Mom's Famous Freezer Bean and Beef Burritos

 With my kids being home all day every day, we have been going through food at an incredible rate.  Why is everyone so hungry all of the time?!  Add soccer practices right at dinnertime to the mix and I had to come up with a fast and hearty meal that everyone would love.  MKC is always my trusted source for meals that everyone in my house can get on board with and this one was no exception.   I just bought the Cilantro Lime Crema Dressing from Costco and it was so good drizzled on top.  I added some riced cauliflower at the end and it bulked up the burrito mix and added nutrition easily making 40 burritos.  Lastly, I bought these pre-cooked tortillas from Tortilla Familia and they worked great, saved time, and are delicious.

pic courtesy of MKC

Mom's Famous Freezer Bean and Beef Burritos 

Mels Kitchen Cafe

• 1 1/2 pounds ground turkey/beef (I used 1 pound of each so it made a lot more)
•  1 cup chopped onion
•  1 teaspoon salt (I use coarse, kosher salt)
•  1/4 teaspoon black pepper (I use coarsely ground pepper)
•  3 cans (16 ounces each) refried beans- I used Trader Joe's
•  3 cans (4 ounces) green chiles (mild, medium or hot, depending on preference)
•  1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) green taco sauce or green enchilada sauce 
•  1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) red taco sauce or red enchilada sauce
•  1/2 cup (4 ounces) salsa, green or red
•  1 teaspoon ground cumin
•  1 teaspoon chili powder
•  1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
•  1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• Frozen riced cauliflower, optional (adds zero flavor, but bulks it up and doesn't have texture once it heats so you can't see or taste it- I probably put 1 1/2 cups in)
•  6 to 7 cups shredded cheese (I prefer using a mix of cheddar and Monterey Jack)
•  20 10-inch tortillas or 30 8-inch tortillas (I used these and they're delicious)
• 
  

1. In a large saucepan, brown the ground beef and onion with the salt and pepper until cooked through, breaking the meat into small pieces as it cooks. Drain excess grease.
2. Add the remaining ingredients (except for the cheese and tortillas) and mix to combine. Heat through, stirring often to prevent sticking. Add additional salt and pepper to taste.
3. Let the mixture cool slightly. Spread about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of the filling on each tortilla (depending on the size of the tortilla and how stuffed you want them). Sprinkle about 1/4 cup cheese (or so!) on the filling. Fold in the sides and then roll the burrito closed (see pictures in the post for a visual).
4. I roll all the burritos and place them on a large sheet pan. After they are all rolled, I wrap each one individually in plastic wrap and then put them in gallon size ziploc bags and freeze.
5. To reheat, unwrap burrito from plastic wrap and microwave for one minute. Poke holes in the semi-thawed burrito with a fork or cut the burrito in half and microwave for 1-minute intervals until heated through. They'll be piping hot! Eat carefully. 🙂

Cajun Chicken Pasta (Whole30)

courtesy

I've made this twice in the last week- its that good.  The sauce is super spicy and perfect with the peppers, zucchini, and chicken.  I made a few changes in the recipe because of which meat I chose, but you can stick with the original if you'd like.  

Cajun Chicken Pasta

The Defined Dish

1. 1/4 - 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper (depending on your tolerance for spicy)
2. 1 tsp. black pepper
3. 1/2 tsp. salt
4. 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
5. 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
6. 1/2 tsp. dried rosemary leaves
7. 1/8 tsp. dried oregano leaves
8. 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (you can add any meat you like here- beef, chicken, sausage, shrimp, etc.  I used Aidell's Chicken and Apple Links and it was perfection!)
9. 1/4-1/2 cup arrowroot starch (less if you're using the chicken links)
10. 2-4 tbsp. olive oil
11. 2 cloves garlic, minced
12. 1 tbsp. ghee
13. 2 tsp. lemon
14. 1 cup chicken broth
15. 2-3 zucchinis, spiralized (If you have the option, spiralize the noodles on the wider setting)
16. 1 red bell pepper, diced large (I used all of the peppers I had in the fridge, which was ALOT)
17. 1/4 onion, sliced thinly (I diced these smaller)
18. 1 cup sliced mushrooms (optional- I didn't use them)
19. 2 tbsp. olive oil
20. salt and pepper, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Combine all of the spices (cayenne, black pepper, salt, red pepper, thyme, rosemary and oregano) in a small bowl. Set Aside.  If you're using chicken links, skip to step 6
2. Place a boneless, skinless chicken breast on a cutting board. Hold it flat with the palm of one hand and, with a chef's knife in the other hand, carefully slice it in half horizontally to make a thinner breast of chicken. Cut all of the chicken breasts this way.
3. Season the chicken, to taste, on both sides with a little salt and pepper.
4. Pour arrowroot into a bowl or plate and dredge the chicken in the arrowroot so that it is just coated on both sides. Set aside on a plate while you continue to coat all of the chicken in the arrowroot.
5. Heat 2 tbsp. olive oil over medium-high heat in a non-stick skillet. sear the chicken until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes per side and, when the chicken is browned set aside on a plate. Depending on the size of your skillet, you may need to do this in two batches and you may need to add more olive oil if your skillet dries out. Your chicken does not need to be cooked through, just golden brown. It will continue to cook in the sauce in a minute.
6. Reduce heat on the skillet to medium-low. Add the tbsp. ghee and melt.
7. Add minced garlic to the skillet and saute for 1minute, being careful not to burn.
8. Pour in the broth, lemon juice and the spice mixture, stir to combine. Nestle chicken cutlets (or put chicken links with 1 Tbs. arrowroot starch or corn starch for thickness) back into the sauce and reduce heat so that it is simmering. Simmer in the sauce until chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened, about 10 minutes.
9. Meanwhile, heat a separate skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tbsp. olive oil and add the red bell pepper and onion and saute for about 4 minutes. Add in the mushrooms and continue to saute for another 4 minutes. Be sure to season with salt and pepper, to taste. Now, add in the zucchini noodles and saute until just tender, about 2 minutes, being careful not to over cook as they can get watery.
10. Pour chicken and sauce over the noodle mixture, serve and enjoy!

