Southwestern Stuffed Peppers, revisited

I've made these stuffed peppers in the past and this is a great dish that my husband and I always love to have for dinner. It's quick enough for a week night and easy enough to double if you're having some guests over. We love these as leftovers, too, since they keep well and reheat great. If you're in the mood for Mexican but don't want to spend an hour (or two) making a huge, fancy, complicated dish, then this is your recipe!

From this post forward, I've added a new tag on the right-hand side of the page: leftover-approved. This will be for any dinner (or meal-item) that is approved by myself and/or my husband to eat for leftovers. Some things really do not keep up well after being in the fridge and then the microwave. Hopefully this will help with week night meal selection!

Southwestern Stuffed Peppers
Adapted from: Homemade by Holman
Yields: 4 servings

1/2 lb ground beef
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 cup black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup corn
1/2 cup red onion, diced
1 can diced tomatoes (option w/chiles), undrained
1/2 cup brown rice, uncooked
4 bell peppers, any color
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1 lime
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped (optional)
sour cream, (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Cook rice as directed and set aside. Meanwhile, brown ground beef in a large skillet on medium-high heat and crumble as it cooks. Add 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/4 tsp cayenne and 1/4 tsp chili powder. Mix well and add diced tomatoes, reducing heat to medium low. Add onions, black beans, corn and simmer until rice is cooked and softened.

Meanwhile, prepare peppers by cutting in half lengthwise (top to bottom) and removing stem, seeds, etc. Rinse and set in a large glass baking dish. Add 2 tbsp water to bottom of dish.

When rice has cooked thoroughly, add 1/2 tsp cumin and 1/4 tsp chili powder and mix well. Stir into the ground beef mixture and add half the cilantro, if using. Spoon filling into pepper halves. Squeeze lime juice on top of stuffed peppers. Cover pan with foil and bake for 20-25 minutes. Uncover (peppers should be softened) and sprinkle on cheese and continue cooking an additional 5 minutes until cheese is melted. Top with remaining cilantro and sour cream if desired.

Southwest Lasagna

I've never really been one to be that adventurous when eating out at a restaurant (of any kind). I find something I like and I get it. Every time. I'm starting to try new things as my tastes "mature" so to speak. For example, I have always hated disliked meatloaf and lasagna when my mom made it for us growing up. I'm not sure why but I think it was just because they looked so gross and messy. At any rate I've grown to love them both. Partly because they are very inexpensive meals and have lots of delicious leftovers. Also, I think they are very flavorful and the type of dish you can change almost any aspect of and it would still turn out wonderfully. Hence why I chose a lasagna theme.

I saw this recipe in an old magazine (yes, I've been digging up oldies here lately). I just had to try it because it sounded amazing. A combination of two amazing things: Mexican food and lasagna!! It turned out amazing and I even took it for leftovers my first day back to work since Camden came into our lives. It was just as tasty as when I pulled it out of the oven! You can top it with chopped lettuce, tomato and sour cream but it really doesn't need them if you don't have any on hand.

Southwest Lasagna

Adapted from: Pillsbury

Yields: 8 servings

9 uncooked lasagna noodles

1lb ground beef

1 package (1.25oz) taco seasoning mix

3/4 cup water

1 jar tomato pasta sauce (28oz)

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

9 oz frozen corn, at room temperature

2 tsp ground cumin

1 container ricotta cheese (15oz)

1 can chopped green chiles (4.5oz)

2 eggs

3 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Preheat oven to 375°F and place a large, rimmed cookie sheet on the rack below middle oven rack. Spray a 13x9 casserole dish with cooking spray (use a deep dish if you have one). Cook and drain lasagna noodles per package directions. Rinse with cold water and drain well.

Meanwhile, cook ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat until brown. Drain and return to pan. Stir in taco seasoning mix and water. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally. Sauce should be thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in pasta sauce, beans, corn, and cumin. Cook about 5 minutes longer, stirring occasionally, until heated throughout.

In a small bowl, combine ricotta, chiles and eggs.

