Chicken, Black Bean, & Green Chile Skillet

Original Recipe HERE

 

I thought this was just going to be a run-of-the-mill, easy one-pot meal that we'd all eat and then forget about (unless I put it on here and filed it away for a weeknight clean-out-the-pantry type meal).  But my kids LOVED it.  Yes, worthy of capital letters.  *N* and *P* each asked for three helpings, and *J* asked for two (which is big, considering he's going through a picky phase right now).  The four of us polished off almost the entire thing, so I thought the leftovers would be a hearty lunch for me.  No luck, since at breakfast *N* asked if we were having the same thing for dinner again.  This sort of question is rare, and usually I'd assume it would be followed by a, "...because I don't want it!" (they are usually very leftover-averse).  But she actually asked to eat it again!  Well, knock me over with a can of black beans! (actually, don't, because that would hurt).  I felt especially vindicated because *J* said several times how gross it looked before actually tasting it.

I was going to poach the chicken but realized I had a better chance of getting the kids to eat it if I made it more interesting (because they are also meat-averse lately).  So I followed the basic steps for the lime chicken that is linked to in the original recipe.  I sliced up the chicken breasts into "tenders"-sized pieces, marinated them for about 15 minutes (all I had time for), and then browned them until cooked through in a separate skillet.  I do think it helped the flavor of the dish.

 

I eyeballed most of the ingredients, so the amounts I used aren't exact...it's an easy recipe to play with to suit personal tastes. Also, since I had no hot sauce in the house, I bought the Cholula brand used in the original recipe (sorry, Tabasco...I'm just not that into you). I assume it was good, though I used it sparingly since my kids aren't fans of hot-and-spicy things.

 

I served it with sour cream and salsa mix-ins, and green onions would've been a nice touch.  In the future, I may use this as a taco, burrito, or enchilada filling.

 

The only thing I didn't like was that the cheese congealed on top once it cooled, so maybe mixing it into the main dish before putting it in the oven - or just waiting until serving and sprinkling it on then - would work better.

 

(sidenote: I think I set a personal record for number of parentheses and hyphens in one post)

 

Ingredients

2 to 3 cups cooked brown rice

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 cup white onion, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed

2 cans (4 oz each) chopped green chiles

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

1 teaspoon ground cumin

additional seasonings of choice [I used about 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning mix]

1 to 2 Tablespoons lime juice

2 cups cooked, chopped chicken

1 teaspoon hot sauce

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

 

Directions

(1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

(2) Heat oil in cast iron skillet over medium heat.  When hot, add onion.  Saute several minutes, stirring occasionally.

(3) Add garlic to skillet.  Cook another two minutes.

(4) Add rice, chiles, beans, cumin, seasonings, lime juice, chicken, and hot sauce.  Stir until thoroughly combined.

(5) Sprinkle cheeses on top.  Bake skillet about 15 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

 

Kid Participation: None, other than eating multiple portions.

Creamy Tomato Soup

Original Recipe HERE

 

I took a chance on this recipe, skeptical that my kids would like it - just because most kids don't like tomato soup (despite what Campbell's may try to tell you).  While it was cooking, I told myself that I was going to have a lot of soup to eat for lunches.  However, upon first taste, all three kids declared it delicious and had two or three servings (do I count the one that *J* accidentally dumped over and splattered all over the floor, chair legs, chair pad, cat food, door mat, and himself?).  There was barely enough left over for a meal the next day.

 

The taste reminded me of pasta sauce, so it wasn't the weak tomato soup that I was expecting.  The potent flavor was probably what made the kids like it so much.

 

This soup was a home run tonight...which probably means that when I make it again, they're going to say they don't like it.

 

Ingredients

1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
3 cans (15 oz each) diced or crushed tomatoes
2 cups broth [I used vegetable]
1/2 Tablespoon brown sugar
1 to 2 Tablespoons dried basil
Dash of crushed red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt or light sour cream [I used sour cream]

 

Directions

(1) In a 4-quart pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion; cook until tender, 3 to 5 minutes.

(2) Add garlic; cook another minute until very lightly browned.

(3) Add bay leaves, tomatoes, broth, brown sugar, and basil.  Stir well.

(4) Season with red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper to taste.

(5) Simmer on low heat approximately 15 minutes.

(6) Remove bay leaves.  Use immersion blender (or standing blender) to puree soup.

(7) Add yogurt or sour cream; stir until well combined.

