Black Friday Black Bean Taquitos

A few weeks ago, Marcia Washburn, author of Homemade Convenience Food in 15 Minutes, gave away a copy of her book here at MMCW. It was a fun give away complete with some of our wonderful readers sharing family favorite quick meals.

One of the recipes shared was Black Bean Taquitos by Georgette. It’s fast, kid friendly, and healthy to boot. It is perfect for lunch or dinner. Georgette says the original recipe comes from Six O’Clock Scramble, a membership fee based recipe site.

Today, on Black-Friday, we could all probably use a healthy and fast dinner option.

Black Friday Black Bean Taquitos
1 can refried beans
1 can black beans
1 can diced tomatoes
1/2 Tsp cumin
2 Tsp chili powder
1/2 Tsp minced garlic
Scallions or onions, optional
1 cup of Mexican Four Blend shredded cheese. (Cheddar works well as does pepper jack for a spicy version.)
Flour tortillas

Mash beans, tomatoes, garlic, onions, and spices up in a pot and heat through. Add in cheese and turn off heat. Fill tortillas and eat as is or toast in the oven for a few minutes.

Salsa or sour cream is optional.

Optional fillings include leftover chicken, beef, or pork. Simply shred meat and fill tortilla along with bean mixture.

Georgette’s freezer tip: dice up onions and freeze to save time while cooking.

Gluten-free Thai Noodle Salad with Chicken

Finding healthy recipes my four children will eat is more than a challenge, sometimes it seems impossible. When I came across Thai Noodle Salad with Chicken over on Stacy McDonald’s Your Sacred Calling blog it seemed like a fun one-bowl dinner my young’uns just might enjoy.

Not only are my kiddos in love, we are having it again for dinner this week. Stacy’s recipe calls for serrano peppers in the sauce, which I left out the first time.  I was surprised when all four children commented on how they would have liked it spicy. This week it will be!

This recipe fed my family of six for dinner with leftovers for lunch the following day.

Gluten Free Thai Noodle Salad with Chicken
7 oz dried, thin-ribbon rice noodles
2 1/2 cups cooked slicked chicken (can use steak or shrimp too)
3 cups finely shredded napa cabbage
1 cup shredded carrot
2 cups thinly sliced English cucumbers, cut in half
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onion
3/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
Thai lime vinaigrette
salted dry-roasted peanuts, sunflower seeds, or cashews (optional)

Boil a pot of water and turn off heat. Soak noodles for 8-10 minutes, covered, in steaming water. Drain and rinse under cold water immediately. Drain well.

Place in a large bowl: noodles, chicken, cabbage, carrot, cucumber, green onion, cilantro, basil, and mint. Pour vinaigrette over the top and toss well. Garnish with chopped nuts.

Thai Lime Vinaigrette
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
3 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 tablespoon brown sugar
1-2 teaspoons Serrano chili (or jalapeno will work)
2 teaspoons garlic powder

Whisk together lime juice, fish sauce, vinegar, sugar, chili, and garlic. Whisk until sugar dissolves. Let stand for 10 minutes. Makes 3/4 cup.

Like my red plate?  It’s a special one. Rhonda Ellis describes it beautiful in Power in a Special Plate.

 

 

 

Raspberry BBQ Chicken

 

 

Lemon Chicken

For a fun weeknight twist to just another chicken dish, try lemon chicken.

4 to 6 skinless, boneless chicken breasts

1 cup flour

3 tsps black pepper

1 tsp salt

2 Tbsps oil

2 Tbsps butter

1 cup lemon juice

½ cup sugar

½ cup chicken stock (or one crushed bouillon cube)

2 tsps soy sauce

1 Tbsp corn starch

1 or 2 cans pineapple

Mix together the flour, salt and pepper.  Cut the chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces.  If you prefer, you can leave the chicken breasts whole (but they will take longer to cook that way) or cut them into strips.  Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture and set aside.

Preheat your pan with the butter and oil in it.  Add the chicken and cook until brown, a few minutes on each side.  Make sure it is cooked through.

While the chicken is cooking, mix up the sauce.  Mix together the lemon juice, sugar, chicken stock (or bouillon cube), soy sauce and cornstarch.

