Crockpot Italian Roundsteak

This is a great hearty meal for a busy day.  Throw everything in your crockpot.  You don’t even have to pre-thaw the meat.  Let it simmer all day and by the end of the day when you are tired and your kids are all hungry, you won’t have any work left to do, but serve.  Okay, and clean the dishes. :)

2 lbs. round steak (thawed or frozen)
2 cans tomato sauce
1 packet lipton onion dry soup mix
4 TBSP. red wine vinegar
2 tsp. oregano
1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. pepper
6 Red Potatoes, cut in half
5-8 Carrots, peeled and chopped about 1” thick
1 large zucchini, quartered

Place the meat on the bottom of your crockpot.  Place tomato sauce and all seasonings next.  Top with potatoes, carrots and zucchini.  Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours or on low for 6-7.

Low Carb Tortillas

I loved this easy chicken burrito filling.  I love it because it uses greek yogurt, but tastes like you haven’t skimped a bit!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast meat
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped bell peppers
3/4 cup nonfat plain greek yogurt
3/4 cups shredded lowfat 4 cheese mexican cheese
3/4 cup salsa
Low carb tortillas

Sautee onions and bell peppers in a small skillet using cooking spray until onion are lightly browned.  Add shredded chicken, yogurt, cheese and salsa.  Once the cheese is melted, spread on tortilla and top with cilantro and more salsa.

Grilled Teriyaki Salmon and Asparagus

I love grilled Salmon!  Tonight I tried this simple recipe and threw on some Asparagus to go with it.  It was delicious.  I always cook the salmon layered in tinfoil and then flip it.  Towards the end, open up the tinfoil and allow it to vent a little while cooking.  I like it to cook in the juices, or small amount of butter inside the tinfoil.  

Ingredients:
1/8 cup soy sauce
1/8 cup brown sugar
1/8 cup water
1 TBSP. olive oil
Lemon Pepper
Garlic Powder
Salt

Rinse your salmon and pat dry.  Cut four pieces of tinfoil large enough to fold the edges over and still fit the salmon inside.  Place your Salmon on top of two of the pieces of tinfoil.  Season both sides lightly or 1 side heavily with lemon pepper, garlic powder and salt.  Mix the soy sauce, brown sugar, water and olive oil in a small cup.  Brush over all sides of the salmon, leaving a little bit of extra juice on the tinfoil to cook in.  Put the remaining two pieces of tinfoil on top and double fold in the sides all around the salmon.  Cook on the grill on medium high heat until desired doneness (about 6-8 minutes each side, depending on thickness of salmon).  Be careful not to let it burn.

Asparagus Directions:

Rinse and snap the asparagus at the natural breaking point.  Brush the asparagus with olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt.  Throw on oiled grill, turning until desired crispness.  You can cook this on or inside tinfoil if you would like as well.

Super Easy Swiss Steak

This is one of those great meals that you can just throw in a crock pot and let simmer on low all day.  I love it.  It’s very easy to make ahead and to make and freeze.  If you find a great sale on round steak, come home, cut it in strips, flour it and brown it.  Place it in a ziploc bag with the spices and the tomatoes and soup.  Seal and Freeze.  When you are ready to eat it, just pull it out and dump it in your crock pot.  Super easy and yummy!

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 2 1/2 pounds boneless beef round steak (about 1-inch thick), cut into serving-size pieces
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can stewed tomatoes
• 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed tomato soup, undiluted
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 bay leaf

Directions

1. In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Add beef, a few pieces at a time, and shake to coat. Remove steak from bag; flatten to 3/4-in. thickness.
2. In a large skillet, brown steak on both sides in oil over medium-high heat. In a bowl, combine tomatoes, tomato soup, onion, marjoram, thyme, paprika, cloves if desired, bay leaf and remaining salt; pour over beef in your crockpot and cook on low for 4-6 hours.  Serve over mashed potatoes.

