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Karen's Killer Fixin's

Karen’s Killer Fixin’s: 25 Minute Beef & Salsa Burritos

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  It’s time for Karen’s Killer Fixin’s!

Over the years, I’ve filled two 4-inch, 3-ring binders with my own creations as well as recipes my family and friends were willing to share with me.  I simply love to cook and want to share that love with my readers.

So every Friday, I share one recipe I think you and your family might enjoy. It might be a main course recipe. A cookie or baked item. Candy. Salads. Whatever strikes my eye and fancy…which today is 25 MINUTE BEEF & SALSA BURRITOS!!

There are simply some nights you need to whip together something fast and satisfying. No muss, no fuss. This is one of those recipes. 25 minutes and you’ve got a filling meal for eight on the table. If spinach isn’t your thing, replace it with sliced red and green peppers. 

I hope you enjoy today’s Killer Fixin’s.  Happy eating!

Karen

P.S.  We’re at 72 recipes and counting with this posting.  Hope you find some recipes you like. If this is your first visit, please check out past blogs for more Killer Fixin’s. In the right hand column menu, you can even look up past recipes by type. i.e. Desserts, Breads, Beef, Chicken, Soups, Author Specials, etc.

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25 MINUTE BEEF & SALSA BURRITOS
[Serves 8]

 

1 ¼ lbs. ground beef
1 ½ T. chili powder
½ tsp. ground cumin
1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained
1 ¼ cups prepared chunky salsa
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
8 medium flour tortillas, warmed

In large non-stick skillet, brown ground beef.  Pour off drippings.  Season beef with chili powder, cumin, ½ tsp. salt and ¼ tsp. pepper.  Stir in spinach and salsa; heat through.  Remove from heat; stir in cheese.  Spoon ½ cup beef mixture in center of tortilla.

Karen's Killer Fixin's

Karen’s Killer Fixin’s: 25-Minute Beef & Salsa Burritos

Leave a comment

  It’s time for Karen’s Killer Fixin’s!

Over the years, I’ve filled two 4-inch, 3-ring binders with my own creations as well as recipes my family and friends were willing to share with me.  I simply love to cook and want to share that love with my readers.

So every Friday, I share one recipe I think you and your family might enjoy.  It might be a main course recipe.  A cookie or baked item.  Candy.  Salads.  Whatever strikes my eye and fancy…which today is 25-MINUTE BEEF & SALSA BURRITOS.

An easy meal that satisfies the entire family. This recipe can also be adjusted for a variety of different flavors. See note at bottom of recipe. A perfect meal when you need to get dinner on the table quickly.

I hope you enjoy today’s Killer Fixin’s.  Happy eating!

Karen

P.S.  We’re at 54 recipes and counting with this posting.  Hope you find some recipes you like. If this is your first visit, please check out past blogs for more Killer Fixin’s. In the right hand column menu, you can even look up past recipes by type. i.e. Desserts, Breads, Beef, Chicken, Soups, Author Specials, etc.

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25-MINUTE BEEF & SALSA BURRITOS

[Serves 8]

1 ¼ lbs. ground beef
1 ½ T. chili powder
½ tsp. ground cumin
1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach,thawed and well drained
1 ¼ cups prepared chunky salsa
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
8 medium flour tortillas, warmed

In large non-stick skillet, brown ground beef.  Pour off drippings.  Season beef with chili powder, cumin, ½ tsp. salt and ¼ tsp. pepper.  Stir in spinach and salsa; heat through.  Remove from heat; stir in cheese.  Spoon ½ cup beef mixture in center of tortilla.

NOTE: Not a fan of spinach in your burritos? Replace with well drained can of red, black or pinto beans.

Karen's Killer Fixin's

Karen’s Killer Fixin’s with Elizabeth Haysmont

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  Karen’s Killer Fixin’s **AUTHOR SPECIAL**

Welcome to my Friday bonus feature called Karen’s Killer Fixin’s **Author Special**!!  Today, in lieu of one of my own recipes, I’m going to introduce you to a new author who will share one of her recipes. Not only will you and I occasionally learn how to make something new and delicious, but we’ll get a chance to check out some wonderful authors.

