To die for Nachos!!!

Are you hanging out at your house for New Year’s Eve and want to make a delicious snack or are having people over to play cards and want something to munch on?  Make nachos!  You’ve probably had nachos many different ways over the years…. but not mine! I make sure I have cheese throughout all of the nachos so when you get to the bottom it isn’t just chips!!!  Everyone who has tasted these nachos love them!  We even had a friend show up this week with the ingredients so I would make them for him!! 

What you need:  1 lb. ground beef, garlic, cumin, bag of  tortilla chips, Mexican style Velveeta cheese, Rotel  Mexican diced Tomatoes, Mexican Style shredded cheese (or whatever cheese you like!), and jalapenos

 First, brown a pound of ground beef and season with garlic and cumin (You can make it ahead of time so you can throw it together when people are there).  Use a cake pan and spray the bottom with Pam (or whatever you use).  Pour about half of a bag of tortilla chips and spread across the pan.  Use half of the Velveeta cheese.  Cut it into cubes and putt it randomly all over the chips.  Next put about half of the cooked ground beef all over the chips.  Drain the juice from the Rotel diced tomatoes and put about half of the can all over chips.  Then, pour the rest of the bag of chips on top.  Put the rest of the ground beef, tomatoes, and Velveeta cheese on top of the chips.  Put as many jalapenos as you would like on top.  Finally, sprinkle the shredded cheese all over it.  Put it in the oven and bake until the cheese is crispy on top!    

Happy cooking!!

Simple Chicken

The chicken is the absolute easiest chicken I have every made and leaves the house with a nice aroma.  All I do is take chicken breasts (bone in or out doesn't matter- whatever you prefer) and rub olive oil on the outside.  Next, I season with a little basil, garlic, and Italian seasoning on both sides. I toss a dash of Parmesan cheese on the top and bake at 400 for about 45 minutes (or until it is done).  The olive oil gives it a nice flavor and adds to a crispness on the outside! 

Vegetable soup

Sometimes I like to have a nice soup at home that doesn't taste as if it has been mass produced!  Well, I came up with two- made in very similar ways.  I make a vegetable soup and sometimes I turn it into a chicken vegetable soup when I want meat too!  What is great about making your own soup is you can add the vegetables that you want and the amount of seasonings you like to flavor the way your prefer!  First, I will tell you how I make the vegetable soup, then I will tell you how to tweak it to make it easy with chicken.
Vegetable Soup:
2 boxes of chicken stock
Garlic powder  and Lemon pepper - a couple dashes of both
one packet of Lipton chicken noodle soup
2 cans diced tomatoes (I usually use one with garlic and onion added)
2 chicken bullion cubes
A small bag of baby carrots diced up
Cucumber cut into chunks
Celery cut into bite size pieces
Portobello mushroom diced up
Basically you can add any vegetables that you want.  There are times I add leftover green beans or corn to it, because it is there.  I've added small chunks of potatoes before.  The more vegetable you add, the thicker and heartier it will be. Throw everything in the pot and cook until the carrots are soft.  You can always pressure cook the soup to make it go faster!  Obviously, with the chicken stock, it is not a true vegetarian dish, but you can always just use vegetable stock too!
To make it a chicken vegetable soup, don't use the chicken stock.  Take a couple chicken breasts and cook them in about four cups of water and add the seasonings too.  Once the chicken is done, you can cube or shred the chicken and add it back in the broth.  Then, add the vegetables and cook until the carrots (or hardest vegetable is soft). 
Happy Cooking!

Super easy- chicken packets!

