I go through phases of cooking new recipes up a storm, or being super lazy and avoiding the grocery store like the plague. I always feel better about myself when cooking my own food, so luckily I have been on a cooking kick lately! Here are the top 5 favorite recipes I have tried lately (and they all received the boyfriend stamp of approval!):
1. One Pot Taco Pasta
This was really good, and great for leftovers! I followed the recipe exactly except I used ground turkey instead of ground beef. If you like spice, I would add in some chili powder or red pepper because it didn't have much of a kick. I served mine with a spoonful of greek yogurt and diced avocado.
2. Cheeseburger Casserole
This casserole has been on my list of dishes to make for awhile. The idea of it reminded me of the good 'ol Hamburger Helper we used to have when I was a kid, but this version is lightened up a little bit and less than 300 calories a serving. Gina's recipes never let me down!
3. Broccoli and Cheese Mini Omelets
Breakfast isn't really my favorite meal, but I am really trying hard to eat something to get the day started right. I am always rushing around so my breakfast has to be something I can quickly heat up or it just won't happen. I have experimented with several "baked eggs in muffin pan" recipes and they have all been huge fails, so when I saw this recipe I didn't have high hopes but figured I would try it out because I have always had good luck with Skinnytaste recipes. Also, I am not a huge fan of broccoli so I knew this recipe had the odds stacked against it. Verdict - it was awesome! They tasted like mini quiches! They were very tasty heated up and topped with some salsa. The only downfall was they stuck to my pan quite a bit so it was a pain to clean (I love cooking, but hate doing dishes!). I attempted to remix this recipe this week and instead of broccoli, I used storebought pico de gallo and thought I would be smart and use cupcake liners to prevent the sticking. Unfortunately that was a terrible idea because the liners basically dissolved and baked into the egg mixture. I was so sad!!! Breakfast this week has been pretty lame since my planned breakfasts didn't workout.
4. Black Bean and Sweet Corn Guacamole Dip
I made this dip the other weekend for my contribution to book club dinner with friends. It was more work than I expected (lots of chopping and mixing) but was worth it! It was a cool feeling knowing that I knew exactly what was in all layers of this dip! I had never made my own bean dip before, and don't own a food processor (it's on my Christmas list!) so my poor little electronic chopper got a workout! I used feta cheese because I couldn't find cotijia and it tasted just fine. I also had an extra avocado on hand so used 3 instead of the recommended 2 (because there is no such thing as too much avocado!)
5. 7 Layer Salad Bars
I made these as a last minute addition to the menu for my cousin Stephanie's baby shower back in August. I stumbled upon the recipe on good 'ol Pinterest and figured they looked easy enough to try out to add shower menu. They ended up being a hit! I made a few substitutions (nixed the peas, added shredded lettuce, used plain greek yogurt instead of miracle whip, and added in a half packet of ranch dressing mix to the greek yogurt/cream cheese mixture). They really tasted like mini salads and were the perfect addition to our shower spread! You really could make these your own by adding whatever your favorite salad toppings are. I am planning to keep this recipe close by for the next shower I help host!
What are your favorite recipes? I am always looking to try new ones, it makes cooking more exciting!
