It’s still summertime and the living is crazy. At least it is where I am at. I created this blog post several months ago, anticipating a summer full of packing, moving and renovations and I was not wrong. As of the date this post goes live, I’ll have moved to my new place, and be neck deep in Renovation Hell, Address: RIGHT HERE 🤪
I’ve been looking for recipes that are easy to make initially, and then easy to pull together from the fridge for a meal after a busy day. This one ticks all the boxes!
I came across this recipe from Dani Spies’ wonderful YouTube channel, Clean and Delicious. I’ve posted WOYPBC recipes from her before, and this one is another winner.
What I really like about this recipe is that it has inspired me to think of so many ways I could vary it. For instance, I could use ground chicken or turkey. I could make it vegetarian with beans only, or a veggie crumble instead of ground meat. I could add in extra greens. I could skip the rice and I could add some crushed tortilla chips instead. I could throw it all in a soft tortilla, to make a burrito. Etc. You get the idea.
Please let me know what’s on your plate this month! Either in the comments or by using InLinkz to link your post (🤞it works this time) or at Donna’s blog!
Rock on,
The WB
Glad the move went well Deb and love your Taco bowl, very colourful and looks delicious!
It is delicious, and the move went very well. Thanks, Debbie 💕
Hi Deb – so pleased you’ve finally moved … and now the last part of that upheaval and your residency nearby the Schnauzer is on hand … he’ll be ready for more antics!
I did wonder what the white worms were … now I know! This kind of meal is my ideal … great choices you’ve made – and I’d be happy with guacamole … but anything to avoid things that irritate the innards.
All the best as you settle in and enjoy your new home … cheers Hilary
“White worms”? 😂 I’ll never think of shredded cheese the same way again! Thanks, Hilary 💕
I’ll now laugh when I think about it … but glad you could take the joke!! Cheers Hilary
That looks quite good. Though I’ve never seen that brand of rice around here.
I only just discovered it recently. Maybe a west coast thing, that brand of rice? Thanks, Rivergirl 💕
I would never have thought to use rice in a taco salad! Excellent. I will also look next time I’m at the grocery store (which will likely be today, I swear I have to go every day because I am not organized!) for your brown rice favorite.
I tend to go to the grocery store too often too 😂. I think I am organized – I mean I usually create a list – but then I forget to check the list when shopping, thinking my memory is good enough 🙄. Thanks, Dawn 💕
Hope the move was uneventful and you and all your stuff arrived safe. I love taco-ish dishes because you can easily turn it into a casserole, a salad, a taco, an enchilada. You get the point. Can’t go wrong!
Yes! Very versatile, those types of dishes. The move is done, after weeks of daily car loads of small stuff, and then using movers for the big stuff. Hallelujah! Thanks, Kate 💕
At least this time you could drive back and forth!
YES! Definitely an improvement over the last move 😁
This looks so yummy! I’ve also never thought to use brown rice.
It’s probably not a popular choice but I love the taste of that brown rice and it went well with the other ingredients! Thanks, Kari 💕
I think it sounds delicious!
It IS delicious!
That looks like a healthy hearty bowl! Too bad you can’t tolerate guacamole but you can enjoy sour cream, so that’s good. I’m the other way and it seems I’ve lost out on lot more by avoiding sour cream vs guac 😉
I can only eat about 2 teaspoons of guacamole, tops. Any more than that and I start to feel nauseous 🤢. And I love the stuff! 😫 Too bad about the sour cream, Sandy! Thanks 💕
Looking good Deb.
Leslie
Thank you, Leslie 💕
That looks good! There are so many options and a variations one wouldn’t get bored with this for a long time.
I’ve been making faux Pho using my InstantPot to keep cleaning and pots down to the lowest minimum. I’m lazy. I had to experiment a bit with the best way to add and cook the noodles. I’ve found after the first method adding them after everything else cooked is the best so, after venting the pot I turn it off, turn on sauté to bring the broth up to a simmer add the noodles and cook them in the broth, chicken, veggie mixture for 3 minutes and Bob’s Your Uncle! Big Baby Boy who inspired this soup is now using this method to make his too and save having to wash up the stock pot too. 😀
That sounds fabulous, Deborah! I’ve never tried to make my own Pho and you are giving me ideas. Thanks! 💕
There are lots of recipes online for Pho in instant pot
Thanks, Ann!
