Beef and Bean Burritos, with Salsa Verde Sauce

Ricotta Rice Pie!

I will be having my family here for Easter this year....and every year, no matter where we go for Easter, I make this most delicious Ricotta Rice Pie.

This recipe was handed down to me from my Mom.  She use to make this pie every Easter, and even around Christmastime when she hosted the "Deacon's Christmas Party".  I remember it all so well, she would be cooking all week for this Christmas Party, all the delicious foods that us kids would love to eat.  On her menu was "Ricotta Rice Pie".  My sister and I loved this pie, and we were so worried we wouldn't get a piece, after the platter went around to all the Deacon's and their wives. 

Finally the time came, and the platter went around the huge table, there was at least 20 people around that large table. There we were in our P.J.'s, (yes we were very young) waiting in the kitchen for the leftover pie. Would you believe the platter was empty!  YES, EMPTY....but my sister and I enjoyed the crumbs, and they were delicious!

This pie, is so creamy from the ricotta cheese, and you don't even know there's rice in it, it's so tender.  I like to serve this with sliced strawberries and whipped cream, or you could just eat it plain.  Here's the recipe!

Ricotta Rice Pie

2 cups COOKED white rice COOLED (I use Carolina Long Grain)
2 cups Ricotta Cheese
1 & 1/2 cups sugar
5 eggs beaten
1/2 stick butter softened
1 TBS almond extract
1 pint fresh strawberries sliced, and sweetened with 1 TBS sugar
Freshly whipped cream

HINT - Cook the rice the day or night before so it's cooled down. Leave all the ingredients at room temp for about 1 hour before you start mixing, you do not want cold ingredients just won't work!

With an mixer,  beat the butter, eggs, sugar, and almond extract.  Add the Ricotta cheese and beat until smooth.  Add the rice and mix really good.

Grease a spring form pan, and add the batter, or a 9x13 dish.  Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes.  When cooled, run a sharp knife around the spring form pan, and unmold.  Put on a pretty platter, serve with fresh strawberries, sweetened with 1 TBS sugar, and freshly whipped cream! YUMMO!

Beef Enchiladas

I'm linking this recipe up with The Better Baker's Weekend Potluck! Go take a look-see!

It's been a very busy week.  This whole week our church is having VBS, Vacation Bible School.  We are active in VBS, my Hubby is helping in Wood Shop, Becca is helping with Recreation, Davey is in the 2nd grade class, and I'm helping in Crafts.  Over 300 children are participating....a great turn-out, we are loving it, and the fellowship is wonderful!

I've been cooking Beef Enchiladas now for years. They are easy, and so delicious. They remind me of a Mexican Lasagna. Yes, now don't faint..... I use the canned refried beans, canned enchiladas sauce, and even a packet of taco seasoning mix, they are so helpful, easy for a busy mom like me, and for a very busy week here at home.

To make this all taste so delicious and "fresh" I do use fresh Cilantro. I love fresh Cilantro, I even grow it with my herbs, it's so convenient to pick it, chop it up and add it to many dishes.  Cilantro makes all Mexican dishes taste so "fresh", even if you are using canned ingredients.  Make this recipe, so delicious, so satisfying!  YUMMO!

Beef Enchiladas

2 pounds Ground Beef, 85% lean
1 can Refried Beans
1 can Black Beans (drain, and rinsed from their liquid)
1 large can Enchiladas Sauce (red or green, the green is hard to find!)
1 packet Taco seasoning mix
2 tsp Cumin
2 TBS of fresh Cilantro
1/4 cup water
1 package of shredded Cheddar Cheese, about 12 oz
1 package of the medium Flour Tortilla's, about 10 in a pkg
1 small can of chili's only if you like it hot...I tend to leave this out because my kids won't like it

1.  In a skillet brown the meat and then drain all the fat, I drain the meat using a colander. Then return the meat back to the skillet. Add the water, taco seasoning mix, cumin, refried beans, rinsed black beans, chiles and cook for another 5 minutes and mix it really good to combine.

Doesn't this look so delicious!

2. In a 9x13 greased casserole dish, put about 1/2 cup of the Enchiladas Sauce, then take the Floured Tortilla's and spread about 2 TBS of the beef mixture in the middle of each tortilla, and then top it with a sprinkling of cheese, but save about 1 cup of the cheese for the topping at the end.

3. Roll them up, and put them in ONE LAYER in the casserole dish on top of the enchiladas sauce. Continue doing this until all the beef mixture is gone, and the floured tortillas are used up, you will have about 10, squeeze them in the casserole dish again, only one layer.

 4. Top with the remaining Enchiladas Sauce, and cheese, sometimes I even top it off with the meat mixture if I have any leftover.  Bake uncovered in a 350 oven for 1/2 hour.  Enjoy!

Garnish - Sour Cream and Salsa....and a Most Delicious Salad!