#2,796 and #2,797: Pork Carnita Enchiladas and Homemade Enchilada Sauce

This is a terrible picture b/c it doesn't do it justice. Yes these are enchiladas, but they are filled with pork carnita shredded meat, black beans, corn, and cheese. Chloe (my kid who isn't a big meat eater), was eating the pork filling directly out of the pan on the stove. Yep, it's that good.  The next time pork butt is on sale go grab one (or two!).  This filling freezes well, but the best way to eat this is to pan fry it in its juices after it's done cooking because it gets this nice little cripsy crust on it.  Oh my gosh, so good.  So I cooked it in the crockpot, then sauteed it in a pan to crisp it up, THEN I added it to the tortillas with beans, corn, and cheese and turned it into enchiladas.  HUGE hit at my house!  Only some of us like enchilada sauce so I usually don't have it on hand, so I found this easy recipe to make it from scratch.  So today you get both recipes here. Did you know how easy it is to make enchilada sauce?!  SOOO easy.  

4 lb pork shoulder (pork butt) , skinless, boneless 

2 1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

1 onion , chopped

1 jalapeno , de-seeded, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 oranges , juice only (or 3/4 cup juice)

Rub

1 tbsp dried oregano

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tbsp olive oil

Rinse and dry the pork shoulder, rub all over with salt and pepper.

Combine the Rub ingredients then rub all over the pork.

Place the pork in a slow cooker (fat cap up), top with the onion, jalapeño, minced garlic, and squeeze over the juice of the oranges.

Slow Cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 6 hours. Remove from slow cooker and let cool slightly. Then shred using two forks.

Set the cooking liquid aside - don't bother straining onion etc, it's super soft.

To Crisp:

Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a large non stick pan or well seasoned skillet over high heat. Spread pork in the pan, drizzle over some juices. Wait until the juices evaporate and the bottom side is golden brown and crusty. Turn and just briefly sear the other side - you don't want to make it brown all over because then it's too crispy, need tender juicy bits.

Remove pork from skillet. Repeat in batches, don't crowd the pan.

Just before serving, drizzle over more juices and serve hot.

Note: Best way to store/freeze: Shred pork but don't pan fry. Keep pork and juice separate, refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 months.

Enchilada Sauce:

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 Tablespoons flour

3 Tablespoons chili powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon cumin

2 cups chicken broth

Heat the oil in a small saucepan over med/low heat. Add the flour and whisk for approx. 1 minute.  Add all the spices and stir.  Gradually and slowly add the broth, whisking to prevent any lumps.  Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes or until enchilada sauce thickens.

Use immediately or store in an airtight container in the fridge.

#2,780: Easy Restaurant Style Mexican Rice

I was looking for a super easy, Mexican side dish and this Restaurant Style Mexican rice was not only easy, but I really enjoyed it as well.  Personally, I thought this was great with some fajita veggies and sauteed chicken on top and eaten more like a "bowl."  My kids weren't big fans because they could SEE the cilantro in it.  That's fine...I didn't have to share as much then. 😉 I made this on the stove top, buy you could easily make this in the instant pot too.  I love making rice in my instant pot, however the last time I tried to make Mexican rice in the instant pot I kept getting the burn notice, so I figured I'd go the stove top route this time.   It turned out perfectly too.  

3 Tbsp. vegetable oil

1 cup long grain rice, uncooked

1 tsp. minced garlic

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 tsp. cumin

1/2 cup tomato sauce

14 oz chicken broth

3 Tbsp. fresh cilantro, finely chopped

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.

Add the rice and gently stir until rice begins to lightly brown.

Add the garlic, salt, and cumin and stir the rice til it looks golden.

Add the tomato sauce and chicken broth and turn the heat up to medium high.

Bring the mix to a boil then turn the heat to low and cover the pan with a lid.

Simmer for 20 to 25 minutes.

Remove from heat and fluff with a fork, then stir in chopped cilantro.

