Tasty Tuesday | Not Your Mama's Chili

Fall brings about cooler temps, and that means soups, stews, and chili on the menu at our house. This recipe I thought I got from my mom, but I recently learned I have actually tweaked her recipe and made my own. Chili is reoccurring on our menu during the cooler months, as it's always a big hit!

Not Your Mama's Chili

ingredients
1 lb lean ground beef (or ground turkey)
2- 15 oz. can diced tomatoes, chili ready
1- 15 oz. can pork & beans
1- 10 oz. can rotel
1/2 cup ketchup or tomato sauce
1/2 packet of Williams chili seasoning
1 onion, diced (optional)

instructions
1. Brown ground beef and drain any grease.
2. Mix in diced onion and chili seasoning with meat.
3. In a large pot, combine tomatoes, rotel,
ketchup, pork & beans, and meat mixture.
4. Stir well, then bring to a boil.
5. Reduce heat, stir, and let simmer before serving.
6. Top with your favorite chili toppings, then serve.

Tasty Tuesday | Clean Turkey Tacos

The best thing about Tuesday is that it's no longer Monday, and that it's Tasty Tuesday here on the blog!  I've got a yummy clean recipe to share today! 

These clean turkey tacos have become a new favorite at our house. We love Mexican food! 8 times out of 10 if we're going out for dinner, we're going out for Mexican. This recipe is an easy week night dinner, and perfect clean alternative for taco night.  

ingredients

1 lb lean ground turkey

1 packet reduced sodium taco seasoning

1 cup salsa

6- 8 slices iceberg lettuce

1/2 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt

1/2 cup avocado

1/2 cup reduced fat cheese

instructions

1. Brown ground turkey with taco seasoning.

2. Once cooked, drain and let cool.

3. Mix in salsa with cooked turkey.

4. Lay lettuce out of plates.

5. Fill lettuce with turkey mixture then top 

with avocado, Greek yogurt, and cheese.

6. Serve and enjoy!

Tasty Tuesday | Over-night Oats

If you're an oatmeal fan, you've got to try these oats! This recipe idea I got from my personal trainer, Misty. She shared this with our fitness class, and I'm now hooked! It's easy, clean, and is very filling. If you're in a breakfast rut or just looking for something new, you've got to try this recipe!

ingredients 

1/2 cup old fashion oats

1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk

1 small banana

1 tbls natural peanut butter

instructions

1. Combine oats and almond milk in a container with lid. 

Seal and place in refrigerator over night.

2. The following morning, warm in microwave if desired.

3. Slice banana and top with peanut butter.

4. Stir and enjoy!

Tasty Tuesday | Meatloaf Muffins

If you're like me, you are constantly looking for easy week night dinner recipes. I prefer something I can prep ahead of time, and then just pop it in the oven when it's dinner time. After all, who wants to slave in the kitchen all evening after being at the office all day? Not me!

These meatloaf muffins are an easy week night dinner, and are a favorite at our house. You can pair them with a your favorite veggies, and you've got a complete dinner on the table in under an hour!

ingredients

1 lb lean ground beef or turkey
1 yellow or white onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup old fashion oats
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1 egg
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons garlic salt

instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Combine all ingredients into a large mixing bowl, mix well.

3. Scoop mixture into cupcake pan, dividing evenly.

4. Bake 25-30 minutes.

5. Serve and enjoy! 

Tasty Tuesday | Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas

This recipe I came up with when I was in one of my cooking ruts. I was looking for new food finds, and discovered frontera green chile enchilada sauce at my local grocery store. I decided to give it a try, and whipped up this recipe. We now enjoy these enchiladas often at our house. If your family likes food with Mexican flair as much as mine, I think this recipe will be a winner!

ingredients

1 cup shredded chicken breast, cooked

 2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese

1 can diced green chiles

6 tortillas, corn or flour

1 packet Fontera Green Chile Enchilada Sauce 

instructions

1. Mix together green chiles and shredded chicken.

2. Fill tortillas with chicken mixture and cheese.

3. Roll into enchiladas and place in a 8x8 baking dish.

4. Preheat oven to 350*.

5. Top enchiladas with green chile sauce and remaining cheese.

6. Bake enchiladas for 15-20 minutes, until cheese is melted.

7. Let cool, and serve with your favorite Mexican side dishes.

8. ENJOY!

I usually bake two chicken breasts and shred them for the filling, and I always use reduced fat cheese. However, canned or rotisserie chicken will also work. I've found the Fontera green chile enchilada sauce at super Target and my local grocery store, so I'm sure it can be found at most grocery stores. We also usually top with light sour cream. 

