Half Baked Harvest's Crockpot Honey Chipotle Pot Roast Tacos!!

This week I found myself with several packs of corn tortillas on hand. I bought some from the grocery store and my husband bought even more from a local Mercado. We had tortillas coming out our ears!

We had taquitos Friday,  Migas for breakfast Saturday, and used the remaining corn tortillas for these Honey Chipotle Pot Roast Tacos.  

I was thrilled to get my crockpot out and slow cook a roast all day. 

The roast simmers away on a bed of sliced onions and gets topped with a zesty seasoning mix of chili powder (chipotle and regular); paprika; garlic powder; cumin; oregano; and salt, then it gets doused in orange juice, water, and honey and slow cooks all day until it becomes tender and flavorful. Then you shred the meat and toss it in some of the juices and some salsa verde! 

You can choose to top your tacos with about anything you'd like. I like to top my tacos with some of the onion, cilantro, green onion, sliced avocado and maybe a slice of jalapeno or two.

 

My husband likes his with pico de gallo and salsa. And my son just does meat and cheese! You can top them however you like. It's going to be delicious no matter what!

Crockpot Chiptole Honey Pot Roast Tacos

Adapted from Half Baked Harvest

by Tieghan Gerard

Serves 8

2 yellow onions, sl iced

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon chipotle chile powder

1 tablespoon smoked paprika

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon salt

1 (4 pound) chuck roast

1 cup fresh orange juice

1 tablespoon honey

1 cup salsa verde

12 hard or soft taco shells, warmed

For topping: cilantro, green onion, avocado, and crumbled cotija cheese

In the crockpot, arrange the onions in the bottom of the crockpot bowl. 

In a separate bowl, mix the chiptole; chili powder; paprika; cumin; garlic powder; oregano; and season with 1 tablespoon of salt. Place the roast over the onions, then rub all over with the spice mix. Pour over the orange juice; 3/4 cup water; and the honey. Cover and cook on LOW for 5 hours or HIGH for 3 hours. 

Remove the meat from the crockpot and shred it using two forks.

Mix the salsa verde with 1 cup of the braising sauce - season with salt.

Stuff the beef and onions into the warmed taco shells and top with cilantro; avocado, and cheese. Serve with salsa verde. Enjoy! 

 

It's Taco Time @ IHCC!

Half Baked Harvest's Double Baked Taquitos {From Half Baked Harvest's Quick & Cozy}

Who doesn't love a tray of crispy taquitos covered in cheese?  

These are really easy! A quick filling of ground beef with taco seasoning, enchilada sauce, and cream cheese all stuffed into corn tortillas and baked until crispy. A quick splash of enchilada sauce on the bottom and top of the crispy oven-baked taquitos and then douse them all with cheese and bake them again! It's almost like a cross between an enchilada and a taquito.

I really loved the fresh avocado salad on top made which was a flavorful mix of avocado, cilantro, jalapeno, lime juice and sea salt. It was a fresh, zesty, tangy topper to the taquitos. A hit for sure! 

Double-Baked Taquitos

Adapted Half Baked Harvest Quick & Cozy

by Tieghan Gerard

Makes 14-20

1 pound ground beef

1 yellow onion, chopped

3 tablespoons Homemade Taco Seasoning (recipe follows) or storebought seasoning

2 cups red enchilada sauce

4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature, cut into pieces

16 to 20 corn tortillas

extra virgin olive oil

2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend

2 avocados, chopped

1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 jalapeno, seeded, if desired, and chopped

1/4 cup fresh lime juice, plus lime wedges, for serving

flaky sea salt

sour ream or plain Greek yogurt, for serving

 Homemade Taco Seasoning: 2 tablespoons chili powder; 1 tablespoon chipotle chile powder; 1 tablespoon smoked paprika; 1 tablespoon garlic powder; 1 tablespoon onion powder; 2 teaspoons ground cumin; 1 teaspoon dried oregano; 1 teaspoon fine pink Himalayan salt. In a glass jar, combine the chili powder, chipotle chile powder, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, oregano, and salt. Stir to mix well. Store at room temperature in a cool, dark place for up to 6 months. 

