Chicken Bean Burritos

A great hearty lunch or for the dinner on the go. As moms (or dads) we are always on an itinerary with our children. Dance classes, soccer, hockey games. Make this ahead and freeze it. Defrost in the morning so it's ready for dinner. When you get home, place it in the oven to heat through or microwave; and away you go!



Chicken Bean Burrito

Chicken Bean Burrito

Ingredients

3/4 cup brown rice

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 small onion chopped

1/2 red pepper, seeded and chopped

1 lb. ground chicken

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder

salt and pepper to taste

3 tbsp. tomato paste

1 can 19 fl. oz. (540 ml) black beans

1 cup frozen corn kernels

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

8 burrito-size whole wheat tortillas, 10 inches each

Salsa and sour cream (optional)


Cook rice your brown rice and set aside.

Heat the oil in a large sauce pan over medium and add the onions, garlic, pepper, cumin, salt and pepper. Sautee until translucent, add the meat and continue to cook until the meat has browned.

Add the tomato paste and cook, for 1 minute. Make sure you're stirring while this is cooking.

Add the tomato paste cook for about 1 minute

Add the beans, and 1 cup of water; bring to a boil, reduce heat and let simmer, stirring until thickened (approx. 15 min.)

Add the beans and water and simmer until thickened

Add the corn and cook to heat through for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Add corn and heat through. Remove from heat.

Heat the tortillas according to the package. Then fill with the rice, and bean mixture. Add the cheese. The filling must be placed on one side of the tortilla. Fold sides, and hold the sides together and roll tightly into a bundle.

Serve with salsa and sour cream.

If you are freezing the burritos, wrap the burrito individually and place in the freezer.

Rice Ring With Meat Sauce Stuffing

This is a true crowd pleaser if serving at a party or a dinner. It's literally dinner in a pan. Serve with an arugula salad and dinner is done!

Rice Ring Stuffed With Meat Sauce

Meat Sauce


1 bottle or can of tomato puree
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tsp chopped parsley
1 tbsp. olive oil
450 gr (1 lb) ground beef
1 cup frozen peas
salt and pepper to taste

Meat Sauce

Sautee the onion, garlic until translucent. Add ground beef and sautee until fully cooked. Add the tomato sauce, parsley and let simmer on med/low heat for about 40 minutes stirring the sauce often. Add peas  and let cook. Set aside.


For the rice ring you will need to boil 6 cups of water with salt and 3 cups of Arborio rice.

In the meantime prepare your bundt pan.

Butter your bundt pan and coat with bread crumbs, I used the Italian seasoning bread crumbs

Once your Arborio rice has cooked and cooled down, add 1 cup of parmesan cheese and two eggs to your rice. Blend thoroughly.

Wet Hands and Form Rice in Pan

Fill With Meat Sauce and add chunks of mozzarella (about half a ball)

Cover with remaining rice. Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes

Let cool for about 15 minutes before slicing. Serve with remaining sauce.

Vegetable Beef Stew

I've been craving a good stew for a very long time. When I plan to make it the kids tend to sway me to make something else. Last night I decided to make this stew and it was vanished before you knew it! I like to make a little extra for lunch the next day, but unfortunately there was nothing left. The aroma of this stew is truly intoxicating. Even though stew is considered a winter comfort food, I love making this dish using farm fresh vegetables of the season. If you're a vegetarian, skip the meat. It's just as good.

Meat and Vegetable Stew With Brown Rice

Meat and Vegetable Stew With Brown Rice


1 can (14oz) pureed tomato or use fresh, tomato
250 gr. stewing beef
1 zucchini, chopped
2 small potatoes, peeled and cubed
3/4 cup mushrooms, sliced
1 bell pepper sliced into strips
1/2 onion finely chopped
1 tsp fresh parsley chopped
1/3 cup red wine
4 tbsp. olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Steamed brown rice.

Directions:

Sautee the meat and chopped onion with 2 tbsp. of olive oil until meat has browned. Add the red wine and let simmer for about 5 minutes. Add the potato, bell pepper, mushrooms and zucchini. Stir until softened. Now add the tomato, remainder 2 tbsp. of olive oil and parsley. Add about 1/2 tsp. each of salt and pepper. Taste and add more if desired. Slowly simmer the stew for a good 30 minutes or until sauce has thickened. Serve over steamed rice or eat it on it's own.

Meat sautéing in wine

Stew cooking with sauce 

Dinner In a Hurry

Last night it was a "ME" night. I had a class to attend and needed to eat something quickly. I found this flatbread at the grocery store that I absolutely love! It's called artisan thin pizza crust by Stonefire. This pack that I purchased is a pack of 2 stone oven baked crust. It's good to have on hand for nights like last night.

 

 

I wanted something light to dress the pizza with. So I spread the bread with a pesto sauce, placed oven roasted chicken pieces, sliced bocconcini and sliced cherry tomato.

 

Baked the personalized pizza on a preheated pizza stone at 425 degrees for 15 minutes.

And there you have it! A delicious personalized pizza in less than 1/2 hour. This pizza for me is quite big so I tend to eat about half of it. You can serve this for dinner for your family with a soup and salad.