 

Kid Participation: Shock me with an insatiable appetite for it.

Meatless Burritos

Original Recipe: Better Homes & Gardens Simple Slow Cooker Recipes

 

There wasn't anything spectacular about this meal: it was certainly perfectly "fine" and will surely be made again because I always have the ingredients on hand.  Everyone seemed to like it, although rolled tortillas stuffed with filling usually don't mix well with little kids.  Next time I'll probably serve it with Tostitos and let them dig in, scooping style.  Also, I think it needed a little more flavor, which is easily fixable with some garlic, smoked paprika, green chilis, cayenne, cumin (if you like that sort of thing, and I don't, so I avoid using it whenever possible), etc.

 

Ingredients

3 cans (15 oz each) black beans and/or red kidney beans, drained & rinsed

1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained [I used petite cut]

1-1/2 cups salsa

1 cup corn [I used frozen]

1/2 large jalapeno, seeded & finely chopped

2 teaspoons chili powder

2 cloves garlic, minced

16 8- or 10-inch flour tortillas

* Optional Toppings:

shredded lettuce

shredded Mexican cheese blend

sour cream

cooked rice

green onions, sliced

 

Directions

(1) In 3.5-, 4-, or 5.5-quart slow cooker, combine beans, tomatoes, salsa, corn, jalapeno, chili powder, and garlic.

(2) Cover; cook on low 6-8 hours or high 3-4 hours.

(3) To serve, spoon bean mixture onto tortillas.  Top with desired toppings.  Roll.

 

Kid Participation:

* dump all ingredients into slow cooker

* activate slow cooker

* make a massacre of the meal and earn yourself a bath

BBQ Pasta Salad

Original Recipe HERE

 

I love me some pasta salad.  And barbecue sauce.  And onion.  And cheese.  And garlic powder.  And honey.  And yogurt.  So...this recipe was clearly created with me in mind.

 

It was easy to prepare and assemble, and it held up well until the next day when I finished off the leftovers.  I liked that it was different from the traditional pasta salads accessorized with oil-and-vinegar or bottled salad dressing.  The fresh vegetables made it seem lighter than it probably was.  All in all, a solid pasta salad recipe that I hope comes to mind the next time I ask a host if I can contribute anything.  It can easily be adjusted based on what vegetables and cheeses and other add-ins you have available.  Update: I've subsequently made it using thawed frozen peas and mixed veggies, snow peas (not so good), caramelized red onions, steamed broccoli, etc.  Also, one time I had some homemade mustard sauce to use up...so I put in a splash of regular BBQ sauce and used my own stuff for the rest.  Turned out just as well.

 

I used cellentani pasta, which was a good choice because it held up well against the crunchy vegetables and didn't turn to mush upon lots of stirring.  However, it didn't trap the sauce very well, and along with all the above-listed things I love, I love when sauce (of whatever kind) is trapped in pockets of my pasta so I get a little bonus every few bites.

 

Ingredients

1 pound elbow macaroni or other pasta shape

1/2 cup diced onion

4 green onions, sliced thin

2 Tablespoons cider vinegar

1 teaspoon chili powder [or to taste]

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder [or to taste]

pinch cayenne pepper

2 teaspoons honey

1/2 to 1 cup of any combination of mayonnaise, sour cream, and Greek yogurt

2/3 cup barbecue sauce

2 cups corn [fresh, frozen, or canned]

1-1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese [not the finely shredded kind]

2 cups quartered grape tomatoes

 

Directions

(1) Cook pasta according to al dente directions, about 5 to 7 minutes.  Drain.  Rinse with cold water until cool; drain again.  Transfer to a large bowl.

(2) In a separate small bowl, whisk together vinegar, chili powder, garlic powder, cayenne, and honey.

(3) Add mayonnaise/sour cream/yogurt and barbecue sauce to spice mixture.

(4) Pour sauce over pasta; mix well.  Add in onions, corn, cheese, and tomatoes.  Season with salt and pepper as desired.

 

Kid Participation:

* Whisk together sauce ingredients

* Stir all ingredients

* Complain about having tomatoes in your dinner yet again

20-Minute Black Bean Soup

Original Recipe HERE

 

Easy to throw together, quick to cook, and consumed by every family member (some via more helpings than others, but no one complained...that's a win in my mind).  It was filling while still feeling "light" and not overwhelming (either in taste or in heft).  I bet this could be made in the slowcooker.