Introducing author, ELIZABETH HAYSMONT, and her favorite recipe for MEXICAN STUFFED SHELLS!

BOOK PEEK ~ The High Bridge by Elizabeth Haysmont

Sandra Yorken made it her life’s work proving that spirit sightings are the result of wishful thinking or willful misconduct. She’ll go to any length to debunk a story that makes a location a ‘tourist attraction’.

When she crashes her bike on a remote mountain road while searching for the legendary Ghost Train of the Rocky Mountains, the last person she wants help from is the mysterious (and breathtakingly handsome) Seth ‘Monty’Montclair. If her altitude sickness and an evil spirit don’t kill her first, falling in love with the wrong man may just break her heart forever.

~~~~

THE HIGH BRIDGE by Elizabeth Haysmont

EXCERPT

July, 2004

Seasons Park, Colorado

Sandra Yorken adjusted the elastic band of the headlamp to stop it digging into her forehead. Moving slightly, she cast its bluish beam onto the electromagnetic field detector in her hand. She watched the numbers display as she moved the device along the headboard. It irritated her that she had to do this in the dark.

“This wall is absolutely hot with EMF,” she said.

Wade Conrad, amateur ghost hunter, looked up from the camcorder he was setting in the corner. “Hot? Really?”

“I’m spiking the scale,” she muttered, climbing off the bed. “There must be unshielded wires in the wall behind the bed here. We’d better warn the hotel not to allow any guests with pacemakers to sleep in this room.”

“You sure it’s wires? I mean… there have been so many sightings in this room…”

Sandra sighed. That was the problem with investigating haunt-sites with the Believers. Sometimes the hard evidence upset the Dream. She knew better than to stomp on them. It was a hard lesson learned after the article about thatOhiogroup. Boy, did she take the heat for that one.

“Listen, can we turn a light on for a little bit?” she asked. “I’d like to see what I’m dealing with here.”

“No, ’cause Mark says it messes with the night vision cameras.”

Sandra rolled her eyes. “Okay, okay, can’t go against my host.” She continued to trace the outline of the bed, checked the output of the bedside lamps and swept the television on the credenza. She bit her lower lip and flicked the EMF detector into a different mode and back again. “Everything in this room is hot.”

“Well, what did you expect? It’s a haunted room,” Wade said. After a moment, his white grin gleamed against his dark face. “It’s THE haunted room.”

Sandra shook her head, forgetting that the headlamp betrayed her movements. “There must be another explanation for this. I haven’t seen such high readings since the Boston Museum of Industrial Arts. They had this storage room that was right next to an electrical room. The fear cage it generated would have blown your mind.”

“You investigated a museum?”

The awe in his voice was unmistakable, and Sandra blushed. “Well, the Board wanted to clear up why the maintenance personnel kept quitting because of the headless man in the basement. It was a simple fix; just add lead shielding around the electrical room.”

In the dark, Wade let out a sigh, telling her it wasn’t the answer he wanted.

“Anyway, either my EMF detector was damaged during the flight fromBostontoDenver, or there’s something seriously wrong with this room.”

Sandra stifled a scream as suddenly both their headlights went out. In the dark, she heard Wade move, followed by a crash and clatter.

“Oh crap, I’m dead,” Wade muttered.

“What happened?”

“That was Mark’s camera,” he answered, dread weighting his voice.

Sandra groaned and pulled the lamp off her head, clicking the switch repeatedly. What else could possibly go wrong with this investigation? First the flight delay, then the shuttle van from the airport to the mountain resort broke down, now malfunctioning equipment.

“I swear,” she grumbled under her breath. “This event is jinxed.”

“Do you really think so?” Wade asked seriously.

“No,” she sniped back. “Everyone blames the supernatural when things go wrong. I think it’s more that I’ve come from sea-level to 8,000 feet and I’m just screwing up because I’m oxygen-deprived.” She gave up on the headlamp and felt her way towards the bedside light. “I have to turn this light on, Wade. I can’t see a thing.”

The young man agreed reluctantly, so she turned the switch. Nothing happened. She turned it again and it lit up. Must be a standard bulb in a three way lamp. She looked at Wade who was straightening from a crouch with several pieces of camera in his large hands. A tear gently streaked down his black cheek.

“Mark’s gonna kill me.”

Sandra stepped closer and winced at the broken plastic cradled in his pale palms. “Ouch! Did you step on it?”

“No! I swear that it just fell off the tripod. The attachment went from tight to disconnected in seconds.”

Another tear escaped his eye as Sandra stared at him. She didn’t understand all this emotion. She’d engaged in many conversations with Wade, trying to arrange this investigation with his amateur ghost hunting group. In every conversation, he was happy-go-lucky, friendly and cheerful, even during her butting heads with Mark after her late arrival threw off the group’s schedule.

It must be the elevated EMF she detected. It was known to have that effect.

Reluctantly she glanced around the elegant hotel room. “Okay, you win this round,” she murmured. “We’ll leave you alone now.”

Wade gasped. Both headlamps were on again. Sandra growled and turned hers off.

