Taco Tuesday

If you love tacos, you might not mind that it's time for another Taco Tuesday. Today's offerings include Shrimp and Mango Tacos and Slow Cooker Birria Beef Tacos. Enjoy!

PORTOBELLO BULGOGI KOREAN TACOS

This is from Rachael Hartley in her blog Avocado A Day Nutrition. (Nice blog, Rachael! I just signed up for it!) Rachael wrote, "Beef bulgogi Korean tacos are one of my favorites. Try this vegan twist using meaty portobello mushrooms, which soak up all the delicious marinade." Serves 6.

You can view this yummy recipe online here.

Ingredients

Mushrooms:

6 medium-large portobello mushroom caps, cleaned and sliced 1/2 inch thick

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup mirin (see note, below)

2 tablespoons dark sesame oil

3 scallions, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons raw sugar or coconut sugar

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon gochugaru (see second note)

Slaw:

1 bag of shredded cabbage

1 large carrot, shredded on the large grates of a cheese grater

2 scallions, thinly sliced

8 corn tortillas

First Note: Mirin is a Japanese cooking wine and is made from rice. It's supposed to be sweeter than sake. Since I don't keep alcohol around, I use water in place of miring.

Second note: Gochugaru is Korean chile flakes. If you can get it locally, and plan to use it in several dishes, great. Since I probably wouldn't use it elsewhere - unless I fell madly in love with it - I might consider something a little cheaper and more generic.

Instructions

Two to four hours before cooking, whisk together all the marinade ingredients for the mushrooms. Add portobellos and toss to combine. Refrigerate and marinade 2-4 hours.

When ready to cook, heat the grill to medium-high. Place the mushrooms evenly on the grill or toss into a grill pan if you have one. Reserve the marinade. Cook about 10 minutes total, flipping halfway.

While the mushrooms cook, pour the reserved marinade into a small pot. Set to medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Boil about 10 minutes total until reduced to a thick syrup. Set aside.

Warm the tortillas. Spoon slaw on the bottom of each tortillas. Top with mushrooms and reserved sauce.

CRUNCHY BLACK BEAN TACOS

This comes from The Kitchn’s e-newsletter. If you haven’t signed up for The Kitchn’s e-newsletter yet, I highly recommend that, as well as its sibling site, Apartment Therapy.

This recipe serves 3 to 4, or makes 8 tacos; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 30 minutes and can be found online by clicking here.

2 cups cooked black beans

1/2 cup minced red onion

2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon paprika

Pinch of salt

4 to 6 ounces (1 heaping cup) grated Pepper Jack cheese

2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil

8 corn tortillas

Toppings

Avocado

Hot sauce

Salsa

Sour cream

In a medium bowl, add beans along with red onion, cilantro, cumin, and paprika. Add a pinch of salt and lightly mash all the ingredients together. Grate the cheese and have it ready as well.

In a large, nonstick or cast-iron skillet, add the 2 tablespoons oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add one corn tortilla at a time and let each get hot in the oil for a few seconds. Then add about 1/4 cup of the bean filling to one half of the tortilla. Top with a sprinkle of grated cheese. Try not to overfill the tacos, or you might have issues flipping them without losing filling.

Using a spatula, carefully fold the other half of the tortilla over to form a shell. Press down lightly on the tortilla so it holds its shape. If some cheese spills out, don’t worry — it will get crispy and delicious.

As the first taco cooks, move it to the side and begin a second one. Depending on the size of your pan, you can cook two or three tacos at once. A griddle will hold even more.

Cook each taco until they are nicely browned and crispy, about 3 minutes per side. When flipping the taco to cook on the other side, use a spatula and flip the taco toward the fold so the filling doesn’t fall out. If your pan is very dry between batches, add another drizzle of oil.

Place the cooked tacos in a warm oven while you finish the rest. If the tacos are very greasy, blot them with a paper towel before moving them to the oven.

Serve tacos with toppings like hot sauce, salsa, avocados, and sour cream.

Recipe Notes:

Corn tortillas are resilient to heat. Don’t worry about burning them; they are very sturdy. Just be sure to cook tortillas on each side long enough to get them really crispy.

SLOW COOKER BIRRIA BEEF TACOS

This recipe, from Old El Paso, begins, "Check out this tasty taco twist on a traditional Mexican dish. Birria is a meat stew often served at holidays and celebrations. For this easy take on birria, we’ve turned the traditional rustic stew into Slow Cooker Birria Beef Tacos using our Old El Paso™ Barbacoa Beef Street Taco Kit. Slow-cooking the beef makes it melt-in-your-mouth tender as it takes on the delicious flavors of the broth mixture made of chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, garlic, taco kit seasoning and onions. Looking for new taco night inspiration? This Slow Cooker Birria Beef Tacos recipe will make coming home to dinner a delicious treat."

Prep Time: 45 minutes; Total Time: 7 hours 45 minutes; Makes 4 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.oldelpaso.com/recipes/slow-cooker-birria-beef-tacos.

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups diced white onions

2 tablespoons finely chopped canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 package Old El Paso™ Barbacoa Beef Street Taco Kit

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup water

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 3/4 to 2 1/4 lb boneless beef chuck roast

1 cup Old El Paso™ Shredded 4 Cheese Mexican Blend (4 oz)

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Lime wedges

Directions

Spray 6-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. In slow cooker, mix 2 cups of the onions, the chiles, garlic, seasoning mix (from taco kit) and salt. Stir in water.

In 12-inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Cook beef roast in oil 8 to 10 minutes, turning once, until browned on both sides. Transfer to mixture in slow cooker; turn to coat. Cook on Low heat setting 7 to 8 hours, until beef is tender.

Transfer beef to cutting board; cool slightly. Shred beef, discarding any pieces of fat. Toss beef with 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid. Place remaining cooking liquid in small bowl, for dipping.

Fill tortillas (from taco kit) with beef, cheese, remaining 1/4 cup onions and the cilantro. Serve with salsa verde (from taco kit), reserved cooking liquid and lime wedges.

Expert Tips

The flavorful cooking liquid from the birria, or “consommé,” is often served as a dipping sauce.The shredded slow cooker birria beef is also delicious tucked into a cheesy quesadilla or served over rice with some cooking liquid.

If desired, strain cooking liquid before transferring to bowl for dipping.

SOFT BLACK BEAN TACOS WITH SALSA AND CABBAGE

This comes from Martha Rose Shulman, also in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Martha wrote, “Canned black beans and lots of cabbage combine in a quick, utterly satisfying one-dish taco dinner. They can be served open-faced or folded over.” Yield: 4 servings; Time: about 20 minutes.

This was featured in “Quick One-Dish Meals, Some Cooking Required” and can be viewed online here.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon canola or grape seed oil

1 teaspoon medium-hot chili powder (more to taste)

1 teaspoon ground lightly toasted cumin seeds (more to taste)

2 cans black beans, with liquid

Salt to taste

8 corn tortillas

1 cup fresh or bottled salsa

3 ounces either queso fresco, feta, or sharp cheddar, grated or crumbled

2 cups shredded cabbage

Preparation

Heat the oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat and add the chili powder and ground cumin. Allow the spices to sizzle for about half a minute, until very fragrant, and stir in the black beans and 1/2 cup water. Cook, stirring and mashing the beans with the back of your spoon, for 5 to 10 minutes, until thick and fragrant. Be careful that you don’t let the beans dry out too much. If they do, add a little more water. Remove from the heat.

Heat the tortillas, two or three at a time, in a dry skillet over medium-high heat, or in a microwave. Top with the black beans, salsa, cheese and cabbage. Fold the filled tortillas over if desired and serve. Alternatively, one at a time, place a tortilla on a plate, top with the beans and cheese and heat through for 30 seconds to a minute in a microwave. Then top with salsa and a generous handful of cabbage, and serve.

Tip

Make fresh salsa with 2 or 3 chopped roma tomatoes, 1 or 2 jalapeños or serrano chiles, a little chopped onion or shallot if desired, salt, a squeeze of lime juice, and chopped fresh cilantro.

SHRIMP AND MANGO TACOS

This is from Martha Rose Shulman on The New York Times cooking site. Martha wrote, "This sweet and pungent combination of mango, shrimp, chilies and cumin is as quick to put together as a stir-fry. Indeed, if you don’t have corn tortillas on hand, serve the shrimp with rice."

Uield: 4 servings; Time: 30 minutes, less if using microwave to heat tortillas

This was featured in "The ‘King of Fruits’ Commands Respect", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1013581-shrimp-and-mango-tacos.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 pound medium or small shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 garlic cloves, sliced

2 teaspoons cumin seeds, lightly toasted and ground

2 Serrano or bird chilies, or 1 large jalapeño, minced

1 large mango, peeled, seeded and finely chopped

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

4 to 5 tablespoons lime juice

8 corn or flour tortillas

Preparation

Heat a large, heavy skillet or wok over medium-high heat, and add the canola oil. When the oil is hot, add the shrimp, salt to taste and the garlic. Sauté, stirring or shaking the pan, until the shrimp begins to color, about two minutes. Add the cumin, and continue to cook until the shrimp is pink and opaque, about three minutes. Add the chilies, mango and cilantro, and stir together for one minute. Stir in the lime juice, and remove from the heat. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Wrap the tortillas in a heavy kitchen towel, and place in a steamer basket over 1 inch of boiling water. Cover the pot, and steam for one minute. Turn off the heat, and allow to sit for 15 minutes without uncovering. Alternatively, wrap the tortillas in a towel, and heat in the microwave for one minute. Warm the shrimp briefly in the pan. Place 2 tortillas on each plate, top with the shrimp, fold over the tortillas and serve with rice.