Marinated Flank Steak and Roasted Red Potatoes

Grilled Marinated Flank Steak Recipe

Ingredients

Marinade Ingredients

• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 pounds flank steak
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground pepper

Directions

Score the surface of the steak with 1/4 inch deep knife cuts, about an inch apart, across the grain of the meat. Combine the marinade ingredients. Place steak and marinade ingredients in a large freezer bag. Coat the steak well with the marinade. Seal the bag and place in a bowl. Chill and marinate for at least 2 hours and up to overnight.

Take the steak out of the marinade bag and sprinkle generously on all sides with coarse salt and freshly ground pepper. The salt and pepper will help form a savory crust on the steak. Place steak on the hot grill. If you are using a gas grill, cover the grill. Grill for 4-6 minutes on each side. Half way through grilling on each side, turn the steak 90° so that you get more grill marks.

When the steak has cooked to your preferred level of doneness, remove from the grill and place on a cutting board. Cover with aluminum foil to hold in the heat and to keep the steak from drying out, and let rest for 10 minutes.

Make very thin slices, against the grain, and at a slight diagonal so that the slices are wide.
If you want, you can take the excess marinade and bring it to a boil, simmer for several minutes, and serve with the flank steak.

Roasted Red Potatoes

Ingredients

• 2 TBSP. Olive Oil
• 2 pounds Red Potatoes, quartered
• 1 TBSP. finely chopped green onion
• 1 tsp. minced garlic
• 1 tsp. dried rosemary, crushed
• 1 tsp. dried thyme
• 1/4 balsamic vinegar
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper

Directions

In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat.  Add the potatoes, onion and garlic; toss to combine.  Add the thyme, rosemary and nutmeg; toss well.  Cook and stir for 2-3 minutes or until potatoes are hot.  Transfer to a 15 x 10 x 1” baking pan coated with nonstick cooking spray.  Bake at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until potatoes are golden and almost tender.  Add the vinegar, salt and pepper; toss well.  Bake 508 minutes longer or until potatoes are tender.

Meatloaf

Ingredients

1	Tbs olive oil
1½	cups onion, chopped
3	garlic cloves, minced
2	large eggs
½	cup milk
2	tsp dijon mustard
1	tsp hot sauce
1½	tsp fresh marjoram, or ½ teaspoon dried, crumbled
1½	tsp fresh thyme, or ½ teaspoon dried, crumbled
	salt and freshly ground pepper
2	lb ground beef
1½	cups plain bread crumbs
¼	cup fresh parsley, minced
½	cup ketchup
¼	cup light brown sugar
1½	Tbs cider vinegar

Directions

1 Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2 In a skillet over moderate heat, add the oil. Heat the oil until hot, but not smoking. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Set aside and let cool.
3 In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, mustard, and hot sauce together. Add marjoram, thyme, salt, and pepper.In a large mixing bowl, combine the meats, egg-milk mixture, bread crumbs, parsley, and the cooked onion mixture.
4 In a small bowl stir together ketchup, sugar, and vinegar. Set aside.
5 Form 1 tablespoon of the meat mixture into a small patty, add it to a small oiled skillet, and cook until no longer pink. Taste for seasoning and adjust.
6 Transfer meat mixture to an oiled loaf pan. Brush meat with ketchup glaze.Bake in oven for about 45 minutes, until glaze has set.
7 Brush meat loaf with remaining glaze and bake for 15 minutes more; glaze again.
My oven takes 1 hour and 15 minutes to reach the desired doneness. Times do vary, so allow for that!
8 Internal temperature of loaf should be 160 degrees F.

Sweet Pork Salad

This has got to be one of my hands-down, favorite recipes!  I love this salad.  It does take a little prep work and time to prepare, but it’s worth it!

To make the sweet pork:

Boneless pork ribs, roast or loin, marinated overnight in 1 1/2 cans of coke (not diet coke) and 1/4 cup of brown sugar.  The next day, drain the marinade and put pork, remaining 1/2 can of coke, 1/4 cup water, sprinkle with garlic salt in the crock pot on high for about 4-5 hours or until it shreds apart.  Double the liquid if you need to, depending on how much pork you are making.  When pork easily shreds apart, drain the liquid and shred the pork.  

