Quick and Easy Taco Pasta Skillet

Any meal that starts off with the words "quick and easy" instantly has a place in my heart. When those dishes are also packed full of flavor and are super tasty, it's a match made in heaven.

I am a total taco junky, but sometimes I just don't have the patience to prepare all the toppings, and the meat, and the tortillas. There are times when I just want to be able to face-plant right into taco goodness without all the mess.

I think this Quick and Easy Taco Pasta Skillet is just the ticket. This is an absolute crowd pleaser. I tried lightening this dish up by using low fat cheddar cheese, ground chicken, a low-sodium taco seasoning, and Ronzoni Garden Delight pasta. This is a really easy way to sneak an extra 1/2 servingof vegetables into your dinners (by the way -- this post is NOT sponsored! I just enjoy this pasta...)

Pasta noodles are mixed into the browned ground chicken along with a can of petite diced tomatoes, sweet whole corn kernels, taco seasoning, and a few dashes of Frank's Red Hot. A hearty helping of grated cheese goes down on top before the whole skillet is popped into the oven to melt that cheese into a lovely cheese blanket. Has anyone made a cheese blanket yet? No? Well, then.

To finish this dish and add a little freshness, I chopped up a bit of cilantro to garnish the whole skillet. Individual servings can be trashed up with a dollop of sour cream, a few chunks of fresh avocado, or a bit of salsa over the top. If I were eating this skillet alone, I would have also added a can of drained and rinsed black beans. Yes, yes, yes.

Coconut Lime Chicken with Green Beans

OMG OMG OMG!!!

It's 2014. And I am now the proud owner of the www.gasstovegirl.com domain! How fabulous is that? Be sure to add this blog to your RSS feed so you never miss a recipe!

I had a pretty awesome holiday season. I am pretty sure I over-ate every single day, at every single meal. Like any good cliche, I am trying to do a 180 in the new year by eating right and actually putting some effort into exercising.

One reason is because it's good to be healthy and actually practice moderation. Moderation was not a word that was in my vocabulary the past two weeks and that's just not right.

Another reason is because I have a very important dress I will need to fit into in a couple of years. A wedding dress. I'm engaged! Squee!

To spare you the eye-rolling, "oh great another person I know getting married" misery, I'll just jump right into this tasty and super simple recipe.

This Coconut Lime Chicken with Green Beans saute is sweet and tangy. There are lots of great Thai flavors in this dish, making it the perfect alternative to take-out! I was inspired by a dish I saw Sandra Lee make on her show, "Semi-Homemade." Obviously I watched a lot of Food Network the past week and I am so glad I did--there were some yummy recipes happening last week!

If you need a quick meal that is really satisfying yet good for you, give this Coconut Lime Chicken a try. I used light coconut milk, low sodium soy sauce and chicken broth for the sauce. A little bit of Worcestershire sauce adds a boost of flavor. The lime is tart and tangy, while cilantro finishes the whole dish with a little brightness. Serve this over your rice of choice, and you've got a fantastic meal everyone is sure to love. Try cooking your rice in coconut water instead of regular water to really bring home the coconut flavor!

Traditional Fettuccine Alfredo

Do you ever wonder why Fettuccine Alfredo is so good? I'm talking real, restaurant-style Fettuccine Alfredo.

The answer is actually quite simple. But, in case you were still wondering, there are three main reasons why nobody can say no to a creamy, dreamy plate of Fettuccine Alfredo.

1. Butter

2. Grated Parmesan Cheese

3. Heavy Cream

It's so obvious, isn't it? Normally, I try to only eat Fettuccine Alfredo out at restaurants for special occasions. There is no denying that it is incredibly rich, so moderation is key. But recently...I was craving it. I NEEDED the perfect plate of Fettuccine Alfredo.

When I took the first bite of this Traditional Fettuccine Alfredo, I just melted with joy. And my pasta-loving boyfriend couldn't resist a second helping. A perfect al dente fettuccine pasta, creamy  and buttery white cheese sauce, spicy black pepper. Just thinking about it gives me butterflies.

Turns out, the entire dish is incredibly simple (as you may have guessed from the short ingredient list above). It's reasons like this that make me truly believe we should never buy a jar of pre-made sauce ever again. 

If you're a purist, this recipe is so perfect and so flavorful, you can just enjoy a huge plate of pasta and sauce. If you're a protein and veggie lover, use this recipe as a base for any variation you can imagine.

For our meal, we did chicken and broccoli alfredo. Just grill a couple of chicken breasts and steam some broccoli, place on top of the pasta and sauce and you're good to go! I also would imagine pork tenderloins and asparagus would be a delicious combo, or add bacon and peas for a decadent carbonara. 

Low-Carb Taco Bowls

I am going to be honest today and tell you guys that when it comes to a blogging schedule, I don't have one. I make things that I want to try and if it's a winner, I take pictures and bring it to you.

This sporadic what-I-ate-is-what-I-write-about schedule seems to have back fired, on account of I brought you not one but two decadent cake recipes back to back.

I don't feel like you're mad about it, but with the holiday baking rush sometimes I feel like our dinners need to be toned down, a bit lighter, allowing us to leave a little room for dessert (winky face). This is so simple but a total crowd pleaser!

Enter these Low-Carb Taco Bowls. It's everything you love about a taco or burrito, with the taco shells scrapped and the rice improvised. I made a Cilantro-Lime Cauliflower rice as a base. Have you gotten on board with this trend? Raw cauliflower is pulsed in the food processor until it reaches a rice-like consistency, then sauteed until golden brown. I'm telling you--you won't miss that bland rice with this dish!

Besides the rice, we are talking tacos how you like them. I used ground beef, for I do not fear the red meat (in fact I love it), and it all gets spiced up with some taco seasonings. Atop the "rice" and beef is the good stuff -- shredded cheese, ripe avocado slices, black beans, lettuce, tomato, chives, and cilantro. It really is a taco bowl with the works!

This is a one pan meal that is perfect to whip together on a busy weeknight. Simply prep the rice, prep the beef, slice up your veggies and serve everything buffet-style, so each person can have exactly what they want on their taco bowl!