Preheat the oven to 425F. In a large skillet set over medium high heat, place the beef and onion. Cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until the fat has rendered and the beef is browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the taco seasoning and 3/4 cup water. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the sauce thickens to coat the meat, about 5 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce and the cream cheese. Cook, stirring, just until the cream cheese melts, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat.

Working in batches, warm the tortillas in the microwave in 30-second intervals until pliable. Place the tortillas on a baking sheet and rub one side with olive oil. Flip them over and spoon 2 tablespoons of the beef mixture down the center of each on the unoiled side. Roll up the tortilla as for a cigar and place seam-side down on the bakin sheet. Repeat with the reamaining tortillas and beef.

Bake the taquitos until they begin to crisp, about 10 minutes, then carefully flip them over and cook until crispy, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from the oven, leaving the temperature set at 425F. 

Coat the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish with 1 cup of enchilada sauce. Arrange the taquitos over the sauce and top with the remaining 1/2 cup enchilada sauce and then the shredded cheese. Bake until the cheese is. melted and bubbling, 8 to 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the avocados, cilantro, jalapeno, lime juice, and a pinch of flaky salt. Stir in gently to mix. Top the taquitos with the avocado mixture and sour cream. Serve warm with lime wedges for squeezing.

 July Potluck @ IHCC!

 

For Cinco de Mayo: How Sweet Eats Crispy Cheesy Breakfast Tacos with Carnitas {So good and easy}!

Doesn't everyone want to wake up to a breakfast taco crisped up with crunchy fried cheese?

This looks like it takes a lot of effort and it does not! All you need to do is scramble some eggs. Make a quick pico de gallo and chunk up some avocado. Or, make this however you wish. Buy some pico and guacamole if you want to make things easier on yourself.

After you scramble your eggs, all you need to do is put some grated cheese in your skillet and let it start melting before topping it with a flour tortilla, fill the tortilla with more cheese, scrambled egg, any kind of meat or veggie. Like I said, make it whatever you want!

Let the cheese underneath cook and crisp and let the insides cook, warm through, and melt. Then fold the taco in half, crisp up both sides (it helps you have a really good pan that is either cast iron or nonstick), and serve! Top with whatever toppings float your boat. 

We had carnitas the night before, so I added some carnitas to my scrambled eggs and I already had homemade pico de gallo, cilantro, red onion, and guacamole on hand for topping.

This makes for a delightful weekend breakfast and one that I will make again and again! 

Crispy Cheesy Breakfast Tacos

Adapted from How Sweet Eats

by Jessica Merchant

Serves 2-4, depending

1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered

1/2 sweet onion, diced

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

1 lime, juiced

1 avocado, cubed

1 tablespoons butter

6 large eggs

1 tablespoon milk or cream

salt and pepper, to taste

3 green onions, thinly sliced

8 small (4-inch) flour tortillas

8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, freshly grated

In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, onion, cilantro, lime juice and a big pinch of salt and pepper. Set aside - don't add the avocado until right before serving.

Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-ow heat. Whisk together the eggs, cream and a big pinch of salt and pepper until combined. Whisk in the green onions. Swirl the melted butter around the pan and pour the eggs in the skillet. Add carnitas, salsa, or whatever you desire. Push gently with a spatula often, until the eggs are cooked to your liking. Transfer to a bowl.

Keep the same skillet over medium heat. To make the tacos, sprinkle cheddar in the skillet. You want enough cheddar to essentially cover the outside circumference of your tortilla. The cheese should start to melt right away. Place your tortilla directly on top of the cheese.  Add another bit of cheese to the inside of the tortilla. Top with scrambled egg mixture. Let the tortilla cook until the cheese is golden and getting crispy on the outside edges. Fold the tortilla in half and make sure each side of the tortilla is golden and crispy cheesy goodness!

Put the taco on a serving plate and garnish with pico de gallo, onions, cilantro, avocado or guacamole.  

April IHCC Potluck!
 

How Sweet Eat's Cheesy Double Bean Quesadillas with Guacamole and Salsa

 

I've talked about my love for beans several times over the years. Beans just hang out in the pantry being all cheap and delicious and healthy. Waiting for you to use them in something delicious, satisfying, and healthy. What's not to love?