Tip

Advance preparation: This is best served right after you cook the shrimp and mango.

TACO LETTUCE WRAPS

This is from Kristina72913 on Allrecipes. Kristina wrote, "Easy taco lettuce wraps."

Prep Time: 5 minutes; Cook Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 25 minutes; Yield: 6 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/274968/taco-lettuce-wraps/.

Ingredients

1 pound ground turkey

1 (16 ounce) package frozen corn

1 (15 ounce) can black beans

1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes

1 (1 ounce) package taco seasoning mix

romaine leaves, rinsed and dried

Directions

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir ground turkey in the hot skillet until browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in corn, black beans, diced tomatoes, and taco seasoning. Bring to a simmer and cook until heated through, 10 to 12 minutes.

Lay lettuce leaves on a flat surface and fill with turkey and bean mixture.

Cook's Note:

I make my own taco seasoning mix, but store-bought works

Taco Tuesday

If you're like me, you won't mind that it's time for another Taco Tuesday. Check out the Slow Cooker Birria Beef Tacos, the Chorizo and Avocado Breakfast Tacos, and the rest of today's yummy taco recipes. Enjoy!

CARNE ASADA STEAK AND EGG BREAKFAST STREET TACOS

This is from Old El Paso, and begins, "Tacos for breakfast? Totally! These delicious breakfast street tacos are filled with steak, eggs, veggies and cheese that all cook in the same skillet. Carne asada breakfast tacos are a one-pan meal that’s great for breakfast, brunch or even dinner. Make it even easier when you use our Old El Paso™ Carne Asada Steak Street Taco Kits, which include carne asada seasoning mix, tortillas and creamy chipotle sauce. Make your morning delicious with steak and egg breakfast tacos."

Prep Time: 40 minutes; Total Time: 40 minutes; Makes 4 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.oldelpaso.com/recipes/carne-asada-steak-and-egg-breakfast-street-tacos.

Ingredients

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 package Old El Paso™ Carne Asada Steak Street Taco Kit

1/2 cup diced white onion

1/2 cup diced red bell pepper

2 boneless beef sirloin steaks (about 8 oz each), 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick

4 eggs, beaten

1 cup Old El Paso™ Shredded 4 Cheese Mexican Blend (4 oz)

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves

1/2 cup Old El Paso™ Crema Mexicana

Preparation

In small bowl, mix 1 tablespoon of the oil and 1 tablespoon of the seasoning mix (from taco kit); set aside.

In 10-inch nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper and remaining seasoning mix; cook 4 to 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Transfer mixture to medium bowl; cover and keep warm. Carefully clean out skillet.

Coat steaks in 1 tablespoon of the oil. In same skillet, cook steaks over medium-high heat 4 minutes; turn, reduce heat to medium-low and cook 4 to 7 minutes longer, until meat thermometer inserted in center reads 145°F (medium-rare) or to desired doneness. Remove from heat; transfer steaks to cutting board. Brush steaks on all sides with mixture of oil and seasoning mix; cover with foil, and let stand 5 minutes. Cut steak very thinly across the grain.

Meanwhile, carefully clean out skillet; add remaining 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add eggs; cook 1 to 2 minutes or until eggs are set but still moist, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; stir in cheese.

Heat tortillas (from taco kit) as directed on package. Divide steak among tortillas; top with egg mixture, followed by pepper mixture. Top with cilantro. Serve with creamy chipotle sauce (from taco kit) and crema.

Expert Tips

Cleaning out the skillet in between steps not only prevents burning–it also ensures the prettiest steak and scrambled eggs!

Brushing the cooked steaks with the vegetable oil and seasoning mix is a great way to add flavor to the meat while keeping the pan tidy. Try this technique with other flavorings as well, like chimichurri sauce or a citrus vinaigrette.

Resist the urge to add salt and pepper to the scrambled eggs. There’s enough seasoning in the veggies and on the steak to flavor the entire breakfast street taco.

SLOW COOKER BIRRIA BEEF TACOS

This recipe, from Old El Paso, begins, "Check out this tasty taco twist on a traditional Mexican dish. Birria is a meat stew often served at holidays and celebrations. For this easy take on birria, we’ve turned the traditional rustic stew into Slow Cooker Birria Beef Tacos using our Old El Paso™ Barbacoa Beef Street Taco Kit. Slow-cooking the beef makes it melt-in-your-mouth tender as it takes on the delicious flavors of the broth mixture made of chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, garlic, taco kit seasoning and onions. Looking for new taco night inspiration? This Slow Cooker Birria Beef Tacos recipe will make coming home to dinner a delicious treat."

Prep Time: 45 minutes; Total Time: 7 hours 45 minutes; Makes 4 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.oldelpaso.com/recipes/slow-cooker-birria-beef-tacos.

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups diced white onions

2 tablespoons finely chopped canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 package Old El Paso™ Barbacoa Beef Street Taco Kit

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup water

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 3/4 to 2 1/4 lb boneless beef chuck roast

1 cup Old El Paso™ Shredded 4 Cheese Mexican Blend (4 oz)

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Lime wedges

Directions

Spray 6-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. In slow cooker, mix 2 cups of the onions, the chiles, garlic, seasoning mix (from taco kit) and salt. Stir in water.

In 12-inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Cook beef roast in oil 8 to 10 minutes, turning once, until browned on both sides. Transfer to mixture in slow cooker; turn to coat. Cook on Low heat setting 7 to 8 hours, until beef is tender.

Transfer beef to cutting board; cool slightly. Shred beef, discarding any pieces of fat. Toss beef with 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid. Place remaining cooking liquid in small bowl, for dipping.

Fill tortillas (from taco kit) with beef, cheese, remaining 1/4 cup onions and the cilantro. Serve with salsa verde (from taco kit), reserved cooking liquid and lime wedges.

Expert Tips

The flavorful cooking liquid from the birria, or “consommé,” is often served as a dipping sauce.The shredded slow cooker birria beef is also delicious tucked into a cheesy quesadilla or served over rice with some cooking liquid.

If desired, strain cooking liquid before transferring to bowl for dipping.

MIGAS BREAKFAST TACOS

This comes from Genevieve Ko on The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. She wrote, "Tortilla chips in tacos may seem like overkill, but they’re not. Set into scrambled eggs that are loaded with onions and poblanos, they soften and enrich the mix while keeping some crispiness. A slice of avocado on top — along with melted cheese — adds a nice creaminess to the mix. These tacos work well with red or green salsa, so use your favorite. While these would impress at a weekend brunch, they also come together quickly on weekday mornings, and can be wrapped in foil to be eaten out of hand."

Yield: 4 to 6 servings; Time: 20 minutes

To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019647-migas-breakfast-tacos.

Ingredients

6 large eggs

Kosher salt

6 corn tortillas

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 cup tortilla chips, broken if very large

1/2 cup diced onion

1 cup diced, seeded poblano pepper

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

2 ounces pepper jack cheese, grated (3/4 cup)

1/2 avocado, pitted, peeled and sliced

Salsa, for serving

Preparation

Beat the eggs with 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl.

Heat a large cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium heat. Put 3 tortillas in it and turn them until warm and pliable, 1 to 2 minutes. Stack on foil and wrap. Repeat with the remaining 3 tortillas, adding them to the same stack and wrapping to keep warm and soft.

Increase the heat to medium-high. Add the oil and swirl to coat, then add the chips. Cook, stirring, until sizzling and browned in spots, about 30 seconds. Add the onion, poblano and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring, until the edges of the onion are just translucent but the vegetables are still crisp, about 2 minutes.

Drizzle the egg over the chips and vegetables. Let stand for 15 seconds until just starting to set, then stir rapidly to scramble until just set but still wet, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Sprinkle the cilantro on top.

Remove from the heat and immediately divide among the warmed tortillas. Sprinkle with the cheese and top with the avocado and salsa. Serve immediately or wrap each taco in foil to eat out of hand.

Tip

The assembled tacos wrapped in foil will stay reasonably warm for up to 30 minutes.

CHORIZO AND AVOCADO BREAKFAST TACOS

This comes from Leah Maroney in the Spruce Eats. For this recipe, Leah wrote, "Tacos for breakfast? You bet!

"Whether you have leftover chorizo from a previous meal, or you are just looking for a heartier way to jazz up your morning routine, we can't think of a better way to start your day than to take this classic Tex-Mex meal from dinner to fuel-powered breakfast. It's as simple as adding eggs.

"Perfect for a Cinco de Mayo celebration or a fun weekend brunch, you can transform the mundane breakfast of scrambled eggs with a few simple and basic ingredients, such as avocados, onions, tomatoes, and cheese. Have fun additions like tater tots, sour cream, beans, salsa, hot sauce, bacon, and chives, and get your kids engaged by creating a build-your-own-taco bar.

"If you're ovo-vegetarian, you can leave out the chorizo (and bacon)."

Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 15 minutes; Total Time: 25 minutes; Servings: 2; Yield: 4 tacos

To view this online, go to https://www.thespruceeats.com/breakfast-tacos-4159319.

Ingredients

4 flour tortillas

1/4 pound raw or dried chorizo sausage

9 frozen tater tots, thawed

4 large eggs, beaten

1/3 cup shredded taco and nacho seasoned cheese

1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

1/2 small red onion, diced

1 small tomato, diced

1/2 avocado, diced

1/4 cup salsa

Salt, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

Gather the ingredients.

