Marvelous Dinners at Home (MIMM)
Today I’m partaking in the beautiful mama-to-be Katie‘s Marvelous In My Monday linkup, and sharing more daily-life stuff!
I had a couple of great dinners out this weekend (which you may have seen on Instagram) with friends and family, but on most weeknights you will find me at home enjoying my mother’s wonderful cooking and my father’s excellent grilling skills. Here’s a look at five of my favorite types of meals to have for dinner at home in front of the DVR, cozy on the couch! NOTE: Wine is included with all, even if not pictured 😉
Grilled chicken, pesto, goat cheese pizza on whole wheat Boboli crust; black beans; roasted Brussels sprouts.
I think that goat cheese and pesto may be one of the best combos EVER. Instead of sauce my mom just uses the pesto and we go with whatever protein we have around the house, usually grilled chicken or turkey burger (sliced or crumbled). My mom and I can almost easily kill a whole pizza between the two of us. She does roasted Brussels just the way I like them – burnt! With lots of garlic, plus EVOO and sea salt. Sometimes some lemon juice. Black beans are legit a nightly staple in my house. If we don’t have them freshly cooked on the stovetop it’s because we already have some leftover in the fridge.
Black beans, roasted Brussels, baked potato skin with salsa, turkey burger with spicy brown mustard.
Yup, the black beans and Brussels are back. I LOVE using potato skins as if they are taco shells and just filling them with whatever my heart desires, usually a salsa or relish. My dad grills the best turkey burgers, seriously very few restaurants can ever hold a candle to his (in my opinion). I always have to have my turkey burger with some sort of condiment (I’m obsessed). I like to go for the more interesting varieties – right now I have a jar of local zucchini relish open – but if I don’t have anything unique or new on hand my dependable fall-back is ALWAYS spicy brown mustard. Mustard >>>> ketchup.
White bean chicken chili with broccoli.
My mom makes a ton of different chilis in the winter time and she is damn good at making them all. One of my favorites is her grilled chicken and white bean variety. I add veggies to my bowl to bulk it up and can never stop at just one bowl! She usually makes cornbread on the side too, a perfect pairing.
Turkey meatballs, tomato sauce, black beans, broccoli.
Have you ever mixed black beans with red tomato sauce? No? Well do it IMMEDIATELY. The Mexican-Italian combo is wonderful and I love all the protein in this bowl. My mom buys frozen turkey meatballs (brand escapes me right now) and they turn out wonderfully! Again I like to add extra veggies to my bowl to bulk it up. Another bowl that is impossible to only eat one of. And that pairs well with bread.
Mom’s Mexi-Casserole Recipe
I received a Twitter request awhile back from the lovely Amanda for my mom’s Mexican casserole recipe. Long overdue but this post seems the perfect time to share it! This casserole is amazing especially if you leave it in the oven a couple extra minutes and let the top get nice and crispy. It tastes absolutely incredible leftover, and I recommend leaving it cold if you eat it that way. It’s almost as if it’s made to be eaten warm when it’s fresh, cool when it’s leftover, and no other way is better. Oh, and my mom’s recipe uses some vegetarian protein too!
MEXICAN BLACK BEAN CASSEROLE!!
Ingredients:
- 1/2 lb ground turkey burger
- MorningStar Farms Meal Starters Grillers Recipe Crumbles (as much of these as meat)
- 1 package taco seasoning
- 1 cup mile taco sauce
- 1 can of black beans (drained and rinsed)
- 5-6 crushed Ortega Whole Grain Taco Shells
- 1 cup shredded low-fat cheddar cheese
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F).
- Brown meat and drain. Add MorningStar crumbles.
- Mix taco seasoning into meat/crumble mixture. Add enough water to mix everything together thoroughly.
- Add taco sauce, black beans, crushed taco shells, cheese and mix together.
- Bake in a PAM-sprayed casserole dish for 30 minutes, uncovered.
Be sure to let me know if you try the recipe, or any of these other dinner ideas! I’d especially love to see pictures. Man, these meals are marvelous. I already can’t wait to go home tonight and have a MIMM home dinner!
Which of these meals would  YOU like the best?
What’s your favorite meal to make at home for dinner?
Are there any veggies that are almost-nightly staples at your house?