Cheesy Double Bean Quesadillas? Yes, please. Made all festive and delicious with some green Guacamole and red Salsa. Double yes!

If you're looking for something easy, economical, and fun to help save time and money this Christmas, then this recipe is it!

All you need are some flour tortillas, 1 can of black beans, 1 can of cannellini beans, pepperjack cheese, sharp white cheese, and butter or oil. Then for the Guacamole I used 2 avocados, cilantro, garlic, lime juice, and salt. I almost always have some sort of salsa on hand. 

This is a meal that can come together for under $10 and less than 30 minutes. You simply grate the cheeses, mash the beans, whip up a fresh guacamole and then cook those quesadillas low and slow until the insides are hot and the tortillas are golden and crisp.

We loved these and will be having them again!

Cheesy Double Bean Quesadillas 

Adapted from How Sweet Eats

by Jessica Merchant

Makes 2/Serves 4-6

1 can black beans

1 can cannellini beans

2 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese, freshly grated

2 ounces pepperjack cheese, freshly grated

4 tortillas, about 10"

butter or olive oil, for frying

Guacamole and salsa, for serving

Guacamole 

Adapted from Homesick Texan

by Lisa Fain

Serves 4

2 ripe Haas avocados, peeled, pitted, and cut in half

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Serrano chile, seeded and diced

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

To Make the Guacamole: Mash the avocado with a fork in a bowl or Mexican mortar and pestle (molcajete) until desired consistency. Stir in the garlic, Serrano, cilantro, lime juice, and salt, then taste and add more salt if desired. Serve immediately. 

To Make the Quesadillas: In a large bowl, mash together black and cannellini beans with a fork, spoon or potato masher. Heat an electric griddle or skillet over low heat. Add a bit of butter or olive oil.

Place 2 tortillas down, covering each with a bit of both cheeses, then evenly distribute the mashed bean mixture (feel free to warm the bean mixture slightly) over top. Place the tortilla on the griddle or skillet, then cover bean mixture with the remaining cheese and the other tortilla. Cook until the bottom is crispy and golden brown, then gently flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes until beans are warm and tortilla is crispy and golden. You will want to cook the quesadillas low and slow to warm the beans through and melt the cheese. When they tortillas are golden brown and to your liking, take off the heat, cut, and garnish with guacamole and/or salsa.

Red and Green @ IHCC!
 

Rick Bayless' Egg and Bacon Torta {A Flavor Bomb Breakfast Sandwich!}

It was a big weekend with Cinco de Mayo, the coronation of King Charles, and the Kentucky Derby. We celebrated Cinco de Mayo with homemade crunchwraps Friday night and these FLAVOR BOMB breakfast tortas Saturday and Sunday! 

I've made a few of Rick Bayless' tortas and they are always layered with flavor and insanely delicious! This breakfast torta is no exception. It is layered with big flavors and would be a hit for just about anyone looking to change up their breakfast game.

We begin with a toasted telera, or Mexican sub roll and we coat the bottom with a smear of blended chipotle chiles en adobo.

Then we top the chipotles en adobo with a good smear of smooth and creamy black beans.

Here's where you can feel free to change things up. The next layer of flavor is a slice or two of bacon to add some crunch and smokiness, OR you can simply go vegetarian and omit the bacon. Dare I say this torta may even be better without the bacon. There is enough flavor that it would be every bit as delicious without bacon.

Next you'll add your fluffy scrambled eggs. This is the heart of the torta! 

Finally, you'll top the eggs with the cheese, which is the glue that holds the whole torta together! Bayless calls for Chiuahua cheese, but I think you could go with mozzarella or frankly, any cheese that you have on hand.  Then the torta gets wrapped in foil, baked in the oven for a few minutes, topped with avocado, and eaten! It is quite frankly simply delicious! I highly recommend it!