To assemble lasagna, arrange 3 cooked and cooled lasagna noodles along the bottom of the greased casserole dish. Spoon and spread 1/3 of the ricotta mixture over noodles. Top with 1/3 of the meat mixture and then 1/3 cheese. Repeat layers topping with the cheese. Place dish on middle oven rack and bake, uncovered, 25-30 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Mexican Beef Melts

I don't know why I really have never thought to make a mexican type of calzone. I guess I'm not much of a risk taker in the kitchen when it comes to making up new dishes. I did, however, stumble upon this recipe in a booklet that was 6 years old and thought it would be a great week night dinner. With just a few ingredients and easy directions, I was determined to make this (even if I do have an 11-week-old). They turned out great even though I was somewhat skeptical of the lack of ingredients inside of the melts; or calzones. I think I might add some peppers to the meat mixture to give it a little more kick. They are still fabulous as-is and make for a quick dinner!

Mexican Beef Melts

Adapted from: Pillsbury

Yields: 4 servings

1 lb ground beef

1 package (or 3-4 Tbsp) taco seasoning mix

1/3 cup water

1 1/2 cups chunky salsa

1 can homestyle biscuits (16.3 oz)

1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese

1 cup sour cream, optional

Heat oven to 375°F and lightly spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray (or use silicone mat). In a large skillet, brown the meat. Drain and return meat to warm skillet on medium-low heat. Add water, salsa and seasoning. Mix well to combine and continue to cook until thickened, about 4-5 minutes.

Separate dough into 8 biscuits and roll out to a 6-inch diameter circle. Spoon about 1/4 cup beef mixture into biscuit rounds on cookie sheet. Top with a tablespoon of cheese and close by folding over. Press the edges with a fork to ensure a good seal. Bake 10-14 minutes, or until golden brown. Allow to cool slightly and serve by topping with salsa and cheese. Serve with sour cream if desired.

Chicken, Poblano and Corn Quesadillas

From past experience, I've learned that quesadillas are a tricky yet easy dinner (or appetizer) to make. It takes some finesse I think, but they are always worth the effort in the end. My first attempt I was over-zealous and wanted to make an entire quesadilla (unfolded, two tortillas in the skillet). That was the worst idea! They fell apart and didn't crisp all that well. So learn from my mistake; when the directions for a quesadilla say to fold it over in half, do it. I also made some minor changes to this recipe because I like flavorful quesadillas with lots of different ingredients. I added tomatoes and I think a side of sour cream or salsa would have been even better!

Chicken, Poblano, and Corn Quesadillas

Adapted from: Simply Suppers

Yields: 6-8 quesadillas

1 large poblano pepper, halved

olive oil

1 cup shredded, cooked chicken

1 cup corn kernels

1 cup Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded

1 tomato, chopped

6-8 8-inch flour tortillas

sour cream (optional)

salsa (optional)

Start by roasting the poblano pepper. Preheat the broiler on high and move the oven rack to the highest position. Remove all seeds and stems from the pepper and place on oiled cookie sheet. Place in the oven and broil for about 8 minutes on each side, enough to get them charred on the edges. Set aside to cool.

Preheat a skillet on the stove to medium heat. Meanwhile, fill tortillas with ingredients: shredded chicken, cheese, corn and tomatoes. You can add the salsa and sour cream beforehand or use as a dipping sauce. Be sure to only fill half the tortilla. Fold in half and spray the top of the tortilla with olive oil cooking spray. Place folded tortilla into preheated skillet with the oiled side down. Lightly spray the other side of the tortilla while cooking.

Leave tortilla on skillet until crunchy and darkened, about 3-4 minutes. Flip over to cook the other side gently with a spatula. Leave on skillet until crunchy and darkened, about 3-4 minutes. Serve immediately.

Grilled Chicken Quesadillas

One menu item I have never tried to make at home would be a quesadilla. For one, they look very hard. Also, I never really liked them enough to try it. I have been running out of dinner ideas lately (hint: in need of cook books), so I decided to give it a try. I’m glad I did because these quesadillas were absolutely amazing fresh and tasted even better reheated! I love foods that I can heat up for leftovers. Some foods stay well and some don’t. These do and they are a great weeknight meal, even if you do end up with a lot of leftovers.