In a blender, blend 1/2 can of coke, 1 can diced green chilies, 3/4 of a 10oz. can red enchilada sauce (medium spiciness) and 1 cup brown sugar.  Pour over shredded pork in your crock pot and cook on low for 2 more hours.

Cilantro Lime Rice:

1 cup uncooked rice

1 tsp. butter

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp. freshly squeezed lime juice

1 can (15 oz.) chicken broth

1 cup water

1 TBSP. freshly squeezed lime juice

2 tsp. sugar

3 TBSP. fresh chopped cilantro

In a saucepan, combine rice, butter, garlic, 1 tsp. lime, chicken broth and water.  Bring to a boil.  Cover and cook on low 15-20 minutes, until rice is tender.  Remove from heat.  In a small bowl combine lime juice, sugar and cilantro.  Pour over hot cooked rice and mix in as you fluff the rice.

 Black Beans and Corn:
1 tsp. garlic, minced
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can corn, drained
1 cup tomato juice
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 TPSP. fresh, chopped cilantro

In a skillet, cook garlic and cumin in a little olive oil over medium heat until you can smell it.  Add beans, corn, tomato juice and salt.  Continually stir until heated through.  Just before serving, stir in the cilantro.

Guacamole:
 2 large, rip avocados, smashed with fork
1 large tomato, chopped
garlic and salt, to tasted

 Cilantro Ranch Dressing:
1 packet traditional Hidden Valley Ranch mix (not buttermilk)
1 cup mayonaise
1 cup buttermilk
2 tomatillos, remove husk, and diced
1/2 - 1 bunch cilantro
1 clove garlic
juice of 1 lime
1 jalapeno, seeded

Combine everything in a blender and blend until smooth.

 Corn tortillas, cut in strips and fried in oil until crisp.

Pico De Gayo:
Chopped fresh tomatoes
Green onions, chopped
Yellow onion, chopped
2 tsp. garlic
Sprinkle with Rice Vinegar to taste
Add Salt, to taste

Mix all together in a bowl and chill until ready to serve.

Basil Chicken over Angel Hair

We had Warren’s parents over for dinner and Warren made this yummy Basil Chicken.  It’s a really light, healthy, delicious meal.  

Ingredients:
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 tsp. garlic, chopped
6 cups chopped tomatoes
5 cups boneless chicken breasts, cubed and cooked
3/4 cup chopped fresh basil - it takes a lot of basil!
1 1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. hot pepper sauce
1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese
Angel hair pasta
Oil, for sautéing

Directions:
In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the pasta until it is al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes.  Drain, and set aside.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat.  Saute the onions and garlic.  Stir in the tomatoes, chicken, basil, salt and hot pepper sauce.  Reduce heat to medium, and cover skillet.  Simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until mixture is hot and tomatoes are soft.

Toss sauce with hot cooked angel hair pasta to coat.  Serve with parmesan cheese.

Lettuce Wraps

Warren and I both love the lettuce wraps at P.F. Chang’s as well.  I found this recipe online and decided to try it.  It isn’t exactly like P.F. Chang’s, but it’s really good.  I had to make the sauce recipe twice.  The first time I followed the recipe exactly and I didn’t like the sauce.  I added and left some things off the second time.  It tasted MUCH better!  Here is the recipe how I made it.  I doubled the chicken, but you definitely don’t need to double the special sauce.

Ingredients:
oil, for frying chicken
Chicken breasts, cut into small pieces
Water chestnuts - 1 can
Mushrooms - about a cup
1/2 of an onion, chopped
1 tsp. minced garlic
Iceberg lettuce

Special Sauce:
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
2 TBSP. soy sauce
2 TBSP. rice wine vinegar
2 TBSP. ketchup
1 TBSP. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. sesame oil
2 tsp. red chili paste
2 tsp. garlic
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

Stir Fry Sauce:
2 TBSP. Soy sauce
2 TBSP. Brown Sugar
1/2 tsp. rice wine vinegar

Directions:
Make the special sauce by dissolving the sugar in water in a small bowl.  Add soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, ketchup, lemon juice, red pepper, garlic and red chili paste and sesame oil.  Mix well and refrigerate this sauce until you’re ready to serve.

