Burrito in a Bowl

Often, when I eat a burrito, I take my first bite and the rest of the burrito breaks apart and I end up eating the darn thing with a fork. Not any more! I now make my burritos without a tortilla (plus, it saves on calories, if you are like me and always on a diet).

These Burrito Bowls are a favorite of my family's because they are made indivdually, so each one of us can personalize the bowl to our liking. No more wining kids. That's a plus. (Photo from Iowa Girl Eats)

Burrito in a Bowl

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

3/4 packet of taco seasoning

1 1/2 cups white rice, uncooked

2 1/2 T. cilantro, chopped

3 T. lime juice

1 15 oz can black beans, rinsed

1 c. shredded cheddar cheese

2 avocados, peeled and diced

2 green onions, sliced

1/4 cup salsa

1/4 cup sour cream

salt and pepper to taste

1. Mix taco seasoning with water as directed on package inside a large Ziploc baggie. Add chicken and turn to coat. Allow to marinate in refridgerator for up to 2 hours.

2. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare rice according to package directions. When done, toss with lime juice and cilantro. Keep warm.

3. Remove chicken from bag and discard marinade. Place chicken in an oven proof dish. Cook for 20 minutes, until cooked through.

4. Chop chicken in to bitesized chunks. Sprinkle with salt and pepper if desired.

5. Heat beans in microwave.

6. Assemble burrito bowl...rice, chicken, beans, cheese, avocado, green onions. Top with salsa and sour cream.

Penne Pasta Pleaser

You have heard of The Pioneer Woman, haven't you? If you have not, you are missing out on one hilarous woman who can cook! Check out her blog when you have some time and are in need of a good laugh.

A few weeks ago, I made her Penne a la Betsy for dinner and my husband swooned with delight when he ate it. In fact, I was so proud of my dinner that bragged to anyone who would listen. My sister, Kathy, asked that I post the recipe here, but to make my life easier, I am posting the link to Pioneer Woman's recipe. You gotta try it, I promise you will love it.

By the way, I have a few tips for you....when you make this, you will need a bottle of white wine. I am not a big fan of white wine (I prefer a good Pinot!), so I only used part of the bottle. When I was cleaning up the dinner, I pour 1/2 cup portions into Ziploc baggies, and threw them in the freezer. I labeled the bags so my son wouldn't get any ideas, and now I am prepared next time a recipe calls for white wine. My other tip for you is to dice the shrimp in this recipe into little chunks. This made it easier to eat, and I fooled my son into thinking they were little pieces of chicken. He fell for it!

Go right now and visit The Pioneer Woman's blog. You won't be sorry. You may gain a few pounds, but it is not my fault. Enjoy!

Chicken Quesadillas

My friend, Paige, is a foodie like me. She enjoys reading recipe books and cooking blogs. She is a great cook, who is learning more about cooking and gaining more confidence in the kitchen. Today, she handed me this recipe to post on our blog. It is from Dave Lieberman, a good looking guy who has a show on the Food Network.

This recipe calls for chicken thighs, but honestly, I can’t stand picking chicken off the bone. It gives me the willies. So, when I make this, I will use boneless chicken breasts, rather than thighs. Hey, when you are the cook, you can do whatever you want!

Leave me a comment and let me know when you make this, and how it turns out. Thanks, Paige!

Chicken Quesadillas by Dave Lieberman

Ingredients

• 2 pounds chicken thighs (about 5 thighs)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 5 or 6 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons dried cumin
• 1 (26-ounce) can chopped tomatoes
• 2 limes, juiced
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 8 to 10 flour tortillas
• 1 (8-ounce) can whole serrano chiles, roughly chopped
• 8-ounces grated sharp white Cheddar
• Chopped fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish

Directions

Season the chicken thighs generously with salt and pepper. Heat the vegetable oil in a large saucepan over high heat. Brown the chicken well on both sides. Remove chicken and set aside. Reduce heat to medium and saute onion, garlic, oregano and cumin for a few minutes. Stir in tomatoes, lime juice, sugar and salt. Add chicken back to the sauce bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 45 minutes.

Remove chicken from cooking liquid and let rest until cool enough to handle. Pull the meat from the bone and toss with the cooking liquid. Discard the bones and skin.

Assemble and cook the tortillas:

Spray a skillet with cooking spray, heat over medium flame. Sprinkle cheese all over the tortilla. Top with pulled chicken, serranos and another tortilla. Toast on each side in the skillet until warmed through and cheese has completely melted. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.

Something good to eat!

So here it is....the blog I have been talking about creating for a long, long time. Did you ever think I would follow through?

This blog is a way for us to share great recipes we have made for our families and friends. So often, we hear each other talk of a great meal we made, and we all respond with, "I want that recipe." Do we ever get it? No. I am here to change that! If you make a recipe, whether it is a main course, side dish, dessert or anything edible, email me, or call me if you'd prefer, and I will share your recipe here. When you are looking for something yummy to make, come back here and look through the recipes, and hopefully you will be inspired to try something new. This is our blog, so please be sure to leave me comments with what you want to see.

Now, for something good to eat! I made this cake the other day because the weather is yucky, I was home in my warm home, and was feeling domestic. Most of the indgredients I had on hand. I shared the cake with my neighbor, Kyle, and she loved it. So did my picky son.

Yummy Yellow Cake (Soaked in Caramel)

1 Box of Yellow Cake Mix

Water, Oil and Eggs as directed on box

3 T. butter or margarine

3 T. packed light brown sugar

3 T. granulated sugar

3 T. heavy whipping cream

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Start by preparing a yellow cake as directed, in a bundt pan. Bake as suggested.

Meanwhile, prepare the Caramel Sauce. In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, combine the butter, sugars, cream and vanilla. Bring to a boil. Let boil 1 minute, stirring often.

Invert the cake onto a serving plate. While cake is still warm, spoon carmel glaze over the cake, and allow it to soak into the cake. Feel free to lick the pan when you are done. And your fingers. Serve the cake with whipped cream or ice cream. Or both. Enjoy!

Welcome to our new cooking blog!

In the next few days, I will be putting the finishing touches on this blog, making it much better to look at. Who wants to look at this boring blog for inspiration? But you wait, better things are on the horizon. Check back soon!