Warm up flour tortillas in the microwave or quickly over an open flame. If you want the char, place over an open flame for 5 to 7 seconds and then flip with metal tongs, and char for another 5 to 7 seconds.

Heat a large nonstick skillet or cast-iron pan on medium-high heat. Add the chorizo, breaking it up as it cooks. If the chorizo is dried, dice it first and then add it to the pan and sauté until some of the fat has rendered and the chorizo is crispy.

Remove the chorizo from the pan, leaving the grease behind.

Add the thawed tater tots to the chorizo grease and cook until slightly browned. Remove the tater tots from the pan and add them to the chorizo. Keep the chorizo and potato mixture warm in a 200 F oven while you cook the eggs.

Using that same pan, turn down the heat to low. Pour in the beaten eggs and cook, stirring gently until completely cooked. Use a spatula to separate the eggs into four portions. While the eggs are still in the pan, turn the heat down even more and top each portion with cheese.

Sprinkle the cheddar over the top of each egg portion and cover the pan with a lid. Allow to cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until the cheese has melted. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Fill each tortilla with a portion of the eggs. Divide the potato and chorizo mixture between the four tortillas. Then sprinkle the cilantro, diced onions, tomatoes, and avocados over the top of each taco. Then drizzle the salsa over each taco and serve immediately.

TACO LETTUCE WRAPS

This is from Kristina72913 on Allrecipes. Kristina wrote, "Easy taco lettuce wraps."

Prep Time: 5 minutes; Cook Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 25 minutes; Yield: 6 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/274968/taco-lettuce-wraps/.

Ingredients

1 pound ground turkey

1 (16 ounce) package frozen corn

1 (15 ounce) can black beans

1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes

1 (1 ounce) package taco seasoning mix

romaine leaves, rinsed and dried

Directions

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir ground turkey in the hot skillet until browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in corn, black beans, diced tomatoes, and taco seasoning. Bring to a simmer and cook until heated through, 10 to 12 minutes.

Lay lettuce leaves on a flat surface and fill with turkey and bean mixture.

Cook's Note:

I make my own taco seasoning mix, but store-bought works

SOFT BLACK BEAN TACOS WITH SALSA AND CABBAGE

This comes from Martha Rose Shulman, also in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Martha wrote, “Canned black beans and lots of cabbage combine in a quick, utterly satisfying one-dish taco dinner. They can be served open-faced or folded over.” Yield: 4 servings; Time: about 20 minutes.

This was featured in “Quick One-Dish Meals, Some Cooking Required” and can be viewed online here.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon canola or grape seed oil

1 teaspoon medium-hot chili powder (more to taste)

1 teaspoon ground lightly toasted cumin seeds (more to taste)

2 cans black beans, with liquid

Salt to taste

8 corn tortillas

1 cup fresh or bottled salsa

3 ounces either queso fresco, feta, or sharp cheddar, grated or crumbled

2 cups shredded cabbage

Preparation

Heat the oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat and add the chili powder and ground cumin. Allow the spices to sizzle for about half a minute, until very fragrant, and stir in the black beans and 1/2 cup water. Cook, stirring and mashing the beans with the back of your spoon, for 5 to 10 minutes, until thick and fragrant. Be careful that you don’t let the beans dry out too much. If they do, add a little more water. Remove from the heat.

Heat the tortillas, two or three at a time, in a dry skillet over medium-high heat, or in a microwave. Top with the black beans, salsa, cheese and cabbage. Fold the filled tortillas over if desired and serve. Alternatively, one at a time, place a tortilla on a plate, top with the beans and cheese and heat through for 30 seconds to a minute in a microwave. Then top with salsa and a generous handful of cabbage, and serve.

Tip

Make fresh salsa with 2 or 3 chopped roma tomatoes, 1 or 2 jalapeños or serrano chiles, a little chopped onion or shallot if desired, salt, a squeeze of lime juice, and chopped fresh cilantro.

Taco Tuesday

It's time for another wonderful Taco Tuesday. Today's offerings include Spinach, Shrimp and Ricotta Tacos and Barbecue Chicken Ranch Tacos. Enjoy!

EASY GROUND BEEF TACOS

This comes from Weight Watchers (WW), and begins, "These quick, kid-friendly tacos are perfect for weeknight family dinners. Change them up by serving them in flour tortillas or tostada shells."

Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 16 minutes; Total Time: 26 minutes; Serves 4; Difficulty: Easy

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

3/4pound uncooked 93% lean ground beef (7% fat or less)

1 medium uncooked onion, diced

1 medium Jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced

2 medium garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 tsp ground cumin

1 1/2 tsp rround coriander

3/4 tsp table salt

1 14-1/2 oz can canned diced tomatoes

8 medium corn tortillas

2 cups lettuce, chopped, lightly packed thinly sliced romaine or iceberg lettuce

2 oz. reduced-fat cheddar cheese

Instructions

Set large nonstick skillet over medium heat; add beef and 1/2 teaspoon salt; cook, breaking up meat with wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Add onion and jalapeño and cook, stirring often, until vegetables soften, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, and coriander and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add tomatoes and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is almost evaporated, 4–5 minutes.

Divide beef mixture evenly among tortillas; top evenly with lettuce, Cheddar, and salsa (if using).

Serving size: 2 tacos

SOFT BLACK BEAN TACOS WITH SALSA AND CABBAGE

This comes from Martha Rose Shulman, also in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Martha wrote, “Canned black beans and lots of cabbage combine in a quick, utterly satisfying one-dish taco dinner. They can be served open-faced or folded over.” Yield: 4 servings; Time: about 20 minutes.

This was featured in “Quick One-Dish Meals, Some Cooking Required” and can be viewed online here.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon canola or grape seed oil

1 teaspoon medium-hot chili powder (more to taste)

1 teaspoon ground lightly toasted cumin seeds (more to taste)

2 cans black beans, with liquid

Salt to taste

8 corn tortillas

1 cup fresh or bottled salsa

3 ounces either queso fresco, feta, or sharp cheddar, grated or crumbled

2 cups shredded cabbage

Preparation

Heat the oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat and add the chili powder and ground cumin. Allow the spices to sizzle for about half a minute, until very fragrant, and stir in the black beans and 1/2 cup water. Cook, stirring and mashing the beans with the back of your spoon, for 5 to 10 minutes, until thick and fragrant. Be careful that you don’t let the beans dry out too much. If they do, add a little more water. Remove from the heat.

Heat the tortillas, two or three at a time, in a dry skillet over medium-high heat, or in a microwave. Top with the black beans, salsa, cheese and cabbage. Fold the filled tortillas over if desired and serve. Alternatively, one at a time, place a tortilla on a plate, top with the beans and cheese and heat through for 30 seconds to a minute in a microwave. Then top with salsa and a generous handful of cabbage, and serve.

Tip

Make fresh salsa with 2 or 3 chopped roma tomatoes, 1 or 2 jalapeños or serrano chiles, a little chopped onion or shallot if desired, salt, a squeeze of lime juice, and chopped fresh cilantro.

SHRIMP AND MANGO TACOS

This is from Martha Rose Shulman on The New York Times cooking site. Martha wrote, "This sweet and pungent combination of mango, shrimp, chilies and cumin is as quick to put together as a stir-fry. Indeed, if you don’t have corn tortillas on hand, serve the shrimp with rice."

Uield: 4 servings; Time: 30 minutes, less if using microwave to heat tortillas

This was featured in "The ‘King of Fruits’ Commands Respect", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1013581-shrimp-and-mango-tacos.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 pound medium or small shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 garlic cloves, sliced

2 teaspoons cumin seeds, lightly toasted and ground

2 Serrano or bird chilies, or 1 large jalapeño, minced

1 large mango, peeled, seeded and finely chopped

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

4 to 5 tablespoons lime juice

8 corn or flour tortillas

Preparation

Heat a large, heavy skillet or wok over medium-high heat, and add the canola oil. When the oil is hot, add the shrimp, salt to taste and the garlic. Sauté, stirring or shaking the pan, until the shrimp begins to color, about two minutes. Add the cumin, and continue to cook until the shrimp is pink and opaque, about three minutes. Add the chilies, mango and cilantro, and stir together for one minute. Stir in the lime juice, and remove from the heat. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Wrap the tortillas in a heavy kitchen towel, and place in a steamer basket over 1 inch of boiling water. Cover the pot, and steam for one minute. Turn off the heat, and allow to sit for 15 minutes without uncovering. Alternatively, wrap the tortillas in a towel, and heat in the microwave for one minute. Warm the shrimp briefly in the pan. Place 2 tortillas on each plate, top with the shrimp, fold over the tortillas and serve with rice.

Tip

Advance preparation: This is best served right after you cook the shrimp and mango.

SPINACH, SHRIMP AND RICOTTA TACOS

This is from Priscilla Gilbert, from Indian Harbour Beach, Florida, on Taste of Home. She wrote, "I was looking for a new recipe for tacos, and this version was a perfect solution. With shrimp, green chiles, spinach and ricotta, it's made up of ingredients I love that aren't normally associated with traditional tacos."

Prep/Total Time: 30 minutes; Makes 6 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/spinach-shrimp-and-ricotta-tacos/.

