Cinco Taco Crack

I've been diverging from the cookbook somewhat in the kitchen lately, and just making whatever sounds good to me with whatever I have on hand. This has lead to two new favorite dishes in our house.

The first one has been dubbed "Cinco Taco Crack" by Connor. I have no idea why, but it is catchy, so it stuck.

Here is the recipe, as best as I can estimate it.

Ingredients:

1 can black beans, refried
2 servings white minute rice prepared, with 2 TB Penzey's Bold Taco Seasoning mixed in before microwaving
1 can Fiesta Corn (you know, the Mexican style corn with chilies and black beans mixed in)
1 can Green Chili Enchilada sauce
1 tiny can chopped Green chilis
Mexican style shredded cheese
1 soft tortilla, shredded into bits

Directions:

In a 9 x 8 baking dish that has been sprayed with Pam, layer the ingredients in the order listed above, beginning with the black beans on the bottom, and ending with a nice layer of shredded cheese and tortilla on top. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the whole pan is hot and bubbly. Then, broil for 1-2 minutes until the tortilla strips are browned.

This dinner was simple to make, easy to clean up after, and everyone ate it a different way.

Connor had his spread on taco shells with more cheese piled on top. Lex ate his with his fingers. I ate mine with tortilla chips. Kevin ate his in a bowl, and he would have topped it off with sour cream, salsa and guacamole, if we had had any of those things on hand.

It performed well left over for lunch the next day, too.

P.S. Notice how I made a vegetarian meal?



Now the second dish that I have come up with and has become an instant favorite has yet to be named. Allow me to describe it to you.

I take some small yellow russet potatoes and peel them, then chop them. I chop up a few slices of yellow onion. I toss the potatoes and onion with olive oil in a casserole dish, sprinkle with freshly ground salt and pepper, and then dump on a generous amount of Penzey's Brady Street Cheese Sprinkle. Depending on the amount of potatoes and onions, I would say that it is somewhere between 2 and 4 tablespoons. Cover, and bake in oven until the potatoes are soft.

What should I call this one? Brady Street Hash Browns? Penzey's Cheese Sprinkle Potatoes?