That looks great! I love that it works well as leftovers. I’ve considered getting a rice cooker (in fact, I’ve picked one up TWICE at Costco, only to return them unused) but I’m not convinced the convenience outweighs the storage space needed. I’m interested in what you think.
I’ve had my rice cooker for years…and it took me a bit to be convinced that I really needed one. I mean, rice is damn easy to cook in a pot once you know how. But what convinced me is that the rice cooker (mine anyways) can be set up in the morning, and the rice stays hot and fresh for up to 10 hrs. I was living in Crazytown at the time, so anything that helped with meals like that was what I needed! Really good rice cookers were hard to come by at that time unless you lived near a large Asian community so I ended up finding the one I wanted online (with fuzzy logic, to cook the rice to perfection), and contacting the manufacturer directly to have one shipped to me. Now you can get them just about anywhere. And the rice is that much better than when done in the cooker too – in my opinion, anyways. Mine is also a slow cooker and sautés as well. I’ve used it for rice pudding, oatmeal, soups, chilis, small roasts etc. Versatile appliance. I wouldn’t be without one now. Hope this helps! Thanks, Janis 💕
I have a microwatt rice cooker. Love it. Better than instant pot.
Microwave
😁 I figured that’s what you meant
Thanks for the info. It seems that another new “must-have” small kitchen appliance comes out just about every year. My kitchen isn’t tiny, but space is precious… and I don’t like a bunch of stuff on the counter. I like the idea of pre-cooking brown rice. We have a big Asian community here so I could probably get some good advice on what type to get.
Well, not to lead you astray – the 10 hr window of hot, fresh rice is only for white. My manual says to only leave brown rice to warm in the cooker for 1 hour after cooking is complete. I think because it could go “off” if left on the heat longer.
My InstantPot has a rice feature I wonder how it cooks rice? I’ve never tried it! Your argument in favor of having a rice cooker appeals to me! I love the keep warm feature on the InstantPot. I don’t use my old crockpot since getting the IP.
Give it a try! It might not be that good at keeping rice hot and fresh as a dedicated rice cooker. I bought one that has something called “fuzzy logic” that ensures the rice is cooked and kept perfectly. My sister bought a cheaper model and her rice burned on the bottom. You get what you pay for.
I tried Hard Boiled Eggs in the IP once and they didn’t come out done at all, so have been hesitant to try rice since. I love the other functions of my IP though. I’ll let you know how rice comes out should I try it. 😀
I love making hard boiled eggs in the pressure cooker. 5 minutes on Low pressure and they come out perfectly and easy to peel as well. You have to manually exhaust the pressure immediately after the time is done or else they become overcooked. Yes, I’d love to know how it does rice. Thanks, Deborah 💕
My goto récipé:
get some kleenex
Chop some purple onions
Dry your eyes
Fry half of the onions and put the rest in a baggie in the fridge.
Add the cooked ones to whatever you are making.
Add the raw ones to salad or whatever
Ann
Thanks, Ann 💕
Instant pot is my only appliance. I use it for everything whether slow cooking or fast cooking. Excellent bulk porridge or browning or frying or things. Faster than store top. Nice Crispy stuff on thé bottom to use for sauce.
I love my pressure cooker too – not Instant Pot but similar idea.
Hi, Deb – Your photos here look delicious and have my mouth watering!! I only recently discovered putting rice in my taco salad. I was an instant convert!! I’ve also never heard of that type of rice. I will definitely look for it!
You won’t be disappointed! Thanks, Donna 💕
Taco salad was on repeat last month. Yours looks yummy. The sad corn stalks yielded enough corn for a few meals of corn on the cob, some for the freezer and a big pot of corn chowder. Paninis were also on repeat last month using up a roasted chicken. That might make a quick meal for you during your transition.
Paninis sound like a wonderful idea. Right now I am without a kitchen and using my daughter’s until mine gets installed. Very thankful I still have use of a kitchen! Thanks, Mona 💕
Healthy and delicious – winner winner taco dinner.
Definitely! Thanks, Jo 💕
Delicious. This is my kind of food. Your photos are making me hungry– and have given me an idea for dinner.
I’m glad! Thanks, Ally 💕
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Weird that this post did not show up in my reader and I had to go looking for it. Your other ones do.
As to tacos — we did family menus when the kids were little and I worked full time. My son always said tacos and stir fry. It was years after he moved out before tacos went back on the menu!! Now we usually do fish tacos.
Mmmmmm…fish tacos 😋. Thanks, Bernie 💕