     Egg and Bacon Torta             

Adapted from Rick Bayless Website

by Rick Bayless

Makes 6

1 dozen large eggs

1/3 cup heavy cream

10 pieces crispy bacon

1 (7.5oz) can chipotle chiles en adobo

1 (15 oz) can black beans

6 telera rolls sliced in half across the equator

2 tablespoons butter

3/4 cup Chiuahua cheese, shredded

1-1/2 avocados, peeled, pit discarded, thinly sliced

chipotle salsa

Preheat the oven to 350F. Whisk the eggs with the heavy cream until well combined. Set aside. 

Puree the chipotles and the adobo sauce in a food processor until smooth. Without cleaning the container, puree the black beans until smooth.

Spread a thin layer of the chiptole puree over the bottom of  each of the rolls. Top with a layer of black beans divided up equally between the tortas. Add a layer of bacon on top (1-1/2 slices on each roll).

Melt the butter in a 10" skillet set over medium heat. Pour in the egg mixture and gently scrape the sides and bottom of the pan. Once the eggs have formed soft curds, remove the pan from the heat and finish cooking the eggs until just set. Divide the eggs between the tortas. Sprinkle on the Chihuahua cheese and cover with the top of the roll. Wrap each torta in aluminum foil and place in the oven. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the cheese has melted and the bread is warm. Unwrap the tortas, remove the top and place the slices of avocado over the filling. Replace the top and serve immediately with a side of chipotle sauce. 

Shrimp Tacos with Crispy Garlic and Salsa Mexicana

These Shrimp Tacos with Crispy Garlic and Salsa Mexicana are the perfect refreshing meal on a hot summer day! Simple and easy to make, these tacos come together in no time at all.

First, we're going to make a quick salsa using ripe garden fresh tomatoes, serrano pepper, garlic, green onion, cilantro, and lime juice. The salsa is fresh and delicious, even more so when the flavors have some time to meld together. Now let's cook the shrimp! We're talking big flavors here!

You can't cook shrimp without lots of butter and garlic and this recipe doesn't disappoint. It starts with butter and three large cloves of garlic. Next comes 2-3 thinly sliced serrano peppers. We are packing some heat here, folks! If you can't take the heat, then you might want to cut it down to one serrano, or maybe even half a serrano. Toss the shrimp in and within minutes you will be sitting down to enjoy the perfect summertime meal!

Shrimp Tacos with Crispy Garlic and Salsa Mexicana

Adapted from Rick Bayless Website

Serves 4-6

2-3 fresh serrano chiles stemmed, seeded, and cut into long slices

2 tablespoons butter

3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

1/2 teaspoons black pepper

2/3 cup chicken broth

 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined

salt

vegetable oil

12 fresh corn tortillas

4 ounces (1 cup) shredded Mexican melting cheese*

Note: I elected not to use the cheese.

Salsa Mexicana

1 small garlic clove, peeled

fresh hot green chiles to taste, 1 or 2 serrano

1 medium-large round red, ripe tomato (1/2 pound total)

1/4 cup loosely packed) roughly chopped cilantro

1 small green onion, chopped

2 teaspoons fresh lime juice

salt, to taste

Heat the butter in the skillet over medium heat, add the garlic and stir for a minute. Stir in the chile strips, black pepper, and broth. Raise the temperature to medium-high and boil until the mixture has reduced to just a few tablespoons and is noticeably thicker, about 8 minutes. 

Add the shrimp and stir until the pieces are nearly cooked through about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat, taste and season with salt, usually 1/2 teaspoon. 

Lightly oil the tortillas, lay them by pairs on a griddle or skillet over medium heat, flipping to warm through. Top each pair with a portion of the cheese (if using) and let melt, then top with a hefty amount of the filing and serve.

For the Salsa Mexicana: Drop the garlic and chile pieces one at a time into a running food processor, letting each get finely chopped before adding the next. Cut half the tomato into quarters and add it to the food processor, along with cilantro. Pulse 4 to 6 times until you have a coarse puree. Scrape the mixture into a bowl. Cut the other half of the tomato into 1/4" pieces and add to the bowl along with the green onion. Taste and season with lime juice and salt. This salsa is best if eaten with an hour or two but it will keep for a number of hours in the refrigerator.

