Better Than it Looks!

I had every intent of following a recipe from Holly today. Seriously. Every intent. I bought all the stuff (or so I thought) for a recipe I’ve made before called “La Bamba Casserole” but, since I’d only made it once, I guess I forgot a few things. Oh well. What I came up with was quite delicious! It really didn’t look very pretty… kind of like I’d already eaten it:

See? Not pretty, at all. I promise though, you’ll want to try this, whether with beef like I did or with turkey or even boca crumbles! I’m calling this recipe:

Chili-Corn Taco Pie

Ingredients

1 lb. lean ground beef, turkey, or imitation meat crumbles

1 small can roasted green chiles

1 can yellow corn, undrained

1 small onion, diced

1 tsp. minced garlic

2 tsp olive oil

1 packet reduced sodium taco seasoning

1/3 c. instant brown rice

1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper

1 can fat free refried beans

1/2 c. shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese

Directions

Pre-heat oven to 375*. In a large skillet, heat the oil with the garlic and onion, cooking until the onion is slightly transluscent, about 3 minutes. Add your protein, and cook until crumbled and almost cooked through. Pour the entire contents of the can of corn into the pan, followed by the taco seasoning. Add the rice and simmer about 3 minutes. Pour contents of the chile can into the bottom of an 8×8 square pan, followed by the meat mixture. Spread the refried beans on top of the meat mixture. Top with cheese, and bake until bubbling and the cheese is brown, about 25 minutes.

This tasted JUST like a spicy burrito without the wrap! I think tomorrow, I may put a serving IN a wrap and see how that is… Next time, I’ll roast the corn too, that would add a nice touch.

Before I bring you my Guest for dinner, I’d like to direct your attention to the top bar of the site. Notice how there’s a “Guests For Dinner” link now? Well, if one of the guests’ recipes appeal to you, just click on the link, and you’ll have a list right there of all the guest posts! The links included will bring you to the original guest post.

Now, for the first time, I have a Guest for Dinner who’s been here before! I mentioned that I didn’t have a guest for tonight, and Foodie McBody stepped up with another FANTASTIC dish! So, Foodie, pull up a chair, have a seat at my table, and tell us about your meal!

Did you ever have one of those times when you open up an invitation when you’re about to leave to go to a party/event and you see those dreadful (forgotten) words: It’s a potluck!! This happened to me recently. I knew that I had no time to deal with buying anything. I needed to have something cooking while I was showering/dressing.

So I scrambled through the pantry/refrigerator to see what I had. I found: a bag of Trader Joe’s "Harvest Grains Blend." It included: "a savory blend of Israeli Style Couscous, Orzo, Baby Garbanzo Beans, and Red Couscous." They looked SO pretty in the bag – a lovely mix of colors! and the best thing? They take FIVE MINUTES to cook! I was sold. I also found a bag of petite crimson lentils and decided to mix those in. 

Meanwhile, I scrambled around in the fridge. Found mushrooms and asparagus. Chopped and sauteed them while the water was boiling.  Cooked the grains.  Added the veggies, along with Walnut Vinagrette from the NY Times Asparagus/Wild Rice salad (which I was not going to make because the rice takes 45 minutes to cook):

For the walnut vinaigrette:
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar or champagne vinegar
Salt, preferably kosher salt, to taste
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 small garlic clove, finely minced or pureed
1/4 cup walnut oil
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Added some chopped walnuts. When I got to the party, sprinkled a bunch of feta cheese over the top.

PEOPLE RAVED about it. I was happy. It was one of the easiest potluck dishes ever, took next to no time, and was yummy.

Link for Asparagus Wild Rice salad: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/23/health/nutrition/23recipehealth.html?em

That looks fantastic!! Thanks for being my last-minute guest (again)! Would you like to be my guest for dinner? Do you have a signature dish you’d like to share? Just send an email, detailing your dish with a recipe, and preferably some pictures to mara@imadedinner.net and I’ll post your meal! I’d love to have you all as my guests

I got word today that the “really cool thing” I mentioned yesterday is on its (or their?) way here as we speak. Hopefully, you’ll all know about it in a week!

Sorry about the short and relatively lame post… but I’m just beat! I have to go make a pot of ratatouille before my veggies go bad, and then lay on the couch while it simmers and watch the rest of ANTM!

Adios Bellos!

 

Tagged as: Guests for Dinner, Mexican, simple recipe, spicy