Remove the meat from the pan when it is done cooking.  Drain any extra oil.  Add the sauce to the pan and allow it to thicken (turn heat to high, while stirring.  Once the sauce starts to boil, turn it down and continue to cook and stir while it thickens).  If the sauce does not get thick enough, drain the pineapple juice into a dish and add another tablespoon of cornstarch to it, stirring well.  Then add the juice/cornstarch mixture to the thickened sauce. (If it is already thick enough, just add the juice without additional corn starch).

Once you are satisfied with the sauce, add the pineapple and cooked chicken to the sauce, stirring to incorporate and heat the pineapple through.

Serve with rice.

Cranberry Chicken

This is a super-easy and different way to use chicken. The dressing is tangy and the cranberry sauce sweet. Together these ingredients create what my husband called a flavor explosion.  I think you will either love it or hate it, at least that is the way it was in our house. Three out six of us are fans.

4 boneless skinless chicken breast

1 10oz. bottle French dressing

1 packet onion soup mix

1 can whole berry cranberry sauce

Salt

Pepper

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly salt and pepper chicken and place in shallow baking pan.

Mix dressing, soup mix and cranberry sauce together, then pour over chicken. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 1 hour.

 

Spicy Orange Drumsticks

My six-year-old is quite the connoisseur of drumsticks. Last year for his birthday party my mom made Zesty Chicken Wings, which he loved. When I came across Chiptole-Orange Chicken Legs in the May issue of Southern Living I knew it would be a keeper.

My kids enjoy spicy, just not set-your-mouth-on-fire spice. Citrus paired with chiptole seasoning gives a perfect kick without the pain. And, it’s pretty fast to make. We were able to sit down to dinner within an hour and that included marinating time and preparing the yummy glaze. Paired with a garden salad and garlic bread, it is a good summer dinner.

1 cup of fresh orange juice, divided

5 tablespoons soy sauce, divided

3 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons olive oil

6 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 tablespoons orange zest (I upped this)

1 and 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

1 teaspoon ground chipotle chile pepper

1 lb chicken drumsticks (4 drumsticks) plus 4 thin-sliced boneless skinless chicken breasts

3 teaspoons brown sugar (upped this too)

2 teaspoons cornstarch

Mix 1/4 cup orange, 3 tablespoons soy sauce, 3 tablespoons brown sugar, olive oil, garlic, orange zest, Kosher salt, and chiptole chile pepper in bowl.

Place one large zip style freezer bag inside another one to create a double bag. (You’ll thank me if the inside bag springs a leak!) Place chicken inside innermost bag and pour in marinade. Zip and coat chicken by shaking / moving the bag around. Chill for 15 minutes.

Prepare grill. Remove chicken from bag. Throw away bags with marinade (do NOT use on chicken).

Grill chicken. Once done, let rest on a plate covered with aluminum foil while you prepare the glaze.

To prepare glaze, whisk 3 teaspoons of brown sugar, remaining orange juice and 2 tablespoons of soy sauce in a small saucepan. Whisk cornstarch and 2 teaspoons of water into juice mixture. Bring to a boil, constantly whisking for one minute or until thickened. Pour over chicken.

Show Me How: Perfectly Seared Steak

Perfectly seared steak is one of my favorite meals, but the price is often prohibitive if you have to order it out. Why not serve it up at home next time? I’ve recorded four super-short videos that will show you how to sear perfect steaks. You can watch the videos in about 2 minutes and have steaks on the table in less than 10, start to finish. Pair it with salad and a microwaved baked potato for a restaurant-worthy meal in under 20 minutes!

Note: For those reading through email, click the title above, or each title below to view vlogs.

Show me How to Sear Steak (part 1)

Show me How to Sear Steak (part 2)

Show me How to Sear Steak (part 3)

Show me How to Sear Steak (part 4)

Italian Chicken Sandwiches

Wow! Just like Chicago’s Italian Beef Sandwiches, but made with Chicken

Ingredients:

5 lbs. fresh chicken breast, boneless and skinless

1 16 oz. bottle low-fat Italian dressing

1 package (envelope) Italian dressing seasoning dry mix

2 Tbsps. oregano

1 jar of giardiniera (Italian pickled vegetables) – optional

Preparation:

Place chicken breasts in crockpot. In a separate bowl, combine low-fat Italian dressing, Italian dressing seasoning dry mix, and oregano; pour over chicken.

