Black Bean Burritos and Guacamole

1 tablespoons olive oil
2 - 15 ounce cans black beans; drained and rinsed
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Salt and pepper
4 burrito-size flour tortillas
1 avocado, peeled and diced (I ended up using the Guacamole)
1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese

In a medium pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the beans and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook, mashing, until warmed, about 5 minutes.
Wrap the tortillas in paper towel and heat in the microwave for 1 minute. Lay flat on a work surface and divide the beans, avocado and cheese among them; roll up like burritos. Wrap in paper towels and microwave until cheese is melted about 1-2 minutes.

4 avocados; peeled and diced
1 jalapeno; diced
1 tomato; diced
1 clove garlic; minced
1/2 red onion; chopped
1 lime; zested and juiced
Salt and pepper

Mash everything together. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour to allow the flavors to come together.

Chad's rating: 8/10
Amy's rating: 9/10

Burrito recipe found from Rachel Ray and Guacamole created by Chad and I.

Jessica Simpson's Chicken Dumplings

2 rolls of reduced-fat croissant rolls, divided
1 small rotisserie chicken, skin discarded and meat removed from bones
1 can of low-sodium, reduced-fat cream of chicken soup
1 can of low-sodium, reduced-fat cream of mushroom soup
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
Salt and ground black pepper to taste


Preheat oven to 400ºF. Roll out two cans of croissant rolls and separate into diamond shaped sections. Place a small handful of rotisserie chicken on each diamond, fold dough over and press ends together to create dumplings. With remaining dough, cut into long strips. 
Line a 9×13″ baking dish with one layer of dumplings. Pour the can of cream of chicken soup over the layer of dumplings, followed by the can of cream of mushroom soup, and chicken broth.
Place strips in a crisscross pattern on the top of the dumplings and soup mixture, season dish with salt and ground black pepper and bake until the dumplings are tender and cooked through and the top is bubbly and brown, about 30 minutes.


Chad's rating: 7.5/10 - "Too much dough"
Amy's rating: 8.5/10 - I would make again, but I don't think my husband was that big of a fan. Or it could be that he is on a strict workout/diet plan and this was too rich for him. Hey, I made a salad too. :-)

Recipe found and adapted here; originally from here.

Great Giveaway from Emily Giffin....

When I first started this blog, I decided that I was just going to stick to recipes. Well, sometimes things change, right? Don't get me wrong.... I will mostly focus on cooking and new recipes, but from time to time I might throw another post in the mix.
Which leads me to today's post: Emily Giffin is having another giveaway! The difference with this one is that everyone wins!
All you have to do is buy the above book today (and today ONLY), then send your receipt to Emily and she will send you an autographed copy of any of her first 4 books.
All the details are here.

Book cover picture from irenezuttel.com

Stuffed Peppers

2-3 medium bell peppers
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon basil
1-15 ounce can tomato sauce
1 pound lean ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
2 cups brown rice, cooked per directions on package
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese

Cut peppers in half lengthwise. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, drop the peppers in and boil for 5-6 minutes. In a small bowl, mix tomato sauce, basil and sugar and set aside. Brown meat and onion in a large skillet; drain. Stir in 1/2 the tomato sauce, 1/2 cup of the rice and the salt. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes; stir in cheese. Spoon meat mixture into peppers and place into skillet. Pour remaining tomato sauce around peppers; cover and simmer. Top with additional cheese, if desired. Serve on top of remaining rice.

Chad's rating: 9.5/10
Amy's rating: 7.5/10 - in all honesty, I wasn't feeling too well - so I think that is why my score was low. I will make these again in the future though!

Recipe adapted from Sing for your Supper Blog.

Turkey and Rice Dinner

1 lb ground turkey
1/2 to 1 container of reduced fat feta cheese
1 can Rotel tomatoes (In case you are not familiar with Rotel, you can use diced tomatoes with green chili's.)
Salt and Pepper
Brown rice; cooked per directions on package.

Brown turkey in a medium skillet over medium- high heat; drain.
Add feta cheese and tomatoes. Stir till well combined and reduce heat to medium- low. Continue to cook till cheese softens and tomatoes are warm. Season with salt and pepper.
Serve over brown rice.

I have made variations of this recipe before like this one, but I personally feel this one is BEST! The Rotel tomatoes give it a little zing.

Chad's rating: 9/10
Amy's rating: 10/10 - so easy to make, healthier option and YUMMY!

Recipe created by me :-)

I interrupt my scheduled recipe post to share a personal note...

I won a giveaway from Emily Giffin!!!!!!


The prize package includes: an advanced, autographed copy of her new book HEART OF THE MATTER (which comes out May 11th), an invitation for 2 to her launch party on May 11th in Atlanta, 2 night stay at the Loewes Atlanta Hotel, dinner for 2 at Bistro Niko and a $200 gift card to cover traveling expenses.
This is all surreal and I am still in shock. Emily Giffin is one of my favorite authors. Her writing is relatable, heart-warming and addicting. I have read every single one of her books and urge you to do the same. You will not be disappointed!! Her first book, SOMETHING BORROWED, is going to be a movie next year. With an all star cast including Kate Hudson, Ginnifer Goodwin, John Krasinski, Colin Egglesfield and Steve Howey. I heard that Emily is even making a cameo appearance.

I can't believe I get to meet her! I hope I don't forget to move my lips and talk. :)
I am looking forward to reading HEART OF THE MATTER next week!

Picture from Emily Giffin's website.

