Crispy Southwest Chicken Wraps

Mel from melskitchencafe.com did it again! These were a huge hit in my house (don't you just love all that color!). This recipe is super versatile, add or omit anything you want to!

1 cup cooked rice, warm or at room temperature
1 cup cooked, shredded chicken (or other leftover meat, like shredded pork or beef)
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 green onion, finely sliced (white and green parts)
1/2 red or green pepper, diced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
juice of 1 lime
1/2 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
2 cups shredded cheese (I use a combination of Monterey jack and sharp cheddar)
Sour cream (optional)

6 burrito-sized flour tortillas

Mix rice together with chili powder, cumin and garlic salt. Add remaining ingredients except for cheese and sour cream. Sprinkle cheese over tortillas, leaving 1/2-inch border around edges, then arrange chicken and rice mixture down the center of each tortilla. Roll stuffed tortillas, leaving edges open and slightly flatten the wraps with the palm of your hand. Spray seam-side of the wrap lightly with cooking spray. Cook on a griddle, each side, until browned.

Taco Salad

Ahhh, taco salad. The food that fed my pregnant self (and got me addicted to salad) for 5 months straight with my 2nd child. This one is completely versatile. Start with the basics and expand from there! The crucial part (in my opinion) is the taco bowls. You can buy the molds I think at Walmart. (My dad bought mine over 10 years ago, I think from an As Seen On TV ad haha). Anyway, just bake your shells and get started!

Basics:

Lettuce, rinsed and chopped

Meat (seasoned hamburger, chicken, steak or pork)

Shredded Cheese

Salsa

Sour cream

Green Onions, diced

Add-ins:

Guacamole

Red Onion

Black beans

Cilantro

Pico de Gallo

And anything else you like!

Layer your salad and enjoy!  

Slow Cooker Fajitas

If your fam is anything like mine, Fajitas are a required food at least once a month. Nothing beats the flavor of marinated lime chicken, hot off the grill with fresh peppers and onions slightly sauteed for flavor but still with a perfect crunch, all perfectly placed on a grilled tortilla with sour cream, cheese and fresh tomatoes! 

But unfortunately for us, grilled chicken hot off the grill isn't always an option (Mr. Amazing isn't always home on time :). And because I had a jam-packed day and soccer practices in the early evening, I decided to try a crock-pot version instead!

I made up a marinade from Weber I got on clearance at Smith's and poured it over frozen chicken and strips of bell peppers and onion rings. After 7 hours, the chicken shredded perfectly and was ready for a browned tortilla.

Verdict: It's a keeper. I still say hot off the grill wins by a few points, and in the future I think I will just do the chicken in the slow cooker and then saute the peppers and onions right before we eat! But it's definitely easier and quicker, so I'll definitely be repeating it!

3 chicken breasts

3-4 bell peppers, cut in strips 

1 large onion, cut into rings

Tortillas

Sour cream

Cheese

Chopped tomatoes

Put chicken into slow cooker and cover with your fav marinade. Cook on low for 7-8 hours and shred. You can either add the onions and bell peppers with the chicken at the beginning or saute them right before you eat in a pan. Heat up a skillet on medium heat and brown the tortillas on each side. Serve with all your fav toppings!

Cowboy Salsa

This is a pretty popular salsa known under many names, but I call in Cowboy Salsa, because I am a die hard Wyoming-ite and therefore, a salsa that is this amazing needs some association with us Cowboys :) (even if I am just a wanna-be cowboy haha). My daughter's fav snack ever, she sees me buy an avocado and she starts jumping for joy...

1 can black beans, rinsed, drained

1 can corn, drained

1 bunch green onions

1 bunch cilantro chopped

1 avocado

1 tomato

Salt to taste

1 pkg Italian Dressing mixed up according to directions. Not a requirement, but it does taste better if you can make the dressing up a few hours in advance and let it refrigerate.

Mix everything together but the dressing. Only add dressing right before serving. Watch the bowl disappear in record time (or hide what is left in the fridge in the furthest part of the fridge for that midnight craving :)

Cilantro Lime Chicken with Corn & Black Beans

From overthebigmoon.com, this one is a keeper! Holy buckets! Just looking at the picture makes my mouth water! This is definitely going to be doubled for an extra freezer meal! My family loved this one served on heated tortillas with all the toppings. The only thing I would add is some fresh cilantro at the end when it is done.

1 ½ lbs chicken breast

Juice from 2 limes

1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped

1 (16 oz) bag frozen corn

2 minced garlic cloves

½ red onion, chopped

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 tsp cumin

Salt and pepper to taste

Place all ingredients into a resealable gallon-sized freezer bag. Mix together and zip bag closed. When ready to eat, remove from freezer and thaw in fridge for 24 hours. Cook on low for 8 hours. Serve with tortillas and toppings such as sour cream, guacamole, salsa and cheese, and fresh chopped cilantro.