Calabacitas

Ever get tired of having beans and rice with your Mexican food? I sure do! This is a fresh, easy and healthy alternative side dish to go with any Mexican meal. 

Calabacitas

Ingredients: 

Drizzle of olive oil 

1 small yellow onion, diced 

3 small/medium zucchini

3 small/medium summer squash 

3/4 c. corn kernels (fresh, frozen or canned)

4 oz. can diced green chilies 

1 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese 

Salt and pepper to taste 

Directions: 

Drizzle some olive oil in a large skillet and heat over medium. Add the diced onion and sauté until tender-crisp, about 5 minutes. 

While onion is sautéing, wash and cut all your squash. Cut each in half lengthwise and then slice into half moon shapes, about 1/4 inch thick. Add to the skillet and sauté another 3-4 minutes. Be careful not to over cook or else the squash will become mushy. 

Add the corn kernels and green chili and cook just until heated though. Lastly, season with salt and pepper to your liking and stir in the shredded cheeee until melted. Makes 8-10 side servings. 

Sour Cream Enchiladas

This is one of my favorite recipes from the Pioneer Woman. I've made it several times but I never get a chance to snap a picture because they get eaten up so fast! These enchiladas are so simple, but SO flavorful and delicious. I've always made it with low fat or fat free sour cream and they still taste awesome.

After making these several times, I made a couple small changes in the way I do it...nothing major. I just found I didn't need to use as many toritillas. Also, I only use one 10 oz. can enchilada sauce, instead of two like Ree does. I hope you'll make these. And I hope you'll love them as much as we do!

Sour Cream Enchiladas

Ingredients:

10 whole corn tortillas

Canola oil, for frying

1 10 oz. can red enchilada sauce

2 c. low fat sour cream

8 oz. 2% sharp cheddar cheese, grated (about 3 cups)

1/2 c. diced green onions

1/2 tsp. cumin

1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375. Mix together sour cream, green onions half the grated cheddar, cumin and cayenne pepper.
Heat canola oil in a skillet over medium/high heat. Pour the enchilada sauce in a large, deep plate or pie pan. Using tongs, fry tortillas one at a time, for only about five to ten seconds per side (don't allow to crisp.) Remove from oil, then dunk tortilla in enchilada sauce. Lay tortilla on a plate, then spoon a good two or three tablespoons of the sour cream mixture in the middle. Roll tortilla, then place face down in a 9 x 13 inch baking pan. Repeat with remaining tortillas and sour cream mixture.
Cover the dish with any remaining enchilada sauce and the other half of the cheese, then bake, uncovered for 15 to 20 minutes until bubbly.
Serve immediately. Place a dollop of sour cream on each serving, then sprinkle on sliced green onions.

Homemade Taco Salad Bowls

For Margot's birthday party, we set up a taco salad bar...super easy! You gotta have the taco shell bowls to go with it of course. I decided to make my own. I'm so glad I did! They were really easy and really tasty. The recipes I read said to use empty tin cans to bake them on but I found that using oven-safe bowls worked much much better and gave me the shape I was looking for. I will definitely revisit this one again and again!

Taco Salad Bowls

Ingredients:

10 12-14 inch flour tortillas

1/2-3/4 c. warm water
2-3 tbsp. vegetable oil

Salt to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees and place 4 oven-safe bowls upside down on 2 cookie sheets. Place a square of aluminum foil over each bowl. Place the warm water and oil in a pizza pan and whisk to combine. Immerse a tortilla into the water mixture and shake any excess off. Drape the tortilla over the foil covered bowl. Repeat with 3 more tortillas and sprinkle lightly with salt. Bake in the preheated oven for 5-6 minutes, until tortilla holds its shape. Using oven mitts, take the tortillas and foil off the bowls with turn the bowls right side up on the cookie sheets. Now, place the par baked shells down inside the bowls and bake an additional 2-3 minutes until crisp and light golden brown. Remove from bowls and cool on racks. You'll have to do this in several batches until you've used all your tortillas. Makes 10 taco salad bowls.

