An Unexpected Surprise

This recipe has been saved for quite a while in my "to try stash". So, the other day when I absolutely could not figure out what in the world to make for dinner, I pulled out my trusty stack of saved recipes.

Sure enough, this caught my eye again, so I decided to dive in and give it a shot. We were so excited that I did because they sure were good!!!! Not only were they good, but they were also extremely easy. We love Mexican food too, so that made them an even bigger hit.

These will be made again real soon around here. Hopefully you will enjoy them as much as we did. If you do, please come back and let me know.

Black Bean and Rice Enchiladas:

1 green pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, finely diced
3 minced garlic cloves
1 T olive oil
1, 15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can diced tomatoes and green chiles
1/4 cup salsa
1 T chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
2 cups cooked brown rice
8 flour tortillas
1 cup salsa
1 cup shredded cheese
3 T cilantro

In large non-stick skillet, saute onion, garlic and green pepper in oil until tender. Add beans, tomatoes, salsa, chili powder, cumin and red pepper flakes. Bring to boil. Reduce heat. Simmer uncovered until heated through and mixture thickens. Add cooked rice. Cook five minutes or heated through.

Spoon a rounded 1/2 cup down the center of each tortilla. Fold sides over the filling and roll up. Place in a 13x9 coated baking dish. Spoon remaining salsa over each tortilla. Cover and bake at 350 for 25 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle with cheese and cilantro. Bake 2-3 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

This recipe will be linked to Potluck Sunday at Mommy's Kitchen.

Chop Chop

This is from Paula Deen's May/June 2008 magazine. And you know how much I LOVE Paula!!

Sour Cream Pork Chops:

2 tablespoons oil
4, 1-inch thick boneless pork chops
1 1/2 cups sliced onion, separated into rings
1 cup beef broth
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon prepared mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup sour cream
hot cooked rice

In large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat and add pork chops. Cook until browned on each side. Place onion evenly over pork chops. In small bowl, combine broth, parsley, paprika, mustard, salt and pepper. Pour the mixture over pork chops. Cover, reduce heat to medium, and simmer for 90 minutes. Stir in sour cream and cook for 3-4 minutes or until heated through. Do not let it boil -- serve it over hot cooked rice.

Chinese Chow

James and I enjoy Chinese food, and we wanted to experiment in making a classic "takeout" dish at home. This recipe comes from The Sisters' Cafe blog.

Beef and Broccoli

1/4 cup soy sauce
1 Tbsp peanut butter
1 Tbsp corn starch
1/2 cup water
2 tsp vinegar
1/4 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp powdered ginger
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
2 Tbsp oil
1/2 lb. or more diced or cubed beef
2 cups broccoli
Steamed rice

Combine soy sauce, peanut butter, water, corn starch, vinegar, pepper, ginger, garlic powder and onion powder. Mix well and set aside. Heat oil, cook beef. Add broccoli and cook four minutes. Add sauce. Mix thoroughly until sauce thickens. Serve over rice.

Let's Eat!

I can remember my parents making this dish when I was younger. It has long been a family favorite. This is perfect for a Fall evening dinner.

Red Beans and Rice with Sausage:

2 Tbsp. butter
1/2 cup finely diced celery
1/4 cup finely diced onion
1/4 cup finely diced green bell pepper
1 16oz. can New Orleans style kidney beans, drained
1 lb. pkg. smoked sausage, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 101/2 oz. can beef broth
1/4 cup water
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. white pepper
1/4 tsp. ground red pepper
1 1/2 cups Minute rice

Melt butter in large Dutch oven over medium heat. Saute celery, onion, and green pepper until veggies soften. Stir in beans, sausage, broth, water, and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Stir in rice. Cover and remove from heat. Allow to stand for 5 minutes.

Eat More Chicken

This is another recipe from a co-worker. She made it for one of our friends who recently had surgery. It just about can't get any easier than this! As much chicken as we eat, I just had to share this. We also love yellow rice, so it is a perfect recipe.


Yellow Rice and Chicken Casserole:

3-4 chicken breasts, cooked and chopped
1 pkg. yellow rice, cooked according to directions
1 cup sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 stick of butter
1 sleeve of Ritz crackers, crushed


Combine the chicken, cooked rice, sour cream, and soup. Pour into greased casserole dish. Top with crushed crackers. Pour melted butter over the cracker crumbs. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.


Double the recipe for a large family sized portion.

Viva Italia

James and I found this recipe when we were looking through a magazine. It has a nice and unusual twist. There are so many ways to make this dish. It was nice to try it a new way.

Italian Chicken Casserole:

2 3.5 oz bags quick cooking rice
1 lb. chicken breasts, cut into cubes (we used rotisserie, shredded)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
3 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning (we used more)
28 oz. can diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano, undrained

Cook rice according to package directions. Sprinkle chicken evenly with salt and pepper. Saute chicken in two batches in 2 Tbsp. hot oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Remove from skillet. Add remaining oil from skillet and saute onion 2-3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat. Stir together soup, sour cream, and Italian seasoning in a medium bowl until well blended. Stir soup mixture into onion mixture. Stir in the rice. Fold in the tomatoes and chicken until well combined. Spoon mixture into lightly greased 13x9 baking dish. Bake at 350 degres for 30 minutes.