Grilled Chicken Quesadillas
Adapted from: Annie’s Eats, originally Confections of a Foodie Bride
Serves: 4

1 Tbsp chili powder
2 Tbsp fresh cilantro, minced (optional)
1 Tbsp olive oil
juice of 1 lime
dash salt
1 tsp cumin
½ tsp red pepper flakes
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, halved lengthwise
½ yellow onion, chopped
2 tomatoes, seeded and diced
corn tortillas (6-7 inch)
cooking spray
shredded cheese

Heat a grill pan or skillet over medium-high heat. In a pie plate, combine the chili powder, cilantro, olive oil, lime juice, salt, cumin and red pepper flakes. Whisk to combine and coat the chicken halves in the mixture. Cook chicken until browned on both sides and is no longer pink inside. Remove from heat and shred the chicken once cooled. Add the onion to the pan and cook until tender, about 5 minutes.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the chicken, onion, and diced tomatoes. Toss well. Lightly brush or spray one side of a tortilla with vegetable oil. Flip over on a clean work surface so that the oiled side is down. Place a quarter cup of chicken mixture onto tortilla and spread evenly. Sprinkle shredded cheese on top. Fold tortilla over to sandwich the filling like a taco.

Cook the assembled quesadilla over medium-high heat in a lightly oiled grill pan or skillet until browned on the outside and cheese is melted on the inside. Slice into wedges and repeat with remaining tortillas and chicken mixture. Serve warm with sour cream and salsa.

Chicken Empanadas, revisited

I first made these quite some time back but the picture was dull, lifeless and let's be honest: unappetizing. I absolutely turn to these empanadas whenever I have the craving for Mexican but don’t have a lot of time (or energy) for a complete meal. These would be perfect for an appetizer as well since they qualify as “finger food” and are small. Whatever the occasion, these little bites are sure to please anyone!

Chicken Empanadas

Adapted from: Paula Deen

Serves: 4-6

2 boneless chicken breasts, cooked and cubed small

8 oz Monterey Jack Cheese blend
4-6 ounces softened cream cheese
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
1 tbsp ground cumin
salt and pepper, to taste
3 pie crusts, unbaked
water

I cooked the chicken ahead of time by boiling 2 parts water, 1 part chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked. Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside on a plate to cool.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease two baking sheets. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except water and pie crust. Mix well. Unroll one pie crust onto lightly floured surface and roll into a 15-inch circle (a bit thinner than what the package comes in). Cut rounds using a large cookie cutter (or I used the rim of a can from a 28-ounce jar of diced tomatoes). I am all about reycling! ;) As the rounds are cut, place a generous 1 tbsp of the mixture in the middle. With a clean fingertip, lightly brush the edges of the crust with the water. Fold dough over and seal gently with a fork.

Repeat and re-roll all dough until all empanadas are made and placed on baking sheets. Bake for 15-17 minutes and allow to cool for 1-2 minutes before serving. They will be hot!

Black Beans, Chicken and Rice

It's finally October and fall. One of my favorite times of the year to cook. It's like a fresh start and I don't have to worry about yard work anymore. Not that I don't like it, it's just very time consuming so cooking sort of gets put on the backburner. Well now it's time to focus on the cooking and food! This recipe is from another magazine that got lost over the years (circa 2007!) but I have dog-eared lots of pages in it. Finally I got to one recipe and it was this one! It's so delicious and the flavors aren't too overpowering. Also, my husband made the comment that with the black beans and peppers it looked like Halloween in a bowl. This would be perfect for a Halloween dinner. It's quick, easy and delicious!

Black Beans, Chicken and Rice

Adapted from: Pillsbury

Serves: 4

2 tsp canola oil

1 cup uncooked long-grain white rice

1 1/2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp chili powder

2 cups cubed cooked chicken

2 cups frozen bell pepper and onion, chopped

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed (15 oz)

1 can chicken broth (14 oz)

2 Tbsp water

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

In a 12-inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Cook and stir in rice, cumin and chili powder for 1-2 minutes. Stir in all remaining ingredients except cheese. Heat to boiling, cover, reduce heat and simmer for  15 minutes. Make sure liquid is absorbed and rice is tender, stirring occasionally.

Remove skillet from heat and uncover. Fluff quickly with a fork. Sprinkle cheese on top and cover. Let stand for 1-2 minutes while the cheese melts. Serve warm.