Beef and Vegetable Noodles

1 lb whole wheat pasta, cooked according to package
Sirloin steak; sliced in strips
1 10 oz bag frozen snap peas
1 pint mushroom slices
2 cloves garlic; minced
1/2 yellow onion; diced
1 small bunch scallions, diced
3 tbs rice vinegar
2 tbs low sodium soy sauce
1 tsp hot sauce
2 tbs honey
1 tbs crushed red pepper flakes
2 tsp dried, ground ginger
Vegetable Oil
Salt and Pepper

In a Wok or large pan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add minced garlic and yellow onion. Cook for 3 minutes, then add ground ginger and stir. Add sirloin and cook for 3-4 minutes. Next, add scallions, mushrooms and snap peas. Continue to cook for an additional 3-4 minutes.
In a bowl, combine vinegar, soy sauce, hot sauce, honey and crushed red pepper flakes. Stir till well combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Add sauce to pan and toss with cooked pasta.

Chad's rating: 9/10 - would like less spicy and more meat.
Amy's rating: 9/10

I combined about 4 different recipes to make this dish. Also adding the honey and red pepper flakes on my own. The measurements on the sauce may be off slightly. I kept tasting and adding more here and there.

Chicken Enchiladas

1 onion, chopped fine
2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped
1 tsp. canola oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp. chili powder
2 tsp. cumin
1 tbsp. sugar
1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 cup water
1 tomato, seeded and chopped
Salt and pepper
Shredded Rotisserie Chicken
1 cup shredded sharp white cheddar cheese, divided
1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese, divided
½ cup minced fresh cilantro
12 (6-inch) soft corn tortillas
Sliced Avocado
Cooking spray

Combine the onion, jalapeno and oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Cook, stirring often, until the onions and peppers have softened, 8-10 minutes.  Stir in the garlic, chili powder, cumin and sugar, and cook just until fragrant, less than 30 seconds.  Mix in the tomato sauce, water, and chopped tomato.  Bring the sauce to a simmer, lower the heat and cook until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.

Strain the sauce through a large mesh strainer into a medium bowl, pressing down on the onions and tomatoes to extract as much liquid as possible.  Transfer the reserved solids to a large bowl and set aside.  Season the sauce with additional salt and pepper to taste.

Combine the chicken with the onion mixture.  Add in ¼ cup of the enchilada sauce, ½ cup of each of the shredded cheeses, and the cilantro.  Stir to combine.

Preheat the oven to 425˚ F.  Oil a 9 x 13″ baking dish with cooking spray.  Stack the tortillas on a plate, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave for 40-60 seconds, until warm and pliable.  Spoon 1/3 cup of the chicken mixture evenly down the center of a tortilla.  Roll up the tortilla around the filling tightly, and place in the prepared baking dish, seam-side down.  Repeat with the remaining filling and tortillas.
Lightly spray the tops of the enchiladas with cooking spray.  Place in the oven, uncovered, for 7 minutes or until the tortillas start to brown slightly.

Reduce the oven temperature to 400˚ F.  Remove the enchiladas from the oven and pour the sauce oven the top.  Sprinkle with the remaining shredded cheese.  Cover the dish with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
Remove the foil and bake for 5 more minutes, until the cheese is browned.  Remove from the oven and let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Chad's rating: 8.5/10
Amy's rating: 8.5/10

Recipe adapted from the Two Novice Chefs, One Tiny Kitchen Blog. Which was found on the Annie Eats Blog

Cauliflower Soup with Roasted Chicken Salad

1 head Cauliflower, cut into florets
2 cups low fat milk
1/4 cup whole wheat pasta
1/2 tsp. sea salt

Place all ingredients in a pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until cauliflower is tender, about 25 minutes. Allow to cool, then puree until smooth in a blender.
Top with shredded cheddar and pepper.

For the salad; I used spinach leaves, cherry tomatoes, cucumber and shredded roasted chicken. Topped with Litehouse Jalapeno Ranch dressing. YUM!

Chad's rating: 8/10
Amy's rating: 8.5/10

Soup recipe from my dear friend, Erica. :-)

Feta Stuffed Chicken

Feta Stuffed Chicken
3/4 cup feta cheese (about 3 ounces)
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper


In a small bowl, combine feta and oregano. Make a pocket in the chicken: holding chicken flat with palm of one hand, make an incision in the thicker side of each breast with a paring knife. Carefully pivot the knife to create a deep pocket, keeping the other side of the chicken breast intact. Stuff pockets with feta mixture. Season chicken with salt and pepper. 
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, and cook until browned on both sides, 6-7 minutes per side. 
Cover skillet and continue cooking until chicken is opaque and cooked through. 


Couscous Salad
1 box couscous (parmesan is my favorite)
1 seedless cucumber, diced
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
Handful feta cheese


Prepare couscous to package directions. Mix with remaining ingredients. 


Chad's rating: 9/10
Amy's rating: 9/10
Recipe for  Feta Stuffed Chicken from my new favorite ipod App - Martha's Everyday Food. 

Chicken with Peppers and Mushrooms

1 lb Chicken breasts, cut into chunks
1 onion, sliced thin
1 lb mushrooms, chopped
2 bell peppers, chopped
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Crushed red pepper flakes
Brown Rice, prepared by directions on package

Warm olive oil in a medium pan over high heat. Add onion and chicken to pan. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for 2 minutes. Lower heat to medium-high.
Add bell peppers, stir and cook until tender about 5 minutes.
Add mushrooms and adjust seasoning. Cook for an additional 2 minutes till chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender.
Serve over brown rice.

Chad's rating: 8.5/10
Amy's rating: 9/10

Giveaway...

My amazingly talented friend, Ali, is having a giveaway on her blog. She is giving away an Amy Butler Domestic Goddess Half Apron that she made. Click here for details.

Check out her blog to be inspired everyday. :-)