Ingredients

1 carton (15 ounces) part-skim ricotta cheese

2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro

4 garlic cloves, minced, divided

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1 pound uncooked shrimp (31-40 per pound), peeled and deveined

2 cans (4 ounces each) chopped green chiles

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

10 ounces fresh baby spinach (about 12 cups)

12 corn tortillas (6 inches), warmed

Salsa and lime wedges

Directions

In a large bowl, combine ricotta, cilantro, half the minced garlic, salt and pepper; set aside.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion; cook and stir until softened, 4-5 minutes. Add shrimp, green chiles and pepper flakes; cook 1 minute longer. Add spinach and remaining garlic; cook and stir until shrimp turn pink and spinach is wilted, 4-5 minutes.

Serve shrimp mixture in tortillas with ricotta mixture, salsa and lime wedges.

Test Kitchen tip

If you happen to have any leftover shrimp, serve it over hot cooked pasta, polenta or quinoa. A little sprinkle of Parmesan cheese won't hurt, either.

Nutrition Facts: 2 tacos: 317 calories, 11g fat (4g saturated fat), 114mg cholesterol, 468mg sodium, 32g carbohydrate (2g sugars, 5g fiber), 25g protein. Diabetic exchanges: 3 lean meat, 1-1/2 starch, 1 vegetable, 1/2 fat.

BARBECUE CHICKEN RANCH TACOS

This is from Old El Paso, and begins, "These Barbecue Chicken Ranch Tacos come together in a flash—and will disappear from your table even faster. They have the perfect tang of BBQ that complements the zestiness of Old El Paso™ Zesty Ranch Sauce. Best of all, the sky is the limit when it comes to fresh toppings. Your family will have a blast loading up their Old El Paso™ Soft Tortilla Bowls with sweet barbecue chicken and all their favorite toppings."

Prep Time: 25 minutes; Total Time: 25 minutes; Makes 8 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.oldelpaso.com/recipes/barbecue-chicken-ranch-tacos.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch strips

1/3 cup water

1 package (1 oz) Old El Paso™ Original Taco Seasoning Mix

1/2 cup barbecue sauce

1 package (8 count) Old El Paso™ Soft Tortilla Bowls, heated as directed on package

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (4 oz)

1 1/2 cups shredded romaine lettuce

1/2 cup chopped tomatoes

1/4 cup sliced green onions

1/2 cup Old El Paso™ Zesty Ranch Sauce

Lime wedges, if desired

Preparation

In 10-inch nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 7 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, justuntil no longer pink in center. Stir in water and taco seasoning mix; heat to boiling.

Reduce heat; simmer uncovered 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until thickened. Stir in barbecue sauce. Cook until heated.

Divide warmed chicken mixture among heated tortilla bowls. Top with cheese, lettuce, tomatoes and green onions. Drizzle with ranch sauce. Serve with lime wedges.

Expert Tips

For best results, pat chicken slices dry before adding to hot skillet.

Swap out lettuce with shredded green cabbage for a delightful crunch.

Get creative with your BBQ Chicken Ranch Tacos. Other varieties of Old El Paso™ Taco Seasoning Mix, such as Hot &Spicy, can add a flavorful kick that's perfect for spice lovers.

Exchanges: 1/2 Starch, 1 Other Carbohydrate, 2 Very Lean Meat, 1/2 Medium-Fat Meat, 1 1/2 Fat

Carbohydrate Choices: 1.5

CHICKEN FAJITAS

This recipe is from the Food Network, and begins, "Marinating chicken, peppers and onions in a highly flavored marinade imparts big Tex-Mex flavors onto these mouthwatering grilled fajitas. Spiced yogurt and avocado sauce served alongside fresh cilantro keeps the fajitas healthy and fresh tasting."

Prep Time: 25 minutes; Inactive Time: 30 minutes; Cook Time: 15 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes; Yield: 6 servings; Level: Intermediate

To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/chicken-fajitas-recipe-2040619.

Ingredients

1 cup packed cilantro leaves, plus extra for serving

1/4 cup lime juice, about 2 limes

1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth

3 scallions, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 cloves garlic

1 jalapeno, seeded if desired

1 tablespoon honey

Kosher salt

1 1/2-pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 red onion, sliced into 1/2-inch thick rounds

2 orange and/or yellow bell peppers, quartered, seeds removed

1 ripe avocado, halved, seeded and peeled

1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil

1/8 teaspoon ground cumin

1/8 teaspoon ground coriander

1/4 cup fat-free Greek Yogurt

12 corn tortillas

Directions

Put the cilantro, lime juice, broth, scallions, garlic, jalapeno, honey, and salt in a blender, puree until smooth. Reserve 2 tablespoons; do not wash out the blender.

Put chicken breasts in a medium bowl and the peppers and onions in another. Divide the remaining cilantro puree evenly between the chicken and the peppers and onions. Toss well to coat the chicken and vegetables and let stand, at room temperature, for 30 minutes.

Add the avocado, 1/2 cup water, and the reserved 2 tablespoons cilantro sauce to the blender. Puree until smooth and season with salt. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a small skillet set over medium heat until hot. Add the cumin and coriander and continue to cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Pour the spices over the yogurt and set aside for the flavors to blend. Stir before serving.

Preheat a grill for medium-high/direct heat cooking. Oil the grill grates. Grill the chicken and vegetables, turning, until the vegetables are tender and the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees F, about 5 to 8 minutes for the vegetables and 12 to 15 minutes for the chicken. Let chicken rest 5 minutes. Place the tortillas on the grill until just warmed through, about 30 seconds.

To assemble the fajitas: slice the onions and peppers into thin strips and then slice the chicken. Place some peppers, onions, chicken and cilantro in a tortilla topped with the spiced yogurt and the avocado sauce.

Taco Tuesday

In case you wondered if you somehow missed yesterday's post, there's a reason: I took the day off. I rarely do that, unless it's a holiday (think Thanksgiving or Christmas). But such is life.

Anyway, today is Taco Tuesday. Today's offerings include Double-Cheese Bacon Beef Takis Fuego Tacos and Spicy Mexican Shrimp Taco Bowls. Enjoy!

SOFT BLACK BEAN TACOS WITH SALSA AND CABBAGE

This comes from Martha Rose Shulman, also in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Martha wrote, “Canned black beans and lots of cabbage combine in a quick, utterly satisfying one-dish taco dinner. They can be served open-faced or folded over.” Yield: 4 servings; Time: about 20 minutes.

This was featured in “Quick One-Dish Meals, Some Cooking Required” and can be viewed online here.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon canola or grape seed oil

1 teaspoon medium-hot chili powder (more to taste)

1 teaspoon ground lightly toasted cumin seeds (more to taste)

2 cans black beans, with liquid

Salt to taste

8 corn tortillas

1 cup fresh or bottled salsa

3 ounces either queso fresco, feta, or sharp cheddar, grated or crumbled

2 cups shredded cabbage

Preparation

Heat the oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat and add the chili powder and ground cumin. Allow the spices to sizzle for about half a minute, until very fragrant, and stir in the black beans and 1/2 cup water. Cook, stirring and mashing the beans with the back of your spoon, for 5 to 10 minutes, until thick and fragrant. Be careful that you don’t let the beans dry out too much. If they do, add a little more water. Remove from the heat.

Heat the tortillas, two or three at a time, in a dry skillet over medium-high heat, or in a microwave. Top with the black beans, salsa, cheese and cabbage. Fold the filled tortillas over if desired and serve. Alternatively, one at a time, place a tortilla on a plate, top with the beans and cheese and heat through for 30 seconds to a minute in a microwave. Then top with salsa and a generous handful of cabbage, and serve.

Tip

Make fresh salsa with 2 or 3 chopped roma tomatoes, 1 or 2 jalapeños or serrano chiles, a little chopped onion or shallot if desired, salt, a squeeze of lime juice, and chopped fresh cilantro.

EASY CHICKEN TACOS

This is from Makinze Gore on Delish. Makinze wrote, "While tacos these days take many shapes and forms, we know that even these basic chicken tacos are not the most authentic. The taco history is long and rich and is originally a form of Mexican street food. These are a much more Americanized form of taco, meaning that it's a tortilla filled with spiced meats and yummy toppings. While the true definition and origin of a taco can be quite blurry, we know one thing for sure - tacos are our favorite food group. Try these quick and easy tacos for your next Taco Tuesday and don't forget the margarita!"

Prep Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 30 minute; Yield: 4 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/recipes/a58716/easy-chicken-tacos-recipe/.

Ingredients

For the tacos

3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1" strips

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 tsp. chili powder

2 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/4 tsp. paprika

1/4 tsp. cayenne

8 corn tortillas, warmed

Toppings

Sour cream

Thinly sliced red onion

Diced tomatoes

Shredded Monterey Jack

Diced avocados

Fresh cilantro

Lime wedges

Directions

In a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Season chicken with salt and pepper and add to skillet. Cook until golden, 6 minutes. Add spices and stir until coated, 1 minute more. If needed, add a little more oil or water to help spices coat chicken.

Build tacos: In tortillas, layer chicken and desired toppings. Serve with lime wedges.

SPICY MEXICAN SHRIMP TACO BOWLS

This recipe from Old El Paso begins, "Fresh, bright, sweet and hot—this meal packs everything you love about summer into one (mini) taco bowl! Just 30 minutes of prep time gets you a batch of spicy shrimp taco bowls ready to be plated up alongside some fresh lime wedges and cilantro garnishes. Perfect game watch appetizer or light meal? You decide!"