Burrito Bowls

Some nights I just don't want to cook and this is the perfect dinner for just those kinds of nights! Usually I have homemade salsa ready to go in the fridge because we love it so much (although it doesn't last too long). All of these ingredients are pretty much staples in any household, even if you don't cook that much. So sit back, relax and enjoy your evening because you probably won't be doing many dishes. Feel free to omit or add anything that you prefer on your burrito's (ie guacamole, olives, etc)

Burrito Bowls

Inspired by: Annie's Eats and Qdoba's Naked Burrito

Tortilla chips (or rice if you prefer)

Black beans

Grilled chicken cubes

Salsa

Lettuce

Shredded Cheese

Sour Cream

Layer the ingredients however you see fit and enjoy!

Spicy Citrus Black Beans

Black beans really used to make me wanna gag. Now, I am pretty open to them since beans come on every item at Qdoba, one of my favorite "American Mexican" places to eat. I definitely prefer black over pinto beans for sure! I have never made them at home because I was just too lazy but this is quick, easy and makes for a wonderful side dish to any summer meal!

Spicy Citrus Black Beans

Adapted from: Annie's Eats, originally Simply Recipes

1 large can black beans (28 oz)

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped or minced (you can also substitute for another bell or jalapeno)
1/2 - 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
1.5 tsp oregano
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp salt
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp chipotles in adobo, pureed
1.5 tsp ground cumin
1/4 cup orange juice
Juice of 2 limes (added lime zest, optional)
1 Tbsp white wine vinegar
Chopped fresh cilantro, to taste, plus more for garnish (optional)

Rinse the beans well in a colander over the sink. Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan on medium-high heat. Begin to sauté onion and pepper until tender, about 5-6 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, 30 seconds. Stir in the rinsed beans and mix in broth (use however much you would like to have more or less liquid). Bring to a simmer and add oregano, bay leaves, salt, chipotle puree, cumin, orange juice, lime juice and vinegar. Once simmering, reduce heat to medium-low and cover for 20-25 minutes. Stir occasionally. Once done, remove from heat and stir in cilantro (if using) and serve warm.

Creamy Taco Mac

Sometimes I love to just get some boxed foods and make those for dinner but I have grown to despise the taste of salt. I know, totally un-American. During our early years of dating, my husband and I were either in college or fresh out in the new world so Ramen Noodles and Hamburger Helper stocked our cabinets as far as the eye could see. I really hated both because of the insane amount of sodium packed into them. My husband, however, absolutely loved them both. How we ever eat together is amazing to me every day.

So I saw this recipe on Annie's website and thought that my husband would love a "Hamburger Helper" night and I would love that it doesn't have that nasty, bloating sodium taste in it. We were both extremely pleased and I was happy that it made a lot so I could eat it all weekend for leftovers.

Creamy Taco Mac

Adapted from: Annie's Eats, originally Delish

1 1/4 lb ground beef

8 oz dry pasta shapes (I used mini-ziti)

1 small onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 can diced tomatoes, drained (14 oz)

4 tbsp taco seasoning

3 oz cream cheese

1/3 cup milk

2 tbsp butter

shredded cheddar cheese, for topping

Cook pasta according to package directions and drain, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water. Set aside.

Meanwhile, in an extra-large skillet, brown the ground beef. A few minutes before it is done cooking completely, add the onions and cook until done. Add in garlic until fragrant (30 seconds). Mix in diced tomatoes and seasoning and let simmer for 5 minutes. Mix in the rest of the ingredients, including the reserved pasta water (except cheese) and mix well until blended. Simmer an additional 3-5 minutes to allow some of the liquid to reduce a bit. Serve with a sprinkle of cheese on top.

Homemade Taco Seasoning

I am the kind of person that will cut corners when I can, but the other night I had no choice; I was out of taco seasning. Thankfully, I saw this recipe on another blog and thought it would be interesting to see if it tasted similar to the pre-packaged taco seasonings. Let me just say that I would rather stock up on all these seasonings than spend $1 on a taco seasoning packet!!! This recipe is really worth taking a few extra minutes to make. I actually cut the recipe in half because I didn't want to use up so much of my spices if I didn't like it. Next time I know I will make a big batch so I have extra for a random taco night. Also we normally get the "hot" packets so I might add more cayenne or maybe some chili seasoning to it. Since I know you are dying to ask, yes I did try the mixed seasoning by itself before putting in my recipe. It tasted excellent and much better (less salty) than the packets in the store!!