It's been awhile since I have been on here- I have been sick.  So I have an easy recipe for you .  Chicken Packets are so simple, it is incredible!!!  Do you like spicy food and someone else who is eating there doesn't? Do you like mushrooms and your husband hates them?  I have the solution for you: chicken packets. I make two different types of chicken packets.  The first type of chicken packet I make is I take a boneless chicken breast put a little garlic on both sides and put it in an aluminum foil wrap.  I add a couple tablespoons of salsa (make sure it is covered).  Next, you can add whatever you want- literally!!  Sometimes I will add black beans, corn, jalapenos, and crushed red peppers.  Other times, I add green peppers and mushrooms. Add whatever you like.  This can be fun with children because they can pick and help make the supper.  Wrap the chicken up with the foil and make sure you add another wrap around the outside in case it leaks.  Bake in a pan  for about 45 minutes to one hour at 350 F.  When it is done, poke a hole in the bottom of the wrap and let the juice run out.  Be careful, it is hot!  The chicken turns out very moist and it is a meal in itself! 
The second type of chicken packet I make is I take a boneless chicken breast and wrap it the same way as the other.  I add garlic to both sides of chicken.  I add sliced mushrooms and sliced potatoes.  Next, I pour Italian dressing into the wrap over all of it.  Then, I add more garlic powder, Italian seasoning (of course it comes from Graziano's in Des Moines), and a little dried Basil. You can really add anything to the packets.  Use your imagination!! Close the wrap  and bake it for about 45 minutes to an hour in a pan.  Don't forget to put a small hole and drain the juice.  Once again, it is a meal without having to make anything else!
What is great about the packets is the fact you can make both in the same pan if someone doesn't like salsa! 
Happy cooking!!

Corny Macaroni

Do you need to make a dish to take somewhere or want a new recipe for Thanksgiving?  I have the recipe for you.  I have never met anyone who does not like this!!!  Corny Macaroni and Cheese…. Two of my favorite things!  I can’t take credit for this recipe at all!  My aunt has been making this for years and everyone loves it.  It is so simple to make and it rocks!! 

You need:

·          2 cans whole kernel corn

·         2 cans cream corn

·         2 cups uncooked macaroni

·         2 cups Velveeta cheese

·         ½ cup butter

Throw it all in a cake pan and baked covered at 350 for 30 minutes.  Then, stir and bake uncovered for 30 minutes. 

Make sure you use the liquid from the corn when you add it in.   I have to admit I use more of the cheese and a little more of the macaroni, because I love it cheesy!!! Enjoy if you make it.  Happy cooking! 

Bacon Cheese Dip!!!

Over the weekend we had a little get together at my house and the dip that I made was a huge hit for those who had the chance to eat it!  Literally, one person ate half of it (he may have paid for it later)!! I was surprised at how well it turned out!  I got the idea for the dip appetizer from combining a few ideas of dips that I read. You need:

·         2 cream cheeses (room temperature)

·         6 slices of cooked bacon

·         2 cups of cheddar cheese

·         Garlic powder

·         3 artichoke hearts (diced)

·         Ritz crackers

In a microwavable bowl I added the cream cheese, diced artichokes, four shakes of garlic powder, one cup of cheddar cheese, and all of the bacon crumbled up.  I stirred it and put it in microwave for about five minutes.  I stirred it up and the rest of the cheddar cheese.  Next, I took a handful of the crackers and crushed them and put them on the dip (so it was a crust on top).  Then, I put it back in microwave for about two more minutes.  It was served with crackers.  Enjoy!  Happy cooking!

Parmesan and Vegetable Chicken

Last night I concocted a new dish from things that sounded good… I am glad that it turned out yummy.  What’s even better is I just finished eating some leftovers for lunch and it almost tasted better today!!  So what do you need:

·         3 chicken breasts (cut into chunks)

·         Italian seasonings

·         Italian dressing

·         Garlic

·         ½ red pepper, green pepper, and yellow pepper

·         Fresh sliced mushrooms

·         Zucchini

·         Moscato Wine (or any sweet wine)

·         Parmesan cheese

·         Olive oil

·         Egg noodle pasta

Ok- so I started off by cooking the mushrooms (I used 4 good sized mushrooms) in about a ¼ cup of olive oil.  After about five minutes of cooking I added the chunks of chicken and seasoned with garlic and Italian seasoning- I added just a little bit more olive oil.  Then, I added chopped up the rest of the veggies and added them. (You can use any that you want) I allowed them all to cook together for about 7 minutes and then added about a cup of the dressing and a cup of the wine.  Right before the chicken was done cooking I added just a little more dressing and wine and a cup of parmesan cheese.  I cooked the pasta while the chicken was cooking and tossed the chicken mixture in with the pasta when it was all done.  I thought about added crushed red pepper or a dash of hot sauce, but decided not to make it spicy this time.  Maybe next time it will be a spicy dish!!!  Happy cooking!