 

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 15.5-oz cans black beans, drained & rinsed
15-oz can diced tomatoes, undrained

1 cup corn [fresh, frozen, or canned]
1-1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 c feta cheese [optional]

shredded cheese [optional]

sour cream [optional]

Directions

(1) In a large pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook 6-8 minutes or until beginnning to brown.

(2) Stir in cumin and chili powder.

(3) Add beans, tomatoes, corn, broth, and salt. Bring to a boil; allow to cook for 2 minutes.

(4) Transfer 1 cup to a blender.  Process until smooth; stir back into soup (or use an immersion blender and blend to your liking).

(5) Remove from heat.  Serve topped with cheese(s) and sour cream.

 

Kid Participation: None.

Creamy Dill Dip

Original Recipe HERE

This is a handy recipe to have because, while I always have all of these particular ingredients on hand, it's extremely forgiving and can be tweaked to suit preferences.  One could use different seasoned salt or fresh onion and dill.  I wonder if it could be warmed in the microwave and served as a hot dip - maybe with a little shredded mozzarella added to make it more melty?

We ate it with baby carrots and raw broccoli.  Husband and I both thought it was good, but my kids started out enthusiastic and then lost steam.  Neither finished their portion.  My guess is the dill flavor was too strong; next time I will ease up on it.

Ingredients

1 cup reduced fat sour cream
1/2 cup reduced fat mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon seasoned salt [I used Jane's Krazy]
1/2 Tablespoon dried minced onion
1/2 Tablespoon parsley flakes
1/2 Tablespoon dill weed

1/4 cup grated Parmesan [optional]

Directions

(1) Combine sour cream, mayonnaise, and Worcestershire sauce until smooth.

(2) Whisk in seasonings until thoroughly mixed.

(3) Work any lumps out of Parmesan.  Whisk into dip.

(4) Store in refrigerator until ready to use (ideally several hours).

Kid Participation:

* Whisk ingredients

* Try it, tell me you like it, and then don't eat it when it's served to you

Banana Sour Cream Pancakes

Original Recipe HERE

It was National Pancake Day, which it seems is a holiday created by IHOP.  While the offer of free shortstacks for every patron all day long was tempting, I wasn't about to call and make the recommended reservations, load three kids in the car, drive in rushhour traffic, and battle the pancake-loving masses for a booth.  I'd already been planning on pancakes for dinner at some point this week, so this night was as good a night as any.  I doubled the recipe and had plenty for dinner and enough for breakfast for the kids and me the next day.

I followed the advice of some reviews and added the bananas as a puree to the batter.  This ensured a uniform banana flavor throughout each pancake, though next time I might use an extra banana and add it as the original recipe says..  The lemon flavor added a nice extra dimension but was a wee bit too strong for my preference. Next time I'll do 1/2 or 3/4 teaspoon of zest.  I imagine that plain yogurt (especially Greek) could be substituted for the sour cream.

Ingredients

1-1/2 cups flour

3 Tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 cup sour cream

3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon milk

2 extra-large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

butter

2 ripe bananas

Directions

(1) Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.

(2) In separate bowl, whisk together sour cream, milk, eggs, vanilla, and lemon zest.

(3) Mash bananas until smooth or puree in a food processor.  Add to wet ingredients.

(4) Add wet ingredients to dry ones, mixing only until just combined.

(5) In large skillet, melt 1 Tablespoon butter over medium-low heat until it bubbles.

(6) Ladle batter into pan to make 3 or 4 pancakes. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, until bubbles appear on top and the underside is nicely browned.

(7) Flip pancakes; cook for another 1 to 2  minutes, until browned. Remove from heat.

(8) Wipe out pan with paper towel [optional].  Add more butter to pan; continue cooking pancakes until all batter is used.

Kid Participation:

* Sift dry ingredients

* Whisk wet ingredients

* Mash bananas or push food processor buttons

Zucchini Fritters

Original Recipe HERE

My kids are OK with zucchini (sometimes), like to dip things, and are fans of foods perfectly sized for little hands.  I had hopes for these fritters, and *N* loved them.  *J* didn't gag but didn't finish the serving I gave him.  Husband and I also liked them, so the majority rules and I'll make them again.  We used the dipping sauce, which I recommend.  The fritters were flavorful enough on their own, but the sauce was an easy extra enhancer.