Mark Bittman's Chilaquiles

Mark Bittman calls this dish Chilaquiles and I have to disagree. Chilaquiles is fried tortilla strips topped with a spicy salsa or tomato sauce and cheese. I love chilaquiles. This recipe is actually Migas, fried corn tortillas added to scrambled eggs and lots of fun toppings. I love Migas, too. Whatever you chose to call this dish, you definitely have to call it delicious!

A friend gave us the most amazing homemade salsa made from California red peppers and garlic. The salsa has a wonderful toasty flavor with a hint of heat and a touch of garlic and we have been craving it every single day. We wanted something with salsa for breakfast, but we were looking for something a little different. That's when I found this quick recipe in Bittman's Kitchen Express.

The toasted peppers in the salsa pair perfectly with the fried tortilla strips. I added in a little heat with some jalapeno and, dare I say, this dish does not even need any cheese. It is incredibly flavorful on it's own. It's got me thinking I need to start making my own salsa. Sometimes it is all the condiments!

Chilaquiles (Or Migas)

Adapted from Kitchen Express

by Mark Bittman

Serves 1

Cut corn tortillas into strips. Fry in not too much oil -with a few chopped jalapenos, pickled or not. If you feel in that direction - until crisp, about three minutes, turning on paper towels to drain. Beat a few eggs with milk or cream and salt and pepper, to taste. Heat a tablespoon or so of the frying oil and add the tortilla strips and the eggs. Cook, stirring, until the eggs are done, two to four minutes. Garnish with salsa, chopped avocado, cheese, scallions, sour cream, or whatever else you like. 

Just For Kicks {Spicy Favorites From the Stirring The Pot Kitchen}

Over at I Heart Cooking Clubs we're celebrating spicy dishes that give either a little bit, or a lot of kick! I'm having company this week and didn't have enough time to throw together a new dish, so I'm recapping with five of my favorite spicy dishes, as well as a shout out to a dish I've mentioned before, that are perfect for the summer months!

Here in the Stirring the Pot household, we love spicy dishes! They are simply are favorites. I've mentioned this dish several times on my blog, but Madhur Jaffrey's Delicious Chicken Bits is hands down our favorite dish I've ever shared on this blog. It's spicy mainly because it has quite a bit of cayenne pepper in it, but also because it is full of other spices like cumin, paprika, garlic powder, turmeric, black pepper, salt, and thyme. It is a celebration of spices and is a must make for fans of spicy food.

And now onto my five favorites, in no particular order: (click on the link to be directed to the original post and recipe)

Heidi Swanson's Green Chile Whipped Cream Cheese

This whipped cream cheese is heavenly. Chopped up serrano pepper and garlic give it a truly wonderful flavor profile and it is remarkable and addictive on bagels for breakfast. Of course, this cream cheese is wonderful on just about anything. Trust me....it will not last long!

Curtis Stone's Potato & Zucchini Enchiladas with Fiery Habanero Salsa

Light and delicious veggie enchiladas with a super-fiery-not-for-the-faint-of-heart habanero salsa to set your mouth on fire! The avocado is not optional....it's necessary to cool your mouth down!

Rick Bayless' Queso Fundido Burger

This burger is a wonderful mix of flavors: chorizo, chipotles in adobo, poblano chiles, onions, and garlic.....and ooey gooey Monterey jack cheese. A tasty way to enjoy a burger this summer!

Rick Bayless' Pollo Pulquero

A lovely and unique meal for the slow cooker, this chicken is flavored with tomatillos, jalapeno, onion, cilantro, and a splash of jalapeno pickling juice. The chicken is fall off the bone tender and this is a light and fresh meal that is perfect for spring and summer.

Rick Bayless' Jalapeno-Baked Fish

 A light and easy tomato sauce made with a hint of garlic and pickled jalapenos is the perfect way to jazz up fish for a nice light summer meal. This was a very pleasant dish and a great way to add a little kick to your regular old weeknight dinner routine. The potatoes really round it out and make it a nice little meal. 

What are some of your spicy favorites?

Two-Cheese Quesadillas with Chorizo and Poblano

Tortillas keep well in the fridge and I almost always have them on hand.  In fact, it's far more likely for me to have tortillas on hand than actual sliced bread. We use them for wrapping up breakfast burritos, lunch wraps, burritos, tacos, and last but not least, endless varieties of quesadillas.