Coincidence. It had to be.

 

  About the author, Elizabeth Haysmont….

It seems Elizabeth Haysmont’s entire life has been dedicated to research. At least that’s the spin she’s putting on it when she tries to explain why so many of her real life experiences end up in her books. Motorcyclist, photographer, graphic artist, traveler, caver, history buff, rail buff, hiker, off-roader, musician, actor – Life has dragged her (with her husband of twenty-plus years) through 35 states and six foreign countries. She and her husband even chose an adventurous way to wed: in a cave nearSt. Louis, 50 feet underground.

She likes to think that with all this fodder for her imagination, her current friends are safe from being included in one of her novels.

But you never know.

Connect with Elizabeth….

The High Bridge by Elizabeth Haysmont is available!!

Passion In Print Press (ebook only): http://passioninprint.com/BookStore.php?bookid=EH_HIGHBRIDGE

Amazon: http://amzn.com/1608206556

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-high-bridge-elizabeth-haysmont/1111243476

And fine indie books stores across the country

I hope you enjoy today’s Killer Fixin’s.  Happy eating!

Karen

P.S.  We’re at 44 recipes and counting with this posting.  Hope you find some recipes you like. If this is your first visit, please check out past blogs for more Killer Fixin’s. In the right hand column menu, you can even look up past recipes by type. i.e. Desserts, Breads, Beef, Chicken, Soups, Author Specials, etc.

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MEXICAN STUFFED SHELLS

1 lb. ground beef
1 package low-sodium taco seasoning
4 oz. cream cheese
14-16 jumbo pasta shells
1.5 cup salsa
1 cup taco sauce (This is a smooth, tomato based sauce found in the Mexican section)
1 cup cheddar cheese
1 cup monterey jack cheese
3 green onions
Sour cream

Preheat oven to 350°.

In a frying pan cook ground beef; add taco seasoning and prepare according to package directions.  Add cream cheese, cover and simmer until cheese is melted. Blend well. Set aside and cool completely.  While ground beef is cooking, cook the pasta shells according to directions; drain. Set shells out individually on cutting board/baking sheet so that they don’t stick together.

Pour salsa on bottom of 9×13 baking dish.  Stuff each shell with the meat mixture. Place shells in 9×13 pan open side up. Cover shells with taco sauce.  Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, add shredded cheese and bake for 10-15 more minutes, with the foil removed.  Top with any condiments you’d like (green onions, black olives, etc.) Serve with sour cream and/or more salsa.

NOTE: The only thing I do differently is using Mexican table cream instead of sour cream  and use a Mexican mix shredded cheese but those are minor differences. Also my husband doesn’t like black olives so I’ll add that to mine after serving

(Found this one on Pinterest – http://thewaytohisheart.wordpress.com/2011/09/30/mexican-stuffed-shells/.)

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**SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT:  Elizabeth will give away a $10 Amazon gift card to one lucky reader who comments!  Winner will be randomly selected and announced on July 6th!  Thanks, Elizabeth, for sharing your story and your recipe with us!

Karen's Killer Fixin's

Karen’s Killer Fixin’s **Author Special** Cher’ley Grogg

2 Comments

 

Karen’s Killer Fixin’s **AUTHOR SPECIAL**

Welcome to my Friday bonus feature called Karen’s Killer Fixin’s **Author Special**!!  Today, in lieu of one of my own recipes, I’m going to introduce you to a new author who will share one of her recipes. Not only will you and I occasionally learn how to make something new and delicious, but we’ll get a chance to check out some wonderful authors.

Introducing author, CHER’LEY GROGG, and her favorite recipe for Linda’s World Famous Chicken Enchiladas!

BOOK PEEK ~ Stamp Out Murder

An amateur stamp collector and antique enthusiast, James Freeman, takes a vacation from his Washington DC accounting firm to acquire an exquisite French Armoire that he located on the internet. With his Mapquest print-out in hand, he leaves the comforts of the city and heads into the mountains of West Virginia.

He travels to the village of Wanton, where he ventures down the wrong road, and becomes the prime suspect in the drowning of Sam Austin. The locals believe The Cheat River Ghosts are responsible for this murder and the cold case murders from the past. Nevertheless, the Sheriff, who doesn’t believe in ghosts, is convinced that James came to his town for more than a piece of furniture.

The Cheat River has claimed one life from the McKeel clan for the last three generations. With steadfast determination, James fights with all of his might to break the curse, before the river claims the life of his newly found love, Carolyn McKeel.

Because of his meddling into the mysteries of Wanton, James wakes up battered, beaten and bruised in the hospital. This warning for him to get out of town only makes him more determined to find out who is responsible for his injuries, the death of Sam Austin, and the recent shenanigans in Wanton.

James has the life he’s always desired in Washington—A high paying career, a big, antiques-filled house, the freedom to pursue his stamp-collection hobby, and his solitude. Will he give it all up for love and the quirky friendships he makes in Wanton?