Bring oil to high heat in your skillet and saute the chicken pieces until done.  Add water chestnuts, mushrooms and onions.  (Chop the mushrooms and water chestnuts into small, diced pieces).  Prepare the stir fry sauce by mixing the soy sauce, brown sugar, and rice vinegar together in a small bowl.  Add the stir fry sauce to the pan and saute the mixture for a couple minutes, then serve in the lettuce cups with the special sauce on the side for dipping or sprinkling on top.

Mongolian Beef

My husband invited his life-time friend over for dinner this past week for his birthday and he made him this Mongolian Beef recipe.  It was delicious.  Both he and I are big fans of PF Chang’s Mongolian Beef.  I recommend you try this recipe out.  It’s delicious.

Ingredients:
4 tsp. vegetable oil
2 tsp. ginger, minced
2 TBSP. garlic, minced
1 cup soy sauce
1 cup water
1 cup brown sugar
2 cups. vegetable oil (for frying)
2 lb. flank steaks, sliced cross-grain, at an angle
1/2 cup cornstarch
3 large green onions

Make the sauce by heating 4 tsp. vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over medium/low heat.  Don’t get the oil too hot.  Add the ginger and garlic to the pan and quickly add the soy sauce and water before the garlic scorches.  Dissolve the brown sugar in the sauce, then raise the heat to medium and boil the sauce 2-3 minutes or until sauce thickens a bit.  Remove sauce from heat.

Slice the flank steak against the grain into 1/4 inch slices.  Tilt the blade of your knife at about a 45 degree angle to the top of the steak so you get wider cuts.  Dip the steak pieces into cornstarch to apply a thin dusting to both sides of each piece.  Let the beef sit until the cornstarch becomes sticky, about 10 minutes.  As the beef sits, heat up the oil in your wok or skillet until it is hot, but not smoking.  Add the beef to the oil and saute for just 2 minutes, or until beef just begins to darken on the edges.  Stir the meat around a little bit so that it cooks evenly.

After a few minutes, use a large slotted spoon to take the meat out and onto paper towels, then pour most of the oil out of the skillet.  Put the pan back over the heat, dump the meat back into it and stir-fry for 1 minute.  Add the sauce, cook for 1 minute while stirring and add green onions.  Cook for 1 more minute.    Thicken the sauce with a cornstarch-water mixture to desired thickness and serve it over rice.

Thai Basil Chicken Lettuce Wraps

This stuff I am definitely addicted to.  It was love at first taste for me.  Next time I am going to saute some cashews and fry some rice stick and add it to these delicious lettuce wraps.

Ingredients:

2 lbs. chicken, diced
8 cloves of garlic
4 shallots
2 TBSP. of fish sauce
2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. soy sauce
Fresh Basil
1 anaheim chili pepper
3 dashes of white pepper
4 TBSP. oil
1 TBSP. of lime juice
1 tsp. crushed red pepper

Directions:

Heat oil.  Add garlic and shallots, stir constantly.  Add chicken.  Stir fry.  When cooked, add chilies, fish sauce, sugar, soy sauce and continue stirring.  Add basil and cook until aromatic.  Sprinkle pepper over dish, stir.  Serve lettuce wrap style or over rice, if you prefer.

Sukhothai Pad Thai

I came home from work to the smell of some serious yummy food coming from the kitchen.  My husband decided to surprise me with dinner.  It tasted delicious!  Seriously delicious!

