Chipotle Cilantro Rice

Well, Chipotle is one of my guilty pleasures when it comes to eating out.  I've been known to travel to different cities just to get a burrito bowl covered in all the yummy goodness that they offer!  I've been trying to recreate their food for YEARS and I've finally nailed the rice!  Hope you all enjoy the recipe!

Cilantro Rice

*makes 3-4 servings

1 C. Brown Rice
2 C. Water
2 Tbsp. Butter
1 Lime (cut in half and juiced)
1 Tbsp. Cilantro (finely chopped)
Salt to taste

1. Put the butter, rice, and half the lime juice in a pot and stir until the butter is melted.
2. Add the water and around 1/8 tsp of salt.  Bring to a boil.
3. Lower the heat to just below med-low and cover.  Cook until the water is all gone.  (usually just over 30 mins)
4. Take it off the heat and let it sit for about 5 mins.
5. Add the other half of the lime juice and the cilantro as well as a little more salt to taste.  Stir well and add to ALL your Mexican dishes!!!

Tostitos Taco Bites

I love making my taco bites with wonton wrappers!  They're fun and inventive but sometimes I'm feeling a little lazy.  The solution?  Bite size taco bowls of course!

Tostitos Taco Bites

*Makes 30-45 bites (depending on filling)

Allergen Tips:
Be sure to read the fine print on your taco seasonings for a g-free dinner!

1/2 lb. Ground Turkey (or hamburger)
1/4 C. Bell Pepper (chopped)
1/4 C. Onion (chopped)
1 Taco Seasoning Packet (or close to 1/4 C. if you have a large container)
3/4 C. Water
Tostito's Scoops
1/4 C. Shredded Cheese
Olive Oil or Butter for Veggies
Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder to taste

1. Cook bell peppers and onions with oil or butter for about 8 mins on just above medium.  Add turkey or beef.  Season and brown and then drain fat.
2. Add the taco seasoning and water.  Bring to a boil and then reduce to med-low.  Simmer for 20-25 mins or until the liquid is almost gone.
3. Set oven to broil with the rack at the very top.  Place chips on a cookie sheet lined with foil.  Add the meat and cheese.  Place in oven for about 45 seconds to melt the cheese.
4. Serve with lettuce, olives, sour cream or whatever else sounds good!

Lazy Game Hens

I love chicken.  I could eat it 7 days a week!!!  (oh wait I almost do!)  I find my creativity is almost endless even with boneless skinless chicken breasts.  The boyfriend doesn't like bones in chicken so I never get to cook with normal chicken!  Such a shame and a lack of flavor!  But I've learned all the in's and out's of the boneless stuff to make all kinds of fancy stuff.

I have been DYING to make a cornish game hen because I love how small and cute they are!  They're perfect for one person!  I've been thinking of making one since the last time I was in Vegas and we got dinner and a show where they served game hens.  Very inspiring to my imagination!  So out of curiosity I decided to make them in a crock pot.

Lazy Game Hens

*makes 2 hens

2 Cornish Game Hens (still frozen)
1 Onion (chopped)
3-5 Tbsp Olive Oil (depending on how generous you want to be)
Salt, Pepper, Garlic (preferably fresh but powder works), Onion Powder, Rosemary, Thyme
3/4 C. White Wine

1. Sprinkle salt, and pepper on the bottom of the crockpot.  Drizzle 2 Tbsp oil on the bottom of the pot.
2. Add onion to the crock pot.
3. Put the hens on top of the onion.  Drizzle a generous amount of olive oil over the hens.  Sprinkle with salt, pepper, onion powder, rosemary, and thyme.  If you're using fresh garlic, place several slices on top of the chicken and put the rest around it on the bottom with the onions.  If you're using powder, be generous on and around the chicken.
4. Pour in the wine but don't pour over the chicken or else all that seasoning will be a waste!
5. Cook on low for 6 hours.

6. Pull out and enjoy your fall off the bone chicken!

Saturday Morning Bites

It's not often I'm up to make Saturday breakfast because I work super late Friday nights.  I've been meaning to throw together a certain dish for several weeks now because I love playing with crescent rolls!  This was a little time consuming but the result was AWESOME!!!  It's buttery, and protein packed with lots of extra goodies!

Saturday Morning Bites

*Makes 8 rolls, serves 4 (or two really hungry people)

1 Can Crescent rolls (I buy the reduced fat ones, they taste the same!)
9 Eggs (I separate 7 of them and only use two yolks)
4 Tbsp Bell Pepper (chopped)
4 Tbsp Onion (chopped)
2 slices turkey bacon (cooked and chopped)
Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder, and any other seasonings you like in your eggs
1 Tbsp Parmesan
Parsley for garnish

1. Cook your bacon and chop up.
2. Start cooking your bell peppers and onions in a pan.
3. Scramble your eggs in a bowl with the seasonings.  Add to the bell peppers and onions.  Toss in the bacon bits.  (Here you can throw in whatever extras you might want like green onions)
4. Once the eggs are scrambled, put them aside and open up your can of rolls.  Set the oven according to the package 350-375 degrees depending on the type of pan.  I line my cookie sheet with tin foil for ease of clean up and spray with a non stick spray.

5.  Start with a handful of eggs and put on the thickest part of the roll.  Pull both edges toward each other and then roll the dough up.  This ensures that no goodies fall out of the rolls!

(This is the egg whites one)

6. Once they're all wrapped, sprinkle the parmesan and parsley on top and bake 11-12 mins.

7. Pull them out and enjoy!