When you can’t decide on what to make for dinner…Taco Chili Mac is the answer! It’s taco meat with deep chili flavors and cheesy pasta for a fast weeknight meal. I like to use my cast iron for this meal and it only takes about 30 minutes from start to finish. It’s a fast, easy and delicious meal when you need something to fill up your crew! Now, I hope you enjoy this dish as much as we do!
Taco Chili Mac
TACO CHILI MAC
Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
1/2 white onion, diced
3 gloves roasted garlic
2 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin powder
Dash of salt and pepper
1/2 pkg elbow noodles
8 oz beef broth (I use Better Than Bullion)
8 oz water
1 can diced tomatoes with green chilies (medium heat)
1 8oz can tomato sauce
2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
Green onions
Cilantro
1 8oz block of sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
Directions:
Cook onions, garlic and beef until meat is done; drain and set back in heat.
Stir in cumin and chili powder.
Add tomato sauce, canned tomatoes, water, beef stock and salt & pepper; bring to boil.
Add noodles and cook for 10 minutes; stirring occasionally.
Once noodles are cooked to al denté; add cheese to cover top. Place lid on top for a couple of minutes until cheese is melted.
Scoop out into bowl and top with diced tomatoes, green onion and cilantro.
I am really excited to share this Honey Chicken with Garlic Couscous with you! Chicken is one of my favorite mainstays at any dinner setting. I can’t think of a week going by without some form of a chicken dish on our table. This particular recipe is fast, easy and delicious! It’s a little on the messy side as far as cleanup goes, but you’re supposed to get a little messy in the kitchen, right?!
Ingredients for Honey Chicken with Garlic Couscous.
This meal isn’t quite a 30 minute meal, but more like a 45 minute meal which isn’t half bad considering how delicious and packed full of flavor this meal is. Part of what gives this meal so much flavor is something I love…Better Than Bullion as my stock base…I have it almost every flavor in my pantry. If you are running low on chicken stock you could substitute veggie stock in this recipe and it wouldn’t alter the taste that much. I also use a blend of thyme, salt, pepper and garlic powder as my main seasoning to accompany the honey. The key to this dish is also getting a good sear on the chicken and you can only do that with a hot pan.
Just dropped the chicken thighs in the hot pan!
Some tips I use when cooking multiple pieces of food in a pan is to place the chicken in a clockwise motion in order to know when to flip each piece. Also laying the chicken in the pan in a motion going away from your body will ensure that you will not get splashed with grease. Each piece of chicken needs to cook the same amount of time, so timing is very important…this will ensure that each piece of chicken has been properly cooked. When I say this recipe has a crazy amount of flavor, I mean it! This chicken is not only juicy, but each bite is savory and sweet. I can now vouch that this recipe holds up to the leftover challenge…it is delicious and withstands being reheated for lunch the following day with no rubbery chicken issues. Now, I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we did!
Honey Chicken with Garlic Couscous
Honey Chicken With Garlic Couscous
Ingredients:
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp honey
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
2 boxes Garlic Olive Oil Pearl Couscous
3 cups chicken stock
1 (5 oz) package of fresh spinach
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F and preheat cast iron skillet on stove top to med-high heat.
Pat chicken down with paper towels then rub each piece with honey; sprinkle with thyme, salt, pepper and garlic powder.
Add couscous seasoning packet to chicken stock and set aside.
Add oil to pan; once oil is hot add chicken and let brown for 5 minutes each side. Remove chicken from pan and let rest of a plate.
Add couscous and spinach to pan; cook for 2 minutes or until couscous is browned and spinach has wilted.
Add stock mixture to pan and bring up to simmer. Once simmering add chicken back to pan and place in oven.
Cook in oven for 12 to 15 minutes, or until most of the liquid has been absorbed and the chicken is done.
Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Enjoy!
This recipe serves 4 with a small portion of leftovers.
BLT Frittata and Hash Brown Casserole for a brunch.
When I became a mom I found the loveliness in a fulfilling brunch. My girl likes to sleep in on most Saturday’s and this gives me the opportunity to sneak downstairs and make a delicious brunch that is sure to carry my family over until well into the afternoon. Before the Covid Quarantine, Saturday’s had our family on the go….whether it was going out of town to visit grandparents, running our weekly errands or traveling to the NC Zoo (our favorite place!) we were ALWAYS on the go! With all that traveling and going we need something that keeps us going! That’s why I like a filling brunch of BLT Frittata and Hash Brown Casserole.
Today I’d like to share two recipes that are always a quick, easy and fulfilling hit at my house…the BLT Frittata and Hash Brown Casserole. Now I know I said this is a great brunch, but we have enjoyed this for breakfast, brunch, lunch and even dinner….we just prefer it for brunch since it is so filling.
I really enjoy cooking for my family and if there is one thing that we all love it’s cheese! I like experimenting with different cheeses for my Hash Brown Casserole and I know my family loves the richness of a strong extra sharp white cheddar, but this is where you can get really creative by using whatever cheese your family enjoys. I also like to use my cast iron skillet to make the Frittata because it cooks up so fast and is always full of flavor.
The casserole takes the longest to cook, so that would be a good time to have a big cup of coffee and start to prep the frittata ingredients. The Frittata takes less than 10 minutes to make from start to finish, so I always start my frittata after I pull my casserole out of the oven to cool…this will ensure that your entire meal comes together perfectly and everything will be warm. Here are the recipes for both the BLT Frittata and Hash Brown Casserole. I hope you enjoy making and eating these as much as we do!
BLT Frittata
BLT Frittata
Ingredients:
8 large eggs
3 slices of bacon, cooked and chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 cup salad greens (I used herb salad mix)
2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
Chives to finish
Directions:
Set oven to broil.
Heat skillet up on stove top to medium heat.
Whisk eggs together with salt and pepper, pour into skillet. Cook eggs without storing until eggs begin to set on bottom and sprinkle with chopped bacon.
Place skillet in oven and broil eggs for 3 to 4 minutes or until eggs begin to brown and are set. Carefully remove from broiler.
Combine lettuce mix, tomatoes, olive oil and vinegar into a bowl and toss to coat.
Once frittata has cooled, top with a sprinkle of chives and the greens mixture in center for a nice presentation.
Hash Brown Casserole
Hash Brown Casserole
Ingredients:
1 (32 oz) bag of frozen hash browns, thawed
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 (10.25 oz) can of cream of chicken soup
1 (8 oz) container of sour cream
2 cups extra sharp white cheddar, shredded
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
Parsley for finishing
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Stir all ingredients together in a large bowl until well combined.
Place mixture into a well greased 13×9 casserole dish.
Bake 45 to 55 minutes, or until top is golden brown.
A Slice Of My Life 