Tasty Tuesday: Easy Breezy

Lately I have been too busy, too exhausted and too unmotivated to make a Pinterest meal. So, a quick and easy recipe is right up my alley. Below are some simple dinners that take less than 30-minutes to assemble and bake. Check it out!

Chicken Fajita Tostada

Ingredients

8 tostada shells
2 cups cooked shredded chicken breast
1 cup refried beans
1 medium green pepper - thinly sliced
1 medium onion - thinly sliced
1 packet (1.25 ounces) taco seasoning mix
1/2 cup lime juice
1/2 cup water
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Shredded lettuce, diced tomato, salsa, sour cream and guacamole for garnish -- optional

 

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine taco seasoning, water and lime juice and stir well.

Pour half of the taco seasoning mixture over the shredded chicken and the other half over the pepper and onion.

Cook chicken in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the sauce starts to thicken slightly -- 2-3 minutes. Remove chicken and keep warm. Add peppers and onions and cook until the sauce starts to thicken and veggies start to wilt -- about 3-4 minutes. Remove and keep warm.

Lay tostada shells on an ungreased baking sheet. Top each shell with 2 tablespoons refried beans, 1/4 cup shredded chicken, peppers and onions and cheddar cheese to taste. Bake until the cheese just starts to melt -- about 5 minutes. Remove from oven and serve with optional garnishes.

Pasta with Pesto and Green Beans

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, firmly packed

1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted lightly in a pan over medium heat until golden brown

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, good quality

3 tablespoons parmesan cheese, grated

3 tablespoons asiago cheese, grated

12 ounces green beans, ends trimmed

2 packages fresh fettuccini, 8 ounce packages

 

Directions

Combine basil, pine nuts, and garlic in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel-blade attachment (or a blender). Pulse until well chopped. While the machine is still running, slowly add the olive oil, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl one or two times. Puree until almost smooth. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and stir in the grated cheeses. Season with salt to taste. Set aside.

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the green beans and cook for 5-7 minutes or until barely crisp tender. Add the fresh pasta and boil for 2-3 minutes more, or until pasta is cooked through.

Drain beans and pasta, reserving 1 cup of cooking liquid.

Add a couple of tablespoons of cooking water to the pesto to thin a bit. Add the pasta and green beans to the pesto and toss to coat. If necessary, add some of the reserved cooking liquid so that the sauce easily coats the pasta. Top with additional grated cheese and serve immediately.