Old El Paso Tortilla Bowls

Once a month General Mills sends me a (new) product to try out. Usually I get excited about it and my family enjoys whatever I make. But this time, my HUSBAND got excited, and started coming up with 100 ideas for it. I believe I heard the word Superbowl about 16 times. I told him to slow down and pick one idea for dinner that night.

Old el Paso Soft Tortilla bowls are pretty cool. They’re uniquely shaped to stand on your plate without unrolling or spilling, minimizing the mess & increasing your eating enjoyment. They're like boat shaped soft taco shells! It’s the only soft-‐shell tortilla that stands up by itself! It’s versatile: can be used for fajitas, dips, traditional tacos, desserts, hot dogs, a breakfast burrito on the go!  I can see them as a bowl for chili, or a great way to serve huevos rancheros! Or you could brush them with melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar and bake them for a few minutes and then fill them with ice cream!

My husband asked me to make individual Mexican Lasagnas. I layered taco spiced beef with cheeses and traditional tortillas and salsa and he loved every bite. My kids used them to roll up their tacos so the filling didn't fall out everywhere. 

He's still working on his Superbowl ideas using the Tortilla bowls so we'll see what I can come up with in February!

Individual Mexican Lasagnas

2 Old el Paso Soft Tortilla Bowls
2 Old El Paso Flour Tortillas
1/2lbs ground beef
1 package old el Paso Taco seasoning
1/2 cup queso cheese
1/2 cup shredded cheddar
1/4 cup salsa
shredded lettuce
chopped tomato

1. Cook the ground beef with the seasoning and set aside.
2. Place the tortilla bowls on a baking sheet.
3. Spoon in a couple of tablespoons of the beef mixture. 
4. Top with a tablespoon of the queso cheese and another of the salsa.
5. Cut a flour tortilla in half and place over top the beef and cheese.
6. Repeat steps  3 to 5. 
7. Top with the shredded cheddar and place in a 350˚F oven for 5 minutes.
8. Remove from the oven and top with the shredded lettuce and chopped tomato and serve.

*This is a Sponsored Post, however my words and my opinions are my own. To read more about my relationship with General Mills Canada please visit my disclosure page.

Gluten-Free Banana, Coconut and Dried Cherry Breakfast Cookies

Cookies for Breakfast? Why not! These Banana, Coconut and Dried Cherry Breakfast Cookies are gluten free and a fun way to start the day!


Gluten-Free Banana, Coconut and Dried Cherry Breakfast Cookies

 
2 cups (500 mL) Rice Chex* cereal

1 cup (250 mL) gluten-free old-fashioned oats

1 cup (250 mL) unsweetened coconut flakes

1 tbsp (15 mL) ground flaxseed

1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt

3/4 cup (175 mL) chopped pecans

3/4 cup (175 mL) dried cherries or cranberries

3 ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 1/3 cups/325 mL)

2 tbsp (30 mL) coconut oil, melted

1/4 cup (50 mL) honey

1/2 tsp (2 mL) gluten-free vanilla

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Line cookie sheet with cooking parchment paper. 

 

2. Crush cereal. In large bowl, mix crushed cereal, oats, coconut flakes, flaxseed, salt, pecans and dried cherries. In medium bowl, stir together bananas, coconut oil, honey and vanilla until well combined. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients; stir until well mixed and dough forms.  

 

3. Place 2 1/2-inch round cutter on cookie sheet. Press 3 tablespoons dough into cutter on cookie sheet. Carefully remove cutter. Repeat to use remaining dough.  

 

4. Bake 22 to 25 minutes or until deep golden brown. Cool on cookie sheet 20 minutes before removing to cool completely.

COOKING GLUTEN FREE: Always read labels to make sure each recipe ingredient is gluten free. Products and ingredient sources can change.

Crunchy Raw-Nola

I have become obsessed with a woman on instagram. If you're not following Joni Jane you need to start. Her pictures of food and Australia and her adorable son keep me checking her account every day. I'm a fan. 

One of the foods she makes is rawnola... uncooked granola. The lazy health nut in me loves how easy this is. You just toss everything in a blender and pulse for a few seconds! I made the recipe the way she makes it and I felt like it needed a bit of crunch, so I tweaked it for my taste buds by adding almonds and chia seeds. I've been eating it on everything! I especially love it on a bowl of sliced bananas with a bit of milk. It keeps me going all morning!

Crunchy Raw-Nola
1/2 cup raw oats
11 pitted medjool dates
1/2 cup of shredded dried coconut
1/2 cup raw almonds
2 tbsp chia seeds

1. Throw the first 4 ingredients in a blender or food processor and pulse for a minute until the dates and almonds are broken up and the ingredients combine.
2. Add the chia seeds and pulse a few more times to combine.
3. Store in a sealed container in the fridge.

I have no idea how long it lasts as I can't keep it long enough to find out!

Review - Betty Crocker Chocolate Chunk Brownies

I got sent a box of goodies from Life Made Delicious this month and I had to laugh. As I pulled each item out of the box I walked over to the pantry and pulled out basically the same product from the shelves. 

Everything they sent me, I already had! 

Usually I try something new and write about it, but since there was nothing new to me in the box I decided (okay, my stomach decided) to make a batch of brownies!

I have tried dozens of from-scratch brownie recipes, and I haven't found any I've liked. They're too dry, too oily, not fudgey enough, not chocolatey enough... I have wasted many a pound of chocolate on bad recipes. I always go back to Betty Crocker. They're always perfect. I always have what I need to make them on hand and they never turn out dry or bland.

I'll be sharing this batch with members of a board I sit on at our meeting tonight. I have a feeling I'm going to be the most popular person there....


Please read my Disclosure Page to learn more about my relationship with General Mills Canada. 

Things My Kids Will Eat - Yogurt Tubes

Is it just me, or are everyone's kids getting pickier by the day? It's actually getting out of hand around here. My kids have even stopped liking toast. TOAST! Who doesn't like toast?? One thing they will still happily eat, and request often, is yogurt. I usually only let them have it at home because sending yogurt and a spoon to school almost always turns into a ruined lunch kit. If I do happen to send it, it's always a yogurt tube! 

I freeze the tubes overnight and they thaw perfectly by lunch time (according to my kids) and they double as an ice pack for their fruits and deli meat (did I mention they won't eat sandwiches?). They're a nice treat as while they're having fun eating them they're also getting some vitamin D and calcium (did I mention they won't drink milk?). 

As Much as my kids love their yogurt tubes in their lunch, they also love them after school, straight out of the freezer! Frozen yogurt tubes make a great after school snack. They think they're having ice cream, and it tides them over till dinner... which they probably won't eat. Sigh.

 

 He's saying cheese

*This is a Sponsored Post, however my words and my opinions are my own. To read more about my relationship with General Mills Canada please visit my disclosure page.