Prep Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 30 minutes; Makes 12 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.oldelpaso.com/recipes/spicy-mexican-shrimp-taco-bowls.

Ingredients

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon honey

1 teaspoon lime juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 cups coarsely shredded purple cabbage

1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions, cut on the bias

1 tablespoon butter

1 lb uncooked deveined peeled large shrimp, tail shells removed

2 cloves garlic, very finely chopped

1 tablespoon hot sauce

1 package (1 oz) Old El Paso™ original taco seasoning mix

12 Old El Paso™ Mini Taco Bowls™ soft flour tortillas

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Lime wedges, if desired

Preparation

In medium bowl, mix mayonnaise, honey, lime juice and salt. Stir in cabbage and green onions; set aside.

In 12-inch skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add shrimp; cook 2 to 3 minutes, turning once, until pink. Stir in garlic, hot sauce and taco seasoning mix. Heat to simmering. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered 1 to 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until thickened.

Heat bowls as directed on package. Divide cabbage mixture among bowls; divide shrimp mixture among bowls; top with cilantro, and serve with lime wedges.

Expert Tips

A nonstick skillet is great for many things, but it’s not great for searing shrimp. In fact, it tends to make them water out a bit. If possible, use a regular skillet for this shrimp taco bowl recipe.

To save a few minutes of prep time when making your shrimp taco bowls, look for bagged pre-shredded purple cabbage.

Hate chopping garlic? Leave it out and use chili garlic sauce instead of regular hot sauce.

CHICKEN TACOS WITH STRAWBERRY SALSA

This recipe from Old El Paso begins, "Tacos take a fruit-filled spin with fresh strawberry salsa and orange juice. Simple skillet chicken breasts and bagged baby greens make these tortilla bowls fresh, fast and delicious. For a perfect pairing, add a Strawberry Corona® Limonada – double the berry flavor!"

Prep Time: 25 minutes; Total Time: 25 minutes; Makes 8 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.oldelpaso.com/recipes/chicken-tacos-with-strawberry-salsa.

Ingredients

1/2 cup thinly sliced strawberries

1/4 cup finely chopped white onion

1 tablespoon lime juice

1 tablespoon butter

1 package (16 oz) boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 cup orange juice

3 cups mixed baby greens

1 package (8 count) Old El Paso™ Soft Flour Tortilla Bowls, heated as directed on package

3 tablespoons crumbled goat cheese or feta cheese

Preparation

In small bowl, mix strawberries, onion and lime juice. Let stand, uncovered, while cooking the chicken.

Meanwhile, in 10-inch nonstick skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add chicken, salt and pepper; cook 4 to 6 minutes without moving. Turn chicken, and cook 1 to 2 minutes longer, until chicken is browned and no longer pink in center.

Add orange juice to skillet, and heat to boiling; reduce heat, and cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until thickened.

Divide greens among warm tortilla bowls; top with chicken and any remaining cooking liquid from pan. Top evenly with strawberry salsa and cheese.

Expert Tips

For the prettiest presentation, pull off any long stems on the baby greens before adding to the tortilla bowls.

To reduce the sting of raw onions, place in fine-mesh strainer, and rinse under cold water for 30 seconds. Pat dry before using.

Baby spinach leaves can be used in place of the mixed baby greens.

DOUBLE-CHEESE BACON BEEF TAKIS FUEGO TACOS

This is from Old El Paso, and begins, "Love heat? And bacon? And melty cheese? Then we've got a superstar meal for you, all wrapped up in taco form. Taste the intensity with these super-spicy, indulgently cheesy, bacon-topped Takis® tacos. One bite, and you may never touch your standard taco recipe again!"

Prep Time: 25 minutes; Total Time: 25 minutes; Makes 10 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.oldelpaso.com/recipes/double-cheese-bacon-beef-takis-fuego-tacos.

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef (at least 80% lean)

2/3 cup water

1 package (1 oz) Old El Paso™ Original Taco Seasoning Mix

1 package (4.7 oz) Old El Paso™ Stand ‘N Stuff™ Takis® Fuego® Taco Shells (10 shells), heated as directed on package

1 1/4 cups Old El Paso™ Shredded 3 Pepper Cheese Blend (5 oz)

1 1/4 cups shredded lettuce

3/4 cup diced tomato or salsa

1/2 cup Old El Paso™ Spicy Queso Blanco Sauce

1/2 cup crumbled cooked bacon

1/4 cup sliced green onions

1/2 cup Mini Takis® Fuego® Rolled Tortilla Chips

Preparation

In 10-inch nonstick skillet, cook beef over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until thoroughly cooked; drain. Stir in water and taco seasoning mix; heat to boiling. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently, until thickened.

Divide beef among heated shells; top with cheese, lettuce and tomato. Drizzle with sauce, then top with bacon, green onions and chips.

Expert Tips

To save time, opt for preshredded bagged lettuce or substitute shredded green or red cabbage for the lettuce.

Need even more heat? Try sliced fresh jalapeño chile, or drizzle Takis® tacos with your favorite hot sauce.

TEMPEH TACOS

This is from Ali Slagle on The New York Times cooking site. Ali wrote, "Hard-shell tacos, or tacos dorados, have a long history in northern Mexico and immigrant communities in California and Texas. In 1951, Glen Bell added them to the menu of his drive-in stand in San Bernardino, Calif. He would go on to found (you guessed it) Taco Bell, the fast food chain, which would help popularize hard-shell tacos in the United States. While the typical hard-shell taco is made by piling spiced and saucy ground meat and a party of toppings into a shatteringly crisp shell, this vegan version calls for tempeh. Tempeh is made by fermenting cooked soybeans into a spongelike cake with a porous structure that browns, crumbles and soaks up big flavors incredibly well. Here, it’s seasoned with well-toasted tomato paste, ground cumin, chili powder and smoked paprika, as well as nutritional yeast for added umami. That said, the recipe can also be made with vegan store-bought meat crumbles if you prefer."

Yield: 4 servings; Time: 25

To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1022872-tempeh-tacos.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons neutral oil (such as grapeseed or sunflower), plus more as needed

2 (8-ounce) packages tempeh, crumbled into roughly 1/2-inch pieces

1 large yellow onion, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

Kosher salt and black pepper

3 tablespoons tomato paste

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons chili powder

1-1/2 teaspoons nutritional yeast

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon red hot sauce, plus more to taste (optional)

12 hard taco shells, warmed

Desired toppings, see Tip

Preparation

In a large (12-inch) skillet, heat the oil over medium-high. Add the tempeh and onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook, undisturbed, until deep brown, 2 minutes. Stir and cook until browned all over, 3 to 5 minutes. Add more oil as needed if the pan looks dry.

Add the tomato paste, cumin, chili powder, nutritional yeast and smoked paprika. Season with salt and cook, stirring constantly, until brick red and beginning to stick to the skillet, 5 to 7 minutes. Try not to rush this step; if it begins to burn, deglaze with a bit of water and reduce the heat.

Add 1 cup water and the hot sauce, if using. Cook, stirring and scraping up browned bits, until thickened and the mixture is sizzling, 2 to 4 minutes. Season to taste with salt and hot sauce.

Divide the filling between the taco shells, then top with chosen toppings.

Tip

Great toppings include, but are not limited to: Nutritional yeast, grated Cheddar or Jack cheese, lime, shredded lettuce, chopped white onion, pico de gallo, sour cream, cashew crema, sliced jalapeños, cilantro and avocado.

Taco Tuesday

It's time for another Taco Tuesday. Today's offerings include Chicken Enchiladas and Spicy Mexican Shrimp Taco Bowls. Enjoy!

CHORIZO AND AVOCADO BREAKFAST TACOS

This comes from Leah Maroney in the Spruce Eats. For this recipe, Leah wrote, "Tacos for breakfast? You bet!

"Whether you have leftover chorizo from a previous meal, or you are just looking for a heartier way to jazz up your morning routine, we can't think of a better way to start your day than to take this classic Tex-Mex meal from dinner to fuel-powered breakfast. It's as simple as adding eggs.

"Perfect for a Cinco de Mayo celebration or a fun weekend brunch, you can transform the mundane breakfast of scrambled eggs with a few simple and basic ingredients, such as avocados, onions, tomatoes, and cheese. Have fun additions like tater tots, sour cream, beans, salsa, hot sauce, bacon, and chives, and get your kids engaged by creating a build-your-own-taco bar.

"If you're ovo-vegetarian, you can leave out the chorizo (and bacon)."

Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 15 minutes; Total Time: 25 minutes; Servings: 2; Yield: 4 tacos

To view this online, go to https://www.thespruceeats.com/breakfast-tacos-4159319.

Ingredients

4 flour tortillas

1/4 pound raw or dried chorizo sausage

9 frozen tater tots, thawed

4 large eggs, beaten

1/3 cup shredded taco and nacho seasoned cheese

1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

1/2 small red onion, diced

1 small tomato, diced

1/2 avocado, diced

1/4 cup salsa

Salt, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

Gather the ingredients.

Warm up flour tortillas in the microwave or quickly over an open flame. If you want the char, place over an open flame for 5 to 7 seconds and then flip with metal tongs, and char for another 5 to 7 seconds.

Heat a large nonstick skillet or cast-iron pan on medium-high heat. Add the chorizo, breaking it up as it cooks. If the chorizo is dried, dice it first and then add it to the pan and sauté until some of the fat has rendered and the chorizo is crispy.

Remove the chorizo from the pan, leaving the grease behind.