Jalapeno Chicken

Jalapeno chicken- yep, that is what I said.  You may turn your nose up at this, but it is a great dish that I have made for years.  I don’t know where I got the recipe, but it was online somewhere.  Everyone looks at me like I am crazy when I tell them what is in it, but then they love it!  It is definitely a little different than a lot of the recipes I use, but it is DELICIOUS!!!!!  What do you need:

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 whole chicken cut in pieces (I just use 4 or 5 chicken breasts- not cut into pieces)

1 cup chicken broth

2 tablespoons honey (I use a lot more honey)

2 limes juiced (I use 4 limes)

½ jalapeno minced (I use 2 whole jalapenos and it’s not too spicy)

Directions: Preheat oven at 450 degrees F.  Lightly grease a medium baking sheet.  In a small bowl, mix cinnamon, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper.  Rub chicken with mixture and arrange on baking sheet.  In a medium saucepan over medium high heat, blend chicken broth, honey, lime juice, and jalapeno.  Cook and stir until thickened.  Place chicken in oven and cook for 15 minutes.  Begin basting periodically with the chicken broth mixture. Continue cooking for another 30 or until chicken is done and continue to baste. 

Lemon Tomato Chicken

Do you want something that tastes light, yet is filling?  Tonight, I made a lemon- tomato chicken served over a bed of pasta.  Once again, it was quick and easy to make. 

First, I marinated three small chicken breasts in about a cup of sweet wine (I used Sutter Home Moscato) and about ½ cup of lemon juice, plus I sprinkled garlic powder and a dash of lemon pepper on both sides of the chicken.  Next, I diced a small, white onion and garlic clove.  Then browned it in about  ½ cup of olive oil and ½ cup of lemon juice on high on the stove, plus I added a can of drained mushrooms.  Then, I added the chicken and marinade to the pan.  I let the chicken brown on both sides and added a can of zesty, diced tomatoes.  I covered the pan and let it cook for about another 15 minutes.  While the chicken was cooking I also cooked pasta.  I served the chicken over the pasta (I used egg noodle) and added some of the extra juice so the pasta was coated.  The meal turned out great and had a nice lemon flavor without being overwhelming.  My three year old liked the chicken and pasta, but doesn’t like tomatoes!  My husband got very excited over it and said we will be having the meal again!  We paired the meal with a glass of the Moscato I used to cook.  It was delicious and really brought the flavors out in the meal.  Happy cooking!

Easy Pasta dish!

One of my husband’s favorite pasta dishes that I make is a very quick Baked Ziti (or whatever pasta you have on hand!) Not only is it quick, but it can feed a lot of people as well. 

What you need:

1 lb. ground beef (or Italian sausage if you want it a little spicier)

1 lb. ziti or rigatoni (whatever pasta you want!!)

Italian bread crumbs

Garlic powder

Italian Seasonings (the best is from Graziano Bros. in Des Moines, IA)

29 oz. can of Tomato Sauce

12 oz. can of Tomato Paste

1 lb. bag of shredded Mozzarella cheese

To do: Brown ground beef and add garlic powder and Italian seasonings while cooking.  Add about a cup of Italian bread crumbs when ground beef is about half way done.  While beef is cooking start cooking pasta.  Once ground beef is done add tomato sauce and tomato paste.  Add a bunch of garlic powder and Italian seasonings (season to your own taste buds)!!  Cook together for about 10 to 15 minutes.  Basically, cook until the pasta is done.  Then put pasta in a cake pan and pour the meat sauce over the pasta and stir in until all has been added.  Spread the cheese over the top of pasta and bake at 400 until the cheese gets a little crunchy on top- maybe 5 to 10 minutes- then you are done!  Happy cooking!

Yummy chicken

Do you want something that is different, yet tasty? Try my Greek inspired chicken!  It is very simple to make and yummy.  Normally, my recipes are for two large chicken breasts… my husband eats one and I share mine with my daughter and usually on the stove.  It seems to be easiest for me. You can always alter any recipe to your own needs!!

Marinate two chicken breasts in a Greek marinade or dressing.  Season them with garlic and oregano.  Brown the chicken on med high heat on both sides.  Peel and cut up a cucumber or zucchini and cut a bunch of cherry tomatoes.  You can toss them in a dash of the same marinade or olive oil and just a pinch of cracked pepper.  Add them to the chicken and cover.  Continue to cook the chicken until done.  Keep an eye on the vegetables and make sure they don’t stick!  You can add as many veggies as you want. 

Happy cooking!!

