Spiced Plantain Tacos (Vegan)

What's up Guys!
Today I have for you an easy and quick dinner! I found this on another crazy day at work, when there was nothing to do but surf the web for amazing and easy dinners! As you all know I work in a kitchen so when I say surf the web I really mean on my phone. My bosses don't even mind as long as its job related! Oh and in exactly one week this exact meal with be on the menu at work! I know, I'm fabulous! Haha! Anyway, On to the good stuff!

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon Chile powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 ripe plantains (looks like a big banana and you want them to have brown spots on the yellow peel. It means its ripe and perfect!)
1 tablespoon olive oil
8- 6 inch corn tortillas
1/4 red onion, sliced
1 avocado, diced
1 handful fresh cilantro
1/2 red bell pepper, sliced or diced
sliced jalapenos (optional)

Directions:

1. In a small bowl combine chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper. Mix as well as you can.
2. Slice the plantains on a bias about 1/2 inch thick.
3. Sprinkle the plantains with the spice mixture and at the same time heat the oil in a pan.
4. Place the spiced side down and cook until a brown crust develops about 2-3 minutes. Sprinkle the other side with the leftover spice mixture and flip. cook for another 2-3 minutes.
5. Arrange everything onto the tortillas and enjoy!


I think its now time to rant!

Well you guys already know that this is going to be on the menu at work so I don't really have to tell you much on how I liked it. Sadly, my amazing boyfriend said he preferred tacos with meat to these... So sad... I thought that this recipe was super easy and I liked them a lot! I could eat them all the time. Although, I do have to admit something.... Come everyone and gather around..... I thought plantains were a potato. I know, I know. Stupid of me but what can I say? I've never had one before. What I loved about this recipe was the most is  fact that even though I thought it was one thing, I still learned something new and I am so glad that I did. You never stop learning! The spice mix tasted just like the store bought taco seasoning so I highly recommend keeping this in your pocket for when you do make tacos. Plantains or not its still cheaper to make your own... Unless you're lazy like me and have about 40 of those little taco seasoning packets in your pantry. I like tacos.Anyways, the flavor of these were very good. Originally the red pepper wasn't in the recipe but I had one in my fridge that needed to be used up and I thought it fit very well! I loved how the avocado smoothed all the flavors together and really made it feel like an authentic Mexican flavor.... Not that I really know what that is here in America. Hahaha! Well its that time again.... Its time for me to leave and cook some more!  So I'll see you guys next week and maybe if I'm nice I'll give you a hint on next weeks recipe.... I said maybe!

With love'
Lil' Char

Scalloped Chicken Hot dish

Hey guys! How you doing? Just so I let you know us Minnesotans Love our hot dishes! Haha!

Anyways,  what should I say about this recipe? The reason I chose to make it? Well if we take it like that then the reason I made this was for my coworker. He said the vegetarians are weird and should eat meat. Now I'm not a vegetarian. I'm more flexible then that. Thanks to last October I four that I really liked eating veggie. If you don't remember October is national Vegetarian/ Vegan month and I pledged to be a vegetarian and it was a success. I enjoyed it and couldn't help but keep close to a vegetarian diet... And then theirs my boyfriend. He never knew what a vegetarian ate until he met me, But I'm proud to say that he has liked most of my dished that I have made over the past half a year! Anyway, I decided to prove that I could eat meat and cook it, since I am a cook after all. So with nothing else to say until my rambles at the end of the page here's the recipe!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup margarine or butter. ( I used margarine.)

1 package PASTA RONI Shells and cheddar

2 cups frozen mixed veggies (I used corn, peas, beans, and carrots.)

2/3 cups milk

2 cups chopped cooked chicken

1/4 cup dry bread crumbs ( I used Italian style panko bread crumbs)


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 Fahrenheit.

2. in a 3- quart saucepan, combine 2 1/4 cup water and 2 tablespoons of butter to a boil. Stir in pasta and frozen veggies. Bring that back to a boil and cook for about 12 minutes or until the water it almost completely absorbed.

3. Add the Pasta Roni seasoning packet, milk and chicken. Cook for another 3 minutes or until the sauce starts to thicken.

