Super Easy, Quick, Yummy Burritos...

Seriously, this is the easiest and fastest dish I’ve ever made. This dish quickly became a favorite amongst my family. And it s perfect when you don’t have enough time or energy to stand over the stove for a long period of time.

1 pound of ground beef
1 can of black beans
1 jar of salsa --- I prefer the chucky salsa
Shredded Mexican Cheese --- However much you want.
1 pack of taco seasoning or you can mix in your own seasoning.
Large flour tortillas ---Burrito size. Get however many you need.

1.      Cook the meat well, drain.

2.      Turn the heat to medium, add  the taco seasoning to the meat.

3.      Add the beans (no need to drain)

4.      Add the salsa. 

4.      Cook for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

It will be a little soupy, but that’s fine….I said a little…if it’s too soupy, continue to cook until it’s not so soupy.

5.      Turn off the heat, and sprinkle (or dump) shredded cheese on top of meat mixture, until nice and cheesy aka melted.

6.      Add the meat mixture to the flour tortilla and roll like a burrito.

Guess what? Ta-Da! You are done! Told ya it was easy.

And of course you add all sorts of toppings…sour cream, lettuce, onions, peppers (onions & peppers are already in the chunky salsa, which is why I get it.) You can even add corn to the meat mixture while it’s cooking. Totally up to you.

Enjoy!

Spiced Beef Empanadas w/Lime Sour Cream...

You must know that I love trying out new recipes, although it always takes me a lot longer than what the recipe calls for, I love it! You just never know when you might make something that you'll absolutely love and it might become the staple of a family dinner.

Mr. P is a meats man. I remember one time I made soup and grilled cheese for dinner and he just looked over at me and asks where the meat is. So I must keep this in mind when making any plate of food. Plus he loves spicy food. Whereas I am still getting used to the idea of heat in my food. Makes things a little interesting sometimes.

So I had some ground beef thawing, and the thought of burgers or burritos just sounded boring. So of course I went to my go to website, and found something that looked quite appetizing.

Do not make fun of my aluminum foil covered stove! ps.com it's not my stove, not that that matters anyways. 

I decided to add corn, jalapeños, and some hot peppers. (not pictured) I wanted a little more flavor. The recipe calls for yellow raisins, which add a sweetness to the dish, which I really liked but you know I had to add a little bit of my flair and heat. 

I didn't have any cookie cutters at hand, so I just used the rim end of the cup. Worked just as well. 

I would suggest you hold the dough in your hand. And proceed with the steps, while still holding the dough in your one hand. When I did it on the plate, the dough got stuck on the plate. Which is why some of the empanadas started to tear and get holes. 

Ta-Da! They were really tasty. I liked that the raisins added sweetness, but I do like a little kick to my food. I added some other vegetables, so you can too. Just make sure you cut the dough pieces bigger to accommodate. I've also made these empanadas with my own recipe and with corn dough(mesa) instead of flour dough. And if you want some cheese with your empanadas, add some cheese on top and melt. Enjoy!

The "Mis-Adventures" of the Holidays - Part Deux

Then along came a little holiday called Thanksgiving, which is MY HOLIDAY!!!! Sorry I get a little over bearing of the holiday. I like to be the commander in chief/chef for this one, until I realized that I have one hour to go till dinner time I still have to cook about 3 more items! Thank goodness for appetizers. This year it was almost a one (wo)man mission, fortunately my sister and my cousin helped a bit.

So the adventure begins....first get the whole menu.

Mind you I am standing in line to pay...in the middle of the aisle. Yes it's the one that everyone seems to be out in the grocery store...I wonder why?

Precious cargo, no riding in the truck 

Prepping....I need EVERYTHING!

This turkey is covered in family "secrets", it's what makes it extra juicy.

I had to refuel at some point.

The end result...5 minutes into the meal. I still haven't gotten my plate.

So sitting amongst family and my family friends, we enjoy yet another Thanksgiving dinner. All the work feels good and yummy.