Ingredients:
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
3 TBSP. lime juice
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/8 cup of orange juice
1 (12 oz.) pkg. dried rice oodles
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 tsp. minced garlic
4 eggs
10 oz. of pre-cooked chicken, ut into 1/2 inch strips
4 oz. pre-cooked shrimp, diced
1 TBSP. white sugar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. of sweet red chili sauce
1/2 cup chopped fresh chives
1 TBSP. paprika
2 cups fresh bean sprouts
1 lime, cut into wedges
1 1/2 cups ground peanuts (we did not use as we have 2 children w/peanut allergies)

Directions:  To prepare Pad Thai sauce:  In a medium saucepan over medium heath, blend sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, lime juice and orange juice.  To make Pad Thai:  Soak rice noodles in cold water until soft; drain.  In a large skillet or wok over medium heat, warm oil and add garlic and eggs; scramble the eggs.  Add noodles and stir until cooked.  Stir in Pad Thai sauce, 1 TBSP. sugar and 1 1/2 tsp. salt.  Stir in peanuts and sweet red chili sauce.  Remove from heat and add chives and paprika.  Serve with lime and bean sprouts on the side.

Crusty Parmesan Chicken

Yummy parmesan chicken.  I admit, I pan fried mine in the remaining garlic and butter and then I just sat it in the oven to warm with a little marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese baked on top.  Yum!

Ingredients:
4 chicken breasts, pounded flat and cut into pieces
1 tsp. garlic, minced
1 cube butter
1 cup dried bread crumbs
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 TBSP. chopped fresh parsley
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1/2 tsp. italian seasoning
1/4 tsp. pepper

Melt butter and garlic in a pan.  Dry chicken breasts and coat in garlic, butter mixture then dip in bread crumbs and place in 9x13 pan.  Sprinkle remaining garlic butter mixture over the top and bake at 450 for 15 minutes.

Homemade Pizza

Pizza Sauce:
2 cans tomato paste (6oz.)
2 cans water (6oz)
6 TBSP. grated parmesan cheese
1 TBSP. minced garlic
3 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. dried marjoram
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
Salt, to taste

Mix together in a small bowl.

Dough:
5 tsp. yeast, dissolved in 1 cup warm water and 3 tsp. sugar
8 cups flour
2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup olive oil
2 cups warm water

Add flour, salt, olive oil and warm water to your mixer.  With a dough hook, mix until blended.  Add yeast mixture.  Knead on low for 8-10 minutes.  Cover with a cloth and let rise for 1 hour.  Punch down and shape into pizzas.  Dough taste better if you let it sit overnight, however, it can be used immediately.

I prefer rolling the dough really thin and pre-baking it on my pizza stone at 500 for 10 minutes.  Then I flip the dough over and put my sauce, cheese and toppings on, then return to the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes longer.

Chicken Alabam

I haven’t made this recipe in a long time, but felt like making it tonight.  My family always loves it.

Ingredients:

8 pieces of chicken
1/3 cup flour
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp salt
dash of pepper
dash of thyme
5 Tbsp butter
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1 cup chicken soup stock
1/2 cup light cream
1/4 tsp lemon juice
2 Tbsp pimiento 

Instructions: 

Dredge chicken pieces with mitxture of flour, paprika, salt, pepper, and thyme. Brush chicken with 3 Tbsp of melted butter and brown in oven or shake off excess flour and saute in about 3 Tbsp of cooking oil.

Saute onion lightly in 2 Tbsp. butter for 5 min. Stir in excess flour from dredging chicken. Add soup stock. Cook and stir until thickened. Add light cream and cook until smooth and thick. Add lemon juice and pimento; blend well. Pour sauce over chicken in a 2-3 qrt. caasserole; cover and bake 1 1/4 hours at 325, or until chicken is fork tender. Serve over cooked rice. Makes 4-6 servings.

*I always double the sauce.

Spinach Mushroom Enchiladas

I rarely cook anything vegetarian, but I thought I’d give it a whirl.  I love mushrooms, and I love spinach, so this recipe really appealed to me.  The flavors blended beautifully and I loved it!  You could easily add chicken if you wanted to add meat.  I, personally, like it as it is.

Ingredients:
1 lb. baby portobella mushrooms, chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 TBSP. butter
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup white wine or chicken broth
12 oz. chopped fresh spinach, coarsely chopped
1/2 tsp. seasoned salt
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup lime juice minus 1 TBSP.
1 TBSP. chicken bouillon granules
1 TBSP. garlic powder
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro
12 corn tortillas, warmed
1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
Crushed red pepper flakes

In a skillet, saute mushrooms and onion in butter until tender.  Add garlic and cook until fragrant.  Set aside half of the mushroom mixture for sauce.  Add wine to the skillet and cook for a few minutes.  Add 1/4 tsp. seasoned salt;  Cook until spinach wilts and liquid evaporates.