Turkey Taco Peppers

I read a few different Mexican style stuffed pepper recipes and then made this one myself. I wanted to make something that would use up several ingredients I've had lying around for much too long. This did the trick! And they were pretty tasty, too :)

Turkey Taco Peppers

Ingredients:

3 bell peppers

1 small onion, diced

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

1 lb. ground turkey

1 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. chili powder

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tbsp. tomato paste

1/2 c. chicken broth (water would work fine)

1 c. cooked rice or orzo pasta

1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Slice the bell peppers in half horizontally and remove all the seeds and white parts. Place, cut side up, in a baking dish. Saute the onion over medium/low heat in a little bit of olive oil. Once they are tender and translucent, add the garlic an saute another 2 minutes. Turn heat up to medium and add the turkey. Cook, breaking it apart as you go, until it is no longer pink. Sprinkle with cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper and stir well. Next, stir in the tomato paste and chicken broth. Bring to a bubble and cook until broth has reduced slightly, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in the rice or orzo and spoon the mixture into the pepper halves. Top each pepper with a pinch of the cheese. Pour half a cup of water into the bottom of the pan. Cover tightly with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Serve with a dollop of sour cream, if desired. Makes 4-6 servings.

Turkey Taco Lettuce Wraps with Tomato-Avocado Salsa

I've said it before and I'll say it again...I love love love Kayln's Kitchen! It's such a great blog for low-carb recipes. I starred this one when I saw it the other day and I'm glad I did! It was so yummy and light and the avocado salsa on top made it even better. It called for lots of cilantro which I left out. We loved this dish! The only bummer thing is the salsa will go bad if you don't eat it all right away. So if you're making it for just a couple people, I'd make half the salsa then and the other half when you eat the leftovers.

Turkey Taco Lettuce Wraps with Tomato-Avocado Salsa

Ingredients:

1 tsp. olive oil

2-3 garlic cloves, minced

4 oz. can green chilis

1.5 lbs ground turkey

1 tsp. chili powder

1/2 tsp. cumin

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 c. sliced green onions

Romaine or iceberg lettuce leaves (about 6-8)

Salsa:

2 ripe avocados, diced

1 c. cherry tomatoes, halved

1 tbsp. fresh lime juice

1/1 tbsp. olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium. Add the garlic and green chilies and saute for 2-3 minutes. Next, add the turkey, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper and cook until brown, stirring as you go to break up the meat. Stir in the green onions and saute for 1 minute longer.

In a medium bowl, toss the diced avocado with the lime juice and olive oil. Carefully stir in the tomatoes, salt and pepper. To assemble, place the taco meat down the middle of a lettuce leaf and top with the salsa. Makes 6-8 tacos.

Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Black Bean Chili

This was the perfect, simple fall dish! It's hard to believe I used to dislike sweet potatoes so much because I can't get enough of them now! The sweetness of the potato went really nicely with the spice of the chili. It was a great combo! Randy scarfed 3 of these down before I was even done with my first! So I think they were a hit ;)

Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Black Bean Chili

Ingredients:

4 small sweet potatoes, washed and cut in half lengthwise

2 tbsp olive oil, divided

1 small yellow onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. cumin

Salt and black pepper to taste

15 oz. can black beans, drained and lightly rinsed

10 oz. can diced tomatoes with green chilies

1/4 c. water

Shredded cheese and sour cream (optional as garnish)

Directions:

Heat oven to 450 degrees. Brush the cut sides of the potatoes with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and place cut-side-down on a baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, flip over and bake an additional 10 minutes or until potatoes are easily pierced with a fork.

Meanwhile, while the potatoes are roasting, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a medium/large dutch oven or sauce pan. Add the onion and saute for about 8 minutes, until tender. Add the garlic and saute an additional 2-3 minutes. Season with chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper. Stir well to combine. Next, add the beans, tomatoes and water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.

To assemble, place the potatoes on a serving dish or on plates cut side up and top evenly with chili. Garnish with shredded cheese and sour cream if desired. Makes 4 servings.