#2,701: Mexican Rice with Poached Eggs

My family  really loves this super easy mexican rice recipe.  I've already made it THREE times now!  I have been making it mostly in my Instant Pot because I love cooking rice in the Instant Pot!  It's so easy to make.  My family personally loves eating these with the cheese sprinkled on top, some sour cream, and then scooping it up with tortilla chips (like nachos).  I'm sure this will be on our menu again within the next 2 weeks!  Personally, I'm the only one eating this with a poached eggs, which I didn't think I would like, but I actually really enjoy it with it added on top.  It's so good! 

1 pound bulk spicy pork sausage (I use mild)

1 medium onion, diced

1 medium sweet red pepper, diced (I've used both red and green interchangeably)

1 to 2 seeded jalapeno peppers, minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon beef base (I use 2 beef boullion cubes)

2 tsp ground cumin (I used 1 package mild taco seasoning instead)

1 tsp pepper (I omitted)

1 cup uncooked long grain rice

2 cups water (I use 1 cup of water for the Instant Pot)

6 large eggs

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Warm corn or flour tortillas (6 inches)

Directions for Stove top: 

In a Dutch oven over medium heat, cook sausage, crumbling meat, with onion and peppers until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in beef base, cumin and black pepper.

Add rice; brown lightly. Pour in water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender, 18-20 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Transfer to a platter; keep warm.

Meanwhile, poach eggs by bringing 2-3 in. water to a boil in a large saucepan or skillet with high sides; adjust heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Break cold eggs, one at a time, into a small bowl; holding bowl close to water surface, slip egg into water. Cook, uncovered, until whites are completely set and yolks begin to thicken but are not hard, 3-5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, lift eggs out of water. Place on rice; sprinkle with cheese. Serve with warm tortillas. Yield: 6 servings.

Directions for Instant Pot

I prefer to cook my sausage on the stove top (personal preference, but you could definitely cook it right in the Instant Pot!)

Either on the stovetop or in the Instant Pot (saute setting), cook sausage, crumbling meat, with onion until meat is no longer pink; drain if desired (I do not). Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in taco seasoning (or cumin and black pepper if you are not using taco seasoning).

To your Instant Pot (if you aren't already cooking your meat in it) add the cooked and seasoned meat.  Add rice, diced bell peppers, beef bouillon, and jalapeno. Pour in 1 cup of water. Cover and use manual pressure cook setting on high for 4 minutes.  When done, let the pressure out with a natural release until the stopper drops (if it hasn't dropped at 18 minutes, I let the rest of the pressure out and then open it).  

Open and stir everything together.  Pour the mixture onto a serving platter and top with shredded cheese and poached eggs (see below for poaching instructions). 

Poach eggs by bringing 2-3 in. water to a boil in a large saucepan or skillet with high sides; adjust heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Break cold eggs, one at a time, into a small bowl; holding bowl close to water surface, slip egg into water. Cook, uncovered, until whites are completely set and yolks begin to thicken but are not hard, 3-5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, lift eggs out of water. 

#2,694: Instant Pot Mexican Rice

I needed something quick and easy to go with the Taco Beef Bake with Cheddar Biscuit Topping I was making for my family for dinner.  It should be no surprise that I wanted to make something in my Instant Pot, so when I found this recipe (and that I had everything on hand to make it), I knew it was going to be exactly the thing that I wanted to try!  I was able to throw the Taco Beef Bake into the oven, then start to make the rice, and both were done at the same time!  (Score!)  

Those of us who love rice, really enjoyed this dish.  The other two, were more content to eat the main dish.  However, this rice was perfectly cooked and seriously so good!  I will definitely be making this again in the future!  

2 tbsp avocado oil (I used olive oil)

1/2 onion, chopped

1 tsp minced garlic

3/4 cup tomato sauce

2 cups long grain white rice

2 1/2 cups chicken stock

2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cumin

dash cayenne pepper

Set the Instant Pot on saute and add your oil and onions. Leave the lid off and stir frequently.  Saute the onions for about 4 minutes and then add in the rice and garlic.  Saute the onions and rice for about 2 minutes, until they begin to turn a golden color.

