Enchilada Casserole with Spicy Black Beans...

I saw this recipe in this month's Cooking Light and made it the other night. It was delicious!! My pictures seriously don't do it justice...it was GREAT!! And surprisingly easy... the spicy black beans would be a great side for just about anything!

Enchilada Casserole

Ingredients:

1 pound ground sirloin

1 cup chopped onion

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 cup fat-free, lower-sodium beef broth

1 tablespoon 40%-less-sodium taco seasoning mix (like Old El Paso)

1 (8-ounce) can no-salt-added tomato sauce

4 (8-inch) whole-wheat flour tortillas

1/3 cup(1 1/2 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese with jalapeno peppers (I had to buy a block of cheese and grate it)

Optional ingredients: 1/2 can whole kernel corn, green bell pepper

Steps:

1) Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef and onion to pan; cook 6 minutes, stirring to crumble. I added a half can of whole kernel corn to the beef mixture- a chopped green bell pepper would be great too! If you had the bell pepper just make sure to cook it with the beef and onion so it softens!

2) Preheat oven to 400*.

3) Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic; saute 1 minute. Sprinkle with flour; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add broth, taco seasoning, and tomato sauce to pan. Bring to a boil; cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 1 1/2 cups tomato mixture to beef mixture; reserve 1/2 cup tomato mixture. 

4) Place 1 tortilla in a 9-inch plate. Top with 1 cup beef mixture. Repeat layers, ending with tortilla. Spread reserved tomato mixture over tortilla. Top with cheese. Bake at 400* for 10 minutes or until cheese melts. Cool slightly. 

NOTES: 

I was worried I had used WAY too much garlic but I could barely taste it. So don't worry it will turn out well. Also I had enough to make a second one in a small pyrex dish because my pie dish was shallow... Feel free to add a little more than a cup of the meat mixture if you aren't going to make two. Cut into wedges and serve! It's SO good!

Spicy Black Beans

Ingredients:

1 (15-ounce) can Organic no-salt-added Black Beans, rinsed and drained

2 teaspoons canola oil (I used vegetable oil)

1 red bell pepper (I used a green bell pepper)

1jalapeno pepper

1 lime

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon fresh cilantro

Steps:

1) Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 teaspoons canola oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add 1 cup chopped red bell pepper and 1 minced jalapeno pepper; saute 4 minutes.

2) Add 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1 can black beans. Cook 3 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro.

NOTES:

You can use any color bell pepper available so don't worry too much about that. I also just squeezed all the lime juice I could into the skillet instead of worrying about measuring it out. My beans may have been a little overcooked but they turned out so delicious!! 

Paula Deen's Crunch Top Apple Pie...

A couple of weeks ago our sweet neighbor Virginia brought us some apples. They looked delicious! She is seriously so sweet, she always brings us vegetables from her garden. Anyway we had a box full of apples and I decided to make an apple pie! I have never made an apple pie before and was hesitant about making a pie crust from scratch, but it was well worth it! It turned out delicious!! I definitely will be making one for Thanksgiving!! You need some time to make it but it's worth it!

It's a long recipe so I just copied and pasted the recipe from www.foodnetwork.com.

Ingredients

• Paula's Perfect Pie Crust, recipe follows
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Dash salt
• 3 1/2 cups peeled, chopped cooking apples
• 1 (16-ounce) jar applesauce
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons butter, chopped into small pieces

Crunch Topping:

• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• Dash salt
• 1 tablespoon butter, at room temperature

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Line a 9-inch pie pan with half of dough. Combine the sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl. Stir in the apples, applesauce, and lemon juice. Spoon the apple mixture into pie pan and dot with butter. Cut remaining crust into strips; arrange in a lattice design over top of pie.

For crunch topping:

Combine the flour, sugar and salt in a bowl. Using a fork, cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle over top of crust. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees F and continue to bake for about 45 minutes, or until crust and topping are golden brown.