Spicy Strawberry Chicken- I'm not crazy!!!

The ingredient s in the marinade made my husband turn his nose up, but when he tasted it he was very surprised!  A spicy, strawberry chicken was for supper this evening and I was even surprised at how well my latest recipe turned out.  It is a spicy dish, but doesn’t burn your mouth.  The meal is a sweet and spicy chicken leaving you wishing for more.

The marinade was very easy to make.  Two heaping tablespoons of strawberry jelly, a diced jalapeño, and Worcestershire sauce.  Put enough Worcestershire sauce in to make the marinade just a tad runny.  On the chicken add a dash of cayenne pepper and garlic to both sides.  I put the marinade on the chicken for about an hour, but next I will do it a little longer. 

I cooked the chicken on medium high and browned both sides (about 4 minutes each). Don’t forget to add the left over marinade from the bottom of the dish.   Then, I added about ½ a bag of sliced, frozen strawberries.  Next, I drained a can of zesty, diced tomatoes and then added the tomatoes to the pan. Finally, I added garlic and crushed red peppers.  I covered the pan and cooked it for about 15-20 more minutes.  The chicken had to be turned a few times so it didn’t stick. 

The dish turned out great.  I can’t wait to eat my leftovers tomorrow!

Happy cooking.

A quick appetizer

Have you ever needed to make or take an appetizer somewhere and you didn’t know what to make?  I have something for you and it is very versatile and extremely easy!!!!  It is dip and you can use it on sliced cucumbers or with crackers- whatever your heart desires!!!  What do you need? All you will need is: Fat free cream cheese, green pepper, yellow pepper, red pepper, and garlic. 

Soften the cream cheese and put it in a bowl.  Dice a little over half of each pepper and add it to the cream cheese.  Add garlic and mix it all together. 

The first time I made the dip it was for another purpose.  It was a mixture to stuff a chicken breast -which was awesome, but that can be a recipe for another day.

Happy cooking!

Stuffed Shells

Wow, I did something different with pasta last night and I have to admit I was proud of myself!!  We had a vegetarian meal… I made stuffed shells and used a marinara sauce to top them.  Normally, I put meat in the sauce and in the stuffed shells, but last night there wasn’t meat in either!  The shells are really easy to make and come from a recipe from my mom. 

You need:

2 boxes of jumbo shells

1 cup Romano or parmesan cheese

½ to 1 box of frozen spinach (drained) and squeezed

1 crt. Cottage cheese

Bag of mozzarella cheese

Parsley

Garlic

Salt and pepper

Parsley

1-3 eggs (use as a glue to hold everything together- I had to use 3 last night)

If you do want to add meat... brown 1 lb. Hot Italian Sausage.

Cook the shells and let cool.  You mix up everything in a large bowl and stuff the shells with mixture.  Spray the bottom of two cake pans and put a little marinara sauce so the shells do not stick while baking. Drizzle the top of the shells with a little more marinara.  Cover the pans with aluminum foil.  Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes.  Serve the shells with some more marinara sauce on top!! 

The reason why you need two boxes of shells is because a lot of the shells will break and not be able to be used… you’d rather have too many shells than not enough!!!! 

Sorry, I can’t give away my special recipe on the sauce!  Happy cooking!

Pineapple and Chicken-- really??

Pineapple, tomatoes, and chicken???  I am sure you just turned your nose up at my latest creation, but don’t knock it until you try it!!  Two people ate it with me this week and both of them gave me a funny look when I told them what was for supper.  Guess what… they both loved it!!!  What are the main ingredients?  Chicken breasts, pineapple chunks, diced tomatoes, and crushed red pepper.  If you have that, you can make the dish. 

First, I threw a dash of Italian dressing on the three chicken breasts.  Next, I put Italian seasonings, garlic, and basil on both sides. On the stove, I browned both sides of the chicken and then added two cans of diced tomatoes (I used the basil, garlic, and oregano tomatoes).  Then, I added about 2 cups of frozen pineapple chunks (Where I am there isn’t very much fresh fruit to chose from!).  Finally, I added some more garlic, Italian seasonings, and a bunch of crushed red pepper.  Add enough for your own taste buds.  Cover it and cook it until it is done… it took about twenty minutes for the chicken to cook the rest of the way. 

