Happy 4th Fruit Flag!

Thank you Pinterest for all your fabulous ideas for this not so crafty mama! The ingredients/directions are pretty self explanatory. Made this fun munchie for a toddler potluck play date! Enjoy and Happy 4th of July!

Note: place the cut bananas in 1 cup of water and 3 TBS lemon juice to prevent browning!

Teriyaki Beef with Broccoli over Sticky Rice

Chinese food is a love of mine, and I really want to learn how to cook it. Getting the same flavors I would get when ordering take out, but being able to control the healthiness of the meal. I also LOVE sticky rice and have just discovered the easiest way to make it...thanks to my many Google searches! This recipe was a hit with the entire family, and will now go on our regular menu. However, next time I make it I will try it with chicken just to avoid red meat. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 lb beef sirloin tips (marinate overnight in teriyaki marinade)
1cup uncooked sweet jasmine rice
2 cups broccoli florets
1/4 cup teriyaki marinade
soy sauce (optional)

Directions:
1. Rinse rice in cold water until water runs clear. Soak rice in water for 10-12 hours or overnight, covered.

2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil...here's the trick! Use a pot that can hold a splatter screen over the top and fill so the water is about 3 inches below the screen. Place the rice in a mound on the center of the screen and cover with a stainless steel bowl. Cook the rice for 20 minutes. Remove the bowl and move the rice around and then recover and cook for an additional 20 minutes.

3. Meanwhile grill the sirloin tips until medium, or desired doneness. Cut up in cubes.

4. As soon as rice is done cooking place into bowls, and drop broccoli into boiling water. Blanch for 3 minutes. Remove and toss in teriyaki sauce.

5. Place broccoli and meat over rice. Sprinkle with soy sauce if desired. Enjoy!

Chicken Avocado Enchilada Casserole

What is there not to love about chicken and avocado in the same dish?! This came out so yummy and my son ate it up! My daughter hates avocados, and wasn't eating what I was cooking... I found this recipe on Pinterest; it's from the blog www.closetcooking.com. This blog looks like it has some amazing dishes and I will be trying more from there. The great thing about this dish is you can make it ahead of time, throw it in the fridge and bake when ready. That is always a nice feature as a mom, I love being able to prepare dinner while the kids nap...prep with out worrying if the knife is to close to the edge of the counter, loading the dishwasher without a mini me unloading it and oh, doin' a little jig around the kitchen to non-Fisher Price or Disney music! The simple pleasures in life! Enjoy.

Ingredients

Sauce
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup salsa verde
1/2 cup sour cream (or Greek yogurt)
2 avocados
1 jalapeno, coarsely chopped (remove seeds for less heat)
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon cumin, toasted and ground
salt and pepper to taste
1 handful cilantro
1/2 lime, juice

Filling
4 cups cooked shredded chicken (I ran my through the food processor so it was very fine)
2 avocados, diced
2 green onions, sliced
2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
2 cups monterey jack cheese, shredded
8 corn tortillas

Directions 

1. Puree the chicken broth, salsa verde, sour cream, avocados, jalapeno, garlic, cumin, salt and pepper, cilantro and lime juice in a blender or food processor.
2. Mix the half of the sauce with the chicken, avocado, green onions and half of the cheese. 
3. Coat the bottom of a circular baking dish with non-stick spray. Lay one corn tortilla, filling, sauce, cheese, repeat. Do this until you fill your dish. 
4. Bake in a preheated 350F oven until the cheese has melted and the sides are bubbling, about 15-20 minutes.
5. For my toddler friendly version place the filling and cheese in a whole wheat tortilla and roll tightly like a taquito. Spray with Pam and salt. Bake the same as above.

Chicken Ranch Avocado Burger

Looking for a different take on beef burgers and being on a huge avocado kick right now I am searching for new recipes...This is a winner! The kids LOVED it and so did the hubby and I. We ate this with curly fries and corn. Such a fun summer time dinner. Enjoy!

Ingredients: 

1 lb Ground Chicken

1/2 c. Panko Bread Crumbs

1/4 c. Italian Bread Crumbs

1 Tbsp dried onion

1 tsp Seasoned Salt

1 tsp Garlic Powder

2 Tbsp BBQ Sauce

4 Tbsp Ranch Dressing (plus extra to top burger with)

2 Tbsp Butter

4 Buns

Avocado

Provolone and Swiss cheese slices

Directions: 

1. Preheat your grill.

2. In a large bowl mix together everything through ranch dressing.

3. Form chicken mixture into 4 patties.

4. Place on grill and grill for 4-6 minutes on each side or until internal temp reaches 160 degrees. 

5. When almost done butter insides of buns place on grill until golden brown and place cheese on burgers so cheese can melt. Put chicken burger on bun and top with Ranch Dressing and sliced avocado.