Add in the tomato sauce, chicken stock, salt, cumin, and cayenne pepper and stir. Scrape the bottom so the rice doesn’t burn.  Close and lock the lid. Turn the Instant Pot to Manual HIGH for 8 minutes.

When 8 minutes is up and Instant Pot beeps, do a quick release of the pressure.  

#2,674: Instant Pot Chicken and Rice Burrito Bowls

Ok...here's the first real recipe I decided to try using my new Instant Pot!  Eeek!  I had super low expectations for this recipe mainly because I have no idea what I'm doing!  As I've mentioned the last several months, I'm trying to use different cuts of meat besides boneless skinless chicken breasts, and ground beef/turkey.  So when I found this recipe which used chicken thighs, I knew I needed to give it a try, rather than sub in some ground beef instead (as I normally would do).

I also knew that serving my family burrito bowls would not go over very well, so although I ate mine this way, I gave the rest of them a tortilla and they filled it with some of the chicken, rice, and cheese.  

This was really good!  There was a little too much rice, but personally I liked it that way.  I added some chopped cilantro and avocado to mine, and topped it with a little sour cream.  I also scooped some of it up with mini tortilla chips.  Yum!  Yes, I would definitely make this again! 

1 1/2 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil

1 medium onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 cup low-sodium chicken broth, divided

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed (I omitted from the Instant Pot and added it in at the end)

1 cup frozen corn kernels (I omitted from the Instant Pot and added in canned corn at the end)

1 (16-ounce) jar salsa (I used mild picante sauce)

1 cup long-grain white rice

1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

Add the oil to the Instant Pot, turn on sauté setting, and heat until the oil is shimmering. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 4 minutes. Stir in the chili powder and cumin. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add 1/4 cup of the chicken broth and cook, gently scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to loosen any stuck-on bits, and simmer for 1 minute.

Season the chicken all over with salt and pepper. Add the chicken, beans, corn, salsa, and stir to combine. Sprinkle the rice on top of the chicken and beans mixture and pour the remaining 3/4 cup broth on top of the rice, but do not stir. Using the pressure cooker's manual setting, set the pressure to HIGH for 10 minutes. Close and lock the lid. It should take the pressure cooker about 10 to 12 minutes to come to pressure and begin the 10 minute countdown. When cooking time is complete, do a quick release of the pressure.

Gently stir everything together. Divide between bowls and top with the cheese and cilantro.

#1,993: Mexican Street Corn Salad

So I am having a slight (TMI) issue with corn so I really had to avoid this recipe unfortunately.  But I still made it for my family and made sure to get their reviews/take on this dish.  When I first served it they all thought it was just ok....then it sat in the fridge overnight and it got MUCH better reviews.  My family all agrees, the longer this sits and the flavors blend, the better it is.  Good to know.  :)  We served this as a side dish to burgers, they ate it with tortilla chips, and some threw it on top of their burrito bowls.  As you can see, this dish is super versatile!  Yes, I will definitely make this again!

Also, I looked all over for cotija cheese and couldn't find it, so I subbed out feta.  Cotija would have been better!  (I just didn't have time to run to an authentic grocery store).

Dressing

½ cup plain nonfat yogurt

1 Tbsp lime juice 

1 tsp honey 

½ tsp paprika

¼ tsp cumin

Salad

Splash of oil

4 ears corn about 3 cups, shucked and kernels removed

1 clove garlic minced

2 Tbsp lime juice 

¼ tsp salt

1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed

1 red bell pepper seeded and chopped

½ cup chopped red onion 

½ cup packed fresh cilantro chopped

½ cup cotija cheese, crumbled, can sub feta

Mix all dressing ingredients and set aside.

Heat oil over medium/high heat in a large saute pan then add garlic and corn. Cook about 15 minutes, flipping frequently, until corn begins to char a bit. Gently toss with lime juice and salt.

In a large bowl, combine corn mix, black beans, pepper, onion, cilantro, and cheese. Drizzle sauce over and serve either warm or cold. Perfect over tacos, as a chip dip, or by itself!

