Cowboy Quesadillas

My sister-in-law, Megan, shared this recipe with me and we love it!  She found it on a website here.  We really like this one and mix it up with whatever we have on hand most of the time.  We have added bell pepper, leftover steak, avacados...anything that sounds good!

Cowboy Quesadillas
Recipe by Our Best Bites

1/2 C white rice
1/3 C black beans
1 cup diced cooked chicken
1/3 C fresh frozen corn kernels (no need to thaw)
2/3 C diced tomato
3 Tbs sliced green onion
1 1/2 C shredded cheese (any type or combo you like)
1/4 C bbq sauce
6 small tortillas (fajita size, about 6″)

Combine rice, beans, chicken, corn, tomato, green onion and shredded cheese.  Add bbq sauce and stir to combine.  Place about 1/3 C of mixture on half of each tortilla and fold over to close.

Heat a skillet to medium heat on the stove top.  When hot, spray lightly with cooking spray, or drizzle with canola or olive oil.  Place quesadillas in pan and cook for 2-4 minutes or until golden brown and slightly crisp.  Flip and repeat on opposite side.  Cool for a few minutes and then serve with BBQ-Ranch dipping sauce

Black Bean Casserole

• This is one of our very favorite meals!  I love it because you can add anything you like to it pretty much.

Things you will need:

One large frying pan

9x13 baking dish/casserole dish

Ingredients:**

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3/4 pound cubed skinless, boneless chicken breast meat
• 1 package taco seasoning mix
• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained (I use two cans)
• 1 (8.75 ounce) can sweet corn, drained
• 1/4 cup Sour Cream
• Salsa
• water as needed
• 1 cup shredded Mexican-style cheese
• 1 1/2 cups crushed plain tortilla chips

**You can add peppers, onions, other kinds of beans, substitute beef for the chicken, etc. Pretty much anything you would normally have with tacos/enchiladas would work in this casserole.**

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. 

In your frying pan cook your cut up chicken.  When it is cooked through add your packet of taco seasoning (or you can used enchilada seasoning if you prefer).  Add enough water to get the seasoning to thicken but not be runny (just like you would when preparing taco meat). 

I turn my heat to medium-low at this point. 

Next I add my sour cream and as much salsa as you would like to the pan and stir well.  Once they are mixed well add your black beans and corn.  Stir well to coat everything in the "sauce" that developed. 

Now pour everything from your frying pan into a casserole dish or any 9x13 baking dish.  Sprinkle with the cheese and crushed plain tortilla chips.  

Bake in the over for 15-20 minutes or until cheese is melted and the casserole is bubbling. 

Now I usually don't put tortilla chips on top because my kids like to eat this as nachos, so we put chips on plates and then scoop some casserole on to the chips.  You can have guacamole on the side and more cheese if you want too. It's pretty versatile so use your imagination! 

Best Banana Bread Ever!

My mom gave me this recipe.  I am sure it comes from some old cook book she has had forever.  I LOVE this recipe.  It is simple, easy and very yummy.  You can make big loaves, little loaves, or muffins with this recipe.  It is a big enough batch that I can usually get a big loaf, a little loaf and 12 muffins.

Before we begin lets talk about bananas.  You can use fresh ones for this recipe and it will taste just fine.  The best ones are the ones that are a little over ripe (you know turning brown/black).  These bananas are super sweet and make the bread that much better.

I have also used baby food bananas.  Yup.  You need about 3 cups (so 6 jars). 

Also did you know you can freeze bananas?  My mom always has.   You know how there is usually only one or two bananas that are left going bad.  Just not enough to make bread or muffins.  But if you freeze them you will find that you have enough in no time at all. If you are using frozen bananas for this recipe make sure you let them thaw out all the way before you start.  Putting them in a bowl on the counter will keep things from being messy. 

Now...the recipe!

What you will need:

4 eggs

5 large ripe bananas

1 cup softened butter

2 cups sugar

4 cups sifted flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup pecans, chopped (optional)

To start pre heat your oven to 300 degrees. 

You will need three bowls.  A big one and two medium sized bowls.  

In one of the medium bowls put your 4 cups of flour and set to the side.

In the other medium bowl beat the eggs until they are thick (this just means until they are kind of fluffy).  Add the bananas and blend until your mix is liquid.  This can take a bit to get it smooth. 