If you have a tortilla, odds are you have some bits and bobs and some leftover cheese to make a quesadilla with.  I've made plain cheese quesadillas, veggie quesadillas, bean quesadillas, chicken, beef, pork... you name it. I had never made a chorizo quesadilla until today...and I must tell you it was one of our favorites!

These Two-Cheese Quesadillas with Chorizo and Poblano were a hit with the whole family!  Of course, if you've had chorizo before than you know that anytime chorizo is involved, it is a flavor explosion! Pair that with two kinds of creamy ooey-gooey cheese, and a slight kick from the poblano and you have a pairing that is notches above the rest!

Two-Cheese Quesadillas with Chorizo and Poblano Chile

Adapted from What's For Dinner?

by Curtis Stone

Serves 4

canola oil

12 ounces fresh Mexican-style chorizo, casings removed

1 poblano chile, seeded and cut lengthwise into long thin strips

salt and pepper, to taste

2-1/2 cups Monterey Jack cheese

2 cups Mozzarella cheese

Four 9 inch flour tortillas

Heat a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add a tablespoon of canola oil, then add the chorizo and cook, breaking it up into bite-size pieces with a wooden spoon, for about 8 minutes, or until lightly browned. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chorizo to a bowl, Pour out all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from the skillet (mine had pretty much zero fat - add canola oil if needed).

Add the chile to the skillet, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, for around 5-8 minutes, or tender and slightly charred.  Remove from heat.

Meanwhile heat a large griddle or skillet over medium-low heat. Mix the Jack cheese and Mozzarella cheese together. Brush one side of each tortilla with oil (or butter). Turn the tortillas oil side down on the work surface.

For each quesadilla, sprinkle a heaping 1/2 cup of the cheese mixture over the bottom half of a tortilla and top with one-fourth each of the chorizo and chiles, then another heaping 1/2 cup of the cheese mixture. Fold the top half of the tortilla over the filling and press lightly to compact.

Working in batches, place the quesadillas on the griddle and cook, turning halfway through cooking, for a total of about 6 minutes, or until golden brown and the cheese is melted.  Transfer to a cutting board, cut into wedges, and serve hot.

Theme: May Potluck!

A Mexican-Inspired Breakfast Bowl {Plus a Roundup of my Favorite Egg Dishes}

Okay friends, so this week we're celebrating the wonderful and versatile world of eggs over at I Heart Cooking Clubs. Since eggs are one of my favorite ingredients I knew that I wanted to come up with a special dish, something more original. After browsing through hundreds of egg recipes this week I ended up taking inspiration from Jamie Oliver's Mexican Fried Beans served with beautiful poached eggs on top.

Now, believe me, I use the term "inspiration" loosely. My inspiration comes in the form of being lazy. So there I am standing over the black beans in my cast iron pan and I'm thinking...I do not want to get out another pan and mess with the fussy poaching of these eggs SO...what can I do to get around that? A simple glance over at my cast iron casserole dishes gave me the answer. Bake it!

This solved two dilemmas. The first being the fussy poached eggs mentioned above. The second being the lack of cheese in Jamie's recipe. Problem solved! Baking this dish makes cooking the eggs and adding cheese a cinch!

So, it went like this. Add a diced jalapeno, clove of garlic, and handful of cilantro to a skillet with a touch of oil and butter and allow to soften.  Stir in the drained black beans until mixed with jalapeno mixture and warmed. Spoon mixture into ovenproof casserole dish, or dishes.  At this point I wanted cheese so I dolloped about a tablespoon of cream cheese evenly over both casserole dishes. You could use any cheese you like. Take a tip from me and use whatever cheese you see first or whatever cheese  is the easiest, because, you know...that's how it is. Then top with four eggs, or if making individual dishes, then two eggs each.  If you want to be all dainty then you can even make four servings.  Totally up to you. Bake at 350F according to how you like your eggs. In all, I think 10 minutes is a good jumping off point. Then garnish to your liking, but do not leave off green onions. I didn't add them to this dish and wish I had! They bring it all together. Serve immediately!

