Mexican Chicken Rice Casserole

4 Chicken breasts cooked and shredded or diced*
2 cans -Cream of chicken
1 container Sour Cream
1 can Corn (drained)
1 can - Black Beans (drained)
1 can - Diced Tomatoes (drained)
1 pkg - shredded cheese
1pkg - Taco seasoning.
4 cups - Cooked Rice


Mix together well, cream of chicken, sour cream, and taco seasoning. Add in corn, black beans, diced tomatoes, and ½ package of the shredded cheese (reserve ½ pkg for the top) and mix well. Next add the rice and chicken* and mix well again.

Place in a 9x13 pan. Top with remaining cheese.

Bake 350º for 30 mins or until cheese is golden brown.

*You can also use cooked ground beef instead of chicken.*

Crock Pot Mexican Corn Soup

2 lbs. chicken tenders
2 (7-oz.) cans Mexicorn
1/4 C. chopped green bell pepper
1 (10-oz.) can Mexican Festival Ro-tel tomatoes
1 (15-oz.) can black beans
2 (14 1/2-oz.) cans chicken broth
1 (1.0-oz.) pkg. taco seasoning mix
1 C. shell pasta

Place all ingredients except pasta into slow cooker and cook for 6-8 hours.

Add pasta in the last hour and a half of cooking time.

Serves 4 to 6.

Taco Twist Casserole

1 lb. ground beef
1 package taco seasoning mix
1 can tomato sauce (15 oz.)
1/4 C. chopped green pepper
3 C. corkscrew macaroni -- (8 oz.) cooked and drained
1 C. shredded cheese (4 oz.)
1/2 C. sour cream

Brown beef; drain. Stir in seasoning mix, tomato sauce and green pepper. Bring
to a boil and remove from heat.

Combine cooked macaroni, 1/2 cup cheese and sour cream and place on bottom of
6 x 10 inch baking dish. Top with meat mixture and remaining cheese.

Good Eats Guacamole

3 Haas avocados halved, seeded and peeled
1 lime juiced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 medium onion diced
2 Roma tomatoes seeded and diced
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1 clove garlic minced

In a large bowl place the scooped avocado pulp and lime juice, toss to coat. Drain, and reserve the lime juice, after all of the avocados have been coated. Using a potato masher add the salt, cumin, and cayenne and mash. Then, fold in the onions, tomatoes, cilantro, and garlic. Add 1 tablespoon of the reserved lime juice.

Let sit at room temperature for 1 hour and then serve.

Yield: 1 batch

Alton Brown, Good Eats

Black Bean Dip

1 15 ounce can black beans, undrained
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
2 drops hot pepper sauce
3/4 cup minced white onion
2 cloves minced garlic
4 ounces chopped green chiles, drained

Drain beans, reserving 2 tbls liquid. Combine beans chili powder, salt, black pepper, cumin, hot pepper sauce and 2 tbls reserved liquid in blender or food processor; process till smooth. Combine onion and garlic in nonstick skillet or saucepan, cover and cook over low heat till onion is soft and translucent. Uncover and cook until slightly browned. Add chilies and cook 3 minutes more. Add bean mixture and mix well.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

Quick & Easy Taco Salad

This one comes from my mom. Super simple, fast, and easy! Just the way we like it, right?!

*1lb Cooked & drained hamburger
1pkt Taco Seasoning
1 Head lettuce
2 Roma Tomatoes diced
1 pkg Shredded Mexican Cheese
1000 Island Salad Dressing
1 Bag Doritos
Sour Cream

If you haven't already cooked and frozen your hamburger so it's ready to use then you'll have to cook your hamburger and season it now with the Taco Seasoning. Otherwise take your bagged frozen hamburger out open it and add the taco seasoning and then nuke it for 2½mins. Shake to mix the seasoning in and around and nuke again for 2½mins again. Hamburger should be thuroughly heated. If not continue to cook for 1 min incriments.

Shred or cut your lettuce up for the salad and place into a large bowl.

Dice your roma tomatoes and add to the salad bowl. Roma tomatoes have less seeds and "juice" which make them ideal for this.

Add to the salad bowl the seasoned hamburger, shredded cheese (reserve some for toppings) and 1000 Island salad dressing and mix well.

Crush the Dorito chips and add to the salad before serving and stir again.

Serve with a dollup of sour cream and a sprinkle of cheese and you are set!

This was one of my favorite dinners my mom made and now it's one of my kids favorites.

*Change it up with some chicken instead of hamburger and make it a little healthier and add a different taste.

(picture coming soon)