Simple Meal Monday: Black Bean and Turkey Mexican Rice

Happy Monday!!

I had a crazy busy weekend, but so fun; wedding dress shopping with a friend on Saturday and Sunday we unpacked our Christmas decorations and put up our tree!! YAY!

Simple meals are always great, especially for those busy days. So, here is a quick and easy recipe that I used this past weekend amidst the busyness.

This black bean and turkey Mexican rice is simple but makes super good meal!

Here is what you need:

• 1 small package of ground turkey or beef
• 1 package or fajita or taco mix
• 1 can of black beans
• 1 can of diced tomatoes (I used one with Italian spices already in it)
• 1 cup of rice
• 2 cups of chicken stock
• 2 onions
• 2 tsp of garlic powder
• 1/2 cup of grated cheese
• Sour cream or salsa for a topping

Start by making your rice. Bring your chicken stock to a boil and add in your rice, cover and turn on low.

In another pot, brown the turkey with the onions (diced) and garlic powder. Once your turkey is cooked mix in the fajita mix, beans, and tomatoes.

Finally add the cooked rice into your turkey mix, top with the cheese and cover for a few minutes so that the cheese can melt.

Done!! Top with sour cream or salsa and enjoy 🙂

Happy cooking!

 

 

Simple Meal Monday: Creamy Chicken and Veggie Stew

Happy Monday!!

Time for a quick and easy meal for the start of the week.

It’s always nice to have a simple meal to ease into the week after lazy weekends. And this meal is the easiest to make!

This is another crockpot stew idea. Crockpot stews are the best! Just throw in some veggies, meat, and sauce, and you’ve got a comforting meal for a cool day, with hardly any work 🙂

And not to mention super tasty!

Here’s what you need for this recipe:

• Chicken breasts (2-4 depending on how many people the meal is for)
• 1 can of cream of chicken soup
• 2 1/2 cups of diced potatoes
• 1 cup of diced celery
• 2 cups of diced carrots
• 1 cube of chicken or veggie stock
• 1 cup of water
• 1 package of dried onion soup

Add everything to your crockpot, give it a quick stir so that all the ingredients are combined and set your crockpot on ‘low’ for 6-8 hours.

Believe me, as this meal starts cooking it starts smelling super good!!

Mmmmmm! So good! I always love cooking any type of meat in the crockpot, it makes it so juicy!!

This chicken literally falls apart it is so tender!

Happy cooking!!

Simple Meal Monday: Crockpot Tater Tot Casserole

Happy November 🙂

Chilly days call for a warm and comforting meal!!

Nothing is easier than using a crockpot to cook, so here is another quick and easy crockpot meal idea. One that fits that warm and comforting criteria!

Hashbrown casserole, mmmmmm!!!

This may not be the healthiest meal out there … buuut it is super delicious and if you add some greens on the side it’ll balance out the cheesey/meaty/carby goodness.

Here’s what you  need:

• Ground beef
• 1 can of condensed mushroom soup
• 4 tbsp of Worcestershire sauce
• Tater tots
• 1 cup diced carrots
• 1 cup diced onions
• 1 cup diced chives
• 1 cup grated cheese
• salt and pepper

Dice your carrots, onions, and chives and fry them up in a pot with a bit of olive oil.

Then add in the ground beef to your veggie mixture.

Once your meat is browned, mix in your mushroom soup, Worcestershire sauce, and salt and pepper.

Now time to layer!!

Fill the bottom of your crockpot with the hamburger mixture, layer 1/2 cup of grated cheese on top, then cover with one layer of tater tots. Finish off by sprinkling the final 1/2 cup of cheese on the very top.

YAY! All done! Now time for the crockpot to do its thing!

Turn your crockpot on low and cook for 3-4 hours.

Pair this tater tot casserole with a salad or other veggies and you’ve got a quick and easy (not to mention delicious) weeknight meal 🙂

Happy Monday! Enjoy your cooking!

A Sweet Treat for your Tuesday: Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Fudge

Cookie Dough and Peanut butter! Does it get any better?!

Who doesn’t enjoy cookie dough…

…I love eating cookie dough as I’m making cookies… lots of times I’ll freeze some cookie dough to save for making cookies later… but then end up snacking on it, YUM!

This fudge actually tastes like cookie dough!!!!

Maybe even better … because of the chocolate peanut butter top layer.

So, no need to make cookies for the dough… you can just give these a try.

This recipe is once again no bake… yay for less work!!! You can find the recipe I used here.

What makes this a ‘fudge’ is the sweetened condensed milk, I’ve made other fudge using sweetened condensed milk before, and it is a super easy way to make fudge… and tastes great too!

Here’s what you do: Mix all your ‘cookie dough’ ingredients together and  spread that into your dish.

I stuck mine in the freezer for a bit to ‘set’.

All that’s left is pouring your second layer, the peanut butter and chocolate combination, on top of your cookie dough layer and then let it all firm up in the fridge or freezer.

Here’s the final product 🙂 SOOO good!!!

This definitely will satisfy any cookie dough cravings 🙂

Happy Baking!!

Simple Monday Meal: Crockpot Beef Stew

Happy Monday Everyone!!

I don’t know about you… but for me Monday’s always call for a quick and easy meal 🙂

I promised a while ago to share some of my favorite crockpot recipes. So here is the first one!

First of all, I LOVE using the crockpot because you literally throw all the ingredients in, go to work, come home, and you’re dinner is all ready for you to eat! So simple!

This recipe is one I learned from my mom, and it is one of may favorite meals to make because it is SO easy and it turns out great every time.

Here is what you need:

• stewing beef (one regular package)
• 1 can of mushroom soup
• 1 can of tomato paste
• 1 can of crushed tomatoes
• Potatoes (I like to use 1 bag of the baby potatoes)
• Whatever veggies you would like in your stew (I like onions, carrots, mushrooms, celery)
• Italian seasoning

Now to make it: Chop up your veggies however you like them, big chunks, little chunks, whichever.

Then throw everything into your crockpot, the canned items, your veggies, your meat, a bunch of Italian seasoning. Done!!

I usually turn in on low because I’m gone for 8 hours while it cooks, but if you wanted to make this on the weekend, it should work to turn it on high and it should be done in 4ish hours.

… And since this meal is super easy, I like to make scones/biscuits with it!

It makes the meal feel extra ‘fall-ish’ 🙂

Yum!! The perfect easy meal for the cool fall weather 🙂

Happy cooking!