Recipe adapted from here

Chili Lime Pork Loin

I came across this recipe in Budget Bites (really cool blog!) and it looked simple and delicious. It was exactly that! I've always been intimidated by large pieces of meat, lol! That sounds really weird but it's true. They cost a lot of money and they seem like they'd be pretty easy to screw up...either under cook them or totally dry them out. But I went for it this time and it was so easy and MOIST! I was pleasantly surprised :)



Chili Lime Pork Loin

Ingredients:
2 lb. pork loin
1 tbsp. chili powder
2 medium limes
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp. soy sauce
4 tbsp. olive or vegetable oil, divided

Directions:
In a small bowl, squeeze the juice from both the limes and add the chili powder, garlic, soy sauce and 2 tablespoons of the oil (I used olive). Whisk until well combined. Place the pork loin in a large Ziploc bag and pour the marinade over the meat. Seal the bag well and squish the marinade around to fully coat the meat. Refrigerate for 1-24 hours (I did mine about 9 hours).
When ready to cook, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium/high. When the oil is really hot, add the pork loin (do not discard marinade!) and sear for 5 minutes on each side, until brown and crispy.
Transfer the meat onto a baking sheet and baste with the remaining marinade. Cook in a preheated 400 degree oven for about 30 minutes. Allow to rest 5 minutes before slicing. Makes about 6 servings.



1 Year ago today: Double Chocolate Mini Meringues

Vegetarian Fajitas

Ingredients:
1/4 c. olive oil
1/4 c. red wine vinegar
2 tbsp. lime juice
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. white sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
2 small zucchini, julienned
2 small summer squash, julienned
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
8.75 oz. can corn
15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed


Directions:
In a large bowl with a lid, whisk together olive oil, vinegar, lime juice, oregano, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, sugar, salt and pepper. To the bowl, add the zucchini, squash, onion and bell peppers. Cover with lid and marinade in the fridge for 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.I marinaded mine for 5 hours.
In a large skillet, over medium/high heat, place all the vegetables with the about half of the marinade and saute until tender, about 15 minutes. Next, add the corn and beans and saute another 5-10 minutes over high heat until lightly browned. Serve in whole wheat tortillas by itself or with your favorite toppings. Makes 6 servings.


Here are the veggies all marinaded and ready to go into the fridge:

Here they are after, ready to be eaten!

Notes: I found this recipe here and I knew I had to try it! I made a few changes, but overall I stuck to the original recipe. It's actually a vegan recipe but we added sour cream and cheese as toppings so now it's just vegetarian! It was really yummy and flavorful.

Bean and Cheese Enchiladas

Ingredients:
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 small or medium onion, chopped
15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
15 oz. can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. salt (or to taste)
1/2 tsp. black pepper
2 8 oz. cans tomato sauce
10 oz. can red enchilada sauce
8 oz. shredded monterrey jack cheese
8 10 in. whole wheat flour tortillas

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until tender. Meanwhile, place beans and all spices and seasonings in a large bowl and mash roughly, leaving some of the beans whole is fine then stir in 1 can of the tomato sauce. Once onions are tender, add the bean mixture to the skillet and cook until hot and bubbly.
Combine the enchilada sauce and the remaining can of tomato sauce and spread enough in a 13x9 baking dish, just to coat the bottom. Next, spread the bean mixture evenly into each tortilla and top each with a large pinch of cheese. Roll up tightly and line up in the prepared baking dish. Once all the enchiladas are in the pan, spread with the remaining enchilada sauce mixture and sprinkle with the rest of the cheese. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Serves 4.

Notes: I have made many kinds of enchiladas in my day but this is hands down, my favorite recipe! The ingredients are fairly simple so I wasn't expecting much but these things were packed with flavor and moisture! Y-U-M!

Mexican Pizza

Ingredients:
One ball of pizza dough
16 oz. can vegetarian refried beans
1 c. of your favorite salsa
1 c. corn kernels (fresh canned or frozen)
3.8 oz. can sliced black olives, drained
1 1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
Shredded lettuce for garnish (optional)
Sour cream for garnish (optional)


Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 and roll out pizza dough onto a pan. Spread the refried beans onto the dough, followed by the salsa. Place the corn kernels and olives evenly over the beans and salsa. Sprinkle with cheese and bake in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes or until the crust is no longer doughy and the cheese is melted and bubbly. Slice into 8 pieces and serve immediately topped with shredded lettuce and sour cream (if using).

