I've Got Skills

Cooking skills that is. Generally my diet consists of beans and cheese-in all forms. What I mean by that is most nights for dinner I will have just beans and cheese, beans and cheese in a salad or beans and cheese in a tortilla. So naturally, when I decided to cook something (warming up beans in the micro and grating cheese isn't real cooking), it had to be closely related to my normal diet. I don't tend to stray from things I know I like. And I know all I did was follow a recipe, but it turned out really good. So I think I definitely have some cookin' skills!

Here's the story:

One of my college roommates was coming to visit. I had not seen her in about a year, which is very sad, but beside the point. I wanted to make a good, inexpensive dinner so she would be impressed (because she remembers my bean and cheese diet from college). The night before she came to visit, I dusted off the Betty Crocker Healthy New Choices cook book (sorry Mom, but you know I don't cook) and started looking for something sort of healthy/bean related. And this is what I found...

Name of Dish: Spicy Mexican Skillet Chicken
4 servings
15 min cook time

Ingredients:
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 to 2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 can (15 oz) black beans-drained
1 cup whole kernel corn
1/2 cup chunky salsa
cilantro
1 red jalapeno chili
1/2 avocado (my "secret ingredient")

Cooking Directions:
1. Season the chicken with chili powder, salt and pepper
2. Cook chicken in vegetable oil in a skillet (8-10 minutes)
3. Stir in beans, corn and salsa
4. Heat to boiling, then cover and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes
5. Add cilantro, sliced red jalapeno chili and avocado to the top and serve
6. Enjoy and talk about how you should be on Iron Chef America- when the "secret ingredient" is beans

Calories: 290 per serving
Total cost for dinner: $18