In a large saucepan, bring the water, lime juice, chicken bouillon, garlic powder and remaining seasoned salt to a boil, stirring to dissolve bouillon.  Stir in the sour cream, cilantro and reserved mushroom mixture; heat through.

Place spinach mixture in the center of each tortilla; roll up and place seam side down in a greased 13 x 9 in baking dish.  Spoon sauce over top; sprinkle with cheese.  Bake, uncovered at 350 for 15 minutes.  Add pepper flakes on top, if desired.

Poppyseed Chicken

Not the healthiest dinner in the world, but it is something that my family loves.  It’s one of those really easy week night dinners.  What I love about it is that I can make it and freeze it.  I love recipes I can double and then throw in the freezer to save me a cooking night later.  I have so many casserole pans from all my freezer meal days, that I just fill up two pans and saran wrap and then tinfoil cover the second pan and I write on the tinfoil the directions and what is inside and pop it in my freezer.  It’s perfect for a day you don’t feel like cooking!

Ingredients:
Shredded chicken
2 cans cream of chicken soup and 1 pint of sour cream. Pour over shredded chicken.
Mix together with chicken.

Combine: 1 pkg. ritz crackers 
1 cube melted butter 
2 tsp. poppy seeds (opt.)

Sprinkle over chieken. Bake 350 until hot and bubbly. Serve over rice.

Stuffed Bell Peppers

 I had some peppers in my fridge I needed to use up, so I decided to try these stuffed green peppers.  I was surprised how much the kids loved them!  The vote was to definitely add to the blog.  So, here they are...

Ingredients:
6 sweet bell peppers
1 pound ground beef
1 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 carrot, shredded
2 stalks celery chopped
1 can diced tomatoes
1 cup cooked long grain rice
1 TBSP. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. basil
1 tsp worcestershire sauce
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp. coarse salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
Cheese

Cut the tops off your peppers and remove seeds from the inside.  Place in water and boil until crisp tender.  In a skillet, brown the ground beef and saute onions, carrots, celery, garlic until tender.  Add seasonings, egg, tomatoes, rice and worcestershire sauce.  Mix all together and stuff your peppers.  Top with cheese and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Black Beans and Rice

Tonight I decided to go with a meatless meal.  I do have to say, my kids looked at it and said “THIS is what we are having for dinner?”  With absolute confidence, I said “Yep!”.  I thought it tasted really good, although I do have to say, I think pork would taste really good mixed in with it too.  Wrapping it up in a corn tortilla would be tasty as well.  However, for a slimmed down, healthy version, this was a great meal.  I also used brown rice.  Just a warning about the brown rice though...it takes an hour to cook and you need extra chicken broth.  I’m writing the recipe for white rice, so adjust your recipe accordingly if you are going to do the brown.  I loved the avocados on top.  A definite must in my opinion.

Ingredients:
Olive oil, for browning
1 large onion, diced
1 TBSP. garlic
1 cup white rice
2 cups chicken broth
2 cans black beans
1 can corn
3 fresh tomatoes, diced
1 can green chilies (I used fire roasted)
1/4 tsp. cayenne
2 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. garlic powder
Salt, to taste
Fresh cilantro, to taste

In a frying pan, saute the onion and garlic until crisp tender.  Add the rice and saute until lightly browned.  Add the chicken broth and spices and bring to a boil.  Cover and let simmer until tender.  Add beans, tomatoes, green chilies and cilantro.  Toss and serve.

Honey Mustard Grilled Chicken

These were SO yummy slow cooked over charcoal briquettes tonight.  Yum!

Ingredients:
2/3 cup dijon mustard
1/2 cup honey
4 TBSP. mayo
2 tsp. steak sauce
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Marinate the chicken in half the sauce and reserve the other half for basting.  Sear, and then cook over indirect heat until done.