BBQ Chicken salad with Creamy BBQ Cilantro Lime Dressing

How do you feel about Valentines Day? Do you love it, hate it, care less about it? Let me know your thoughts? I'm completely curious and intrigued now about this holiday in a way that I never have been in the past - more on that another time. For now, I'll just share this new recipe that I made for our valentines dinner last night.

I had been wanting to try this salad recipe I recently found on Pinterst from mel's kitchen cafe. I know, salad, it's nothing romantic, you can give me a hard time. But I had all these ingredients in the fridge that I didn't want to waste. Let me tell you, we were not disappointed! In fact the salad is even better the second day, I'm eating the left overs for lunch right now! (don't tell Ryan, he thinks the left overs are waiting for him at home for his lunch... oops!)

You know that I just love a quick meal. One that tastes good and is also good for you is a prerequisite of mine as well. This salad is all that!

I will say this though, I have been cheating big time and buying the pre-cooked chicken at Trader Joes. It's probably loaded with preservatives but until I have 45 minutes to cook my chicken after I get home from work, this is what I'll be doing. I often have these lofty dreams of cooking whole chicken on a Saturday or Sunday, shredding or dicing them all up and then freezing them for such a time as this, but that never happens either. I'm making myself feel guilty right now so I think we all know what I'll be doing this weekend!

Anyway, back to the salad. Grad this recipe and put it in your go-to weeknight meal list! The salad is perfect for a light but protein rich meal with the black beans and chicken. What really does it for me is the creamy BBQ cilantro lime dressing and like I said, it's better the second day. I cut the recipe in half for Ryan and I and didn't use any iceberg lettuce, just romaine. Ryan and I both agreed that next time we make it we are going to add the tortilla strips for extra crunch and texture. That will be really fun!



Hope you enjoy!

BBQ Chicken salad with Creamy BBQ Cilantro Lime Dressing
(from mel's kitchen cafe)

Ingredients:
Chicken and Salad:
3 cups cooked, shredded chicken
2 cups BBQ sauce (I use Buster's Mild BBQ Sauce)
½ head iceberg lettuce, cored and chopped
2 romaine hearts, chopped
1/2 red onion diced
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 1/2 cups frozen corn, thawed
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, cubed small or shredded
4 ounces Monterey jack cheese, cubed small or shredded

Creamy BBQ Cilantro Lime Dressing:
1 cup mayonnaise, light or regular
1/3 cup milk
1/3 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 to 1/2 cup BBQ sauce

Directions:
For the salad, combine the cooked chicken and BBQ sauce in a medium bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use.

In a large bowl, toss together the iceberg lettuce, romaine lettuce, red onion, cilantro, corn, black beans and cheese. Toss the mixed salad with about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of the dressing, if desired. Otherwise, you can serve the dressing on the side. Place salad on plates and top with the prepared BBQ chicken and additional dressing.

For the dressing, combine all the ingredients together and whisk (or shake, if using a jar) vigorously to combine. You could also run this through a blender to make it even more smooth. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Spicy Chicken & Black Bean Quesadillas

It's always easier to fix dinner when you know it's going to be good. And by good I mean mouth watering - deliciously satisfying - can't help but eat more then you should - comfort food type of good.

Tonight's dinner was just that. Good.

This afternoon as I mentally planned tonight's meal and raked by brain for what was at home in my cupboards and in the refrigerator, I knew it had to be something quick and easy as we had somewhere to be later in the evening. Working off of a recipe over here I improvised with the ingredients I had on hand and came up with these spicy chicken and bean bean quesadillas for a quick and easy dinner for tonight (sometime I want try these southwest chicken wraps, they look mouth watering!).

These quesedilla's are absolutely the perfect quick and easy weeknight meal and as I already mentioned they are mouth watering good.

To start with I heated my black beans in a saucepan and then added some chicken, jalapeno and then to give it a little kick and some real good flavor I seasoned the mixture with some spices. Smells so good!

Then I get my pan going with a little bit of olive oil and these really good flour tortillas from Trader Joes (believe me, they are the best flour tortilla shells I have ever had).

I top the shell with a little cheese, followed by my bean and chicken mixture. I top all of that with a little avocado and green onions and place my second shell on top and give it a little squish.

Once my bottom shell has browned and the cheese is starting to melt I carefully flip the whole thing and cook for a few more minutes.

The end result... good food.

Spicy Chicken & Black Bean Quesadillas

Ingredients:
Tortilla shells (I like to use flour unless we are in a gluten free mood and then I use corn)
Two boneless skinless chicken breasts, cooked and diced
One can of black beans, drained
One cup of shredded mixed cheese blend
One large avocado, diced
1/2 of a jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
1/4 cup green onions sliced thin
Juice from one lime
Garlic powder
Chili powder
Cumin
Salt
Olive Oil

Directions:
1. Place black beans in a small saucepan on low heat. Make sure to stir and keep the heat low to avoid burning.

2. To the black beans add, diced chicken and diced jalapeno. Stir to combine.

3. Season the bean & chicken mixture with garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, salt and the juice from one lime. Stir to combine. (I don't really measure the seasonings, so just give them a few shakes and you'll be good to go)

4. Meanwhile, on medium heat drizzle a small amount of olive oil in a large skillet. Once the oil is warm, place the tortilla shell in the skillet and cover the shell with a layer of cheese.

5. Spoon some of the bean & chicken mixture on top of the cheese. Top that with some green onions and avocado.

6. Place the second tortilla shell on top and when the bottom tortilla starts to brown flip the entire quesadilla over until the second shell is browned and the cheese is melted.

7. Once the quesadilla is finished cooking remove from pan, cut into pie shapes (or any shape). Serve with sour cream, guacamole, or just eat plain like we did tonight! Yummmmm!

You can make this with any variation of ingredients, tomatoes, sausage, corn, spinach, kale, the list goes on! You really can't mess this up, well.... maybe you could.

I hope you enjoy! Happy cooking!

Scroogey

I enter into this time of year with mixed emotions. On one hand I love the decorations and the music and all the pretty things that the Christmas season brings. But, on the other hand I loath the busyness and the rushing. I step into this time of year with hesitancy because I know myself. I know that I'm easily stressed, quickly frustrated and too often just a little Scroogey.

There's really nothing that I can do to slow any of it down. The countless Christmas parties and running errands and Christmas shopping and gift wrapping, it will all happen regardless of my attitude.

This morning I was reading in Ephesians. I was on auto pilot as my mind wandered to lists of things to be done and making other mental list of projects yet to come. I kept catching myself wandering away from the words in front of me and would scold myself for my lack of focus. "I just need a word from you Lord", I pleaded, "please!"

I turned the page in my Bible, already reciting the well known passage in my head as I did so. "...and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind." Ephesians 4:23. The word "renewed" quickly caught my attention and my soul seemed to sink into the hope of it's meaning for me. I so desperately need renewal, and not just for a season, but always, everyday.

I dwelt of this verse today and it's conviction in my life. As my husband reminded me, it is the Holy Spirit in my life that does the renewal in me. I can't just "be less stressed" I have to have the fruit of the Spirit do it's work in me.

I don't want to be scroogey and stressed out! I want to be more like Jesus! The only way I'm going to have more of the character of Jesus in my life is if I spend time with Him. Why do I forget these simple things and allow my life to be dominated by self and all it's ugliness?

Here is to stop trying to do it on my own and seek the Lord to fill me up with His Spirit each day!