This comforting and satisfying dish would be perfect for so many occasions. Today it was the perfect consolation prize after my ten year old son woke up at 5:30 and couldn't go back to sleep. What can I say....nothing will wake a kid up faster than Easter candy!

Happy Easter!!

A Mexican-Inspired Breakfast Bowl

Inspired by this Jamie Oliver recipe

Serves 2

1 jalapeno pepper, cored, deseeded, and diced

1 large clove garlic, diced

1 large handful cilantro, chopped

salt and pepper, to taste

a drizzle of oil and bit of butter

1 (15 oz. can) black beans, drained

2 tablespoons cream cheese, divided*

4 large eggs

tortillas, for serving

Optional: sliced green onions, diced red onion, avocado, hot sauce, cilantro, lime, salsa, and/or cheese

Preheat oven to 350F.

 In a skillet, add the oil and butter. Once butter is melted add in the diced jalapeno, garlic, cilantro, and salt and pepper, to taste. Cook until the jalapeno is softened, 1 to 2 minutes. 

Once softened, add the rinsed and drained black beans, mixing together the jalapeno mixture with the black beans until warmed through.  You can add the cheese at this point and mix it through the beans OR add the beans (dividing the beans) to your ovenproof casserole dish and add the cheese on top of the beans.  Your choice! At this point you could also add additional cilantro, salsa, red onion or green onion OR not. Again, this is your bowl and your choice. They can be customized to your liking! Add two eggs to the top of the beans and again, your choice....garnish the eggs to your liking if you chose. 

Bake the eggs to your liking.  Again, if you like your eggs over easy then bake for around 9-10 minutes. If you like them overhard, bake for around 12 minutes. Remember, depending on the size of your egg, the times will vary so carefully watch your eggs! I used 4 extra large eggs because it's what I had on hand and baked mine for 12 minutes.  Once the eggs are to your liking, quickly garnish the dish with whatever you chose. It's worth noting that green onions should be a must! Their flavor really rounds out the whole dish. Serve immediately, with warm tortillas.

If you've been with me awhile, you know I am absolutely crazy for eggs! In fact, eggs are my go to when all else fails. I always have them on hand and I can almost always put together an amazing egg dish with very little ingredients. Below are some of my current favorites, in order. If you make one, let it be Jacques Pepin's Egg and Onion Gratin. It is surprisingly delicious. Click on recipe names below to be directed to the original post.

Jacques Pepin's Egg and Onion Gratin 

This humble dish will surprise you. Hard-boiled eggs tossed in a creamy Gruyere cheese and onion sauce....trust me, this is heavenly! In fact, it is one of my hands down favorite dishes on my blog! Serve a little bit of of the gratin on a slice of toast and you will be in for a mind-blowing treat!

Jacques Pepin's Eggs In Pepper Boats

 Jacques Pepin sure does know how to write a tasty egg recipe and this one is certainly a favorite. Easy, healthy, and simple this is a breakfast I could wake up to each morning.  An egg baked into a softened poblano pepper and then topped with cheese. It really hits the spot!

Giada's Breakfast Tart 

 In my opinion, you simply will not find a tastier quiche or breakfast casserole than Giada's Breakfast Tart! This one packs a punch in the flavor department with a hefty dose of pancetta and green onions and it is extremely creamy and cheesy with both Mascarpone and Gruyere. Perfect for entertaining! It is hands down incredible. Definitely worth a little extra fuss in the morning.

  

Jamie Oliver's Nasi Goreng

 If you're suffering from the effects of a long night out, or simply in the mood for something light and healthy, Jamie Oliver's Nasi Goreng is a unique and tasty way to start your day! A fried egg sits atop a spicy fried rice mixture with some fresh pickles on the side. A bright and snazzy meal that will really wake you up and put some pep in your step!

Donna Hay's Potato and Ham Fritters

 Donna Hay's Potato and Ham Fritters are a must make with your leftover Easter ham. Fluffy little cakes of mashed potato, peas, and bits of ham come together with a crispy crust to bring you all kinds of spring goodness on a plate. I love to dip these in a little Dijon mustard, but they are fabulous on their own. A must make this spring!

What's your favorite egg dish?