Roast with Beans and Rice

This is another one of those recipes I almost hate to post because it is so simplistic and YOU come out looking like a chef in a superman cape.  I mean, who wouldn't want that? 

 

Here is what you need:  a roast of your choosing, 1 can rotel, 1 can pinto beans, 1 can ranch, salt and pepper to taste, 1/2 of an onion chopped,  2 cups uncooked white rice, 4-5 hungry people

Preheat your oven to 250 degrees. 
Place your roast in a roasting pan fat side up, make slits in fat and salt and pepper. 

Place onions in bottom of the pan, open all three cans, do NOT drain, dump on top of roast.
Cover, and cook for 6-7 hours. 
 

Cook rice just a few minutes prior to serving as directed on the box.   This recipe will make some of the BEST beans you have ever tasted.  The fat from the roast makes them so yummy! Some people in my family eat the bean and rice together, and my husband puts it all together and goes for it!

 

This is one of those recipes you can put in the oven mid - morning, and not do another thing it until it is time to eat.  I  serve this dish with a salad and it is always a hit!  I hope you enjoy it as much as my family does :)

Fire Roasted Tomato & Jalepeno Chicken and Rice

If you follow this blog, you will know this recipe is relatively close to my pollo picante.  The difference is you use picante sauce for the pollo picante and you are making your sauce from scratch with this one.  Trust me, this is not a difficult recipe and the result is worth the time you will put into it. In addition, if you are a gardener, and had a few green tomatoes left (I had 9 gallons) this is a great recipe for utilizing them verses CANNING more.  Goodness knows how much I love to can by the end of the summer...NOT

TIP:  If you are facing a cold front with green tomatoes on the vine, just pick them all and place in a cool dark place with news paper under AND OVER them to catch the gasses they emit.  Check periodically because they will turn quicker than you realize!  Now on to the recipe...

This is what you will need: 

3-4 chicken breasts,  2 cups of fire roasted & peeled (grilled tomatoes), 2 large jalapenos also roasted and seeded, 3 green onions cut into chunks,  1/2 lime, 1 large clove of garlic, sea salt to taste, 2 cups of cheddar or colby-jack cheese and fresh cilantro to taste.  You may complement your dish with sour cream, fresh tomatoes or avocado slices.  Serving suggestion:  1 can of black or pinto beans and 2 cups dry white rice cooked as directed. We also enjoy a nice salad with this particular dish.

Prepare your chicken and place in a greased dish with high sides.

Roast your tomatoes and peppers slowly and on the top shelf of your grill on a low fire.  When you have one side scorched as below then turn and continue until soft and the skins are splitting.  I leave the skins on the jalapenos but remove the skin and stem area from the tomatoes.  While preparing the ingredients, let your tomatoes set and drain them because you want your sauce thick and full and not watery.

Depending on how hot you desire your sauce to be, will determine how many of the seeds you allow in the salsa.  My kids are not fond with anything too hot, so I basically remove all the pepper's seeds.

Add your tomatoes, peppers, garlic, onion, lime juice and seasonings to a blender.

Set on LOW, and pulse.  You want your sauce to be full and chunky. Pour 3/4 of your sauce over the chicken  breasts and cover.  Bake on 350 degrees for 25 minutes,  remove cover, top with cheese and bake until melted.  You may want to pour some of your liquid off of the chicken but because you serve with beans and rice it should be fine and add flavor.

Add the remainder of your sauce to your beans of choice and set on a medium low heat while you are preparing your rice. 

Once rice is completed add to your beans.  When chicken is ready serve with chips or fresh tortillas & salad. 

When my son made his plate, he did not add a great deal of the salsa and apparently did not want salad or anything pretty on his plate!  (Meat and taters man he is) He says he should  not have to eat what his food eats...

I JUST ADORE TEENAGERS...

Easy Vegetarian Tacos (and I mean EEEZEEE)

Black Bean and Corn Tacos

These are so simple, easy AND can be gluten free if you use corn tortillas instead of flour.  I'm not inclined to make difficult recipes that are ALSO gluten free as GF is hard enough sometimes!  Using the freshest ingredients is always the best for any recipe; esp this one because the ingredients are few.  I also love this recipe because it will feed 5-6 people easily, but if you have leftovers, it heats up well the following day.  (NO SARCASM in that statement)

Here is what you will need:  1 can of black beans rinsed, 2 ears of corn cut off of the cob, (or 1 can of corn) 3 green onions chopped, 4 tablespoons of your favorite salsa, 2 tablespoons of sour cream, 

 1 tablespoon of butter and salt and pepper to taste.  Also, corn or flour tortillas.  You can garnish with additional salsa, cheese of your choice, lettuce, tomato, and avocado

rinse your beans

melt butter in your skillet over a medium heat

place remaining ingredients in your pan on a medium heat

add salt and pepper to taste

when everything is well combined and bubbly it is ready to serve! I added cheddar cheese and avocado to mine but other family members added lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, salsa ect.  I served with chips and it was GREAT!

Here is a fabulous tip:  (you're welcome) if you will put your tortillas in the oven on broil until they are golden, over the rack as shown,  they will hold the taco shape when you are ready to serve. It will work with corn or flour.  

I used this on my 17 year old today when helping him with a Canterbury Tales paper, turned out to be true!  (AGAIN)

Green Nachos (gluten free)

GREEN NACHOS

Here is what you will need:  1 pound hamburger, Tomatillo sauce, 1 can pinto beans, sour cream, salt and pepper to taste, 1 jalapeno seeded (unless you like it HOT), chips of choice, 1-2 cups cheddar, and an avocado.  Please feel free to use whatever toppings you'd like.  Tomatoes, lettuce ect...

I like Jardine's TOMATILLO

Brown your meat, and while it is browning, place your beans with the juice, in a pan. Add two heaping tablespoons of Tomatillo, and two heaping tablespoons of sour cream.  Salt and pepper. 

 Then add your jalapeno with or without seeds, stir to combine and simmer on a medium heat. 

Once your hamburger meat is is cooked, drain and add to your creamy beans!

This is what it will look like...yummy :)

You can choose whatever chip is your favorite, my son REALLY likes fritos.  Top with your cheddar and then top with your meat mixture.  Garnish with GREEN avocados, GREEN onions, tomatoes, GREEN lettuce, or more sour cream!  It's YOUR meal, go for it!

If I add GREEN avocados to anything, I always add a little GREEN lime juice to keep from browning and, it adds a kick! 

  

ALWAYS A HIT!