Nacho Spuds

***Okay, these may not be the healthiest thing in the world, but they are worth every calorie! Brad loved them....I'll definitely be making these again.***

2 large baking potatoes (1.5 pounds total), sliced into 1/2-inch thick rounds

2 1/2 tbsp. E.V.O.O.

Salt & Pepper

1/2 lb. lean ground beef sirloin

One 15 oz. can black beans, rinsed

2 tbsp. taco seasoning

One 8 oz. package shredded sharp cheddar cheese (2 cups)

1 cup grape tomatoes, quartered lengthwise

Sour cream and shredded lettuce, for serving

Directions:

1. Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 450 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the potatoes with 2 tbsp. olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Arrange in a single layer and bake until golden, about 20 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, heat a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the remaining 1/2 tbsp. olive oil and the ground beef and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Mix in the beans, taco seasoning, and 2 tbsp. water. Lower the heat and simmer, stirring, until heated through, about 10 minutes.

3. Transfer the potatoes to an ovenproof platter. Sprinkle half of the cheddar on top, spoon on the meat mixture, then top with the tomatoes and remaining cheddar. Place in the oven and turn off the heat. Let stand until the cheese is melted, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve with the sour cream and lettuce.

Source: Everyday with Rachael Ray magazine

Chicken, Spinach and Feta Quesadillas

If you like to eat at Zoe's Kitchen, you'll like these! Zoe's Kitchen has a spinach & feta quesadilla...Brad has gotten them the last few times we've been, and he LOVES them. This recipe is very similar...I just added chicken and sun-dried tomatoes. If you haven't noticed, I've been on somewhat of a sun-dried tomato kick lately...I love them! They added the perfect amount of sweetness to this recipe.

Ingredients:

8" Flour Tortillas

1 Box Frozen Spinach

Feta Cheese, crumbled

Sun-Dried Tomatoes, chopped

Baked Chicken Tenders, fully cooked and chopped

1 - 2 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil (E.V.O.O.)

Salsa, for dipping

Salt & Pepper for seasoning

Directions:

Bake chicken according to package directions. When chicken is fully cooked, chop into small pieces. Season with salt & pepper.

Next, put frozen spinach in a medium saucepan of water and bring to a boil. Cook for 8 - 10 minutes. Drain and squeeze excess water out of the spinach.

Place a tortilla on a plate and add a layer of spinach on top. Follow with a layer of chicken, then feta cheese, then finally a layer of sun-dried tomatoes. Heat a large skillet over medium heat on the stovetop. Coat bottom of saucepan with E.V.O.O. Very carefully, place the loaded tortilla into the skillet, covering with a second tortilla. Let the quesadilla cook for a few minutes, and then very slowly & carefully flip the quesadilla, using the largest spatula you have (this will make it easier). Once the quesadilla is golden brown on both sides, place on a plate and cut into quarters using a pizza cutter.

Serve with salsa for dipping.

Chicken & Rice with Rosemary, Garlic and Basil

We got SNOW today! I couldn't believe it....snow in Alabama....it was beautiful! I thought this dish would be the perfect meal on a cold, snowy day. Growing up, this was always one of my favorite things my Mom made...she still makes it every once in a while. It's a "comfort food" in my book!

I took my Mom's recipe and jazzed it up a little by adding some herbs and garlic. I didn't really measure a single thing while making this. I just eye-balled all the ingredients, so please feel free to do the same....adding more or less of whatever you like. The finished product was really, really good though. Here's what I did:

Ingredients:

1 Whole Chicken, small

3-4 cups Chicken Broth

3-4 cups water

Extra virgin olive oil (E.V.O.O.)

1 tbsp. Fresh Rosemary, chopped

Basil, dried

2-3 tbsp. Garlic, minced

2 cups rice

Salt & Pepper for seasoning

Directions:

Remove skin from chicken and rinse. Place chicken in slow-cooker. Add chicken broth and water. There should be enough liquid to cover about 2/3 of the chicken. Coat top of chicken with E.V.O.O. Sprinkle garlic, fresh rosemary, and basil on and around chicken. Cook chicken on high for about 5 hours. The chicken should fall apart very easily when it's finished cooking.

Next, separate chicken from the broth mixture, placing chicken pieces in a large bowl. Strain the remaining broth mixture, saving all broth. Straining the broth will ensure no small bones are left in the broth. Put about 4 cups of strained broth back into slow-cooker.

Shred chicken and add back into slow-cooker also. Add 2 cups rice. Check the slow-cooker often, stirring each time. You will probably have to add more broth while the rice finishes cooking. When rice is tender, the dish is done! Season with salt & pepper if needed.

Dijon-Pecan Tilapia

I made this tonight for dinner, and it was so good! The dijon mustard gave it a nice flavor. I also liked that it's baked...as opposed to fried, so it's a little healthier than the pecan-crusted tilapia that I posted recently.

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup brown mustard, such as French's Bold 'n Spicy (I used Grey Poupon Dijon mustard)
1 pound tilapia fillets, if frozen, thaw
1/4 cup chopped pecans, finely chopped

***I tweaked this recipe a little bit by adding a splash of lemon juice to the mayo/dijon mixture. I also sprinkled dried parsley on the tilapia before adding the pecans.***

DIRECTIONS:
Lightly butter a large, shallow baking pan, such as a jelly roll pan. In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise and mustard.

Using paper towels, pat fish lightly to dry. Arrange fish fillets in prepared baking dish.

Spread mayonnaise mixture over each fillet. Sprinkle each fillet with chopped pecans; press down gently.

Bake in a preheated 350° oven for 12 to 15 minutes, until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Italian Baked Chicken and Penne

This turned out to be a very simple dish that I threw together while babysitting my beautiful little niece, Dakota. She seemed to like it too. =)

Ingredients:
1 cup pastina pasta (or any small pasta)...I used penne pasta

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 cup cubed chicken breast (1-inch cubes)

1/2 cup diced onion (about 1/2 a small onion)

1 clove garlic, minced

1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice

1 cup shredded mozzarella

1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup bread crumbs

1/4 cup grated Parmesan

1 tablespoon butter, plus more for buttering the baking dish

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until just tender, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Drain pasta into a large mixing bowl.

Meanwhile, put the olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook for 3 minutes. Add the onions and garlic, stirring to combine, and cook until the onions are soft and the chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes more. Put the chicken mixture into the bowl with the cooked pasta. Add the canned tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, parsley, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Place the mixture in a buttered 8 by 8 by 2-inch baking dish. In a small bowl mix together the bread crumbs and the Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle over the top of the pasta mixture. Dot the top with small bits of butter. Bake until the top is golden brown, about 30 minutes.

Source: Giada De Laurentiis - http://www.foodnetwork.com/