In the large bowl cream together your butter (which should be very soft and not cold at all -  it is okay to melt it) and sugar.  Mix until they are very smooth and creamy looking. 

Now add the banana/egg mix to the sugar/butter bowl and mix until smooth. 

Now put two cups of flour in your sifter.  Add your baking soda and salt to the sifter and sift into your banana mixture.  Mix that flour in and then put two more cups of flour into your sifter and mix that in too.  The sifted flour will make your mix very smooth and creamy looking.  Now add your nuts if you want them.  The bread is just as good without them though.

Prepare your pans!  I use cooking spray and give my bread pans a good coat.  I have never had a loaf stick doing this.  If you want muffins that is easy!  Just use the paper muffin cups, other wise you will need to spray the muffin tins too. 

Fill bread pans a little more than half way.  Fill muffin cups the same way (just like cupcakes). 

Baking can get interesting if you have more than one type going in.  Muffins usually take about 35 to 40 minutes.  Small loaves usually take 40 to 45 minutes.  Big loaves always take about 70 to 75 minutes.  

Keep an eye on your bread the first time you bake.  Every oven and altitude is different so you will need to fine tune your bake time to your individual needs.  It is totally fine if your bread takes longer to cook than the times listed above.  To check if your bread is done, the tops should be firm.  You can poke your bread in the middle with a tooth pick (or a butter knife - thats what I use since it can reach all the way to the middle on the big loaves).  If the tooth pick/butter knife comes out clean your bread is done!  

Let your bread cool for 5 minutes in the pan then flip it over, give the pan a gentle shake and the bread should just slide right out.  Let it cool for at least 15 more minutes and then enjoy!

Easy, Super Yummy Mac'N'Cheese

Easy, Super Yummy Mac'N'Cheese

What you need:

16 ounces Macaroni Noodles (or noodles of choice)

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup all purpose flour

2 and 1/2 cups milk 

(whole milk has best flavor and if you are making it for kids it is super good for them)

1lb cheese 

(I use sharp cheddar but any kind you prefer is fine)

salt and pepper to taste

Optional: ground Mustard and crushed ritz crakers

Prepare your noodles as directed on package or to your taste.

No do yourself a HUGE favor and get the rest of the ingredients ready because once you start you are going to want them measured and on hand. Trust me.

To make the cheese sauce start with a medium sauce pan on medium-low heat.  We are going to make a roux.  It is the base for just about any creamy sauce or gravy. Add butter and whisk until melted.  Once the butter is melted slowly add the flour while you continue to whisk.  The mixture will be thick but still liquid. Now cook for 5 minutes WHISKING THE WHOLE TIME.  You must keep whisking or it will burn and you will need to start over.  

Next whisk in your milk.  I turn the heat up to Medium at this point to help with thickening.  You can add in your salt, pepper and mustard at this point.  A teaspoon of each is a good place to start.  

Keep stirring until the sauce is nice and thick, then add in your cheese.  Stir, stir and stir some more!  Once your cheese is good and melted give your sauce a taste.  Add more salt, pepper or mustard if you want.  

Now pour your sauce over your noodles and stir!  

It is ready to eat now, but you can make it Baked Mack'n'Cheese by pouring your mac'n'cheese into a baking dish and sprinkling with your crushed Ritz crackers.  Bake at 350 for 20 to 25 minutes. 

Now, in our house I make two cheese sauces.  I follow all the same directions above, but I replace the butter with a Soy free, milk free butter substitute (Made by Earth Balance) and the Cheese is a Vegan rice milk cheese which is also Soy and Dairy free.  I also have to replace the regular milk with Rice milk.  I make a full batch of this sauce and use a little bit on about a cup full of noodles for my Rory. The rest I divide up and freeze in freezer bags to reheat for next time.  This Soy free, Milk free mac'n'cheese doesn't taste exactly the same, but it is close enough that Rory can't tell much of a difference.  She would eat it every day if she could! 

I hope you give this one a try! It only takes about 25 minutes to make the cheese sauce (once you get the hang of it).  

*****Have a family recipe you LOVE?  Please email it to me at kennedylantz@gmail.com and we will be happy to give it a try and I will feature it on our blog! *****