20 Oct
Chili… On a Chilly Fall Day
Posted by Chelle as Beef, Mexican | 11 Comments
Fall seems to have taken a permanent hold over the last few weeks and as a result, I’ve been craving a warm and hearty comfort meal full of flavor. What cures that craving better than a big bowl of chili that has slowly simmered for hours? Not much, right? I have only ever made one other version of chili, which is the one my mom made growing up. While it’s certainly a great meal, it’s not quite authentic - it doesn’t contain much in the way of seasonings and includes rice. So I went off in search of a more traditional chili recipe.
18 May
Chicken Fajita Enchiladas
Posted by Chelle as Chicken, Mexican | 12 Comments
I have seen enchiladas popping up on a number of blogs recently, and have never had them, so I decided to make them for dinner Friday night. I absolutely loved these - they (and any other variations I can think of) will be going into the “regular rotation”.
How to make the enchiladas and recipes after the break.
23 Sep
An Non-Traditional Take on Chili
Posted by Chelle as Beef, Mexican | 2 Comments
There are a million different versions of chili and most people have their tried and true favorite. I typically don’t like very spicy dishes, so this chili recipe that my mom passed along to me from another family member fits the bill for me. It’s warm, hearty and not too spicy (not spicy at all if you leave out the chili powder!). The addition of rice and omission of beans certainly make this nontraditional! This chili can be thrown together in less than 30 minutes so it’s also perfect for a quick meal!
Chili-Rice Dinner
(Source: My Mom)
3/4 lb. ground beef
1/3 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1 pkg (10-oz) frozen sweet whole kernel corn
1 cup diced green pepper
1 can (15-oz) tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
1 cup instant rice
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1. Brown beef and onion in a skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Add spices, corn, green pepper, tomato sauce and water. Cover and bring to a full boil, stirring occasionally.
3. Stir in rice, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 5 minutes.
Sprinkle with cheese.
30 Aug
Black Bean "Burgers"
Posted by Chelle as Mexican, Vegetarian Entrees | 0 Comments
I have had these on my “to make” list for quite some time, but had never gotten the opportunity to try them. Today I was looking for something healthy for lunch since I usually just snack on whatever I can find, and I remembered I had wanted to try these.
These patties were very tasty and dredging them in cornmeal gave them a great crisp exterior. I ate my “burger” with brown rice and salsa and sour cream on the side. I will be keeping this recipe as it’s perfect for quick, healthy lunches! The recipe below reflects the changes that I made from the original.
Black Bean Patties
(Adapted from Cooking Light)
2 cups rinsed, drained canned black beans, divided
1 clove garlic, minced
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 large egg white
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup cornmeal
Cooking spray
1/4 cup reduced fat sour cream
Preparation
Place 1 1/2 cups beans, garlic, and salt in a bowl; partially mash with a fork. Place 1/2 cup remaining beans and egg white in a food processor; process 30 seconds or until well combined. Add bean puree to mashed beans in bowl, and stir until combined. Add cheese and onion to bean mixture; stir until combined. Divide bean mixture into four equal portions, shaping each into a 1/2-inch thick patty. Place cornmeal in a shallow dish. Dredge both sides of each patty in cornmeal.
Heat pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add patties; cook 3 minutes on each side or until browned. Top each patty with 1 tablespoon sour cream and extra cheese if desired.
22 May
Taco Rice Salad
Posted by Chelle as Beef, Mexican, Salads | 0 Comments
I saved a Cooking Light recipe ages ago and finally got around to trying it tonight. I really enjoy Mexican food and I usually make fajitas, but this recipe for taco salad sounded insanely good and I couldn’t wait to make it! The only things I changed were ommitting the chili powder and cumin to make it more mild, and ommitting the chopped tomato because I hate tomatoes. This turned out fabulous - I’ll be saving this recipe 
I made tortilla bowls using fajita wraps that I had in the house. They were super easy to make - I inverted two ramekin cups on a baking pan, coated them with cooking spray and laid the tortillas on top. I brushed them with some olive oil and baked them at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes, until browned and crispy.