~~~~

Stamp Out Murder by Cher’ley Grogg

EXCERPT

“Just hold on, Mrs. Franklin.” Clay rose to his feet. “Mr. Freeman is a suspect in a murder investigation. He can’t just walk out of here.”

“Harry?” Linda glared at the mayor. She crossed her arms over her amble bosom. Her face appeared emotionless, smooth. The only thing she moved was her eyelids. Her majestic attitude showed a lack of patience.

Harry stood, moved close to Linda, turning his back to Clay and said, “I’m working on it, Vinnie. Don’t get your undergarments bunched up.”

Linda slapped Harry’s face.

He backed away, “Sorry. No offense intended.”

Linda glared at him for a couple of seconds and then turned back to the sheriff. Clay Talbert turned sideways to watch Mrs. Franklin and Harold Benson square off. James had a clear view of all three.

   About the author, Cher’ley Grogg….

Cher’ley Grogg first wants to greet you, “Howdy”.

Cher’ley writes different genres. “Stamp Out Murder” is her first novel to be published; however, she has many poems, short stories and articles published online and in print books. She has a children’s mystery book and a picture book completed, and a YA novel and a suspense novel that are waiting for editing.  Some of her hobbies are photography, and painting fine art. She has received awards in both mediums and she has art is in collections throughout the United States and foreign countries. She enjoys fishing, reading, walking, dancing, and long, long baths.

She loves the Lord, her husband, children and grandchildren, and loves spending time with each of them. Lizzie, her boxer is a true joy.

Cher’ley and her husband, Del, have seen the country through the windshield of a big yellow Kenworth Commercial truck, which they named Penelope, because with its blue fenders and spoiler, it reminded her of Penelope on Criminal Minds (the Blonde hair and heavy blue eye-shadow).  There are many beautiful and fascinating states, but none as pretty (to them), as West Virginia.

