Anyhoo, I thought I’d share this super simple and delicious weeknight meal with you. I’ve been on a huge zucchini kick lately. I seriously can’t get enough. I decided to stuff one of the green veggies with a creamy Mexican stuffing of chicken, black beans, Rotel, and, of course, CHEESE!!!

I was really impressed with this dish. And, when you’ve got cooked chicken on hand, it all comes together really quick. You start by scooping out the flesh of the zucchini.

You could chop up the zucchini flesh and add it to the stuffing, but I didn’t. You could also add the leftover zucchini meat to a batch of scrumptious zucchini bread.

I had to stop myself from eating the stuffing before these little boats went into the oven. I mean, how can you not like sour cream, chicken and cumin??

Yum, yum, yum. I think even your picky, non-veggie eating kids will enjoy this dish.

I hope you have a great week! I’ll see you real soon with a recap of a bridal shower I catered over the weekend. It was tons of fun.
The Duchess

Oh, boy, do I ever have a fabulous soup recipe for you today! I know most people think of soup in the fall and winter when there’s a nip in the air, but the Duke LOVES soup. He could eat it every day. That being said, I like to play around with soups every now and then. This is one of our all-time favorites. It’s a chunky white bean and chicken soup that I found in Cooking Light over a year ago.

You know how much I love Mexican flavors, so I was all over this recipe from the first time I saw it. It’s thick, its spicy, it’s satisfying, and it couldn’t be any easier! This is the perfect way to use up any leftover chicken that you may have on hand. The soup calls for a whopping SIX ingredients. I think you can handle it!

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve made this soup. I’ve even taken it to friends with newborns or when friends move. Who doesn’t love a hot meal delivered to their front door? Bake up a few corn muffins for the side and you’ll be cooking with gas.

You can also use a bit less broth than the recipe calls for and fill tortillas with the chicken mixture for a delicious spin on burritos.

Have a great week! I’m subbing today, tomorrow and Wednesday in Pre-K. Wish me luck with the little rascals. The Duchess

Anyhoo, after using a Canon PowerShot for the last few years (and for all of my blog photos), I’ve finally, and thankfully, graduated to a Canon Rebel XS. I feel like such a big girl! It’s still the bottom of the line when it comes to nice cameras, but it’s a great starting point for me. It actually belongs to the Duke’s mom, but she’s indefinitely loaning it to me. I’ve already bought a 50mm 1.8 lens for it. The lens should be here next week. Can’t wait to get shooting!

I’ve still got a lot to learn about the Rebel, but here are some of my first few shots. I decided to make overnight oats for the first time last night.

I used a small container of honey Oikos, 1/4 cup of rolled oats, a few chopped strawberries and about a tablespoon of wheat germ and threw it all in the fridge before bed. I thought it was pretty good! If you have a thing about mushy textures, I wouldn’t try it. I happen to like my cereal a bit soggy, so I devoured it.

Ruby’s favorite spot is on the back of the chair. She likes to sit here and watch me eat breakfast (and jump down to catch any stray crumbs).

Have you ever seen a cuter face??? She’s my precious angel girl.

Once I got to school this morning, it was work, work, work. Can you believe we’re already planning for field day? I feel like field day was right before school got out for summer when I was in school. Apparently the school where I work does theirs in March.

Each child gets an official lanyard with their name and events on it. When they complete an event, they get a whole punched. Pretty fancy!

After making the lanyards, I realized my overnight oats had faded. I happily munched on some carrot sticks.

I’d be willing to bet that my vision is better than perfect. I eat more carrots than Bugs Bunny! They’re just the perfect low calorie snack. My favorite way to eat them is dipped in peanut butter.

After field day stuff, I moved on to making bunny baskets for our spring party next week (we’re P.C. here, folks. It’s not an Easter party, but rather a Spring party). How cute are these??

The baskets are actually gallon milk jugs! You cut them, leaving the handle in tact, and glue tissue paper, ears, eyes and a nose right on. Pretty crafty, huh? Can you believe this is what I get paid to do?

After all of the crafting goodness this morning, I was starved for lunch. I usually wait until about noon for lunch, since our class eats at 11. Not today. I was so hungry that I ate right alongside the little ones.