The pineapple made the dish very tasty.  It was sweet at the beginning of the bite and then follows up a little spicy. Another way I have tried this dish it to make it with mango instead of the pineapple.  Believe it or not, the different fruit made the chicken and sauce taste completely different!!

 Let me know if any of you try the dish yourself (with either fruit)!!! 

Happy cooking!

Five ingredients....

A few people have asked if I ever cook vegetarian meals- I do.  A great soup recipe that I like is made with only five ingredients!  I am not able to make it too often, because it is made with refried beans and my husband doesn’t like them… too bad for him when I am in the mood for them!!!  The ingredients are: 1 can fat free refried beans, 1 can chicken broth, 1 can black beans, and 1 can diced tomatoes.  I throw it all in together (don’t forget to rinse the black beans) and cook until the refried beans are no longer thick.  I know the recipe calls for chicken broth (which I prefer), but can be substituted with vegetable stock.  Another twist that can be used is to use the black beans with jalapenos and lime to give it more flavor.  As always, add garlic and whatever seasonings you like to your taste!!  This recipe is low in calories and fat, but high in flavor!  Happy cooking. 

Spicy Walnut Pork Loin

Walnuts, hot sauce, and pork loin is all it took for my latest creation.  Don’t ask where the idea came from, but that is what was for supper last night.   I marinated five pork loins in hot sauce (I use Texas Pete).  Then, I finely chopped a bunch of walnuts and dredged the pork loins in the nuts.  Baked them in the oven for about twenty minutes and they were ready!!  When they were ready to serve, I poured a little more hot sauce on top of it…. Wow, another great idea.  I had to go back for a second piece and ate it completely!!!  If you're a wine drinker at all, I drank reisling with it last night and it really brought out the spicy flavor.  Next time, I will try a chardonnay to bring out the buttery flavor of the nuts!!  Happy cooking!!

Hoegaarden....

Would you like to try a new beer and a new recipe?   I have both for you!!  Hoegaarden, a Belgian beer!!  If you know me that fact that I found a beer that I like is shocking.  First, let me explain how I first drank the beer.  I was at the gas station and a table was set up. As I walked by, the lady offered me a sample of beer or Jager.  I said no thanks and I didn’t drink beer.  She said I needed to try Hoegaarden.   I looked at her and asked if she called me a ho- her mouth dropped and she was shocked.  I laughed and said I was kidding, so of course I tried the beer then.  Surprisingly, I liked it!  I bought a six pack!! 

Normally, I try new recipes with any of the drinks I have around the house.  So with the Hoegaarden beer I tried to bake a chicken with it a few weeks ago, but something was missing.  It just wasn’t right.  Tonight, I got it right!!  The missing ingredient from the last time was rosemary.  The chicken turned out great.  I have leftovers for my husband since he wasn’t home for supper, but I may hide them and eat them for lunch tomorrow.

Once again I used two chicken breasts.  I seasoned them with quite a bit of lemon pepper, garlic, and rosemary. I decided to cook it on the stove. I poured half a bottle of beer in and cooked it on med-hi until the beer cooked off. I turned it a couple time- right before the chicken starts to burn and stick I added about a ¼ of the bottle of beer and let it cook longer.  By this point, the chicken was getting a nice brown coating without burning.  Then, before it burned again, I added the rest of the beer and let it cook off.  The chicken was very flavorful and moist!!  We had green beans and a crescent roll with it to eat.  Dinner was great. 

Disappointment....

So the meal for last night was NOT a huge hit… so for anyone who loves beef listen to the following advice:  honey is not the best ingredient for a marinade.  I wanted to make a nice supper for my husband last night.  We ate ribeyes, macaroni and cheese, and green beans.  Unfortunately, the marinade wasn’t the best- my husband did say it wasn’t bad, but I saw the look of disappointment while he was eating!  I guess this blog will also include some of the bad foods so you know what not to do with food or you could always share a better idea with me!!

The marinade included: Worcestershire sauce, red wine vinegar, Italian dressing, garlic, honey, ground pepper, and cayenne pepper.  The marinade was just too sweet for us. 

Oh well, I guess I can’t always make everything that tastes the best! 

Chicken with a Mediterranean Flare!