Add the thawed tater tots to the chorizo grease and cook until slightly browned. Remove the tater tots from the pan and add them to the chorizo. Keep the chorizo and potato mixture warm in a 200 F oven while you cook the eggs.

Using that same pan, turn down the heat to low. Pour in the beaten eggs and cook, stirring gently until completely cooked. Use a spatula to separate the eggs into four portions. While the eggs are still in the pan, turn the heat down even more and top each portion with cheese.

Sprinkle the cheddar over the top of each egg portion and cover the pan with a lid. Allow to cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until the cheese has melted. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Fill each tortilla with a portion of the eggs. Divide the potato and chorizo mixture between the four tortillas. Then sprinkle the cilantro, diced onions, tomatoes, and avocados over the top of each taco. Then drizzle the salsa over each taco and serve immediately.

CHICKEN ENCHILADAS

This is from Tyler Florence on the Food Network. Prep Time: 1 hour; Cook Time: 15 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes; Yield: 16 enchiladas, 8 servings; Level: Intermediate

To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/chicken-enchiladas-recipe-1907241.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 1/2 pounds skinless boneless chicken breast

Salt and pepper

2 teaspoons cumin powder

2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 teaspoon Mexican Spice Blend

1 red onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup frozen corn, thawed

5 canned whole green chiles, seeded and coarsely chopped

4 canned chipotle chiles, seeded and minced

1 (28-ounce) can stewed tomatoes

1/2 teaspoon all-purpose flour

16 corn tortillas

1 1/2 cups enchilada sauce, canned

1 cup shredded Cheddar and Jack cheeses

Garnish: chopped cilantro leaves, chopped scallions, sour cream, chopped tomatoes

Directions

Coat large saute pan with oil. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Brown chicken over medium heat, allow 7 minutes each side or until no longer pink. Sprinkle chicken with cumin, garlic powder and Mexican spices before turning. Remove chicken to a platter, allow to cool.

Saute onion and garlic in chicken drippings until tender. Add corn and chiles. Stir well to combine. Add canned tomatoes, saute 1 minute.

Pull chicken breasts apart by hand into shredded strips. Add shredded chicken to saute pan, combine with vegetables. Dust the mixture with flour to help set.

Microwave tortillas on high for 30 seconds. This softens them and makes them more pliable. Coat the bottom of 2 (13 by 9-inch) pans with a ladle of enchilada sauce. Using a large shallow bowl, dip each tortilla in enchilada sauce to lightly coat. Spoon 1/4 cup chicken mixture in each tortilla. Fold over filling, place 8 enchiladas in each pan with seam side down. Top with remaining enchilada sauce and cheese.

Bake for 15 minutes in a preheated 350 degree F oven until cheese melts. Garnish with cilantro, scallion, sour cream and chopped tomatoes before serving. Serve with Spanish rice and beans.

TACO LETTUCE WRAPS

This is from Kristina72913 on Allrecipes. Kristina wrote, "Easy taco lettuce wraps."

Prep Time: 5 minutes; Cook Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 25 minutes; Yield: 6 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/274968/taco-lettuce-wraps/.

Ingredients

1 pound ground turkey

1 (16 ounce) package frozen corn

1 (15 ounce) can black beans

1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes

1 (1 ounce) package taco seasoning mix

romaine leaves, rinsed and dried

Directions

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir ground turkey in the hot skillet until browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in corn, black beans, diced tomatoes, and taco seasoning. Bring to a simmer and cook until heated through, 10 to 12 minutes.

Lay lettuce leaves on a flat surface and fill with turkey and bean mixture.

Cook's Note:

I make my own taco seasoning mix, but store-bought works

SOFT BLACK BEAN TACOS WITH SALSA AND CABBAGE

This comes from Martha Rose Shulman, also in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Martha wrote, “Canned black beans and lots of cabbage combine in a quick, utterly satisfying one-dish taco dinner. They can be served open-faced or folded over.” Yield: 4 servings; Time: about 20 minutes.

This was featured in “Quick One-Dish Meals, Some Cooking Required” and can be viewed online here.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon canola or grape seed oil

1 teaspoon medium-hot chili powder (more to taste)

1 teaspoon ground lightly toasted cumin seeds (more to taste)

2 cans black beans, with liquid

Salt to taste

8 corn tortillas

1 cup fresh or bottled salsa

3 ounces either queso fresco, feta, or sharp cheddar, grated or crumbled

2 cups shredded cabbage

Preparation

Heat the oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat and add the chili powder and ground cumin. Allow the spices to sizzle for about half a minute, until very fragrant, and stir in the black beans and 1/2 cup water. Cook, stirring and mashing the beans with the back of your spoon, for 5 to 10 minutes, until thick and fragrant. Be careful that you don’t let the beans dry out too much. If they do, add a little more water. Remove from the heat.

Heat the tortillas, two or three at a time, in a dry skillet over medium-high heat, or in a microwave. Top with the black beans, salsa, cheese and cabbage. Fold the filled tortillas over if desired and serve. Alternatively, one at a time, place a tortilla on a plate, top with the beans and cheese and heat through for 30 seconds to a minute in a microwave. Then top with salsa and a generous handful of cabbage, and serve.

Tip

Make fresh salsa with 2 or 3 chopped roma tomatoes, 1 or 2 jalapeños or serrano chiles, a little chopped onion or shallot if desired, salt, a squeeze of lime juice, and chopped fresh cilantro.

EASY CHICKEN TACOS

This is from Makinze Gore on Delish. Makinze wrote, "While tacos these days take many shapes and forms, we know that even these basic chicken tacos are not the most authentic. The taco history is long and rich and is originally a form of Mexican street food. These are a much more Americanized form of taco, meaning that it's a tortilla filled with spiced meats and yummy toppings. While the true definition and origin of a taco can be quite blurry, we know one thing for sure - tacos are our favorite food group. Try these quick and easy tacos for your next Taco Tuesday and don't forget the margarita!"

Prep Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 30 minute; Yield: 4 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/recipes/a58716/easy-chicken-tacos-recipe/.

Ingredients

For the tacos

3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1" strips

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 tsp. chili powder

2 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/4 tsp. paprika

1/4 tsp. cayenne

8 corn tortillas, warmed

Toppings

Sour cream

Thinly sliced red onion

Diced tomatoes

Shredded Monterey Jack

Diced avocados

Fresh cilantro

Lime wedges

Directions

In a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Season chicken with salt and pepper and add to skillet. Cook until golden, 6 minutes. Add spices and stir until coated, 1 minute more. If needed, add a little more oil or water to help spices coat chicken.

Build tacos: In tortillas, layer chicken and desired toppings. Serve with lime wedges.

SPICY MEXICAN SHRIMP TACO BOWLS

This recipe from Old El Paso begins, "Fresh, bright, sweet and hot—this meal packs everything you love about summer into one (mini) taco bowl! Just 30 minutes of prep time gets you a batch of spicy shrimp taco bowls ready to be plated up alongside some fresh lime wedges and cilantro garnishes. Perfect game watch appetizer or light meal? You decide!"

Prep Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 30 minutes; Makes 12 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.oldelpaso.com/recipes/spicy-mexican-shrimp-taco-bowls.

Ingredients

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon honey

1 teaspoon lime juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 cups coarsely shredded purple cabbage

1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions, cut on the bias

1 tablespoon butter

1 lb uncooked deveined peeled large shrimp, tail shells removed

2 cloves garlic, very finely chopped

1 tablespoon hot sauce

1 package (1 oz) Old El Paso™ original taco seasoning mix

12 Old El Paso™ Mini Taco Bowls™ soft flour tortillas

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Lime wedges, if desired

Preparation

In medium bowl, mix mayonnaise, honey, lime juice and salt. Stir in cabbage and green onions; set aside.

In 12-inch skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add shrimp; cook 2 to 3 minutes, turning once, until pink. Stir in garlic, hot sauce and taco seasoning mix. Heat to simmering. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered 1 to 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until thickened.

Heat bowls as directed on package. Divide cabbage mixture among bowls; divide shrimp mixture among bowls; top with cilantro, and serve with lime wedges.

Expert Tips

A nonstick skillet is great for many things, but it’s not great for searing shrimp. In fact, it tends to make them water out a bit. If possible, use a regular skillet for this shrimp taco bowl recipe.

To save a few minutes of prep time when making your shrimp taco bowls, look for bagged pre-shredded purple cabbage.

Hate chopping garlic? Leave it out and use chili garlic sauce instead of regular hot sauce.

Taco Tuesday

It's time for another Taco Tuesday. Today's yummy offerings include Easy Ground Beef Tacos and Soft Black Bean Tacos with Salsa and Cabbage. Enjoy!

SHRIMP AND MANGO TACOS

This is from Martha Rose Shulman on The New York Times cooking site. Martha wrote, "This sweet and pungent combination of mango, shrimp, chilies and cumin is as quick to put together as a stir-fry. Indeed, if you don’t have corn tortillas on hand, serve the shrimp with rice."

