Guests for Dinner: Mexican Night {Recipes #80-82}

I love having dinner with friends!

Our first apartment is tiny {been wondering why there aren't any pictures? ;)} so we haven't had very many people over.. but each time we do we have so much fun hosting!

Our good friends Kendra and Nate had us over to their first house earlier in the fall so we returned the gesture by having them over for a Mexican Fiesta and Card Night. Of course neither the Mexican "theme" nor the Card Night part had been determined prior to the week. It worked out well though, and we had lots of fun catching up with them!

I decided to make several recipes from Pioneer Woman's cookbooks. I made Tequila Lime Chicken & Mexican Rice and then I made up my own Black Bean recipe.

We also started the night out with my FAVORITE guacamole recipe and chips. Always a hit! It's SO good!

Mexican Black Beans

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

Canola oil

1 Tsp. minced garlic

1/4 cup or less of finely chopped onion

2 Cans of black beans, mostly drained

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp. garlic salt

1/2 tsp. cajun seasoning

1) Put the oil, garlic and onion in a sauce pan over medium-high heat. Saute the garlic and onion until the onion is translucent. Add the drained black beans with a bit of the canned liquid. Add the spices to taste or as recipe states. Cook until warmed through. Serve with your favorite Mexican dish or as I did with Pioneer Woman's recipes!

What is your favorite meal for entertaining?    

All for now,

Alexandra

Salsa Chicken {recipe #59}

I stumbled across this recipe in a rush and it ended up being amazing for how easy it was! Kyle even commented that it got him to eat lots of veggies and like them!

Salsa Chicken

Borrowed, Adapted and Enjoyed from Big Book of Slow Cooker, Casseroles and More. 

Ingredients:

1 cup uncooked regular rice

2 cups water

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts {1 1/4 lb}

2 T. olive oil or vegetable oil

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1 medium zucchini, chopped {2 cups}

1 cup chunky style salsa

1 can (11 oz) sweet corn, drained

1/4 cup sour cream

2 T. chopped fresh cilantro

1) Cook rice in water as directed on package.

2) Meanwhile, between pieces of plastic wrap or waxed paper flatten chicken breasts with the flat side of a meat mallet until they are 1/4 inch thick. 

3) In a skillet, heat 1 T of the oil over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Add chicken, cook for 6-10 minutes, turning once until golden brown on each side and no longer pink in the middle. Remove and keep warm.

4) In the same skillet, heat remaining tablespoon of oil. Add zucchini, cook for 3 minutes. Stir in salsa and corn. Reduce heat to medium, cook 2 minutes longer or until thoroughly heated. Serve chicken over rice, top with vegetables top with sour cream and cilantro.

What is your favorite super quick dinner?

All for now,

Alexandra