Paula's Perfect Pie Crust:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon fine salt

3 tablespoons granulated white sugar

1/4 cup vegetable shortening, cold

12 tablespoons butter, (1 1/2 sticks) cold and cubed

1/4 cup to 1⁄2 cup ice water

In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, salt and sugar. Add the shortening and break it up with your hands as you start to coat it all up with the flour. Add the cold butter cubes and work it into the flour with your hands or a pastry cutter. Work it quickly, so the butter doesn't get too soft, until the mixture is crumbly, like very coarse cornmeal. Add the ice water, a little at a time, until the mixture comes together forming a dough. Bring the dough together into a ball. When it comes together stop working it otherwise the dough will get over-worked and tough. Divide the dough in half and flatten it slightly to form a disk shape. Wrap each disk in plastic and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours. On a floured surface roll each disk out into a 10 to 11-inch circle to make a 9-inch pie.

**It was very helpful to me to watch the video of her doing it first...plus she cracks me up**

                                     

                                                                           Making the Pie Crust:

Flour, Salt and Sugar sifted together.

Cold Butter cubes.

Added to the flour mixture.

Mixed together to resemble "coarse cornmeal"

After the ice water has been added...

Rolled into a disc shape and wrapped in saran wrap.

After being in the refrigerator for over 2 hours.

Rolled out on a flour surface...I think it's important to put flour on the roller as well otherwise the dough will stick.

Not so beautiful in the pie pan...

The Filling: 

I forgot to take a lot of pictures while baking...

Apples were sliced and some were chopped. I didn't use as much apple sauce as called for and I used a little more cinnamon than it called for.

Attempting to make a lattice top...

It got a little confusing..

The crumb topping... the reviews recommended doubling it, but I can't remember if I did or not.

On the video she puts an egg wash (2 egg yolks, 1 tbsp milk) over the crust

I would maybe put the crumbly topping on before the top next time, but maybe not. Then just lightly put the egg wash over the crust.

It came out golden brown... I stuck in the freezer for a couple of minutes because I wanted to firm up the juices a bit.

After Bec, Rob, Jay, Frank and I had started eating it. It was really good and I would definitely recommend making it!

Farro & Wheatberry Salad...

I have had a couple requests to post this recipe. I got it from my aunt Cheryl and it's awesome!!! It's really healthy and a great thing to make at the beginning of the week and take to lunch. It's also a great side at dinner!

Ingredients:


Farro Grain, about a cup
Wheatberries, I just mix in a few with the farro, a little over a cup
Good Seasons Balsamic Vinaigrette, (the packaged kind that you make)
Lots of fresh Italian Parsley
Lots of fresh Basil (sometimes I use dried basil)
1 Cucumber, chopped
Tomatoes, chopped (I usually use about 4-5 roma tomatoes)
1 Yellow Pepper, chopped
1 Container Sliced Mushrooms, chopped
Green Onions, chopped
1 Can of Whole Kernel Corn, drained
1 Avocado, cut up (optional)
Kalamata Olives (optional)
Chicken, cut in bite size pieces (optional)
1 Package of Crumbled Feta Cheese
Salt and Pepper

1) Cook farro and wheatberries according to directions on package. You have to rinse these first, they cook for about 15 minutes.

2) Drain farro and wheatberries and chill in refrigerator.

3) Chop ingredients above.

4) Once the farro and wheatberries are chilled, add all of the ingredients above- Parsley, Basil, Cucumber, Tomatoes, Yellow Pepper, Mushrooms, Green Onions, Corn, Olives (I don't like olives so I don't use these), Chicken, Avocado (if you have a ripe one!). Mix all of these ingredients with the farro and wheatberries. Then season generously with salt and pepper.

5) Then prepare the Good Seasonings dressing. Cheryl told me she usually just mixes olive oil and balsamic vinegar with the seasoning package...I usually follow the directions but add extra balsamic vinegar!

6) Pour dressing over salad mixture, and stir to coat.