The Kanawha River is in their front yard and sometimes (not often enough), Cher’ley heads over the bank with her fishing pole, a few worms and Lizzie to see if they can catch supper.

Her very favorite thing to do is laugh. She looks for every opportunity to share in something fun and interesting. She also likes to apply different Bible verses to her life. During the publication process of her novel, the one that speaks to her the most is found in Philippians 4:8. She likes to close with that verse. ‘Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.’

She’d like to say, “Ya’ll come back to see me when you can.”

Connect with Cher’ley….

Stamp Out Murder by Cher’ley Grogg is available at:

I hope you enjoy today’s Killer Fixin’s.  Happy eating!

Karen

P.S.  We’re at 34 recipes and counting with this posting.  Hope you find some recipes you like. If this is your first visit, please check out past blogs for more Killer Fixin’s. In the right hand column menu, you can even look up past recipes by type. i.e. Desserts, Breads, Beef, Chicken, Soups, Author Specials, etc.

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Linda’s World Famous Chicken Enchiladas

by Linda McKeel

 

This make enough to feed a small army.  You’ll probably have some left over for yourself too!

WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

Large glass baking dish

Small glass baking dish

Large mixing bowl

Skillet or frying pan

Cutting board

Sharp knife

Wooden toothpicks (optional)

 

INGREDIENTS:

3 cans cream of chicken soup (10.5 oz)

1 can chicken broth (10.5 oz)

3 small cans CHOPPED green chilis

1/4 cup diced onion (I use a lot more)

3 lbs. chicken breast

20ish soft yellow CORN tortilla shells

4 cups mild cheddar or Mexican style cheese  (I usually use more. You almost literally can’t have too much)

Pinch of pepper

Vegetable oil

 

STEP 1

a.  Cut the chicken into small cubes; think about the size of a sugar cube. Helpful hint: partially frozen chicken is easier to cut in small pieces than thawed chicken.

b.  Use the vegetable oil (or non-stick cooking spray) to very lightly coat the pan — just enough to prevent the chicken from sticking to it.

c.  Combine the onions and the chicken in the frying pan, and cook over medium heat until thoroughly done. (Like you would do if you were browning ground beef.)

d.  Drain any excess grease or fat.

e.  Set aside for now.

STEP 2

a.  Clean the frying pan and dry THOROUGHLY.  (Or use another one.)

b.  Pour in a small amount of cooking oil (just enough to allow submerging the shells) and place over medium heat until oil is warm.

c.  Soften tortillas by dipping each one in warm oil for just a few seconds.  Too little time leaves them tough, too much makes them fall apart.   It may take a few attempts to get the hang of it.

STEP 3

a.  Place the first tortilla shell in the large baking pan, and spoon in some of the cooked chicken and onions.  Try to gauge the amount of chicken you have so you can place an equal amount in each tortilla.

b.  Sprinkle some cheese in each tortilla, but just a little.  The majority is to be used later.

c.  Roll the tortilla shell shut.  (I use a toothpick to help keep it closed)

d.  Continue filling tortilla shells with chicken, onions and cheese until both baking dishes are full.  If you have any chicken left over, it can be used later.  If you have any tortillas shells left over, you can discard.

STEP 4

a.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

b.  Combine the 3 cans cream o’ chicken soup, the 1 can chicken broth, the 3 small cans CHOPPED green chilis and the pinch of pepper (to taste) in large mixing bowl.  Any leftover cooked chicken can be added as well.  Mix thoroughly.

c.  Once mixed, pour evenly over all the enchiladas in both baking dishes.  The goal is to have all the tortillas covered as much as possible.

d.  IMPORTANT!  Remove toothpicks if you used them.

e.  Sprinkle the cheese evenly over all the enchiladas in both baking dishes.

d.  Place one or both dishes in preheated oven, and bake for approximately 15 minutes, or until the cheese is thoroughly melted and the contents are piping hot.

Serve with your favorite side dishes.