Uield: 4 servings; Time: 30 minutes, less if using microwave to heat tortillas

This was featured in "The ‘King of Fruits’ Commands Respect", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1013581-shrimp-and-mango-tacos.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 pound medium or small shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 garlic cloves, sliced

2 teaspoons cumin seeds, lightly toasted and ground

2 Serrano or bird chilies, or 1 large jalapeño, minced

1 large mango, peeled, seeded and finely chopped

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

4 to 5 tablespoons lime juice

8 corn or flour tortillas

Preparation

Heat a large, heavy skillet or wok over medium-high heat, and add the canola oil. When the oil is hot, add the shrimp, salt to taste and the garlic. Sauté, stirring or shaking the pan, until the shrimp begins to color, about two minutes. Add the cumin, and continue to cook until the shrimp is pink and opaque, about three minutes. Add the chilies, mango and cilantro, and stir together for one minute. Stir in the lime juice, and remove from the heat. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Wrap the tortillas in a heavy kitchen towel, and place in a steamer basket over 1 inch of boiling water. Cover the pot, and steam for one minute. Turn off the heat, and allow to sit for 15 minutes without uncovering. Alternatively, wrap the tortillas in a towel, and heat in the microwave for one minute. Warm the shrimp briefly in the pan. Place 2 tortillas on each plate, top with the shrimp, fold over the tortillas and serve with rice.

Tip

Advance preparation: This is best served right after you cook the shrimp and mango.

EASY GROUND BEEF TACOS

This is from WW, and begins, "These quick, kid-friendly tacos are perfect for weeknight family dinners. Change them up by serving them in flour tortillas or tostada shells."

Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 16 minutes; Total Time: 26 minutes; Serves: 4; Serving Size: 2 tacos; Difficulty: Easy

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

3⁄4 pound (7% fat or less) uncooked 93% lean ground beef

1 medium uncooked onion, diced

1 medium jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced

2 medium cloves Garlic, minced

1 1/2 tspGround cumin

1 1/2 tspGround coriander

3/4 tsp Table salt

14 1/2 oz (1 can) canned diced tomatoes

8 medium Corn tortillas

2 cups lettuce, chopped, lightly packed thinly sliced romaine or iceberg lettuce

2 oz Reduced-fat cheddar cheese

Directions

Set large nonstick skillet over medium heat; add beef and 1/2 teaspoon salt; cook, breaking up meat with wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Add onion and jalapeño and cook, stirring often, until vegetables soften, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, and coriander and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add tomatoes and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is almost evaporated, 4–5 minutes.

Divide beef mixture evenly among tortillas; top evenly with lettuce, Cheddar, and salsa (if using).

BLACK BEAN AND POBLANO TACOS

This comes from David Tanis in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. David wrote, “There are many kinds of tacos, some piled high and overstuffed and some more minimal, meant to be more a snack than a meal. These little tacos are in the second category, similar to what you might find in a Mexican market for a quick bite. Savory black beans and roasted poblano chiles make a satisfying vegetarian version. Fresh soft corn tortillas, hot off the griddle, are essential.” Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

This was featured in “The Unstuffy Taco” and can be viewed online here.

Ingredients

1/2 pound black beans, rinsed and soaked 4 to 6 hours, or overnight if possible

1 small onion, halved

1 bay leaf

1 large sprig epazote (optional)

1 teaspoon salt

4 poblano chiles

Soft corn tortillas

1/2 pound fresh mozzarella or Oaxacan-style string cheese, shredded

1/2 pound queso fresco, available in Latino groceries

8 ounces crème fraîche or Mexican crema

Preparation

Drain beans, put in medium pot, add water to cover and bring to a boil over hight heat. Add onion, bay leaf, epazote and salt and reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Cook for about 1 hour, longer if necessary, adding water occasionally if liquid falls below surface of beans. When beans are tender, taste and adjust salt. Keep beans warm in their broth.

Meanwhile, roast poblano chiles over a charcoal grill, under the broiler or directly on a gas stovetop burners until skins are completely blackened and blistered. Set chiles aside to cool, then split lengthwise. Scrape away skins and seeds with a paring knife. Cut cleaned chiles into 1/2-inch ribbons, transfer to small bowl and season lightly with salt.

To serve, warm the tortillas on a hot griddle or cast iron pan over a burner. Put 2 warm tortillas side by side on a small plate. With a slotted spoon, place 2 tablespoons beans on each tortilla. Top with a few shreds of mozzarella and 2 or 3 strips of poblano. Crumble a little queso fresco and drizzle about 1 teaspoon crème fraîche on each taco.

CHICKEN ENCHILADAS

This is from Tyler Florence on the Food Network. Prep Time: 1 hour; Cook Time: 15 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes; Yield: 16 enchiladas, 8 servings; Level: Intermediate

To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/chicken-enchiladas-recipe-1907241.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 1/2 pounds skinless boneless chicken breast

Salt and pepper

2 teaspoons cumin powder

2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 teaspoon Mexican Spice Blend

1 red onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup frozen corn, thawed

5 canned whole green chiles, seeded and coarsely chopped

4 canned chipotle chiles, seeded and minced

1 (28-ounce) can stewed tomatoes

1/2 teaspoon all-purpose flour

16 corn tortillas

1 1/2 cups enchilada sauce, canned

1 cup shredded Cheddar and Jack cheeses

Garnish: chopped cilantro leaves, chopped scallions, sour cream, chopped tomatoes

Directions

Coat large saute pan with oil. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Brown chicken over medium heat, allow 7 minutes each side or until no longer pink. Sprinkle chicken with cumin, garlic powder and Mexican spices before turning. Remove chicken to a platter, allow to cool.

Saute onion and garlic in chicken drippings until tender. Add corn and chiles. Stir well to combine. Add canned tomatoes, saute 1 minute.

Pull chicken breasts apart by hand into shredded strips. Add shredded chicken to saute pan, combine with vegetables. Dust the mixture with flour to help set.

Microwave tortillas on high for 30 seconds. This softens them and makes them more pliable. Coat the bottom of 2 (13 by 9-inch) pans with a ladle of enchilada sauce. Using a large shallow bowl, dip each tortilla in enchilada sauce to lightly coat. Spoon 1/4 cup chicken mixture in each tortilla. Fold over filling, place 8 enchiladas in each pan with seam side down. Top with remaining enchilada sauce and cheese.

Bake for 15 minutes in a preheated 350 degree F oven until cheese melts. Garnish with cilantro, scallion, sour cream and chopped tomatoes before serving. Serve with Spanish rice and beans.

TACO LETTUCE WRAPS

This is from Kristina72913 on Allrecipes. Kristina wrote, "Easy taco lettuce wraps."

Prep Time: 5 minutes; Cook Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 25 minutes; Yield: 6 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/274968/taco-lettuce-wraps/.

Ingredients

1 pound ground turkey

1 (16 ounce) package frozen corn

1 (15 ounce) can black beans

1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes

1 (1 ounce) package taco seasoning mix

romaine leaves, rinsed and dried

Directions

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir ground turkey in the hot skillet until browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in corn, black beans, diced tomatoes, and taco seasoning. Bring to a simmer and cook until heated through, 10 to 12 minutes.

Lay lettuce leaves on a flat surface and fill with turkey and bean mixture.

Cook's Note:

I make my own taco seasoning mix, but store-bought works

SOFT BLACK BEAN TACOS WITH SALSA AND CABBAGE

This comes from Martha Rose Shulman, also in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Martha wrote, “Canned black beans and lots of cabbage combine in a quick, utterly satisfying one-dish taco dinner. They can be served open-faced or folded over.” Yield: 4 servings; Time: about 20 minutes.

This was featured in “Quick One-Dish Meals, Some Cooking Required” and can be viewed online here.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon canola or grape seed oil

1 teaspoon medium-hot chili powder (more to taste)

1 teaspoon ground lightly toasted cumin seeds (more to taste)

2 cans black beans, with liquid

Salt to taste

8 corn tortillas

1 cup fresh or bottled salsa

3 ounces either queso fresco, feta, or sharp cheddar, grated or crumbled

2 cups shredded cabbage

Preparation

Heat the oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat and add the chili powder and ground cumin. Allow the spices to sizzle for about half a minute, until very fragrant, and stir in the black beans and 1/2 cup water. Cook, stirring and mashing the beans with the back of your spoon, for 5 to 10 minutes, until thick and fragrant. Be careful that you don’t let the beans dry out too much. If they do, add a little more water. Remove from the heat.

Heat the tortillas, two or three at a time, in a dry skillet over medium-high heat, or in a microwave. Top with the black beans, salsa, cheese and cabbage. Fold the filled tortillas over if desired and serve. Alternatively, one at a time, place a tortilla on a plate, top with the beans and cheese and heat through for 30 seconds to a minute in a microwave. Then top with salsa and a generous handful of cabbage, and serve.

Tip

Make fresh salsa with 2 or 3 chopped roma tomatoes, 1 or 2 jalapeños or serrano chiles, a little chopped onion or shallot if desired, salt, a squeeze of lime juice, and chopped fresh cilantro.

Taco Tuesday

It's time for another Taco Tuesday. Today's offerings include Tasty Black Beans & Corn Tacos and Mushroom Tacos. Enjoy!

BLACK BEAN AND POBLANO TACOS

This comes from David Tanis in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. David wrote, “There are many kinds of tacos, some piled high and overstuffed and some more minimal, meant to be more a snack than a meal. These little tacos are in the second category, similar to what you might find in a Mexican market for a quick bite. Savory black beans and roasted poblano chiles make a satisfying vegetarian version. Fresh soft corn tortillas, hot off the griddle, are essential.” Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

This was featured in “The Unstuffy Taco” and can be viewed online here.

