Juevos Mexicano

I was in HEAVEN last night with this dish!

#1 I love breakfast for dinner, so eggs were exactly what I needed.

#2 FLAVOR!

#3 And it wasn't even too spicy for me. Perfecto!

Anyone who knows me has seen me eat "Mexican" food before. I'm that girl who mixes EVERYTHING together ... the most common comment I hear is, "OMG! It looks like baby poop!" after I finish getting all the flavors combined. BUT I do it so I have the combo of the flavors all mashed up in my mouth and exploding my taste buds at one time! As a flavor bonus last night, I added diced mango and avocado into the mix and created that perfect blend of spicy and sweet. SERIOUSLY in love with this dish!

I adapted the recipe from Closet Cooking with a couple of differences. I didn't have chipotle chili powder so I used my regular Southwest Chipotle Seasoning mix I have on hand. Also, I baked the eggs at the end like they did ... but it took more like 25 minutes for them to be done instead of 5-8. *SADNESS* Dave didn't like the egg results even after baking so he pouched his and added them, so that is the method I'm going to suggest in the recipe because it takes LESS TIME and the result is about the same. Also added in corn for a carb (you could do rice if you wanted) and a little less jalapeño which made it perfect spiciness for me. Never be afraid to add more veggies! In fact, I added spinach to get more "green" into the dish and you couldn't even notice a taste difference.

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Juevos Mexicano

1 tbsp. EVOO
1 small red onion, diced
2-4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chipotle seasoning
1 jalapeño pepper, diced
2 10-oz. cans diced tomatoes (with green chilies) or 4 cups diced fresh tomatoes
1 12-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 c. frozen corn
1 tsp. oregano

1 handful cilantro, chopped
1 handful fresh baby spinach

2 eggs per person

Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until tender. Add the garlic, cumin, chipotle, and jalapeño and cook for a minute. Add the tomatoes, black beans, oregano and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat and simmer until the sauce thickens, about 20 minutes. At the end, throw in cilantro and spinach and warm until wilted.

Pouch your eggs or pan fry sunnyside up (all you need is a squirt of cooking spray to keep them from sticking to the pan). Two eggs per person should be enough protein along with the beans in the sauce for a meal.

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Again: I paired my awesomeness with mango and avocado for extra flavor and fell in love! I'm a huge yolk person so this is a perfect meal for me.

Challenge-Friendly: YES.

Santa Fe Crockpot Chicken

This is by far one of my favorite throw-n-go crockpot recipes lately! I will admit I tried it on the stove top to save time one night and it was totally sub-par in comparison. There is something about letting it simmer all day that adds that extra to the flavor of the chicken. Take the 5 minutes to throw it together before you head out the door and your taste-buds will be loving you later!

I adapted this from Skinny Taste: http://www.skinnytaste.com/2009/02/crock-pot-santa-fe-chicken-425-pts.html?m=1

Ah how I love Skinny Taste! But I generally forgo the cheese and, even though brown rice is a perfectly acceptable option, this is going over spinach tonight so I'm not doubling up on carbs (since, yes, corn is a carb!). I think most of you know I'm pretty carb conscious when I eat at home. Now, dinner out with any of you and you might see me opt for stuff I generally don't eat everyday so don't give my cheeseburger the evil eye since I probably haven't had one in a few weeks! LOL Let's get cooking ....

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Santa Fe Crockpot Chicken

2-4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
1 can black beans
1 can diced tomatoes with green chilies (or 2 large tomatoes diced)
1 c. frozen corn
1/2 Red Onion - diced

14 oz. of water mixed with 2 tsp. chicken broth starter (or use 1 can low sodium chicken broth)
2 tsp. Onion Powder
1 tsp. Garlic Powder
2-4 cloves of Garlic - minced
1 tsp. cayenne pepper

Optional: chop up peppers like jalepeno or Serrano. The original calls for cilantro which is an awesome addition if you have on hand.

Season the chicken with the onion powder, garlic powder and cayenne pepper. Set aside. Mix everything else in the bottom of the crockpot. Place seasoned chicken on top (submerge a little if possible). Set in High 6 Hours or Low 10 Hours.

Shred chicken in the pot an hour before serving and crack lid so some moisture cooks out. Serve with brown rice or lettuce wraps. Warning: will be wet!

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I love this stuff! And it freezes well, makes a great salad the next day with a little hot sauce ... Simple and easy! If you need it spicier, add more cayenne or some red pepper flakes.

Challenge-Friendly: YES! Mmmmmmm