Homemade Taco Seasoning

Adapted from: Annie's Eats, originally Mex Recipes

2 tbsp chili powder

1.5 tbsp plus 1/2 tsp paprika

1.5 tbsp ground cumin

1/2 tbsp plus 1 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (we like ours a little hot)

Mix all seasonings in a bowl and store in airtight container. For seasoning, use 2-2.5tbsp of mixture per 1 lb ground beef. Brown ground beef in pan, drain, return to pan and mix with seasoning.

Nachos

We've all eaten breakfast for dinner or had something completely out of the ordinary just because we have the sweet freedom to do so as an adult. Well, one of my biggest guilty pleasures is nachos. I can eat them anywhere (Sam I am?). I absolutely love all kinds of nachos but have never made any at home. Maybe because I am lazy or because I just prefer normal meals at home and guilty pleasures at restaurants. Who knows. At any rate I finally got to this dog-eared recipe and decided it was our dinner. My husband didn't complain .. it has meat in it, right!? I really think it was a wonderful change to our normal dinners that I am running out of ideas for. So go ahead and indulge once in a while.

Nachos

Adapted from: New Cookbook, Bridal Edition (Better Homes and Gardens)

5 cups bite-sized tortilla chips (6 oz)

1 lb ground beef

1 can black or pinto beans (15oz), rinsed and drained

1 cup salsa

1.5 cups shredded cheese, mexican blend (6 oz)

Optional toppings: lettuce, green onions, cilantro, etc

Spread half of the tortilla chips in an 11x8 casserole dish and set aside. In a large skillet, cook the beef over medium heat until brown. Drain off fat and add beans and salsa. Spoon half the mixture on top of the tortilla chips. Sprinkle with half the cheese. Repeat layer with chips, beef mixture and cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and serve on individual plates, topping with additional optional topings if desired.

Chipotle Bean Burritos

Wow, it's really been a while since I have posted anything. I truly apologize and hopfeully my next few posts will begin to make all nine of my readers drool as they are some of my favorite, most recent dishes. I started this blog in the beginning of winter so all you know of is the winter Kelly. Well let me introduce summer Kelly. Summer Kelly loves to be outdoors, continuously perfect the lawn and garden (especially now with a complete redo of our new home) and be near water. I had no idea just how little I went outside in the winter until now. I had tons of free time to blog, cook and be indoors even with our mile-long to-do list. I think this will be the ultimate challenge for me. My goal is to go through an entire year of blogging without huge gaps. I think if I can do that, then I will have much more confidence when I go back to school next summer and have to juggle even more things on my plate.

Almost forgot to tell you about this dish! Well if you know me, Mexican is a household favorite and any variation is welcome in my kitchen. These were a wonderfully different version of normally greasy and unhealthy burritos. I like lighter foods in the summer and definitely get more than my share of fruits and veggies because they are so plentiful! This is a must-try weeknight dinner.

Chipotle Bean Burritos

Adapted from: Pink Parsley Catering, orignially Cooks Illustrated

2 tsp canola oil

2 cloves minced garlic

1.5 tsp chili powder

1.5 tsp adobo sauce

1 tsp ground cumin

dash salt

1/3 cup chicken broth (or water)

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed (15 oz)

1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed (15 oz)

6 tbsp fresh salsa

6 10-inch tortillas heated for 10-15 seconds in the microwave (when ready to fill)

1 cup shredded cheese, mexican blend

1.5 cups chopped tomatoes

1.5 cups chopped lettuce

6 tbsp sliced green onions

6 tbsp sour cream (or you can sub Greek nonfat yogurt)

Heat oil in large skillet on medium heat and add the garlic and spices. Cook until fragrant (about 1 minute) and then add beans and broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and add in salsa. Mash mixture with slotted spoon.

After heating the tortillas, fill 1/3 cup of the skillet mixture down the middle of each tortilla. Top each with 2.5 tbsp cheese, 1/4 cup tomatoes, 1/4 cup lettuce, 1 tbsp green onions, and 1 tbsp sour cream. Roll tighly and serve immediately. Hint: To keep a stubborn tortilla from unfolding, simply stick a toothpick through the top.

