Blooming Boldly: Food & Drink

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This meal was born one evening when I was way too hungry, had no plan for dinner, and was craving Mexican food. I found a few chicken breasts, a jar of salsa, a can of beans, and some rice. Over time, I've added a few more ingredients, but it is just as easy and delicious!

This dinner takes 30 minutes tops, and the hardest part is opening the salsa jar. Fast, cheap, and delicious - my kind of meal!

Ingredients:

2 lbs (ish) of chicken breasts

24 oz jar of salsa - any kind you like!

15 oz can of black beans

15 oz can of corn

15 oz can of sliced black olives

2 cups of rice

1 avocado

1 cup shredded Mexican Blend cheese

Tortilla chips

I chop my chicken breasts in half, just so they cook a littler faster. Add them to the skillet, and then dump the salsa, olives, beans, and corn (all drained) on top. Heat it over medium heat until the chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes. While that's cooking, get the rice going in another pan, according to the directions on the package.

Serve the chicken over rice, with chunks of avocado, a sprinkle of cheese, and a some crunched tortilla chips! I pop the prepared plate in the microwave for about 30 seconds to melt the cheese and warm the avocados slightly. May not be high-tech but it works ;)

There you have it! This is a great weeknight meal when you want something home-cooked and nutritious, but don't want to spend hours in the kitchen! It's become part of my normal meal-plan rotation. As much as I love tacos and fajitas, which we also make pretty often, its nice to have another alternative yet Mexican-inspired go-to meal!

If you try it out, let me know! I'd love to know what you think! Enjoy :)

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Just a few weeks ago, the Kentucky Derby took place. We celebrated as all good Kentuckians should... with bourbon! Although we've both lived in Kentucky all our lives, neither of us had ever had a mint julep before! Craziness, right?! We may not be big horse racing gurus, but we've definitely become pretty big bourbon fans around here lately! And we discovered that mint juleps are a great drink for all summer! Plus they gave us a great way to us some of the fresh mint we've been growing on our deck :)

These Kentucky-classic cocktails are surprisingly easy to make at home, and so refreshing! They definitely don't need to be a Derby-day-only drink, in my book! If you want to learn how to make on yourself, keep reading along.

To make one mint julep, you will need:

5-6 fresh mint leaves

1 tablespoons (0.5 oz) Simple Syrup

1/3 cup (2.5 oz) Bourbon (any kind will work!)

That's it! It's easy, I promise!

Step 1

Start by putting a few fresh mint leaves in the bottom of each cup and adding a splash of Simple Syrup. You can measure it out or use the "free pour" counting method.

Step 2

Using a spoon or muddler, gently mash the leaves against the bottom of the glass to help release the flavors.

Step 3

Add a few ice cubes.

Step 4

Pour in your bourbon!

Step 5

Give your drink a little stir, garnish with an extra leaf or two, and you're good to go!

I suggest enjoying on a deck, porch, or patio on a gorgeous Kentucky afternoon! If you aren't in Kentucky, well, I feel sorry for you! But I suppose a nice afternoon wherever you are will work, and this refreshing cocktail will bring a little Kentucky sunshine to you there :)