Easy Chicken Cordon Bleu

I made this for Mother's Day and it was fabulous! So easy- it seriously takes like 5 minutes to prep and then you bake.  I served it with coconut rice and Dad's sauteed asparagus.  Delicious!

Easy Chicken Cordon Bleu

Mel's Kitchen Cafe

FOR THE CORDON BLEU:

• 3 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in half length-wise (to form two thinner chicken breast cutlets)
• Salt and pepper
• 12 slices deli ham
• 6-8 slices Swiss cheese (6 to 8 ounces)
• 1 cup bread crumbs (I prefer panko in this recipe)
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted

• FOR THE PARMESAN-DIJON CREAM SAUCE:

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules (or 1 bouillon cube, crushed)
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

  
  
• 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9X13-inch baking dish with cooking spray set aside.
  2. Lay the cut chicken breasts in a single layer in the 9X13-inch dish. Lightly sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper.
  3. Layer each chicken breast with two slices of ham and top with 2 slices of swiss cheese, shingling across the chicken breast to make sure the entire piece of chicken is covered with ham and cheese. Toss the bread crumbs with the melted butter and sprinkle the mixture over the top of the chicken.
  4. Bake the chicken for 30-35 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through completely, the cheese is bubbling and the bread crumbs are golden.
  5. For the sauce, while the chicken bakes, in a medium saucepan, melt the 2 tablespoons butter. Stir in the flour, and cook for 1-2 minutes. Slowly pour in the milk while whisking quickly to avoid lumps.
  6. Stir in the chicken bouillon granules. Whisk constantly over medium heat until the mixture begins to simmer and thicken, about 3-5 minutes.
  7. Once the sauce has bubbled and thickened, remove from heat and stir in the mustard, Worcestershire sauce and Parmesan cheese. Stir until the cheese is melted. Keep the sauce warm until the chicken is finished baking. Season to taste with salt and pepper, if needed.
  8. Serve each chicken cordon bleu portion with warm sauce.

  
  

• NOTES:

  My preference for bread crumbs in this recipe are fresh bread crumbs (I save the heels of my bread stashed in the freezer for just a recipe like this when I need to grind up fresh bread crumbs quickly in my blender or food processor) or crunchy Panko breadcrumbs. Both will give the best texture.

  For the chicken, the idea is to have six thinner cutlets of chicken (about 1/2-inch thick) so you can either pound chicken breasts thin or cut thick chicken breasts in half to form two thinner cutlets (like the recipe suggests).

  I’ve also made this more casserole-style and cubed the chicken. When I do it that way, I also chop the ham but do everything else the same. It helps the meal stretch further, especially with kids who are too little to eat a whole chicken breast piece.

  Over the years since this recipe has been posted, I’ve made note of your comments; I’ve omitted the salt from the sauce recipe and indicated in the recipe to add salt and pepper to taste, if needed.

  Make Ahead Instructions: Assemble the chicken, ham and cheese according to the recipe. Store the prepared bread crumb/butter mixture in a resealable plastic bag or other container. Cover the casserole with plastic wrap and store it and the bread crumb mixture in the refrigerator for 8-12 hours. When ready to bake, sprinkle the bread crumbs over the top and bake according to the recipe, adding anywhere from 5-15 extra minutes since it was refrigerated prior to baking. Make the sauce while the casserole bakes or make it ahead of time, let it cool, and store it covered in the fridge, for 1-2 days, reheating over low heat and stirring with a whisk.