Fiesta Week – Ole Taco Casserole

My attempts to liven up

Fitz Family Taco Night continue…

I decided to try another taco casserole.

But I don’t like my chips mushy or my veggies warm in any way.

Sooooo….

I kept ‘em separate.

Perfect combo of crunchy chips…

Hot and spicy filling….

Cool and crisp veggies.

Can I get an ole???

dinner   Fiesta Week   Ole Taco Casserole

Ole Taco Casserole

WHAT YOU NEED:

1 lb gound beef

1 packet taco seasoning

3/4 cup water

1 onion chopped

1 can low fat refried beans

1 can black beans

2 cups low fat shredded cheddar cheese, divided

1 cup Spikes Santa Fe Black Bean and Corn Salsa

1 large bad tortilla chips

1 head of romaine lettuce, chopped

2 tomatoes chopped

1/2 red onion chopped

1 can sliced olives

1 avacado chopped

jalapeno slices

sour cream

dinner   Fiesta Week   Ole Taco Casserole

WHAT TO DO:

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat.  When skillet gets hot, add beef and brown, about 5-7 minutes.  Add in onions and cook until soft, about 4-5 minutes.

Meanwhile in a 13×9 inch baking pan, spread our refried beans in an even layer on the bottom.  Top with 1 cup black bean and corn salsa, then a layer of black beans.

Once meat has browned, add in taco seasoning and water.  Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 5 more minutes.

Add meat on top of the black bean layer.

Top with 1 1/2 cups cheese and bake at 375 for 20 minutes.

dinner   Fiesta Week   Ole Taco Casserole

While the casserole is baking assemble your plates.

Spread out some chips as the bottom layer.

Top with lettuce, tomato, onion, avocado, and remaining cheese.

Scoop a dollop of meat on your fixings and top with sour cream and jalapeno.

Tell me how you like this version….

dinner   Fiesta Week   Ole Taco Casserole

 

 

Tasty Tidbits – Avocado

My kids love the guacamole.

I love the guacamole.

As it is guacamole season what with the Superbowl around the corner…

I thought I’d hit you with some avocado facts.

I’m an avocado kind of girl.

I was raised in Cali you know.

appetizers   Tasty Tidbits   Avocado

Like tomatoes, avocados hate the cold.

Keep them on your counter to ripen, not in the fridge.

If you need them to ripen quick, put them in a paper bag on the counter along with an apple.

If you have leftover avocado…

I’m sorry, leftover avocado?  That’s like leftover wine?  Doesn’t happen here.

…Ahem, leftover avocado?  Try and keep the pit in the leftover part and put it in a plastic baggie after sprinkling it with lemon juice.  This will keep it from turning brown.  Now you can refrigerate it.

Bring on the tortilla chips!

Here’s some links to my two favorite guac recipes.  I make a combo of the two.

Tyler Florence’s Guacamoleappetizers   Tasty Tidbits   Avocado

Barefoot Contessa’s Guacamole

So Chic Sushi Rolls

Serves: 4
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 0 minutes

4     whole Spinach sandwich wraps
1      cup Cooked white rice
1      cup Grilled chicken thinly sliced
½    cup Carrots thinly sliced
½    cup Red peppers thinly sliced
½    cup Alfalfa sprouts
½    Avocado sliced
Mayo or mustard (for sticking)

Cooking Instructions:

Lay out the wraps on your cutting board. Spread just a thin layer of mayo or mustard over the wrap to help everything stick.

Lay half of the rice down into the center of one of the wraps and press it out so it thinly covers the center of the wrap. Do the same for the second. Evenly distribute your chicken between the two wraps laying it in an even row over the rice. Be sure to keep it in a single line. Follow suit with your carrots, red pepper, sprouts and avocado. Now fold in the right section of your wrap over the ingredients and slightly pull then back toward you, then continue to roll over and make your self a tube.

Cut your tube into sushi roll looking slices. You can cut them straight or on an angle then arrange them on a plate. Serve these with edamame or even edamame chips! You’ll have your kids yelling Arigato.

My kids LOVE the sushi restaurant so this was a way for me to make them “sushi” at home (way cheaper by the way) and give them a special treat in their lunch boxes at school.

healthy eating for kids   So Chic Sushi Rolls

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