Arepas With Chicken & Corn

2 cups masarepa cornmeal

1 tsp salt

2 cups hot chicken broth

1/2 c black beans, drained

1/2 c shredded cheese (jack, cheddar, mozzarella, or combination)

corn on the cob, cooked

paprika

chili powder

garlic salt

1/2 c sour cream

pinch of chopped cilantro

one diced avocado

rotisserie chicken (breast, shredded: I bought one already cooked at Wal Mart, lemon garlic flavored)

1/2 tomato, diced

1/4 red onion, diced

salsa

1. combine cornmeal and salt in bowl

2. add broth, mix until no-lump dough forms

3. divide into 8 pieces, cover them with a damp cloth

4. heat lightly greased griddle, dip hands in cold water (prevents sticking) and roll each piece into a ball.

5. make an indention in each ball and insert a tiny bit of beans, cheese and onion.

6. pinch dough around filling to enclose

7. flatten each ball to 1 inch think between palms

8. cook on griddle until crisp, about 3 minutes per side

In blender (or Magic Bullet, as I prefer), add sour cream, cilantro, a few pieces of avocado and a dash or garlic salt and blend until smooth.

Place arepas on plates and stack chicken, remaining beans and cheese, onion, salsa, avocado, tomato and top with sour cream mixture.

Rub corn on the cob with butter and sprinkle on paprika, chili powder and garlic salt.

One word: Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm..........

Black Bean Chicken Burritos with Cilantro-Lime Rice

I made these a couple nights ago for dinner and they were a hit. This is a new take on Mom's burritos, which are the best on the face of the earth! Just for something a little different and healthier, Joe and I came up with this:

1 lb diced chicken breast
taco seasoning (I prefer Taco Bell brand)
1 can refried black beans
handful of chopped cilantro
lime juice
rice
garlic salt
chopped tomato
chopped red onion
1 small can sliced black olives
cheese (once again, I use 2% milk cheese)
sour cream
shredded lettuce
salsa (I prefer El Fenix brand)
burrito-size tortillas

To make cilantro-lime rice:
Cook rice according to package, I prefer to use a rice cooker. Once rice is cooked, add lime juice, garlic salt and cilantro (save a pinch of cilantro for the meat and bean mixture). I can't really tell you how much to add because it should be per your taste. We like ours very flavorful so we probably add 2-3 tablespoons lime juice, 1-2 tablespoons garlic salt and 1/3 cup cilantro to 4 cups of (cooked) rice. We like to put it in our burritos as well have have some on the side. We're rice people! LOL

To make burritos:
Cook chicken and season it with taco seasoning just like you would hamburger meat, add black beans and a pinch of cilantro and stir. Heat tortillas. To each tortilla add meat/bean mixture, rice, and all other toppings to your satisfaction. If you are fortunate enough to have leftovers, go ahead and make the burritos up and store them in a Ziploc bag. You can put them in the fridge or freeze them. I learned this from Mom. They are EVEN BETTER heated up!

These burritos were a hit, but they're still not as good as Mom's. But even when I follow her recipe exactly, mine never turn out as good as hers (just like the sausage biscuits and gravy). Moms just have that special touch, I guess!

***FUNNY SIDE NOTE:
I actually tried to post this entry the other night after we had this for dinner. I typed it all up and hit "publish," only to find that I posted it on the wrong blog! LOL Out of frustration I just deleted it.