Well, at least the dessert was tasty.

Well, I admit it.  This isn't my most exciting dinner ever, but I was looking for something easy.  And it had to involve rice.  Why?  Because I happen to have a lot of rice right now.  This meal fit the bill to a T.
I found this recipe on Taste of Home.  I made some slight alterations which are in the recipe below.
Santa Fe Chicken

1 large onion, chopped

1 T olive oil

1 garlic clove, minced

1-1/4 C chicken broth

1 can (10 oz) diced tomatoes and green chilies, undrained

2 T lime juice

1 C uncooked long grain rice

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (4 ounces each)

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp ground cumin

3/4 C shredded cheese (Cheddar or Mozzarella)

fresh cilantro

In a large skillet, saute onion and jalapeno in oil until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in broth, tomatoes and lime juice; bring to a boil. Stir in rice.  Sprinkle chicken with salt, pepper and cumin; place over rice mixture. Cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes on each side or until a meat thermometer reads 170°.  Remove from the heat. Sprinkle with cheese; cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Garnish with cilantro and/or limes.

I confess that this wasn't my favorite dinner ever.  It seemed a little bland - I probably could have added a bit more lime and probably some Cayenne pepper.  My hubby and dad liked it though.  (My mom was sick and wasn't here...) I think I'd probably make it again, even though it wasn't the best meal ever, because it was so easy to make and only used one pan.


I decided to compliment this with my "world famous" Brazilian Lemonade (which is actually limeade, so why do they call it lemonade?).  This picture doesn't do it justice.  You can find a much more appetizing photo of Brazilian Lemonade here, with a downloadable recipe card.

For dessert, I made Easy Cheesecake Bars - specifically the ones found here on allrecipes.  Going with the easy theme again, I was searching for something uncomplicated and quick.  It wasn't the easiest dessert you can make (that would probably be Peanut Butter Fluff Pudding Dessert or the Pudding Torte) But aside from the chilling time, it was pretty quick.


Easy Cheesecake Bars

1/3 cup butter, softened

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

1/3 cup chopped walnuts

1 cup sifted all-purpose flour

1/4 cup white sugar

8 ounces cream cheese

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons milk

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F(175 degrees C).  

To make Pastry: Cream together the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add in the flour and chopped nuts and stir until mixture becomes crumbly. Press pastry mixture into 8-inch square pan and bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool on rack.  

To make Filling: Beat together the white sugar, and cream cheese until smooth. Stir in the egg, milk, lemon juice, and vanilla and mix well. Spread filling mixture over baked crust. 

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool on wire rack and refrigerate. Optional: serve with fruit. 

Not sure if I did something wrong - but the pastry part was kind of dry.  I think I'll look for a different recipe when I do cheesecake bars again.  
Or maybe I'll just stick to these Key Lime Cheesecake Bars.  So tasty!


All in all, not the best dinner ever, but not the worst dinner, either.  Sometimes you need easy and mediocre right?  It helps you appreciate the other alternatives!

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