#1,849: Oven Baked Tacos

As you can see from my photo above, I ran out of cheddar cheese so I had to substitute mozzarella.  Thankfully my husband isn't the biggest cheddar cheese fan, so he didn't care in the least!  This is a very simple recipe and my family doesn't like refried beans that much, so I only added a little bit.  I also added some picante sauce instead of the tomato sauce to give it more flavor.  My family loved these tacos!  The only downside is that the shells get soft/mushy if you try to save the leftovers, so I would suggest only making as much as you truly think you will eat.  

1 lb ground beef, lean (I used ground turkey)
1 packet taco seasoning
6 ounces tomato sauce (I used picante sauce)
20 1⁄2 ounces refried beans (I used about 1/4 of the can)
shredded cheddar cheese
12 small flour tortillas (make sure to get taco size shells!)

Optional toppings: 

diced tomato, diced onion, sour cream, salsa, shredded lettuce, red onion, cilantro, black olives, etc. 

Brown ground beef and drain.  Add taco seasoning, refried beans and tomato sauce. I also added about 1/3 cup of water.  It needed it!  Heat until blended.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a glass 9x13 pan with non-stick spray.   Spoon taco filling into taco shells and stack them side by side in pan.  When shells are filled, top each with shredded cheese.

Bake for approximately 15 minutes, watching so they do not brown too much.

Top with remaining ingredients, if desired.

#1,835: Enchilada Rice Bake

I found this recipe that originally called for shredded chicken in the dish, but my family is not the biggest chicken fans.  We will eat it, but only in small amounts.  So I decided to change this up slightly and make it using ground turkey instead (you could use ground beef too!).  I pretty much just made taco meat, added some rice and picante sauce, let it cook and then baked it with cheese and chips on top.  How simple is that!?  MOST of my family loved it...everyone except for the 7 year old, but that was absolutely no surprise! 

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tablespoon taco or fajita seasoning

1 14 .5-ounce can chopped tomatoes with green chiles (I pureed some mild picante sauce and snuck it in.  My family never would have eaten it with this!)

1 cup converted long-grain white rice

2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken (skin removed) (I used cooked ground turkey)

2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend (about 8 ounces)

1/2 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped, plus more for topping (I omitted...my family doesn't like it...I do though so add it in!!) 

Kosher salt

6 corn tortillas, cut into quarters (I used tortilla chips)

Sour cream and pickled jalapeno peppers, for topping if desired

Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until slightly softened, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and taco seasoning and cook, stirring occasionally, until the garlic softens, about 1 minute. Stir in the tomatoes, rice and 3 cups water. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce the heat to medium low. Cook until the rice is tender, about 20 minutes.

Preheat the broiler. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the chicken, 1 cup cheese, the cilantro and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Arrange the tortillas on top to cover and sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup cheese. Broil until the cheese melts, 2 to 3 minutes. Top with sour cream, pickled jalapenos and more cilantro if desired.  

#1,831: Fajita Burgers

I didn't tell my family that these burgers were not our traditional turkey burgers.  They did notice they tasted a little different, but they all said they still like them (win for me!).  I loved these burgers.  They were so simple to make and as you can see from the photo above, I ate it in a lettuce wrap (unlike my family who ate it on traditional hamburger buns).

1 pound ground beef or turkey
2 teaspoons taco seasoning mix
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large pepper (any color(s)), julienned into matchsticks
1 cup thinly sliced red onion
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 hamburger buns, optional
lettuce leaves

Optional toppings:
salsa
guacamole
chipotle mayo
chopped cilantro
dice tomatoes

Heat an outdoor grill or indoor grill pan. Divide the ground beef into four equal portions. Season each generously on both sides with the taco seasoning. Cook the burgers until desired doneness.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet until shimmering. Add the peppers and onions. Season them with oregano and salt and pepper to taste. Cook stirring, until the onions are translucent and the peppers are tender.

Serve the burgers on buns (or on lettuce leaves), top with pepper mixture and desired toppings.  