Cover, and cook on low for 6 hours.

Remove chicken, and shred with 2 forks, forming strings. Return chicken to crockpot. Cover, and cook on low for 2-4 additional hours.

Serve meat with juices on a cut Italian roll. Garnish with giardiniera if desired.

Jennifer’s Best Lasagna

1 box oven ready lasagna noodles

10 plum or roma tomatoes

1 lb mozzarella cheese

1 1/2 lb hamburger or Italian sausage, browned and drained

6 cloves minced garlic

1 large onion, chopped

1 ten oz. package frozen spinach, drained (optional)

1 large carton ricotta cheese (32 oz.)

2 large jars prepared spaghetti sauce

2 eggs

2 c. parmesan cheese, grated

Brown and drain the meat.  Add the garlic, onion, chopped tomatoes and sauce.  Simmer 5 to 20 minutes.  Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, mix egg, parmesan and ricotta.

Layer the lasagna in a large 9 x 13 baking dish in this order:  sauce, noodles, ricotta mixture, mozzarella cheese, spinach (if using), noodles, sauce, noodles, ricotta, mozzarella cheese, spinach, noodles, sauce.  Top with more mozzarella.  Bake at 350 for 1 hour 15 minutes or until done.  Allow to stand for 15 minutes before cutting.

by Jenifer Delamater, homeschool mom of six. Jennifer’s dad, Robert Chapman, taught her this recipe.

Greek Flatbread Chicken with Rosemary-Lemon Potatoes

If you visit Atlanta there’s a local dive you must not miss–Grecian Gyro located on Virginia Avenue by Hartsfield-Jackson Airport. It’s a hole-in-the-wall with little parking, but that doesn’t stop anyone. We all wait for parking before going in to wait for food! Funny thing is, you really don’t have to know the restaurant’s proper name. Just say, ‘Greek place by the airport’ and everyone knows exactly where you’re talking about.

Grecian Gyro is famous for authentic Greek gyros and souvlakis along with out-of-this-world potato wedges all covered in the most mouth-watering secret-recipe Greek sauce.

Last week while stranded at home during the snow / ice storm that hit the Atlanta area,  my son and I decided to recreate as best we could a Grecian Gyro wrap. I’m Southern, Alabama-Southern, which means I know absolutely nothing about Greek cooking. Maybe this recipe should be called Hillbilly Flatbread Chicken now that I think about it! Whatever you want to call it–it’s good! The sauce, while not Grecian Gyro’s, is a good stand-in and perfect over rosemary-lemon potatoes.

Kellie’s Greek Chicken Flatbread
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
baby-bella mushrooms (any kind will be good)
one red bell pepper, sliced
one green bell pepper, sliced
one large sliced onion
3 to 4 cloves garlic, chopped (more if you want it!)
Cavender’s All Purpose Greek Seasoning
one lemon
sea salt
fresh black pepper

Artisan Rosemary & Olive Oil Flatbread – wrap in foil and warm in oven. Love this bread!

Cook chicken in pan heated with olive oil and sprinkled with Cavender’s All Purpose Greek Seasoning. (My definition of sprinkle is close to coating so use your preference.) Once done, shred chicken and set aside. Saute garlic, onions, peppers, and mushrooms in olive oil, add in shredded chicken. Add salt, pepper, Cavender’s All Purpose Greek Seasoning to taste along with the juice of half the lemon. (Feel free to add more lemon juice!)

Greek Sauce
Sour cream, rosemary, Cavender’s All Purpose Greek Seasoning, sea salt, fresh ground pepper

Mix 1/2 cup of sour cream with 2 tablespoons of dried rosemary, a couple of shakes of Cavender’s All Purpose Greek seasoning and sea salt and pepper to taste. Adjust any or all of the seasonings to your taste.

To assemble flatbread, spoon chicken mixture into flatbread and drizzle with sauce.
Serves 6.

Rosemary-Lemon Potatoes
1  potato per person, diced. (I used leftover baked potatoes from the night before.)
1 lemon
dried rosemary
sea salt
fresh ground pepper
extra-virgin olive oil

Dice potatoes and cook in a pan with olive oil. Squeeze juice of 1/2 lemon (more if you like) along with plenty of rosemary. Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste. Brown potatoes. Serve warm with Greek Sauce.

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