Chicken Empanadas

I had no idea what an empanada was until I found this recipe. It looked good and the ingredients were all things I enjoy so why not give it a try!? Well, I am so glad I did. This is really something different that I have never eaten before but the taste combination was so flavorful! I actually made some salsa for dipping but we didn't even use it because these were so tasty and filling. I could only really eat three and my husband stopped at five. We absolutely loved them and they will go on our must-make-again list. These would be perfect for a game night or small get-together with friends or family, too.

Chicken Empanadas

Adapted from: Sing for your Supper, originally Paula Deen

2-3 boneless chicken breasts, cooked and cubed small

8 oz Monterey Jack Cheese blend

4-6 ounces softened cream cheese

1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper

1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped

1 tbsp ground cumin

salt and pepper, to taste

1 package refrigerated pie crusts (2 crusts, 15 oz)

water

I cooked the chicken ahead of time by boiling 2 parts water, 1 part beef broth (because I forgot the chicken broth). Normally I would use chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked. Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside on a plate to cool.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease two baking sheets. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except water and pie crust. Mix well. Unroll one pie crust onto lightly floured surface and roll into a 15-inch circle (a bit thinner than what the package comes in). Cut rounds using a large cookie cutter (or I used the rim of a can from a 28-ounce jar of diced tomatoes). I am all about reycling! ;) As the rounds are cut, place a generous 1 tbsp of the mixture in the middle. With a clean fingertip, lightly brush the edges of the crust with the water. Fold dough over and seal gently with a fork.

Repeat and re-roll all dough until all empanadas are made and placed on baking sheets. Bake for 13-15 minutes and allow to cool for 1-2 minutes before serving. They will be hot!

Homemade Salsa

If you are a fan of Annie's Eats (and I highly suggest that you become one if you already are not), then you will know this salsa as My Favorite Salsa. I always love going out to Mexican restaurants because of the chips and salsa. Now there is no need because this is so comparable to restaurant quality, but without all of the preservatives and salt. If you haven't guessed already, I don't really like much salt in anything. Well, anyways I went to the grocery store hoping to find big, beautiful jalapeno's like I normally do but this time they were all wrinkly and soft so I opted for getting a pepper that was a bit hotter and using one less. It's okay, I figured, since Brad loves spicy foods. This was great and I will most likely keep some on hand for guests and/or ourselves for snacking from now on! No more store-bought salsa!! If I can just find the perfect queso dip, we probably will never leave home again.

Homemade Salsa

Adapted from: Annie's Eats

1 jalapeno, seeded and coarsely chopped

1 marzano pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 large vine-ripe tomatoes, cubed (large)

1 can diced tomatoes (28 oz), drained for chunky salsa

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

1 tbsp cumin

1/2 red onion, chopped

dash salt

1/2 tsp ground cayenne pepper

1/4 cup fresh cilantro

juice of one lime

In a large food processor, combine the peppers and garlic. Process until finely chopped. You might have to scrape the sides of the bowl to get the excess. Add remaining ingredients and pulse on low speed until salsa is at desired consistency. Transfer to airtight container and refrigerate 2 hours before serving to allow flavors to blend.

Note: I have a very small food processor and combined the first half of the ingredients in the first batch and then pulsed the canned tomatoes and sesasonings in the second batch. Then I mixed everything in a large bowl together.

Chicken Enchiladas

I will find any excuse to make Mexican food. Having some friends over for game night this past weekend was one of them. In the time it took to make them (a LOT of time) was well worth it in the end. If you are making this for a group of hungry people whether family or friends, I would suggest having some appetizers ready ahead of time or beginning this 2 hours before you want to eat it. Yeah, it takes me that long from start of prep to finish. That includes having all of the vegetables chopped ahead of time too. But please trust when I say that it is well worth the time to make these!! They taste even better than restaurant enchiladas! They are so authentic and delicious. I think the picture speaks for itself. That red sauce is the best and I am so glad I found a fellow blogger who shared a recipe to make it!

Chicken Enchiladas

Adapted from: Annie's Eats, originally America's Test Kitchen

1 medium onion, diced

2 jalapenos, seeded and diced

1 tsp canola oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 tbsp chili powder

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tbsp sugar

1 can tomato sauce (14 oz)

1 cup water

1 tomato, seeded and chopped

salt and pepper

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts

2 cups shredded mexican cheese blend (or your favorite), divided

1/2 cup minced, fresh cilantro

10-12 soft corn tortillas (6-inch)

cooking spray

Combine the onion, jalapenos and oil in large skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until vegetables are soft, about 8-10 minutes. Add in the garlic cloves, seasonings and sugar. Mix well and cook until just fragrant (about 30-45 seconds). Pour in the tomato sauce, water and tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper if desired. Bring mixture to a simmer, then reduce temperature to medium-low. Gently place the chicken breasts into the sauce mixture and cover with a lid for 15-20 minutes or until chicken is cooked thoroughly. Thicker chicken takes longer. Transfer chicken to plate to cool.