#1,826: Crockpot Cheesy Enchilada Quinoa Bake

I hate when I let so much time go by between posting new recipes!  It's been over a month since I posted, but you can tell my busiest time of the years...and back to school is definitely a busy time for us all!  I made this recipe after my cousin posted making it and liking it.  I loved all of the ingredients in it, so I knew I had to give it a try.

This was really, really good, but I had to cut WAY back on the enchilada sauce, as I didn't think it needed it.  And personally, it didn't need it!  I used about 1/3 to 1/2 of a can and I would definitely do that again next time I make this.  

Such a simple recipe to make to have for lunches (or dinner) for the week! 

1 pound ground turkey (or ground beef) 

1 and 1/2 cups uncooked quinoa, rinsed well

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

1 cup frozen corn

1 can (10 ounces) diced tomatoes and green chilies

1/2 cup salsa

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1/2 cup onion

1/2 cup sweet bell peppers, I used orange

1 cup water

1 can (19 ounces) enchilada sauce*

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin

2 cups cheddar or Mexican cheese

1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Optional: 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, sour cream, green onions, 1 small jalopeno

In a large skillet, cook the ground turkey until browned through. Drain out any grease and place in the slow cooker.

Add in the uncooked quinoa, the black beans, the frozen corn, the diced tomatoes and green chilies, the salsa, and minced garlic.

Chop up the onion and sweet bell pepper into small pieces. Add to the slow cooker. If desired chop up a jalapeno and add it too.

Add in the water, enchilada sauce (I used half a can of mild), chili powder, and cumin.

Stir everything together really well. Cover the slow cooker and cook on high for 3 to 3 and 1/2 hours or until the liquid is all absorbed into the mixture.

Once it is done cooking, remove the lid and stir everything again. Stir in the cheese and fresh cilantro (stems removed and chopped).  If desired add in the fresh lime juice.

Add a dollup of sour cream and some chopped green onions if desired.

#1,814: Copycat Crunchwrap

This picture doesn't really cut it, but I swear there is nacho cheese and a tostada in there!  Although this recipe was supposed to also have lettuce and tomatoes (yum), my kids would have never touched it.  So I just did the nacho cheese sauce and the sour cream.  One kid loved it, and 2 thought it was "just ok."  And the big one (aka my husband) wouldn't even try it.  Big babies.  I had a bite of it and I thought it was good!  I'd make this again for my oldest, but the other 3 prefer a regular taco.  I think a Crunchwrap Supreme with sour cream, lettuce, beans, tomatoes, cilantro, and black olives would be awesome!

1 lb ground beef

1 packet taco seasoning mix

1 can nacho cheese (or queso cheese dip)

6 burrito-size flour tortillas

6 tostada shells or corn tortillas

1 cup sour cream

2 cups shredded lettuce (I omitted)

1 tomato, diced (I omitted)

1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend

In a large skillet, over medium-high heat, cook and crumble the ground beef until no longer pink. Drain grease. Stir in the taco seasoning mix, and water it calls for on package. Cook according to package directions.

Warm the nacho cheese sauce or queso cheese in a microwave-safe bowl. Place the flour tortillas on a large plate. Microwave for 20 seconds to warm them.

Lay one flour tortilla on a flat surface. Spread 1/2 cup of taco meat onto the center of the tortilla. Drizzle a couple Tablespoons of nacho cheese over the meat. Top meat with one tostada shell or crispy corn tortilla *see notes below. Spread a thin layer of sour cream over the tostada shell. Top with lettuce, tomato and shredded Mexican cheese.

To fold the crunch wrap, start with the bottom of the flour tortilla and fold the edge up over the center. Continue to work your way around, folding the flour tortilla over the center fillings. There will be a spot left open in the center; cut a piece of another flour tortilla and tuck it in the center, so it's fully covered.

Repeat with all remaining tortillas, tostadas and fillings. You'll have 6 crunch wraps total.

Spray a large, non-stick skillet with cooking spray. Heat over medium heat. Place one crunchwrap seam-side down onto the skillet. Cook for 2 - 3 minutes, or until golden-brown. Carefully, flip over and cook other side until golden-brown. Repeat process with all crunchwraps. Serve immediatley.