Ingredients

1/2 pound black beans, rinsed and soaked 4 to 6 hours, or overnight if possible

1 small onion, halved

1 bay leaf

1 large sprig epazote (optional)

1 teaspoon salt

4 poblano chiles

Soft corn tortillas

1/2 pound fresh mozzarella or Oaxacan-style string cheese, shredded

1/2 pound queso fresco, available in Latino groceries

8 ounces crème fraîche or Mexican crema

Preparation

Drain beans, put in medium pot, add water to cover and bring to a boil over hight heat. Add onion, bay leaf, epazote and salt and reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Cook for about 1 hour, longer if necessary, adding water occasionally if liquid falls below surface of beans. When beans are tender, taste and adjust salt. Keep beans warm in their broth.

Meanwhile, roast poblano chiles over a charcoal grill, under the broiler or directly on a gas stovetop burners until skins are completely blackened and blistered. Set chiles aside to cool, then split lengthwise. Scrape away skins and seeds with a paring knife. Cut cleaned chiles into 1/2-inch ribbons, transfer to small bowl and season lightly with salt.

To serve, warm the tortillas on a hot griddle or cast iron pan over a burner. Put 2 warm tortillas side by side on a small plate. With a slotted spoon, place 2 tablespoons beans on each tortilla. Top with a few shreds of mozzarella and 2 or 3 strips of poblano. Crumble a little queso fresco and drizzle about 1 teaspoon crème fraîche on each taco.

SOFT BLACK BEAN TACOS WITH SALSA AND CABBAGE

This comes from Martha Rose Shulman, also in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Martha wrote, “Canned black beans and lots of cabbage combine in a quick, utterly satisfying one-dish taco dinner. They can be served open-faced or folded over.” Yield: 4 servings; Time: about 20 minutes.

This was featured in “Quick One-Dish Meals, Some Cooking Required” and can be viewed online here.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon canola or grape seed oil

1 teaspoon medium-hot chili powder (more to taste)

1 teaspoon ground lightly toasted cumin seeds (more to taste)

2 cans black beans, with liquid

Salt to taste

8 corn tortillas

1 cup fresh or bottled salsa

3 ounces either queso fresco, feta, or sharp cheddar, grated or crumbled

2 cups shredded cabbage

Preparation

Heat the oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat and add the chili powder and ground cumin. Allow the spices to sizzle for about half a minute, until very fragrant, and stir in the black beans and 1/2 cup water. Cook, stirring and mashing the beans with the back of your spoon, for 5 to 10 minutes, until thick and fragrant. Be careful that you don’t let the beans dry out too much. If they do, add a little more water. Remove from the heat.

Heat the tortillas, two or three at a time, in a dry skillet over medium-high heat, or in a microwave. Top with the black beans, salsa, cheese and cabbage. Fold the filled tortillas over if desired and serve. Alternatively, one at a time, place a tortilla on a plate, top with the beans and cheese and heat through for 30 seconds to a minute in a microwave. Then top with salsa and a generous handful of cabbage, and serve.

Tip

Make fresh salsa with 2 or 3 chopped roma tomatoes, 1 or 2 jalapeños or serrano chiles, a little chopped onion or shallot if desired, salt, a squeeze of lime juice, and chopped fresh cilantro.

MUSHROOM TACOS

This is from Runner's World and can be viewed online here. Recipe feeds 2-3 runners; Time needed: 30-45 minutes

What you’ll need:

Pound of scrubbed assorted mushrooms (creminis and portabellos work well)

1 yellow onion

2 cloves garlic

6 small corn tortillas

1 orange

1 lime

1 teaspoon cumin

2 teaspoons dark chili powder

1 teaspoon oregano

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Salt to taste

Cilantro

How to make it:

Dice up one onion, setting aside three tablespoons for onion topping. Cut mushrooms into large chunks.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high-heat. Add onions and mushrooms and sauté for about 10 minutes until onions are tender and mushrooms begin to brown.

Mince garlic. Juice orange and lime. Reserve two wedges of lime.

Add garlic, cumin, oregano, and chili powder to onions and mushroom.

Saute for 30 seconds until garlic is aromatic, then add orange and lime juice, along with about a teaspoon of salt.

Cook for two to three minutes until the juice reduces.

Heat tortillas individually in a dry pan on the stove or all together wrapped in a towel in the microwave.

Spoon mushroom mix into tortillas and garnish with reserved raw onion and chopped cilantro. Enjoy!

PORTOBELLO BULGOGI KOREAN TACOS

This is from Rachael Hartley in her blog Avocado A Day Nutrition. (Nice blog, Rachael! I just signed up for it!) Rachael wrote, "Beef bulgogi Korean tacos are one of my favorites. Try this vegan twist using meaty portobello mushrooms, which soak up all the delicious marinade." Serves 6.

You can view this yummy recipe online here.

Ingredients

Mushrooms:

6 medium-large portobello mushroom caps, cleaned and sliced 1/2 inch thick

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup mirin (see note, below)

2 tablespoons dark sesame oil

3 scallions, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons raw sugar or coconut sugar

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon gochugaru (see second note)

Slaw:

1 bag of shredded cabbage

1 large carrot, shredded on the large grates of a cheese grater

2 scallions, thinly sliced

8 corn tortillas

First Note: Mirin is a Japanese cooking wine and is made from rice. It's supposed to be sweeter than sake. Since I don't keep alcohol around, I use water in place of miring.

Second note: Gochugaru is Korean chile flakes. If you can get it locally, and plan to use it in several dishes, great. Since I probably wouldn't use it elsewhere - unless I fell madly in love with it - I might consider something a little cheaper and more generic.

Instructions

Two to four hours before cooking, whisk together all the marinade ingredients for the mushrooms. Add portobellos and toss to combine. Refrigerate and marinade 2-4 hours.

When ready to cook, heat the grill to medium-high. Place the mushrooms evenly on the grill or toss into a grill pan if you have one. Reserve the marinade. Cook about 10 minutes total, flipping halfway.

While the mushrooms cook, pour the reserved marinade into a small pot. Set to medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Boil about 10 minutes total until reduced to a thick syrup. Set aside.

Warm the tortillas. Spoon slaw on the bottom of each tortillas. Top with mushrooms and reserved sauce.

TASTY BLACK BEANS AND CORN TACOS

This also comes from Vegetarian Times, and begins, "Filled with beans and vegetables, these healthful tacos will be a kid’s favorite." Makes 12 tacos.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients:

Black Beans and Corn Filling

1 15-oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 medium-sized zucchini, diced

1 cup frozen corn kernels

1/2 cup mild enchilada sauce

Tortillas

12 6- to 8-inch corn or flour tortillas

Toppings, Optional

Note: No toppings were listed, but I would suggest shredded cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, and/or sour cream. A diced avocado would be nice, too. Or if there's something else that you love to top your tacos with, go for it! Just one thing: Enjoy!

Instructions:

To make Black Beans and Corn Filling: Put all ingredients into a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low. Cover, and cook for approximately 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until heated through.

To prepare Tortillas: Preheat a cast-iron skillet or griddle on stove over medium-high heat. Lay tortillas in single layer on skillet or griddle for about 10 seconds. Turn and warm other side. Remove from heat, and wrap in a napkin or dishcloth until ready to assemble tacos.

To assemble, set a tortilla on a plate, and spoon on some filling. Top as desired, roll up and eat.

Nutrition Information: Calories: 100; Protein: 4 g; Total Fat: 1 g; Saturated Fat: g; Carbohydrates: 22 g; Cholesterol: mg; Sodium: 170 mg; Fiber: 4 g; Sugar: 1 g

CRUNCHY BLACK BEAN TACOS

This comes from The Kitchn’s e-newsletter. If you haven’t signed up for The Kitchn’s e-newsletter yet, I highly recommend that, as well as its sibling site, Apartment Therapy.

This recipe serves 3 to 4, or makes 8 tacos; Prep Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 30 minutes and can be found online by clicking here.

2 cups cooked black beans

1/2 cup minced red onion

2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon paprika

Pinch of salt

4 to 6 ounces (1 heaping cup) grated Pepper Jack cheese

2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil

8 corn tortillas

Toppings

Avocado

Hot sauce

Salsa

Sour cream

In a medium bowl, add beans along with red onion, cilantro, cumin, and paprika. Add a pinch of salt and lightly mash all the ingredients together. Grate the cheese and have it ready as well.

In a large, nonstick or cast-iron skillet, add the 2 tablespoons oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add one corn tortilla at a time and let each get hot in the oil for a few seconds. Then add about 1/4 cup of the bean filling to one half of the tortilla. Top with a sprinkle of grated cheese. Try not to overfill the tacos, or you might have issues flipping them without losing filling.

Using a spatula, carefully fold the other half of the tortilla over to form a shell. Press down lightly on the tortilla so it holds its shape. If some cheese spills out, don’t worry — it will get crispy and delicious.

As the first taco cooks, move it to the side and begin a second one. Depending on the size of your pan, you can cook two or three tacos at once. A griddle will hold even more.

Cook each taco until they are nicely browned and crispy, about 3 minutes per side. When flipping the taco to cook on the other side, use a spatula and flip the taco toward the fold so the filling doesn’t fall out. If your pan is very dry between batches, add another drizzle of oil.

Place the cooked tacos in a warm oven while you finish the rest. If the tacos are very greasy, blot them with a paper towel before moving them to the oven.

Serve tacos with toppings like hot sauce, salsa, avocados, and sour cream.

Recipe Notes:

Corn tortillas are resilient to heat. Don’t worry about burning them; they are very sturdy. Just be sure to cook tortillas on each side long enough to get them really crispy.