Place a strainer inside of a large mixing bowl and pour saucepan mixture into it. Press into the vegetables to extract as much excess liquid as possible. Leave the sauce in the mixing bowl and pour vegetables in a separate large mixing bowl. Add 1/4 cup of the liquid mixture to the vegetables immediately.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Grease a 9x13 glass baking dish. Shred the chicken with a fork and add to the vegetable mixture. Mix in 1 cup of the cheese and the cilantro and combine well.

Stack tortillas on a plate and cover with plastic wrap. Place in the microwave for 40-50 seconds to soften them and make them manageable to roll without tearing. Then, spoon in 1/3 cup (or adequate amount) of chicken mixture evenly down the center of each shell one at a time. Roll it up tightly and place into the glass baking dish side by side. Lightly spray the tortillas and place in oven for 7 minutes.

This is where it gets tricky: Remove and pour liquid mixture over to coat each tortilla and sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Reduce heat in oven to 400 degrees, cover with foil and bake an additional 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake an additional 5 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Taco Soup

If you are as sick of this snow as I am, you will love this recipe. It will give you plenty of time to snuggle up on the couch after eating it with very few dishes to do afterwards. My kind of recipe. I have an all-crock pot recipe book that I absolutely love and it was so inexpensive but it has produced some tasty results over these months that I have had it. This was one of them. Especially in the winter I love dinners that I don't have to slave over the stove for hours making. At least if I end up not liking a crock pot recipe, we still have time to order some take-out. ;) This week's theme seems to be thick, hearty soups for winter. Old man winter .. I love you, but can only stand you for a certain period of time. Your departure is long overdue. If you like Mexican (as we do in this household) and easy recipes, then you must try this!

Taco Soup

Adapted from: Easy Slow Cooker Cookbook

1-1.5 lb ground beef

1 packet taco seasoning (1 oz)

2 cans mexi-stewed tomatoes (28 oz)

1 can chili beans, with liquid

1 can whole kernel corn, frozen (I just used a leftover can from beans and measure the corn in that)

For topping:

crushed tortilla chips

shredded cheddar cheese

sour cream

In a medium skillet, brown the ground beef on medium-high heat until no longer pink. Drain and add to crock pot. Add seasoning, tomatoes, beans, corn and 1 can of water. Mix well. Cover and cook on low 4 hours or high 1-2 hours. I put this in at lunch time and came out perfectly for dinner.

Serve over crushed tortilla chips and sprinkle cheddar cheese and sour cream if desired on top.

Mexican Lasagna

This was the perfect combination for me and my husband: he loves Mexican food and I love lasagna. Perfecto! My dad and step-mom were up in our area and ate this too and had absolutely no complaints from anyone. I also had ZERO leftovers because my dad liked it so much he wanted to take the rest home with him! This was the last littl piece and I am surprised I remembered to snap a picture of it! If you are a fan of Mexican food then this is definitely something worth trying. It was very different from the usual enchilada's, burrito's, etc. I liked it but would have loved it even more if I could have figured out how to make the corn tortillas more soft and easier to cut through. Maybe next time I will cook them a little?? I dunno.

Mexican Lasagna

Adapted from Joelen's Culinary Adventures

10-12 corn tortillas

1 lb ground beef (or chorizo if you are feeling spicy)

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 small onion, diced

1 tbsp taco seasoning

salt and pepper, to taste

2 cans refried pinto beans (28 oz)

1 tub ricotta cheese

1 egg

2 cups mexican shredded cheese blend

1 can diced tomatoes (14 oz)

1 jar salsa (16 oz)

sliced gree onions, for garnishing

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium sauce pan on medium-high heat, brown your meat. Once cooked through add the garlic and onion. Stir and cook until softened. Add salt, pepper and taco seasoning and mix well. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.