4. In a separate pan melt the remaining butter and toss with bread crumbs.

5. Place the chicken mixture into a 3 quart cooking dish and cover with the bread crumbs.

6. Cook in the oven for 10 minutes or until the breadcrumbs are golden brown and the sauce it
bubbly.

7. Let sit for a few minutes and enjoy!


Its Rambles Time:

First off let me just say don't make this recipe in the summer.... My gosh it made the apartment so hot and sticky!!! I almost started cooking in my skivvies!!! Please get that image out of your head. Haha! So as my apartment heated up my patience started to decline and here comes mistakes. First off I grabbed my almond milk instead of the actual milk, if my boyfriend wasn't there to stop me we could have had a disaster! My almond milk happens to be dark chocolate. Oops! So after that I tried to pay more attention but it was hard with my kitten on top of the kitchen cabinets. He has somehow gotten himself on top of the fridge and on top of the cabinets. Not okay but I wasn't going to let him come down and walk on a hot stove so to my luck he stayed there. When it was in the oven I wished I had put garlic in it. I love the smell of garlic and it would have tasted heavenly!!! But sadly I didn't. If anyone does please tell me how it is!!!! As for the taste well it actually tasted like an alfredo chicken pot pie. It was good don't get me wrong but something was missing and I'm convinced that, that thing is garlic and maybe some pepper! I think though the next time I make this I will make it in the winter and add garlic. Oh and my boyfriend really liked it! He said to put it in our recipe box, or on my blog! Haha! Sorry when I made this I decided to make it a winter recipe and I held it for a little while. So sorry if my rambles seemed weird with the whole summer thing. Again, please post pictures in the comments and tell me all about your changes if you make any! I would love to hear from you guys!

Ta Ta for Now,
Lil' Char

Lasagna Primavera (vegetarian)

Hey guy!!!! How is everyone? As for me, I am amazing! This recipe I'm bringing you is awesome! do you know why its awesome? Well I'm going to tell you anyways. It because my boyfriend decided to help out! Actually he basically made the whole thing! I couldn't be happier! Food always tastes better when someone else makes it! But I did help!

Ingredients:

12 uncooked lasagna noodles
3 cups frozen broccoli florets (from 14oz bag), thawed and well drained
3 large carrots roughly chopped or shredded (I chopped mine)
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, well drained
2 medium bell peppers, cut into 1/2- inch pieces
1 container (15oz) ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg
2 containers (10oz each) refrigerated Alfredo sauce
1 bag (16oz) shredded mozzarella cheese (4 cups)






Directions:

1. Cook and drain noodles according to the package.

2. Meanwhile, cut the veggies and keep in a large bowl. In a small bowl mix both of the cheeses and the egg.

3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a large glass baking dish, (13 x 9 - inch or 3- quart) spoon 2/3 cup of the Alfredo sauce. Place 4 noodles over sauce. Spread with half of the cheese mixture and 2 1/2 cups of vegetable mixture; randomly spoon 2/3 cup remaining sauce in dollops over nodes. Sprinkle with 1 cup mozzarella cheese. Repeat that step once more.

4. Place the remaining 4 noodles on top and cover with the remaining vegetables and Alfredo sauce. Cover with cheese and bake.

5. Bake uncovers for about 45 to 60 minutes or until bubbly and hot in the center. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.


*** Side note. The Alfredo sauce may bubble over the sides of the dish so to prevent the bottom of the oven from getting dirty place a cookie sheet under the glass dish***

Ye Old Rambling Corner:

As you know before my boyfriend happened to make most of this recipe so it was nice to be able to sit back and chill. I loved the long baking time because I could actually update my blog while it cooked. Most of the time I wait until after. Oh and while we were putting this dish together I found a water mark on a noodle that made me super happy! I thought it actually looked like a dinosaur!!! I would love to hear your opinions on it so I'll have to post a picture of it! I find it adorable!
This dish is perfect for a cold winter night, all nestled in front of the fire, with a good book! I guess in my mind I feel like anything that uses the oven is a winter dish! Especially, here in Minnesota. It gets very cold here so warm oven dishes make the best things on a cold night! I guess it could be good in the summer with some summer veggies, like squash and zucchini, but have the air on or you'll be sweating! Oh man I wish we would have done that! We are gong to have to try that soon!!!! Oh and we added some asparagus to the mix. We had it in the fridge and wanted to use it! it made a very good addition! Oh and you know how the recipe calls for a can of diced tomatoes.... Well we were so distracted by the dino noodle to add it in.... It was still super yummy without it but I think next time we will have to remember it! Haha!