Notes: This pizza was like a giant tostada! Delicious. We will definitely eat this again and maybe try some different toppings next time :)

Spinach and Cheese Enchiladas

Ingredients:
1 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 a large onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
10 oz. package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
Salt and pepper to taste 
1 c. ricotta cheese
1/2 c. sour cream
2 c. shredded monterrey jack cheese, divided
10 6 inch corn tortillas
10 oz. can red enchilada sauce

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 and grease a 13x9 baking dish and set aside. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat and saute the onion until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute another minute or two. Stir in spinach, stirring well to break apart. Season with salt and pepper to your liking.
Remove from heat and mix in the ricotta, sour cream and 1 cup of monterrey jack. Spoon about 1/4 cup of the cheese and spinach mixture into each tortilla. Roll up and place seam side down in the prepared baking dish. Pour enchilada sauce over the top of all the prepared enchiladas and top with remaining 1 cup of monterrey jack cheese. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Allow to cool 10-15 minutes before serving.

Recipe adapted from here

Notes: Don't let the ugly photo fool you. These enchiladas were super good! I tried and tried to get a pretty picture but it wasn't happening! In the pan, out of the pan, it just didn't matter. Anyways, back to the food: This was one of our first nights eating vegetarian and we both agreed with didn't miss the meat at all. These enchiladas were sooo yummy...I think we each ate 4 ;)

Guacamole

Ingredients:
6 ripe avocados
1/4 a yellow onion, very finely diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 tsp. lime juice
3/4 tsp. salt
1 large tomato, diced (optional)

Directions:
Peel and pit the avocados and scoop all the greens into a medium bowl. Add the onion, garlic, lime juice, salt and tomato if using. Stir well, mashing the avocados (I've found that using a pastry blender works the best) until ingredients are combined well. 

Notes: I LOVE avocados and guacamole is one of my favorite foods of all time! My recipe is fairly simple because I like to be able to taste everything and don't want the flavors to get over-powdered by spice. Which is also why I like to dice the onion very finely.

Fiesta Quinoa

Ingredients:
1 c. dry quinoa
2 c. water
1 tbsp. olive oil
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
1 c. frozen corn
1 10 oz. can Rotel tomatoes, drained
Salt and pepper to taste
1 15 oz. can black or pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 c. sour cream


Directions:
Combine the quinoa and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and cook for 10-15 minutes or until all the water is absorbed and quinoa and fully cooked. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet, add garlic and saute about 5 minutes. Add the corn, Rotel and beans. Cook, stirring occasionally until heated through, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Combine the cooked quinoa in the skillet with the vegetable mixture. Add the sour cream and stir until creamy. Makes 6 servings.

Notes: This was my first time making quinoa and I have to say...I'm a fan! This stuff was awesome and so easy to work with. And I love how versatile it is. We're definitely going to be eating more quinoa in this house!

I can't remember where I found this recipe, but it was from someones blog. If you're reading this and you know who's recipe it is, or if it's yours, please let me know so I can give proper credit!

Creamy Taco Mac

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground turkey
8 oz. small shaped pasta
1 small onion, diced
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes, drained
1 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 c. frozen yellow corn
4 tbsp. taco seasoning
4 oz. sour cream
1/2 c. sour cream
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 c. water

Directions:
Bring a large pot of water to boil and cook pasta according to the package directions. Drain and set aside. Meanwhile, in a large skillet cook the ground turkey over med/high heat until no longer pink. Add the onion and cook until soft. Add the garlic and cook another few minutes.
Stir in the tomatoes, black beans, corn and taco seasoning and heat for 5 minutes. Stir in the cooked pasta, cream cheese, cheddar cheese and water until cheeses are melted and the sauce is well blended. Makes 6-8 servings.

Adapted from here

Notes:  I saw this recipe in Annie's Eats about a month ago and I've been dying to try it! I made a few changes and we loved this stuff! It made a ton which is great for leftovers, Randy's lunches etc. I highly recommend this dish :)

Chicken Fajitas

Ingredients:
1/2 c. italian salad dressing
2 tsp. lime juice (fresh or bottled)
1 bell pepper
1 onion
2-3 chicken breasts

Directions:
In a large pan on med/high, heat the salad dressing and lime juice while thinly slicing the bell pepper and onion. Place vegetables in the pan and saute for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, thinly slice the chicken breasts. Add to the pan and saute another 10 minutes. Once chicken is cooked through turn the heat all the way up and cook everything for another 5 minutes, or until it gets some color and crispiness, stirring often. Serve in warm flour tortillas with your favorite toppings. Makes 4-6 fajitas.



Notes: I like to use italian dressing because it has the garlic and other spices in it already. Adds such a good flavor!