Mexican Grilled Chicken Cobb Salad.

Photo and recipe by Half Baked Harvest

Ingredients

Seasoned Baked Tortilla Strips (we just used crunched tortilla chips)

• 2 flour tortillas, cut into strips
• 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil

Salad

• ¼ cup fresh lime juice
• 1/3 cup + 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons salsa seasoning mix
• 1 jalapeno, seeded + diced
• 1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• Salt + pepper, to taste
• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast (about 4 small breast)
• 1 packet taco seasoning
• 2 heads romaine lettuce, chopped
• 1 cup monterey jack cheese, shredded
• 1 cup cooked black beans, rinsed + drained if using canned
• 1 cup fresh grilled corn kernels
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 3 hard boiled eggs, sliced
• 1 avocado, pitted + sliced

Instructions

Seasoned Baked Tortilla Strips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a bowl, toss together the tortilla strips, taco seasoning and olive oil, making sure all the tortilla strips are well coated. Spread in an even layer on the baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes or until the strips are crisp. Watch closely, they will burn fast! Remove from the heat and store in a sealed container for up to 1 week.

Salad

In small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, 1/3 cup olive oil, salsa mix, the jalapeno and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper. Set the dressing aside.

Preheat the grill or a grill pan to high heat. Add the chicken to a gallon size Ziploc bag or large bowl. Add the taco seasoning and a drizzle of olive oil (about 3 tablespoons). Then make sure the chicken gets completely covered. Grill the chicken for 3-5 minutes per side or until cooked through. The cooking time will vary depending on how thick your chicken breasts are. Remove from the grill and allow to rest 5 minutes before slicing. Meanwhile, combine the lettuce, cheese, black beans, corn and tomatoes in a bowl. Toss well to combine. Divide the mix among 4 dinner plates or bowls. Slice the chicken and divide among each plate. Top with eggs, sliced avocado and tortilla strips. Drizzle with dressing.

Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

Photo and recipe from Give Me Some Oven

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 small white onion, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 celery stalks, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup flour
8 cups chicken broth
3 cups cooked shredded chicken
2 cups uncooked egg noodles or pasta (I used "wide" egg noodles)
1 (12 oz.) can evaporated skim milk
1 tsp. salt
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
(optional garnish) chopped fresh parsley
Directions:

Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large stockpot or Dutch oven. Saute onion, carrots, and celery for 7 minutes. Add garlic and cook for an additional minute. Sprinkle flour over vegetables, and cook and stir for an additional minute. Gradually stir in broth and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, for 10-15 minutes.

Add remaining ingredients, and stir to combine. Cook for 10 minutes or until noodles are al dente. Season with additional salt and pepper or seasonings if needed.

Serve warm, garnished with fresh parsley if desired.

Black Bean Taco Soup

Photo and recipe from Six Sister's Stuff

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef (or ground turkey tastes so good in this recipe too!)
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 package mild taco seasoning mix
1 16 oz can corn (undrained)
1 16 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed (you could use kidney beans or pinto beans)
1 14 oz can stewed tomatoes
1 14 oz can diced tomatoes
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
1 4 oz can diced green chilis
tortilla chips
Other taco toppings you like (cheese, sour cream, avocado, etc)

Directions:
Brown meat and onion, drain.
Stir in taco seasoning, corn, black beans, tomatoes, tomato sauce, and green chilis. Simmer on low heat for 20 to 30 minutes.
Serve with tortilla chips and your favorite toppings.

This makes an easy freezer meal too! After cooking, let soup cool down and then dump into a gallon-sized Ziploc bag or other freezer container. When you want to eat it, let it thaw in the fridge for 24 hours and then simmer on the stove until heated all the way through or microwave until heated all the way through. You could also put it in your crock pot and cook on low for 2-3 hours to re-heat it.

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

Photo and recipe from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Ingredients

Meatballs:
• 1 1/2 pounds lean ground meat (see note)
• 3/4 cup quick oats or old-fashioned oats that have been lightly pulsed in a blender
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Sauce:
• 1/4 - 1/2 cup brown sugar (depending on how sweet you want the sauce)
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
• 1/4 cup barbecue sauce
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• Hot, cooked rice for serving

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. For the meatballs, combine all of the ingredients and mix well. Form into about 12 meatballs (right around 2-inches each). Place in a lightly greased 9X13-inch pan.
3. For the sauce, whisk together the ingredients until well-combined.
4. Pour the sauce over the meatballs and bake for 30 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked through and the sauce is slightly thickened.
5. Serve over hot, cooked rice, if desired.

Freezable Meal: After covering the meatballs with sauce, cover the pan with two layers of aluminum foil and freeze. To bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and bake covered without thawing for 1 hour. Uncover and bake 20-30 minutes more, until meatballs are cooked through.

Basic Crepes

2 eggs
2 Tbs canola oil
3 Tbs sugar (omit if making savory crepes)
1 C flour
1 1/3 C milk
Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend on low speed until combined, or whisk by hand until there are no lumps.
Heat a non-stick skillet to medium-high heat.  Hold pan with one hand while you pour the batter with the other hand.  Twirl the pan in a circular motion pouring just enough batter to coat the bottom of the pan.   Place on cooking surface and cook until edges are set and you can easily run a rubber spatula around the edge of the pan, 30 seconds.   Flip crepe and cook an additional 15-20 seconds.  Remove crepe from pan and either keep warm in the oven or cool to room temperature.  (recipe from Our Best Bites)        -Tricia

Refried Beans

2 cans refried beans
2 T. hot sauce
2/3 c. sour cream

Stir together on stove until heated through. Then place in casserole pan, sprinkling top with 1 c. grated monetary jack cheese.  Put in 350 oven until cheese is bubbly.  Serve with tortilla chips.
  - Tricia

CHICKEN FAJITAS

1 red pepper, sliced length wise
1 yellow or orange pepper, sliced length wise
1 green pepper. sliced length wise
1 white or yellow onion, cut in long slices
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 lime, juiced
2+ lbs. boneless chicken, uncooked
2 T. taco seasoning
2 cans Rotel

In crockpot layer:
1/2 of the sliced peppers
1/2 sliced onion
chicken (covered on both sides with the taco seasoning)
garlic
1/2 lime juice
1 can Rotel
the rest of the peppers
rest of the onion
rest of the lime juice
1 can Rotel

Turn crockpot on  high for 4 - 6 hrs.  When done shred the chicken and place back in crockpot. Serve on flour tortilla shells with grated cheese, sour cream, and guacamole.  Tricia