Apparently this yields about ten 2.5" fritters, but I suggest making them smaller and being sure they're pretty thin.  I didn't leave them in the oven long enough to see if they crisped up enough to make a difference, but they were definitely soft in the middle when I served them.  Not gooey - I wasn't worried they weren't cooked through.  But next time I'll probably reduce the diameter and thickness of the fritters and therefore end up with more than ten.  I was looking forward to leftovers for the next day, but I watched with sadness as the entire batch was scarfed up at dinner.

Ingredients

* Fritters
1 pound zucchini (about 2 medium)

1 teaspoon coarse or Kosher salt plus extra to taste

2 scallions, split lengthwise and sliced thin

1 large egg, lightly beaten

Black pepper
Grated parmesan cheese [optional]

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Olive oil
* Dipping Sauce

1 cup sour cream or plain, full-fat yogurt

1 to 2 Tablespoons lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon lemon zest [I did not use this]

Salt, to taste

1 small garlic clove, minced or crushed

Directions

(1) Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Have a baking sheet ready.

(2) Trim ends off zucchini and grate them.
(3) In a large bowl, toss zucchini with 1 teaspoon coarse salt.  Set aside for 10 minutes, then "dry" out the zucchini as much as possible (by pressing it against the holes of a colander with a wooden spoon, squeezing small handfuls at a time, or wrapping it in a clean dishtowel or piece of cheese cloth and wringing it).

(4) Return zucchini shreds to bowl. Taste; add more salt to taste if desired.

(5) Stir in scallions, egg, pepper, and parmesan.
(6) In a separate dish, stir together flour and baking powder; add mixture to zucchini batter.

(7) In a large heavy skillet heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat. Drop small bunches of the zucchini mixture onto the skillet, a few at a time.  Gently flatten with spatula.

(8) Cook fritters until the edges underneath are golden, about 3 to 4 minutes. Flip fritters; fry on the other side until browned underneath again, about 2 to 3 minutes.

(9) Drain briefly on paper towels; transfer to baking sheet and then into the warm oven until needed.

(10) Repeat process with remaining batter, keeping the pan well-oiled.

(11) Leave fritters in oven for about 10 minutes to finish cooking through.

(12) Combine all ingredients for dipping sauce, if using.

Kid Participation:

* Squeezing out zucchini (if you don't mind the mess it'll make)

* Stir together ingredients to make zucchini batter
* Create dipping sauce

Veggie Pizza Appetizers

This is a dish for which I pulled inspiration from several sources...several years ago.  It's a "make it up as you go to suit your own taste" kind of thing.  But it's always a hit at parties because people feel good about themselves for eating something loaded with vegetables.  It justifies going back for seconds (or fifths) of the queso dip or barbecue meatballs.  Using a variety of colorful vegetables - and chopping them very small so no one veggie dominates a particular slice of the pizza - draws attention to this appetizer.

Ingredients for "Sauce"

2 tubes crescent rolls

8 oz low-fat cream cheese [or to taste]

4 oz low-fat sour cream [or to taste]

bottled ranch dressing [or powdered ranch dressing mix]

1/4 cup salsa [optional]

grated parmesan [optional]

seasonings [garlic powder, salt, pepper, chili powder, cayenne, smoked

paprika etc.]

Ingredients for Toppings

green onions

broccoli

carrots

red onion

radishes

peppers [red, green, yellow, or orange]

shredded Mexican cheese [optional]

Directions

1) Put cream cheese in mixing bowl and allow to soften slightly.

2) Unroll crescent rolls and spread onto baking sheet.  Distribute as evenly as possible and seal all seams.

3) Bake crescent rolls according to package directions.  Remove from oven and allow to cool completely or until just slightly warm.

4) Add sour cream and ranch (and optional salsa) to cream cheese in several increments.  Mix thoroughly each time until desired consistency is reached (should be spreadable but not runny). 

5) Mix in optional parmsean and seasonings.  Evenly spread cheese mixture over crescent rolls.

6) Finely chop vegetables into smaller-than-bite-size pieces.  Toss together to mix well.

7) Scatter chopped vegetables over cheese mixture.  Top with shredded cheese (optional).  Gently press toppings to ensure they stay in place.

8) Cut pizza into pieces of desired size.  Refrigerate until serving.

Notes: None.

Kid Participation:

* Seal crescent roll seams

* Mix sauce ingredients together

* Spread sauce over crescent rolls

* Add toppings to pizza