Mexican Anyone? Taco Bell copycat and Spanish Rice and Cheesy Chicken Casserole

I know I'm not the only one out there that loves Taco Bell tacos-taco supreme with no tomatoes is how I roll.

Here is a copycat recipe that I found somewhere and changed up a bit. Do try. It is tasty, and a little less greasy:)

1 pound lean ground beef
1/4 cup flour
1 1/2 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried minced onion
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 cup water, + more if needed

Mix beef, flour and spices in a bowl. Heat water over med heat and add meat mixture. Cook about 10 minutes breaking up the meat as it cooks. Mixture will be soft and shouldn't be chunky. I usually add another 1/2 water so the meat can sit for a little bit without drying up. Seve taco style or on a top of a taco salad.

Spanish Rice and Chicken Casserole - this is completely an original recipe I made up and think it is quite tasty! Hubby gave it good reviews and made sure I remembered what I did.

1 1/2 cups white rice
1 can chicken broth
1 small can tomato sauce
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp comino (can omit if you dont' have this)
1 tsp salt

Combine the above ingredients and cook according to rice package. Adjust the spices to your liking-I didn't measure, so this is a guess.

Remaining ingredients:
1 package chicken breasts cubed
1 small onion
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup grated velveeta cheese
1 cup cheddar

Brown chicken spiced with the same spices used in your rice-salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder- in a little oil until done.

Chop and saute small onion in 1 Tbs butter until soft.

After your rice is cooked stir in one can Rotel tomatoes and green chilis, 1 can cream of chicken soup, sauted onion, Velveeta cheese, and cooked chicken. Stir to combine and pour into baking dish. top with cheddar cheese and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. If cheese browns too fast put a foil tent over it for the remaining cooking time.

Serve with hot flour or corn tortillas and dinner is served!

Key Lime Bars

Lane is not much of a sweet eater, but he does like Key Lime Bars and Key Lime Pie...I chose to make him the bars. These are sooo good, you MUST try them.

Crust:
1 1/2 cup flour
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
3/4 cup room temp butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Combine and press into the bottom of a 9X 13 baking dish. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. The crust should be slightly brown.

While crust is baking combine the following ingredients:

1/2 cup key lime juice
2 cups sugar
1/4 cup flour
4 eggs
1 tps lime zest

Whip with mixer or hand whisk. Pour onto hot crust and bake for additional 20 minutes or until edges are brown and topping is set. It will still jiggle a little when you shake it, but not too much.

While hot sprinkle with powdered sugar. If you are really adventurous mix additional lime juice with powdered sugar to make a glaze to drizzle on before sprinkling with sugar.
These are a sweet, tart treat you will definately enjoy!

Chicken and Rice Soup + Avocado, Cheese and Cilantro topping

OK, folks, this soup is DELICIOUS and super easy.

1 whole chicken, or pieces, or just breasts if you choose.
about 5 full sized carrots
about 5 stalks of celery
1 medium to large onion
1 lime
salt and pepper
+- 3/4 cup white rice
avocado
cheese
cilantro

Place whole washed chicken in soup/bean pot and cover with plenty of water so you'll have enough broth for your soup. Add 1/2 onion, roughly chopped, add 3 stalks celery and 3 carrots. Salt and pepper the water. Boil whole washed chicken for about 45 minutes. Remove chicken from broth and strain broth into another pot. Skim off some of the chicken fat if you want to be relatively healthy. Add 2 chopped carrots and 2 chopped celery stalks. Also chop the remaining onion and add to broth. Squeeze lime into soup. Throw in about 3/4 cup uncooked rice. You can add more or less depending on your preference. Bring to a boil and cook until veggies are tender and rice is cooked, 15 minutes or a little more. Remove the skin from your chicken and de-bone. Add chopped chicken back to the soup and you are ready to fix your bowl.

Here is what makes it all so delicious. Smash up about 1/4 an avocado per serving with a fork. Stir this in with about 1/4 cup shredded cheese to each bowl. Make sure the cheese and avocado are all stirred in and melts into the broth. Top with fresh chopped cilantro and enjoy.

Alternate method: Omit the rice, and add fresh fried tortilla strips for chicken tortilla soup.

Trust me, easy and tasty! This makes quite a bit of soup...do share!