In the Kitchen with The Single Gal {mexican fiesta + cornbread}

It's been a bit of struggle to get my mind around posts that aren't random as hell these past two weeks.  But really, this post is brought to you as someone who has worked 13 of the last 14 days {and by the end of this week I will have worked 18 out of the last 19 days!} and let me tell you -- it has been hard to fit in all my other normal activities, appointments, etc. I hope that I will feel a lot better about all of this once I get my paycheck Friday!

I really wanted a home cooked meal and a night at home after a dinner out Friday night but after my other cooking failures the last two weeks {those obvs didn't make it on the blog} I really needed a new recipe that had like zero chances of coming out badly.  Random -- I get really emotional about cooking.  I put so much into and I get so sad if it doesn't turn out right.  So I googled some enchilada recipe and decided to jazz it up.  The original recipe was from the Kraft website or something on All Recipes.  Since I made some necessary additions, I felt it only appropriate that I changed the name of dish. 

{single gal enchiladas}

1 cup low fat sour cream 

1 cup tomatillo salsa

1 small onion, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, minced

2 tsp of oil

3 cups shredded cooked chicken breasts

1 (4 oz) can of green chiles, drained

1 can black beans, drained

1  1/2 cups mexican style shredded cheese

8 (6 inch) flour tortillas

1 avocado, chopped

{Directions}

1. heat oven to 350 degrees F

2. mix sour cream and salsa until well blended.  

3. cook and stir onions and garlic in hot oil in large skillet on medium heat for 4-5 minutes.  Stir in chicken, 1 cup of sour cream mixture, chiles, black beans, and 1/2 cup of cheese. 

4. spoon about 1/3 cup of chicken mixture down the center of each tortilla.  Roll up.  Place, seam side down in 13x9 inch backing dish sprayed with cooking spray.  Top with remaining sour cream mixture and cheese.  Cover. 

5.  Bake 15-20 minutes or until heated through. 

6. Top with chopped avocado and serve! 

A few things -- I love cornbread and I thought that I would make it tex-mex and have some with dinner.  But really I just wanted cornbread.  You don't have to make that part.   These were SO easy {mainly because I bought a rotisserie chicken rather than even cooking one} and SO good.   The least y'all could do is humor me and make them.  And also tell me how great you think they are, too.  Oh, and if I weren't so busy I would have taken a picture...but it didn't even enter my mind that night.  

Love you. Mean it. 

~the single gal~

Uneventful Sunday Fodder: A Spaghetti Squash Recipe for All

 After consuming way too many beer calories last week I have had to work hard and get on track this week.   Eating right is  so hard.  I don't do a great job at this.  I always feel like cooking is too time consuming and too much work for a single person.  But while throwing a Lean Cuisine in the microwave is super easy, I get really tired of it most of the time.  

I am here to share the joy of Spaghetti Squash.  We have all seen it on Pinterest.   I'm here to give my review. Spaghetti is probably one of the easiest meals to make on the planet but I have a lot of pasta guilt.  I really won't eat it very often -- even though I love it.  So trust me when I say that once you put the sauce over your veggie substitute you really can't tell all that much that you aren't eating all those terrible carbs. Don't even mention the change to your family.  I bet they won't notice.  The other good thing about this recipe -- I really can just eyeball everything and it always tastes good.  You can't go wrong.  I saw a recipe on Pinterest but this is how mine has evolved.  I did, however, steal an internet photo as I just dump mine in a little tupperware container which is less than picturesque.  

Spaghetti Squash Spaghetti

note -- photo not mine.

1 package lean ground beef (I spend the extra money on Laura's Lean)

2 medium spaghetti squashes

1 jar store bought spaghetti sauce

salt and pepper to taste

bit o' garlic

directions:

-microwave each spaghetti squash for 5-8 minutes depending on size

(start low and if more is needed just do one minute at a time or it will explode. trust.)

-while microwaving squash brown meat in pan.  add salt & pepper & garlic. drain meat and set aside.

-cut spaghetti squash in half. scoop out seeds. 

-take fork and start to scrape.  it should look like spaghetti.  place in bowl. 

(see below)

note - photo not mine.

-simmer spaghetti squash in pan for 2-3 minutes. remove and put in bowl. 

-place browned ground beef and sauce in sauce pan and simmer for 10 minutes.  

-pour sauce over spaghetti squash and serve. 

Let me know if you make this and I missed something.  Or if you love it. Or if you hate it.  

Also, I need more easy, healthy recipes.  Can't eat spaghetti all season so please share some links or ideas. 

Love you. Mean it. 

~the single gal~

Butter Really Does Make Everything Better

Just because the holidays have come and gone doesn't mean that my baking frenzy is over! I came yesterday and it was a very rainy afternoon. I had a migraine and thought my whole evening after work was completely done for, but I was cruising Pinterest after taking some meds and was suddenly feeling better and feeling inspired.  

Let's talk about the best part of this recipe -- I had all the ingredients measured out and practically had them all mixed together by the time my oven was pre-heated! What's better than a super easy bread recipe that takes next to no time and involves a beer? I used a leftover Guinness that was in the fridge since I had to buy them to make a beef stew a few weeks ago {that I never ended up blogging about}.  

I have linked the recipe to credit the person who came up with this delicious and easy bread, but you can also just read it below. 

~Honey Beer Bread~

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 Tbsp honey or agave nectar
• 1 12 oz bottle of beer
• 4 Tbsp butter, melted (you can double if you want)

Yield: 1 Loaf

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9"x 5" x 3" loaf pan

In a medium bowl whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Using a wooden spoon, stir the beer and honey into the dry ingredients until just mixed.  Tip -- put the honey into the microwave for a bit to make it easier to mix!

Pour half the melted butter into the loaf pan. Spoon batter into pan, then pour the rest of the butter on top. 

Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until top is golden brown. Serve immediately. 

Smells good!!! 

Butter really did make my day better. And beer.  And bread. 

Love you. Mean it. 

~the single gal~