Bon appetite!

Tasty Tuesday | Grilled Hickory Bourbon Chicken

We all know that when summer comes around it means grilling season is on us! At our house, we love our grill year ‘round but I especially love it in the summer. I am not a fan of heating up the house with the oven on a 90*+ day if I don’t have to. Grilled chicken is also a very popular dish at our house, but I’m always looking for new recipes so we don’t get burnt out. We’ve taken this chicken with us to two different cookouts, and made it at home this summer and it never seems to disappoint! It has a nice, rich, savory flavor and just the right amount of bbq taste. We typically pair it with some grilled veggies, and dinner is served!

ingredients

1 lb chicken breast {boneless and skinless}

1 cup Stubb’s Hickory Bourbon BBQ Sauce

salt and pepper to taste

instructions

1. Salt and pepper chicken on both sides.

2. Place chicken in gallon size baggie with sauce and let marinate. 

I typically will put the chicken in the sauce of a morning 

and let it marinate all day until it’s time to prepare dinner.

3. Grill chicken to 165 degrees. {until done}

4. Serve & enjoy!

I have found the Stubb’s sauce at Target and our local grocery store I shop at. I’m sure you can find it in multiple grocery chains. We’ve only tried this with that particular sauce, so using something different could give the chicken a different taste. Of course, you can use any BBQ sauce for a BBQ chicken, but the flavor this particular sauce gives is sure to make your taste buds light up!

Bon appetite!   

Tasty Tuesday | Taco Cupcakes

Like I've mentioned before, {and something you'll continue to hear from me} I like to keep things simple, easy, not complicated, etc. when it comes to cooking. I do enjoy cooking, but there's no need for it to be difficult or complicated. We all have enough difficult things going on in life, and making dinner shouldn't be one of them!

This recipe is easy, and always a hit at our house. I can't remember where I originally got it from, but every time I've ever made them they have never gone to waste. I'm sure these "cupcakes" would be a big hit for kids too! I mean what child wouldn't want cupcakes for dinner?! This is one of those dinners that everyone wins. It's easy to prepare, and everyone will love!

ingredients

1 lb lean ground beef 

1 packet taco seasoning

1 cup salsa or rotel

24 wonton wrappers

1 cup reduced fat Mexican blend cheese

1/2 cup low fat sour cream

instructions

1. Brown beef with taco seasoning, and drain if needed. 

Turkey or chicken can easily be substituted for beef.

2. Pour salsa in beef, mix together.

3. Preheat oven to 350.

4. Spray cupcake pan with nonstick spray.

 5. Line each cupcake hole with a wonton wrapper. Then repeat.

6. Fill wonton wrappers with beef mixture, then top with cheese.

7. Bake for 15-20 minutes. 

Cheese will be melted and wonton wrappers should be crispy.

8. Pull from oven and let cool for 5-10 minutes.

9. Remove from cupcake pan and top with sour cream. 

You can add any other taco toppings you wish. 
I substitute plain Greek yogurt for sour cream.

10. Serve and ENJOY!

Tasty Tuesday | Katie's Simple Salsa

Today I'm starting a new series on the blog, Tasty Tuesday. I'll be sharing a recipe every week with you all! I do enjoy cooking sometimes, and if you're like me then you're always looking for new dishes to try. These recipes will be family favorites, or something new I've come across. When it comes to cooking I do things simple, quick, and easy! Bon appetit!

If you know our family, it's no secret that we love food with Mexican flair! This recipe I got from my sister, Katie. She brought this salsa to the lake over Memorial Day weekend and we've been hooked ever since! I made a few minor tweaks to the recipe, and I've been making a batch every week for us to have at home. It not only goes with tortilla chips, but also is great on a taco salad or in a burrito bowl. It's simple, easy, and very tasty! It'll be the perfection addition to your next Mexican dinner night!

ingredients

2 (14.5 oz) cans Hunt's stewed tomatoes

1 (4.5 oz) can diced green chiles

1 jalapeno, seeded

1/2 sweet onion, diced

1 clove fresh garlic
1 small lime, juiced

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon garlic salt
cilantro to taste

instructions

1. Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender.

2. Blend together until the salsa is to your desired texture.

3. Serve and enjoy!