Tortilla Casserole

Tacos is definitely a staple in my house, everyone loves them and it is a super quick and easy meal.  I do sometimes get sick of them and look for new ways to spice it up.  The other week our grocery store had a sale on Zatarains rice mixtures (their Jambalaya mix is AWESOME) they had a new one called red beans and rice so I picked it up to try.  I found this recipe on their site, made a few changes and really enjoyed it.  This was just as easy as making tacos, but had a very different taste.  This meal is super cheap, easy and delicious and perfect for dinner if you are in a hurry.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes
Recipe adapted from: Zatarains
Serving size: This makes about 6 servings

Ingredients

• 1 box of Zatarains Red Beans and Rice mix
• 3 tortillas
• 1 pound ground beef
• 2 cups of shredded Mexican cheese
• Sour cream for topping

Directions

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
2. Prepare rice as directed on package.
3. While rice is cooking, brown your ground beef and drain.
4.  In a well greased casserole dish spread half of your rice mixture on the bottom of the pan.
5. Top rice mixture with tortillas
6. Top with 3 of the tortillas.
7. Top tortillas with meat mixture.
8. Top meat mixture with the rest of your rice.
9. Top with Mexican Cheese.
10.  Bake for 15 minutes (until cheese is melted)
11. Let stand for 5 minutes,
12. Serve and enjoy!

Final Product

 

Homemade Spaghetti and Meatballs

Who doesn't love a good plate of spaghetti and meatballs... I know I do.  Spaghetti and meatballs is such an easy and cheap meal, and when there are homemade meatballs involved ABSOLUTELY delicious.  This recipe is actually my roommates, and is my favorite meatball recipe that I have come across.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes
Serving size: ( this makes about 15 meatballs)

Ingredients

FOR MEATBALLS

• 1 pound ground beef
• 3/4 cup bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 eggs (whisked)
• 1/2 cup of milk
• 1 tablespoon of parsley
• 2 cloves of garlic (minced)
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1/4 teaspoon of pepper

FOR COOKING

• 2 tablespoons of oil
• 1 24 oz jar of spaghetti sauce
• 1 box of spaghetti

Directions

1. In a large bowl combine all of your  meatball ingredients and mix with hand, until all ingredients are combined
2. Form mixture into balls.
3.  Place oil in a pan  turn to medium heat and place meatballs into pan.
4. Let meatballs brown (about 15 minutes)
5. While meatballs are browning place your sauce into another pot.
6. Over medium heat let sauce simmer.
7. Add your browned meatballs to sauce, and let cook for 20 minutes (until cooked through)
8. Serve over spaghetti

Final Product

Beer Lime Chicken

I am recently on a grilling kick, and have been grilling chicken or whatever meat I may have frozen.  When I first started to cook I used to use McCormick seasoning and it was called backyard brew and it was AMAZING.  I have not been able to find it, and my boyfriend wanted some type of beer marinade.  I came across this marinade, and was hesitant with the lime and the beer mixture but it was really tasty.  This has to be one of my favorite chicken marinades, and is perfect for grilling on a summer night.

Prep time: 2 hours 5 minutes (that is with letting the marinade sit)
Cook time: 14 minutes
Recipe adapted from:All Recipes
Serving: This recipe made enough for 3 people


Ingredients

• 1 pound of chicken
• 1 12oz bottle of beer
• 3 tablespoons of lime juice
• 2 teaspoons of honey
• 3 garlic cloves (minced)
• 1 tablespoon of onion powder 

Directions

1. In a bowl place your chicken and add all ingredients.
2. Mix ingredients until chicken is completely coated.
3. Cover bowl and let refrigerate for at least 2 hours (the longer the better)
4. Pre-heat grill to medium heat.
5. Place chicken on grill  and sprinkle some like juice on top
6. Grill for 7 minutes on each side (if using a George Foreman grill I would do 7 minutes total)

Final Product

Seasoned Tilipia

I know it has been quite some time since I posted, I am really going to try to get back to posting on a somewhat daily basis.  What better entry then this recipe though.  I very rarely cook fish, just because it can be very pricey, I guess it was my lucky day and the grocery store by me had an awesome sale on tilipia.  I picked up 3 filet's and and tried to decide how I was going to cook them.

I recently started and herb garden, and my herbs are finally growing and I can use them now.  I found a recipe online for seasoned tilipia and it called for thyme and parsley (2 of the herbs in my garden)  I thought why not give the recipe a try.   This turned out FANTASTIC.  It honestly has to be one of my favorite seasoning for fish.  It has a little bit of a kick, not anything too crazy and all of the herbs just mixed so well together.  This is definitely going to by go to seasoning for fish.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Recipe adapted from: Taste of Home

Ingredients.

• 3 tilipia filet's
• 1.5 tablespoons of butter (melted)
• 2 teaspoons of Montreal steak seasoning (or your favorite steak seasoning)
• 3/4 teaspoon dried parsley (1 teaspoon of fresh)
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme (1 teaspoon of fresh)
• 1teaspoon of paprika
• 1 teaspoon of onion powder
• 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of Cajun seasoning

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. In a well greased casserole dish place your filets.
3. Cover your filets with melted butter
4. In a small bowl combine all of your ingredients
5. Sprinkle  mixture over filets
6. Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes
7. Uncover and bake for another 5 minutes
8. Enjoy =)

Final Product

Smores Brownies

I do not have a big sweet tooth at all, but every once in a while I will crave brownies.  One of my favorite treats of all times is Smores.  I also really do not like to bake, I don't know why it is just not my thing.  My roommate and boyfriend however have huge sweet tooth's, so I will try and make desserts every now and then.  These brownies were super easy, and tasted AWESOME.

Ingredients

• 1 box of brownie mix (make sure you have oil and egg for the mix)
• 2 cups of mini marshmallows 
• 5 graham crackers broken into small pieces
• 2 Hershey chocolate bars broken into squares

Directions

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
2. Mix your  brownies according to box.
3. Bake brownies according to box.
4. Once brownies are cooked, remove from oven and place oven to broil.
5. Add your chocolate pieces, top with graham crackers, and then your marshmallows.
6. Place in the oven for 30 seconds to a minute (or until marshmallows are golden brown)

Final Product