eatin' good in the neighborhood

Here's some stuff we've been munching on over the past two weeks:

Arroz con Pollo: click here for the recipe

Pulled Pork with Ramen Noodle Coleslaw and Balsamic Glazed Carrots.

For the pulled pork click here

This is where I got the recipe for the carrots

Here's the coleslaw!

Chicken Pot Pie 

Thanks eatliverun for the recipe!

Taco Soup

I got this recipe from one of my college dance friends, and I've tweaked it a bit.  Here she is:

Ingredients:

1 lb lean beef, browned and drained

1 can of corn

1 small can chopped green chilies

2 cans stewed tomatoes, chopped

1 can of black beans

2 cans of pinto beans

1 packet of taco seasoning 

1 packet of ranch dressing mix

3 tbsp chili powder

12 oz of water

Instructions:

-Begin by browning the meat until completely brown; drain and empty into a large pot.

-Add each cup of vegetables, after being boiled until soft, into the pot with the meat one at a time

-Once adding in all of the veggies, mix in the taco seasoning and ranch dressing mix.

-Depending on the amount being made, it is optional to add a vegetable can sized amount of water. 

-Once adding all of the ingredients together let the soup simmer on the stove until it is time to serve. 

I served the soup with some Mexican cheese and sour cream on top and guacamole and tortilla chips on the side...

For my guacamole, I just mash up two avocados, chop up a tomato, and add in one of those seasoning packets you can find for 99 cents at the grocery store.  If I'm feeling frisky I might even squeeze a lime over the top.

Mozzarella-stuffed Meatballs with Spaghetti and a Bleu Cheese Salad.  

Here's where I found the meatballs

The sauce is just Classico's "Tomato and Basil".

This is the salad:

To make this salad, I just chop up about a head of lettuce, add in two or three diced tomatoes, sprinkle on two chopped hard-boiled eggs, and throw in some croutons.  Then we just scoop it onto our plates and let the bleu cheese dressing flow.   

All of these recipes turned out great.  However, if I had to give one the award for "Jamie's fave" it would be the pulled pork.  That stuff was so darn easy to make, and it was awesome.  It's very versatile too.  You can have it with BBQ sauce and put it on a sandwich.  Put it on some chips, add cheese, and you've got some nachos.  You could even use it to make tacos, enchiladas, soups...the list goes on.  AND it made a TON of pork.  The total cost of that entire meal was about $12, and it fed us for four or five lunches/dinners.  The next time I have a party/event with a lot of people, that will be my go-to dish.

Happy eating everyone!