Recent Bites

Meal Bite:  2 Ingredient Pesto Chicken

Meal Bite: 2 Ingredient Pesto Chicken

Hi Busies, Yes, the 2 ingredients in this meal are pesto and chicken.  Is it cheating if you don’t make your own pesto?  I won’t tell if you won’t!  Of course, store-bought doesn’t compare to homemade (or even homegrown, if you’re a real overachiever), but 

Side Bite:  Garlic & Herb Crispy Roasted Potatoes

Side Bite: Garlic & Herb Crispy Roasted Potatoes

Hi Busies! I’m not a huge red meat fan, but every once in awhile I love a good steak.  But I don’t love paying for a good steak dinner!  In fact, I usually prefer to order the salmon when I’m eating at a steakhouse – 

Meal Bite:  Beef Stir Fry

Meal Bite: Beef Stir Fry

Hi Busies!

Getting back to the grind after a holiday weekend is never easy.  This 4th of July, my sister was in town visiting, and we had a great time trying some new restaurants, taking the dogs on some long hikes, and spending a whole day on a lazy river tubing adventure.  It was so relaxing, I never wanted it to end!  Although Monday was really (and I mean really) hard to face, it was made a little easier knowing that Monday’s dinner would be ready in a snap.  

This quick and easy stir fry comes together extra quick using a few of my meal prep techniques!  Using a higher quality cut of beef ensures every bite is juicy and tender, offset by a nice crunch from carrots and broccoli.  The sauce is a simple and light brown sauce, similar to a hibachi-style steak.  If you’re following my full meal prep guide, I love drizzling the leftover peanut sauce from this kale bowl over the stir fry as well.  

This recipe can also be modified to add in your favorite stir fry veggies.  It would be great with snap peas and some bell peppers for some new textures and flavors.  If I have a can of baby corn, I usually throw that in at the end as well.  

Monday, bring it on!

Beef Stir Fry

A quick and easy stir fry with a savory brown sauce.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Servings 4
Author Sam - Busy Girl Bites

Ingredients

  • 2-3 sirloin or flank steaks
  • 3 T cornstarch
  • Sesame oil
  • 2/3 cup soy sauce (I use low sodium)
  • Stir fry veggies (cooked - I use carrots and broccoli, roasted separately as part of my meal prep; see link in post above)
  • Optional:  sesame seeds or green onions for garnish
  • Serve with: rice or lo mein noodles

Instructions

  1. Dice steak into 1 inch cubes, place in small bowl with cornstarch and toss to coat.  Let sit at room temperature 15 minutes.  While waiting, this is a good time to work on other meal prep recipes or prepare the carrots and broccoli.
  2. Heat sesame oil in large wok or pan over medium high heat. Oil is ready when a drop of water sizzles when added to the pan.
  3. Add steak and cook for 4-6 minutes or until desired doneness, stirring occasionally.
  4. Add soy sauce and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer 5 minutes or until sauce is thickened.
  5. Remove from heat, stir in veggies.
  6. To Freeze: Place stir fry in storage container or baggie and let cool in fridge, then lay flat in freezer.
  7. To Serve: Thaw stir fry overnight, prepare rice or noodles according to package instructions. Heat stir fry in skillet over medium heat or in microwave until warmed through. Garnish with optional toppings.
Travel Bite:  Barcelona

Travel Bite: Barcelona

Hi Busies!   The third leg of our Europe trip was in Barcelona.  After a crazy amount of sightseeing and walking in Ireland and London, we were ready for a break.  Lucky for us, our Air BnB was perfect for that!  There was a rooftop terrace with a 

Side Bite:  Slow Cooker Black Beans

Side Bite: Slow Cooker Black Beans

Hi Busies!  In the first few months of my first job after college, I struggled with the transition to working full time.  I was alone in a new city, without any friends to explore it with, and I was getting home drained from long days 

Meal Bite:  Slow Cooker Cream Cheese Chicken Taquitos

Meal Bite: Slow Cooker Cream Cheese Chicken Taquitos

Hi Busies!  This week is a crazy one for me, because we’re making a trip home to visit my family at the end of the week.  Whenever I know I’ll be traveling, I always try to use up as many perishables from the fridge as I can before we leave.  These taquitos are a great way to help out with that – a couple of these on their own will make a great snack, but smothering them in all. the. toppings. will elevate them to delicious dinner status!  Not to mention, forks are optional which comes in handy when you’re busy trying to do laundry and pack for a trip!