#1,784: Easy Wonton Tacos

This is one of those "why didn't I think of that?!" type of recipes.  It's so simple it's almost silly.  As you can see from the photo the sides without the filling are a little crispy and quite brown.  My family didn't mind that at all and enjoyed these just as is.  But next time I might try folding these up a little more like a crab rangoon with the sides folded up as well and see how they taste that way.  We loved these.  Add this one to our family favorite list!

The original recipe was made with shredded chicken but I just used some leftover taco meat that I made, and added some cheese.  My family doesn't like anything "fancy" in their tacos but this would be good with some olives, peppers, and/or jalapenos too.  We dipped these in sour cream (kids) and guacamole (me).  Two thumbs up from this family!

1 package of wonton wrappers (I actually used egg roll wrappers cut into quarters)
Small bowl of water
Leftover taco meat (beef or chicken)
Shredded mexican-blend cheese
Any other desired filling ingredients (olives, peppers, jalapenos, etc.)

Lay out one wonton wrapper and place about 1-2 tbsp in the center of each.  Add a pinch of cheese and any other desired filling ingredients.  Dip your finger in the water and moisten 2 of the corners of the wonton wrapper.  Pull up the two moistened sides and pinch together.  The water will help keep the sides stuck together.  Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and spray each lightly with some non-stick spray or olive oil spray (so it doesn't dry out too much).  Bake at 375 degrees for about 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned.  

#1,766: Taco Casserole with Sweet Potato Crust

I really, really loved this healthy taco casserole.  The worst part of this recipe is only eating a reasonable serving size.  I could have easily eaten way more...yes I enjoyed it that much.  Next time I think I'm going to start to pre-cook the sweet potato crust for about 15 minutes so that it gets more browned and crispy rather than soft and mushy, and I'll definitely add way more garnishes to it too.  :)  Yum, Yum, Yum! 

1 packet of taco seasoning mix (or use a homemade mix)

1 lb ground beef or turkey

1 large raw sweet potato, grated

1 egg, whisked

1/2 onion, diced

1/2 red bell pepper, diced (I omitted)

1/2 green bell pepper, diced (I omitted)

1/2 cup tomato sauce

1 green chili pepper, chopped

Garnish (optional)

Olives, diced tomatoes, sliced avocados, shredded cheese, etc.

In a frying pan add 2 tbsp of a fat of your choice and cook the ground beef, onions, peppers and 2 tablespoons of the taco seasoning.  I personally needed more taco seasoning and used an entire packet.  Cook until ground beef is brown and veggies are tender.

Add the 1/2 cup tomato sauce, and stir. Simmer awhile to allow flavors to combine, and set aside.

Next peel and grate the sweet potato, and place in a small mixing bowl.  In another small bowl, whisk 1 egg, and pour it into the sweet potato bowl.  Mix egg and sweet potato together. 

Grease an 8" x 8" baking dish (or similar size pie pan) with coconut oil, then press the potato/egg mixture into bottom and sides of dish to form a crust.  Pour the cooked meat and veggie mixture over the crust and even out into a flat layer.  Bake at 350º F for about 30 minutes. 

Remove from oven and garnish with desired toppings.  

#1,759: Spanish Beef and Rice Bowls With Avocado

I decided to make this recipe easier for myself by using leftover taco meat made with ground turkey.  I still added a lot of the other ingredients, but omitted the cumin since it is already in the taco seasoning packet that I used.  I loved this.  I ate it for several days for lunch, it was so good.  I don't normally cook with/use capers, but I did like the slightly salty taste it gave this dish.  

1 cup brown rice

¾ cup coarsely chopped roasted red peppers

¼ cup pitted green olives, sliced
 (I used sliced black olives, not in photo though)

1 tablespoon drained capers

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 pound ground sirloin (I used leftover ground turkey seasoned taco meat)

1½ teaspoons cumin (I omitted)

Kosher salt and black pepper

4 cups shredded romaine lettuce

1 avocado, quartered (I used a 100 calorie pack of guacamole)

Cook the rice according to the package directions.