I was craving veggies like a mad woman, so I packed spinach, chopped zucchini, white beans, marinara sauce and a little mozzarella on top. When you microwave the spinach, it wilts and is just perfect. I brought a piece of whole wheat soda bread for the side.

The camera charger is forever lost, so I’ve ordered a new one. It won’t be in until next week, so I may have to revert back to my point and shoot for the weekend. I’m still very excited to experiment with the Rebel. Hang with me as I work through it all. I’ve got miles to go to become a decent food photographer.

Do any of you shoot with a Canon? If not, what do you use? Any tips?? Please leave comments and suggestions. I love hearing from you guys. The Duchess

Do any of you have resolutions this year? Mine are really just the same old, same old. I’d like to lose 5-10 pounds (I gained about 7 after my wedding in April, but have since lost about 2, so I’m still up 5 lbs). I’d like to be better with my finances. I also really want to run a half-marathon in March. I know I can do it, I just have to get over the mental block. I psych myself out thinking I’ll never be able to do it. Any of you runners have any advice??

Well, with all of the heavy holiday eating behind us, I’m having lots of fun experimenting with healthier recipes. I hosted ladies’ lunch the other day and made a fabulous casserole with veggie succotash and brown rice. I opened the fridge and threw in everything I could find, and wouldn’t you know, it was delish! I really enjoyed the succotash by itself before adding the rice, so that’s what I’m sharing with you today. Serve with sour cream and warm tortillas for a comforting and light meal.

This dish would also be great with corn or mushrooms thrown in. I hope you all have a very blessed 2010. Here’s to good health, happiness, peace and prosperity.The Duchess

So, if you’re anything like me, you’re looking for super simple meals for the family this week. Thanksgiving is just a few days away, so who wants to be cooking all week? I found this easy Sandra Lee recipe for Red Beans and Rice and just had to give it a try. I’ve loved red beans and rice for as long as I can remember. It’s one of the ultimate Southern comfort foods. Nothing beats my mom’s red beans and rice, but this is so easy and tastes great! The best part is, it feeds a crowd in no time flat. Add this to your Thanksgiving week menu for a stress-free and flavorful meal.

I hope your last-minute Thanksgiving food shopping goes well this week. I know I’ll realize I need something around 4pm on Wednesday…it’s just how it goes. Have a very Happy Thanksgiving!The Duchess

Now that there is a slight nip in the air, I thought I’d share this warm and hearty beef soup with you. It involves a crock pot and a few cans…how easy is that? I thought I’d give the traditional French Onion Soup that we all love a spicy Southwest twist. Incase you can’t tell, I love Southwest and Mexican flavors. We eat it once or twice a week around here. I even worked at a local Mexican restaurant during high school and still go there at least once a month! I could seriously eat Mexican three times a day. Anyway, back to the soup. It’s chock full of beans, onions, beef  and cheese. If that doesn’t light your fire your wood must be wet!

I think you’re gonna love this hearty soup with a kick! Don’t forget, you can “Share and Save” my recipes below. I’d also love to hear your comments. Have a fabulous weekend!The Duchess

I figured we’d start on a fairly light note, though. I anticipate lots of beer this football season, so I gotta conserve where I can, people. I created an easy and hearty taco soup after opening the pantry one night and finding lots of great canned stuff. You literally open four cans, brown some meat, and top it all off with cheese and sour cream! I like to use turkey or chicken for my taco soup. It tastes just as good as ground beef, but has a lot less fat and grease. Just don’t tell the man in your life…it will be our little secret.

The Duchess

After the gym tonight, I wanted something quick, but satisfying. Taco Salads are a go-to meal in our house, but I wanted to jazz it up just a bit. You’re going to LOVE the Chipotle Ranch that I created to top off the taco salad. It’s cool, creamy, and slightly smokey. I added chopped green chilies to the beef, also. They’re not spicy, but they add a great chile flavor. I think you’ll love this easy meal as much as the Duke and I do.

Happy Cooking! Have a wonderful week, and don’t forget to comment on my posts and follow me.
The Duchess