In a small bowl, combine ricotta and egg. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside. Lightly grease a 9x13 glass baking dish. Place a layer of 4 corn tortillas on the bottom (the edges may overlap which is fine). Then layer as follows: 1/2 refried beans, 1/2 ricotta mixture, 1/2 beef mixture, 1/2 shredded mexican cheese, 1 can diced tomatoes. Add another layer of 6 corn tortillas. Then repeat next layer topping with salsa instead of diced tomatoes and extra cheese on top of that.

Bake for 30-35 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly. Allow to cool about 5-10 minutes out of the oven. Garnish with green onion and serve warm.

Spicy Sausage & Rice Casserole

First things first .. I didn't actually make this dish, my husband did. I prepped everything and he did the bulk of the work. Either way, it is the spiciest thing I have ever made!! I think it had a lot to do with the extra spicy sausage I got from the grocery. It was on sale so I stocked up and made some for breakfast with my eggs too. It was delicious!

Well this recipe did not disappoint. I loved every single aspect of it. I loved the spiciness of the sausage, the peppers, onions, and especially the rice. I have never purchased or used long-grain rice before but it seems to take longer to cook in the oven. I think I might have liked it better if it was partially cooked beforehand. Some of it was still a little crunchy, but not much. I also put some cheese on top which the original recipe didn't call for. I am a cheese person .. what can I say. This was definitely a dish I could have kept going back for seconds and thirds and so on.

Spicy Sausage & Rice Casserole

Adapted from: Joelen's Culinary Adventures, originally All Recipes

28 oz spicy pork sausage

1 cup uncooked long-grain rice

3/4 cup onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 bell peppers chopped (I used 75% green, 25% red)

2 cans diced tomatoes (14 oz)

1 cup chicken broth

salt and pepper, to taste

1 tsp cayenne pepper

shredded cheese, to taste (for topping)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large skillet, brown the sausage on medium heat while chopping into smaller pieces. Drain grease and return to skillet on medium-low heat. Add rice, onion, garlic, and peppers. Mix well and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, broth, salt, pepper, and cayenne. Mix well and pour into a 9x13 baking dish. Bake for 55 minutes making sure the rice is completely cooked. Top with cheese as desired and cook an additional 3-5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

You can also cover the casserole and freeze for a later day and time at this step.

Southwestern Stuffed Peppers

This was the very first recipe in our new home! My husband and I both put this on our to-make-often list of recipes. It was a huge hit and we almost couldn't stop eating them. Moving has been really hard on both of us but this was a very simple and rewarding recipe. He loves mexican food and could eat it daily if I made it every day. 

I cut two peppers lengthwise and two just with the tops off and ended up halving them because it was much easier to stuff them that way. Whenever my mom makes stuffed peppers she doesn't make them like this .. I don't think. This is the first stuffed pepper recipe I have eaten or made. Next time I might double the recipe and make it for some guests we have over. I know it will be a huge hit!

Southwestern Stuffed Peppers

Adapted from: Homemade by Holman 

1/2 lb ground beef

1 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1 cup black beans

1 cup corn

1/2 cup red onion, diced

1 can diced tomatoes (option w/chiles)

1/2 cup brown rice, uncooked

4 bell peppers, any color

1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

1 lime

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped (optional)

sour cream, (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook rice as directed and set aside. Meanwhile brown ground beef in large skillet on medium-high heat and crumble as it cooks. Add 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/4 tsp cayenne and 1/4 tsp chili powder. Mix well and add diced tomatoes, reducing heat to medium low. Add onions, black beans, corn and simmer until rice is cooked and softened.

Meanwhile prepare peppers by cutting in half lengthwise (top to bottom) and removing stem, seeds, etc. Rinse and set in a large glass baking dish. Add 2 tsp water to bottom of dish. 

When rice has cooked thoroughly, add 1/2 tsp cumin and 1/4 tsp chili powder and mix well. Stir into the ground beef mixture and add half the cilantro. Note: I didn't use cilantro because per the norm I didn't have one of the ingredients on hand. They still turned out WONDERFUL without it. Spoon filling into pepper halves. Cover pan with foil and bake for 20-25 minutes. Uncover (peppers should be softened) and sprinkle on cheese and continue cooking an additional 5 minutes until cheese is melted. Top with remaining cilantro and sour cream if desired.