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Fiesta Week – Ole Taco Casserole

July 20, 2011 By Alex aka Ma, What's For Dinner 10 Comments

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

 

 

Filed Under: Dinner Recipes For Kids, Dinners on a Dime, Featured, Kid Favorite Recipes Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Salad Week – Beet Edamame and Goat Cheese Salad

April 25, 2011 By Alex aka Ma, What's For Dinner 5 Comments

So the calendar says spring.

Though the thermometer doesn’t agree.

Looks like here in the Northeast we’re going to be going straight from winter…

To summer.

At least that’s what they’re telling me.

Time to get back in bathing suit shape.

So I hereby christen this…

SALAD WEEK

My boys love the salads!

This one comes together quick and easy.

Add some grilled chicken or shrimp for a more filling meal

Beet, Edamame, and Goat Cheese Salad with Raspberry Vinagrette

dinners on a dime 2 Salad Week Beet Edamame and Goat Cheese Salad

WHAT YOU NEED:

2 heart romaine lettuce, torn

1 small can sliced beets, drained

1/4 cup shelled edamame

1/2 small red onion

4 ounces goat cheese crumbled

1 t oregano

2 T raspberry jam

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

S&P

WHAT TO DO:

In a large bowl toss together lettuce, beets, edamame, red onion and goat cheese.

In a smaller bowl combine oregano, jam, and vinegar.  Stir well to thin out the jam.  Slowly stream in your olive oil while whisking the dressing.  Season with S&P.

Pour dressing over salad and serve.

Filed Under: Dinners on a Dime, Featured, Healthy Recipes For Kids, Healthy Salad Recipes For Kids, Vegetarian Recipes For Kids Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Ode to the Sunset Grill – Chunky Chicken Nachos

August 11, 2010 By Alex aka Ma, What's For Dinner 18 Comments

Back in the olden days when I was just a young pup of about 19, I landed my first waitressing gig.

It was at a great little place in Boston called the Sunset Grill & Tap.

They were famous for their hamburgers…

their beer (this was back before the whole microbrew craze and we were famous for having over 100 beers on tap and over 400 more in bottles – oh and being only 19 I didn’t know what any of them tasted like, of course, no really…)

and their NACHOS!

The nachos…oh the nachos…the nachos were amazing…

First off, the nachos are enormous! I mean huge. 4 college football players would have issues finishing the plate.

And they were topped with yummy goodness…

Cheddar Cheese, Salsa, Ground Beef, Tomatoes, Sour Cream, Lettuce, Olives, all on top of tri color corn chip delight.

Here, I’ll show you…

appetizers Ode to the Sunset Grill Chunky Chicken Nachos

That’s Brady, a few years back, sitting behind a plate of Sunset’s nachos. Doesn’t he look like Cooper now? Creepy huh?

appetizers Ode to the Sunset Grill Chunky Chicken Nachos

That’s me and Keegan on that same visit to Sunset, and yes, I’m enjoying one of those beers I never got to try…just go with me on this one.

So I was in Boston last weekend and didn’t make it to the Sunset for my favorite nachos so I decided to whip up a plate of these at home. I made mine out of ground chicken to lighten things up a bit, well as much as you can lighten up nachos that is…Let me first apologize for these pics. I broke my camera so I had to take these with my iPhone…The pics may be slightly sad but the nachos were awesome.  I though the hubs was going to cry…he may have shed a tear he liked them so much.

appetizers Ode to the Sunset Grill Chunky Chicken Nachos

Serves 6 Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 15 minutes

1 lb ground chicken

1 packet taco mix

3/4 cup water

large bag of tortilla chips

2 cups of cheddar cheese

1 tomato chopped

1 small red onion chopped

1 avacado chopped

4 T chopped cilantro

1 head of iceberg lettuce, sliced

chopped olives

sour cream

sliced jalapenos

Preheat your oven’s broiler.  In a large skillet brown your chicken over medium high heat.  When it’s cooked through season with taco mix and 3/4 cup water.  Cook for an additional 5 minutes.  Place a single layer of tortilla chips on a baking sheet.  Sprinkle with half of your cheese.  Place under the broiler for 3 minutes.  Remove from oven and top with more chips, chicken mixture and remaining cheese.  Place back under the broiler for another 5 minutes. appetizers Ode to the Sunset Grill Chunky Chicken Nachos

Remove from oven and transfer to a serving dish.  Top with lettuce, tomato, olives, avacado, cilantro, onions, jalapeno, and sour cream.  Serve ‘em up hot and gooey!  I like to add tobasco to mine too.

Do you have a favorite restaurant dish that you’d like to recreate?

Filed Under: Appetizer Recipes For Kids, Recipes For Kids Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Fitz Family Taco Night

November 12, 2009 By Alex aka Ma, What's For Dinner 2 Comments

dinner Fitz Family Taco Night

Serves: 6     Prep time: 15 minutes  Cook time:  10 minutes

1 1/2 pounds ground beef

1 T Worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup beef stockdinner Fitz Family Taco Night

1 small can diced tomatoes with green chiles

1 T ground cumin

1/2 T ground coriander

1/2 T garlic powder

1/2 T onion powder

1/2 T chili powder

1/2 T dried oregano

S&P

Taco Shells

1 head romaine lettuce shredded

3 roma tomatoes chopped

1/2 onion chopped

1/4 cup cilantro chopped

1 avacado chopped

1 can sliced olives

sour cream

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 cup shredded pepper jack cheese

hot sauce

Preheat your oven to 300 degrees.  Set a large skillet over medium high heat.  Once pan is hot add in your ground beef breaking it up into small pieces.  Allow to brown.  Once meat is browned pour off the fat and return to heat.

dinner Fitz Family Taco NightPour tomatoes into pan with the meat and mix.  Add cumin, coriander, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, oregano and S&P.  Stir and allow to simmer together for 3-4 minutes.  Add in Worcestershire sauce and beef stock.  Bring to a boil and then turn down to a simmer.  Allow to simmer for 10 minutes while you assemble the toppings.

Chop your lettuce, tomato, and onions.  Arrange on a plate and sprinkle onions with chopped cilantro.  Shred your cheese and arrange on a another plate.  Open sour cream, hot sauce and olives.  Either transfer to a serving dish or place next to other plates.

dinner Fitz Family Taco Night

Put your taco shells on a baking dish and bake in a 300 degree oven for 3-4 minutes until just warm.  Allow your family to make their own tacos with whatever toppings they choose.  That is part of the fun.

Ole!

Filed Under: Dinner Recipes For Kids, Kid Favorite Recipes, Recipes For Kids Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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