7) Lastly top salad with feta cheese. This stays good for a few days at least!!

Real Simple's Irresistible Chocolate Chip Cookies...

I've been majorly craving chocolate recently so I decided to once again attempt to find the perfect chocolate chip cookies... the recipe is from Real Simple.

Ingredients: 

2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
kosher salt
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

Directions: (I've decided it might be easier to list them and then show pictures)

1) Heat oven to 375*F.
2) Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
3) With an electric mixer on medium-high, beat the butter, sugars, and vanilla for 3 minutes. Add the egg and beat until combined. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the baking soda. Reduce mixer speed to low and slowly add the flour mixture to the egg mixture until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.
4) Scoop the dough into tablespoon-size mounds and place on the prepared baking sheets, 2 inches apart. Bake until lightly browned at the edges, 12 to 15 minutes.
5) Cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks and cool completely.

All the ingredients.

Combined flour, salt and baking soda.

Butter, sugars and vanilla mixed together for 3 minutes.

Slowly add flour.

Stir in chocolate chips.

"Tablespoon" size mounds on parchment paper lined baking sheets.

Cookies cooling.

Shot number 2.

I thought these cookies turned out pretty well. Frank said they were the best I've made yet, but I'm not sure about that. The only change I would make next time would be to maybe bake them at 340*-350* for a little bit longer, because the bottom of my first batched was a little brown. The second batch at 340* turned out perfectly!

My New Obsession....

I'm officially obsessed with the blog Skinny Taste. Apparently people give this lady everyday recipes and she makes them "skinny." Well if last night's meal was any indication on how all of her recipes turn out I will only be using this for future meals! Last night I made Chicken Rollatini Stuffed with Zucchini and Mozzarella. It was SO SO SO SO SO SO good!! Definitely make this recipe! 

Here's a picture of what it's supposed to look like...

Ingredients: 

• 1 tsp olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups (1 medium) zucchini, shredded
• 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp Romano cheese (or parmesan)
• 3 oz part skim shredded mozzarella
• salt and pepper to taste
• 8 thin chicken cutlets, 3 oz each
• 1/2 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
• 1 lemon, juice of
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• salt and fresh pepper
• olive oil non-stick spray 

1) Season chicken cutlets with salt and pepper. (I just used regular chicken breasts because they were small, but you can use regular size just make sure you pound them so they are thin).

2) Preheat oven to 450*. 

3) Lightly spray a baking dish with non-stick spray.

 4) Take the skin off the zucchini and shred using a large cheese grater. 

Shredded zucchini...

5) In a large skillet heat olive oil and then add chopped garlic and saute for a couple of minutes until golden. 

6) Add zucchini, 1/4 cup Romano cheese, salt and pepper and saute about 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

7) Set aside to cool.

8) When cool add mozzarella cheese and stir to combine the mixture.

9) Lay chicken on a flat surface and spread about 3 tablespoons of the mixture onto each piece. 

10) Loosely roll each piece and then place seam side down. 

11) Combine breadcrumbs with grated Romano cheese in one bowl; in a second bowl combine lemon juice, olive oil and pepper. 

12) Dip each piece of chicken in the lemon juice mixture and then in the bread crumbs and place seam side down in a baking dish.

*Here they are before they go in the oven. Apparently I just noticed I was supposed to lightly spray with olive-oil non-stick spray but I didn't...oops.

13) Bake 25-30 minutes. Mine didn't turn out as pretty as the picture but they were seriously so good.

We ate it with a side of asparagus and a little bit of mac and cheese! 

Kelley was in town for the night! She needed Frank's help with a math test HAHA.

Sweet Ellie came too!

I can't tell y'all how much we enjoyed these!! I was pretty skeptical about the zucchini and mozzarella mix (love them separately but wasn't sure about using as a stuffing for chicken) but it was AWESOME. This is a MUST try! Apparently these only have 171.9 calories per piece of chicken...I find this SERIOUSLY hard to believe because they were just so good!