Yes, I can most definitely stay for dinner!

Remember how I said that I’d probably hate snow by the second snowfall?  Well, I apparently don’t have to wait very long.  Which is unfortunate.  Since it’s October.

The weathermen, practically giddy at having so much to talk about in the other-wise boring month of October, are calling for a Nor’easter.  For 6-10 inches of snow.  Tonight.  And so, yes, the weathermen are the only ones who are giddy right now.  The rest of us are groaning in perfect unison.

If you’re not from New England, let me explain what a North Easter is.  It’s a storm that brings intense winds, white-out conditions, and then dumps a ton of snow all over the place so that the snow bankings are almost as tall as me.

We New Englanders are pro’s when it comes to preparing for such storms, so it really wouldn’t be that big of a deal if this was taking place after Thanksgiving.  Or at least after Halloween.  Or at least after I took my winter coat out of storage.

But anyway, the preparation for a storm…  Today you can be sure that I will be stocking up on the necessities such as shovels and batteries  icecream, nachos, and hot chocolate.  Can’t have a Nor’easter without them.  I’m also looking forward to snuggling up in a warm blanket on the couch and catching up on my favorite blogs, since it’s been awhile that I’ve had time to do so.  🙂

You know what else is perfect for a Nor’easter?  A warm, hearty meal that’s full of flavor.

I recently visited Andrea over at Can you Stay for Dinner, which is one of my all-time favorite cooking blogs, and made her Healthy Beef and Bean Enchiladas.  The enchiladas were SO easy to put together and they were just as delicious as they looked in the pictures.  An added bonus was that they called for only half a pound of meat and the rest of the filling was black beans and veggies… but the hubby never even noticed.

Nate actually gave the recipe two thumbs up!  (And made sure that I put the leftovers in the fridge, because he wanted some for lunch the next day).

Looking for a quick-and-easy recipe to throw together this weekend that will save you time but not ask you to sacrifice on flavor?  Try this one!   🙂

Healthy Beef and Bean Enchiladas from Can You Stay for Dinner?

(serves 6)

2 tsp olive oil

2 cups sliced bell peppers, any color

1 medium onion, sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

8 oz lean ground sirloin (I used extra lean ground beef)

1 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 TBSP chili powder

1 TBSP ground cumin

½ tsp paprika

pinch cayenne pepper

½ tsp salt

12  6″ whole wheat tortillas

1 16 oz jar hot salsa, divided (I used Newman’s Own Black Bean salsa)

1 cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese, or any blend you like

1.  Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add olive oil, swirling to coat. Add the peppers and onions and saute for about 5 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds.

2.  Add ground beef and use a fork to crumble it. Cook for about 4-5 minutes, or until the mixture is no longer pink.

3.  Stir in the chili powder, cumin, paprika, cayenne, salt, black beans, and ¼ cup of the salsa. Mix well.

4.  Now preheat your oven to 350º F. Spread half of the remaining salsa over the bottom of a 13×9” baking pan.

5.  Lay your tortillas on a clean work surface and spoon a heaping ¼ cup onto the center of each. Roll tightly and line them up, closely packed into the baking pan, seam side down.  (I filled the wrap with 1/2 cup of the filling).

6.  When all of the tortillas have been filled and placed into the pan, evenly pour the remaining salsa over the top.

7.  Sprinkle the pan with the cheese.

8.  Bake for 20 minutes. Allow the enchiladas to cool for about 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with sour cream and fresh cilantro.

Enjoy!!