What's for Dinner Wednesday

So, I have a secret talent- I'm a phenomenal cook, just ask my kids.  I make the best "real" Kraft macaroni and cheese you've ever had.  I use precise measurements like "some" and "some more" to perfect very memorable meals for my family.  Here's a couple recipes we are eating this week (your welcome!).

Chicken and Gnocchi (fancy, right?!?)

I saw this recipe in Real Simple a long time ago (like, when I had time to read magazines and save recipes) and I've cooked it probably weekly ever since- especially in the winter.  It's warm and brothy and easy deliciousness.  Here's the link to the recipe on their website.  It's what we're having tonight:

 Real Simple Chicken and Gnocchi

and another one for the road...

Baked Tacos

I saw the recipe for baked tacos on the Mix and Match Mama blog Monday morning and it was pretty much love at first sight.  We love us some tacos around here and I'd never thought to build them and then bake them.  I changed it up a little but they still turned out delicious!  Here's what I did:

Gather supplies: ground beef, black beans, refried beans, and rotel. Enjoy! (Ha, just kidding, there's more).

Brown your ground beef and add a recipe for taco seasoning (this is where those precise measurements come in).  Some of these items- chili powder, onion powder, oregano, and cumin.  Some more of these- paprika, and garlic powder.  I've just started seasoning it how I like it, not too much kick and alot of garlic and that seems to work so far.  I also add a little less than a cup of water and simmer until the water is absorbed.

 Open the black beans and rinse.  Then add the beans and rotel to the ground beef.

 Now that the meats done it's time to go get little people out of bed.  Walk away from the stove for a couple hours to dry some tears and hang out at the park (poor little people.  Beckett's started crying just because Emery is- it's fun.)

 After everyone's played for a couple hours come back to cooking.  I put a layer of refried beans along the bottom of the taco shells, then stuffed them silly with the meat.  Finally I topped them off with some colby jack cheese and baked them on 425 for about 10 minutes and opened the oven to see this:

Ah, yes, just take that in for a moment.  

They were delicious and we will be adding this to our Sunday night mexican food night rotation.  Happy Eating!