Cooking seems to give me sanity.  Without it, where would I be?  I don't even want to think like that!!!  A friend came over for dinner this evening.  She enjoyed supper -so I wanted to make sure I shared with all of you!  Dinner tonight was a spin-off of a recipe from allrecipes.com.  It is called Quick Mediterranean Chicken.  I don't do well following recipes- so mine is definately different, but gave me the idea.  I used two large boneless, skinless chicken breasts.  I used a Greek Marinade to marinate them and put garlic and cracked black pepper on the chicken.  Next, I browned the chicken on both sides for about 4  minutes each.  While they were browning I diced about half of a small white onion and browned it too.  Then, I poured in a can of diced tomatoes- basalmic orgeneno and a can of diced tomatoes with diced green chile peppers.  I let that cook for about 5 minutes covered.  Then I added a can of drained French Styled Green Beans.  I added some more garlic, pepper, and dash more of the marinade.  It cooked for about 20 more minutes.  The thing with official recipes that I don't like is my taste may be completely different than someone else's tastes.  What if I have a huge chicken breast and someboday else uses a 3 oz. piece.  So the way I look at it is use a thermometer, don't go on times- they are not always right.  Don't follow recipes to the exact measurements.... if you like more garlic or spicy foods- add more!!!  If you don't substitute flavors.  Have fun and play with your food.  What is the worst that can happen?  It turns out bad?  Big deal, eat a sandwich or a frozen pizza... you learned what works and what doesn't!!  Happy cooking!

Husband's request

Greetings!  I am so thankful to see I already have a few people following! You will notice a trend in my recipes... mainly chicken.  It's not that I don't enjoy other food, but we live in a village in Germany.  We don't have a huge choice for fresh meat!!! Some of the recipes will be mine, some will be a combination of recipes, and others will be cited!  I will let you know where each recipe came from. 
 I told my husband I created this blog and he told me another recipe I needed to add to let others know about.  He was amazed at how simple it was when I explained it to him. I came up with this one on my own.  It just sounded good.  It is chicken wrapped in proscuitto. Incase you do not know, proscuitto is like an Italian bacon.  It is heavenly to eat;-)  Maybe I love food too much!
First, I marinated two chicken breasts (boneless, skinless) in Italian dressing. ( Something you may not know- when you marinate-don't just pour it over the meat.  Use a fork and poke a bunch of holes into both sides.  It lets the marinade go into the meat.)  You can throw it in the refrigerator and marinate if you have time- no big deal if not... I usually don't have time!  Save the marinade once you take the chicken out. Next, I used a packet of dry italian dressing mix for seasoning over the chicken on both sides.  I sprinkled garlic all over (yes, I use garlic all the time), a little lemon pepper salt, and threw on a dash of dried Italian seasonings(mine are flown here from Graziano Bros. in Des Moines, IA- I swear by them).  Next, I wrapped a slice of proscuitto around the chicken and held in place with a toothpick. Bake in a pan in the oven- use what is left of the  marinade from the bottom of the pan and pour over the chicken.  I baked it for about 3o minutes at 375.  You may need to check your chicken- unfortunately, my oven sucks!!! It cooks quickly somedays and slowly other days.  It's an old german oven!! The proscuitto will get crispy by the end. 
My husband has requested this dish be put on a rotating schedule in our house!  The list of his requests keep getting bigger and bigger!!
A friend is coming for dinner tomorrow which means a new recipe!  I can't wait to see what I use then!!

This is the first!

Today after watching Julie and Julia I decided to create my own blog- not to become famous or to follow a year of cooking with Julia.  To put it simply: I love to cook and trying new recipes.  At least once a week I try new recipes out on my family.  Why not share these recipes with friends and others so you can quickly find a good and usually easy recipe.  Having two children does not allow me to spend long extended times to making meals. 
The first recipe I will share is one I created recently by adding things together and it was a HUGE hit with my husband. 
I used salsa, black beans, and chicken!  Sounds simple?  It was, but very flavorful.
First, I browned two boneless, skinless chicken breasts in a little olive oil (amount varies on size of chicken). Sprinkle garlic all over both sides and a dash of dried basil.  Brown the chicken for about 4 minutes on each side.  Add about 1 1/2 cups of salsa (adding fresh cilantro makes it even better).  Then rinse a can of black beans and add.  Add a dash more garlic and any hot sauce or crushed red better if you like it spicy.  Cook for about 7-10 minutes.  The meal turns out great!
Hope you enjoy if you try it yourself.  Let me know if there are any types of recipes you are looking  for!!!