh ginger
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 (6-ounce) salmon fillets

How You Do It:

1. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. Combine honey, lemon juice, water, ginger, and garlic in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk until blended.
3. Pour honey mixture into a small baking pan; arrange fish in pan, skinned side up, and let stand 20 minutes.
4. Turn fish over, baste with marinate, and bake at 375° for 15 minutes.

Honey-Ginger Glazed Salmon recipe adapted from Cooking Light.