Combine the peppers, olives, capers, and vinegar in a large bowl.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground sirloin and cook, stirring occasionally, until cooked through and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Stir in the cumin and 2 tablespoons of the peppers and olives and cook for 2 minutes more. Season with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper.

Divide the rice evenly among 4 bowls and top evenly with the meat, lettuce, remaining peppers and olives, and avocado.

#1,663: Southwest goulash

My family liked this recipe a lot, but they weren't totally in love with it.  Did they eat it for dinner, yes!  Would they ask me to make this again for them, probably not.  :(  It was good though...just not my family's favorite thing to eat.  Personally though, I liked it.  LOL

1 cup uncooked elbow macaroni

1 pound lean ground beef 

1 medium onion, chopped

1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained

2/3 cup frozen corn

1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce

1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chilies

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro

Cook macaroni according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven over medium heat, cook beef and onion until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the tomatoes, corn, tomato sauce, chilies, cumin, pepper and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 3-5 minutes to allow flavors to blend.

Drain macaroni; add to meat mixture and heat through. Stir in cilantro.

Freeze option: Freeze individual portions of cooled goulash in freezer containers. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Heat through in a saucepan, stirring occasionally and adding a little water if necessary. Yield: 6 servings.

#1,493: Enchilada Casserole

As you can tell by my continual lack of posting recipes, I am really struggling this semester to find the time to make new recipes for my family!  :(  I hate that!!  BUT never fear, summer is just around the corner and time off from school is sooooo close (11 more days to be exact!  Wahoo!).  So then I will have SO much more time to do the things I love: 

• Spend time with my kids
• Crossing items off our bucketlist
• Trying new (and often healthy) recipes!

I actually have made a few new recipes the last few weeks (not nearly as many as I'd like though), but just haven't had the time to upload them.  So since I'm at a standstill on my end-of-the-year slideshow for school for tonight, I figured this was the perfect time to update this and get these recipes posted. 

I guess I'll start with my most recent one...as I made this recipe tonight for dinner.  I had to modify it a little bit for my family and their picky needs, but it was pretty minor.  Overall my family really enjoyed this, especially Brian, Allison and I.  The other two are my pickier eaters so it wasn't a surprise that they weren't gaga over this.  (Don't let that dissuade you though). This was super simple and would be a great way to use up some extra taco meat.  

1 pound ground beef (I used ground turkey)
1 can (10 ounces) enchilada sauce (I used a little less than half a can)      
1 cup salsa
6 flour tortillas (10 inch) (I made this in an 8x8 pan and only used 3 shells)
2 cups fresh or frozen corn (I omitted)
4 cups (16 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350°. In a large skillet, cook ground beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in enchilada sauce and salsa; set aside.

Place two tortillas, overlapping as necessary, in the bottom of a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Cover with one-third of the meat mixture; top with 1 cup corn; sprinkle with 1-1/3 cups cheese. Repeat layers once, then top with remaining tortillas, meat and cheese.

Bake, uncovered, 30 minutes or until bubbly. Yield: 6-8 servings.

#1,477: Mexican Tortilla Soup

1 lb. lean ground beef (I used ground turkey)

2 cans  (14-1/2 oz. each) beef broth

16 oz Chunky Salsa

1 can  (7 oz.) corn, undrained

1 cup tortilla chips (1 oz.), crushed (I omitted)

1 cup Mexican Style Finely Shredded Four Cheese (I omitted)

Can of black beans, drained and rinsed

Taco seasoning packet

Onion, diced

Cilantro, chopped
4 oz diced green chiles

Brown ground beef and onion in large saucepan; drain.  I added a packet of taco seasoning and made according to the package.  

Add broth, salsa and corn; stir. This is when I also added the black beans, cilantro and green chiles.  I also added this to a crockpot and cooked on low for about 6-8 hours.  If cooking on the stovetop: Bring to boil; simmer on low heat 5 min. or until heated through.

SERVE topped with crushed chips and cheese if desired.