Slow Cooker Chicken Taquitos

I served these with my Spanish Rice on the side.  I hadn’t prepped the rice beforehand, but I put it on the stove right after work, played with the pups and their new toy (tennis balls are a big deal in this household), and reheated the taquitos in the oven. For maximum tortilla crispiness, I like to give them a quick spray with cooking spray and flip them over halfway through reheating.

Watson and Penny with Tennis Ball

When you have major food envy and just want to try one bite, but he isn’t having it.

 

Look at all that avocado!  Needless to say, after tonight my fridge will be clear of all the good stuff.  First thing on the list for after our trip – more avocado!  I’m looking forward to a family filled weekend which is guaranteed to include the annual family water balloon contest (wish me luck!).  What do you have going on this weekend?  Let me know in the comments below!

Slow Cooker Chicken Taquitos

A creamy, flavorful chicken and cheese filling made in the crock pot, then wrapped in a tortilla shell and baked until golden and crisp. Perfect for dipping or smothering with your favorite toppings!
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Servings 6
Author Sam - Busy Girl Bites

Ingredients

Filling

  • 2 large or 4 small boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1 8- oz packet cream cheese
  • 2 tsp chili powder
  • 2 tsp garlic powder (or 2 cloves minced garlic)
  • 2 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 1/3 cup water

Taquitos

  • 20 6- inch flour tortillas
  • 3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar or Mexican blend cheese
  • optional: toppings such as salsa (sour cream, cilantro, etc.)

Instructions

Filling

  1. In a small bowl, combine chili, garlic, cumin, salt, and pepper.
  2. Place cream cheese and water in bottom of crock pot.
  3. Place chicken breasts in crock pot and sprinkle with spice mixture. Rub spices into chicken.
  4. Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours, stirring occasionally to ensure the chicken gets coated in the melted cream cheese mixture.

To assemble/freeze

  1. Shred chicken and stir to coat with the sauce from the slow cooker.
  2. Place ~1/4 cup of chicken and 1 T of cheese in the middle of a tortilla. Roll tortilla and place, seam side down, in storage container or bag.

To cook

  1. optional: thaw overnight.
  2. Preheat oven to 375°F. Prepare a baking sheet with non-stick spray. Place taquitos seam side down on the sheet and spray the taquitos with cooking spray.
  3. Bake 10 minutes, flipping halfway through. If taquitos are still frozen, bake 20-25 minutes at 400°F.
  4. Serve with salsa for dipping or smother with your favorite toppings!

Recipe Notes

Note: if you don't have time to roll the taquitos right away, the filling can be kept in the fridge for 1-2 days before assembling and freezing.
Note: once these are frozen the tortilla will stay rolled, but be careful when putting them in the freezer that they are seam side down so they don't unroll. I pack them tight into a plastic baggie and remove as much air as I can.

Adapted from le creme de la crumb

Meal Bite:  Chicken Parm Meatballs

Meal Bite: Chicken Parm Meatballs

Hi Busies!  This recipe is one of my favorite go-to’s, because these meatballs come together in minutes and freeze extremely well.  They can be reheated in the oven straight from the freezer, and they’ll still be juicy and tender.  This comes in handy for those 

Welcome!

Welcome!

Hi Busies!  Welcome to my blog, Busy Girl Bites.  My name is Sam, and I currently live in North Carolina with my boyfriend and 2 dogs, Watson and Penny.  Taking care of these 2 could be a full-time job on its own, but I also