Taco Tuesday

It's time for another Taco Tuesday. Check out the Buffalo Style Tacos, the Ice Cream Tacos (yes, you read that right!), or any of the other yummy tacos in today's post. Enjoy!

SHRIMP TACOS WITH TROPICAL SALSA

This comes from Old El Paso, and begins, "Sweet and heat come together in this island-themed shrimp taco. Juicy, ripe mango brings the sweet to the tropical salsa, while a serrano chile delivers on the heat. Balance them both out with an icy, cold Corona™ Refresca. "

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

Want to view this online? Go to https://www.oldelpaso.com/recipes/shrimp-tacos-with-tropical-salsa.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1 teaspoon honey

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 ripe large mango, seed removed, peeled and chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)

1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper

1/2 cup chopped cucumber

1/4 cup chopped red onion

1 medium serrano chile, seeded, finely chopped

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 1/4 lb uncooked deveined peeled medium (41 to 50 ct) shrimp, tail shells removed

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

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 package (10 count) Old El Paso™ Stand ‘N Stuff™ taco shells, heated as directed on package

Lime wedges

Preparation

In medium bowl, to make salsa, beat lime juice, honey and salt with whisk. Add mango, bell pepper, cucumber, red onion, serrano chile and cilantro. Stir to combine. Set aside.

In another medium bowl, mix shrimp and taco seasoning mix; stir to coat.

In 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add shrimp mixture; cook and stir 2 to 4 minutes or until shrimp turn pink and are cooked through. Remove from heat.

Divide shrimp filling among taco shells; top with salsa. Serve with lime wedges.

Expert Tips

If you like your salsa extra spicy, don’t seed the chile before chopping.

The tropical salsa is very versatile. Try over chicken or salmon.

SPICY BEEF TACOS

This is from Weight Watchers (now called WW), and begins, "You get two tasty tacos in a serving. Add your own touch with fresh chopped cilantro, scallions or tomatoes."

Prep Time: 12 minutes; Cook Time: 13 minutes; Total Time: 25 minutes; Serves: 4; Difficulty: Easy

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

Cooking spray, 3 spray(s), divided

1/2 cup WW Reduced fat shredded Mexican style blend cheese

2 medium cloves garlic, minced

3/4 pound uncooked 93% lean ground beef

1 1/2 tsp Ground cumin

1 1/2 tsp Ground coriander

3/4 tsp Table salt, or to taste

1 1/2 cups Canned diced tomatoes, with jalapenos or green chilies

8 small Corn tortillas, lightly toasted just before serving if desired*

2 cups Lettuce, chopped, shredded

1/3 cup Fat free salsa

Directions

Coat a large skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium-high heat. Add garlic; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add beef; cook until browned, breaking up meat as it cooks, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add cumin, coriander, salt and diced tomatoes; cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is almost absorbed, about 5 to 6 minutes.

Place tortillas on a flat surface. Top each with about 1/4 cup beef, 1/4 cup lettuce, 1 tablespoon cheese and 2 teaspoons salsa. Fold tortillas in half and serve. Yields 2 tacos per serving.

Notes

*To toast tortillas, coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. Place tortillas on top and coat with cooking spray. Heat in a 300°F oven until slightly crisp but not too crisp that they break when folded.

ICE CREAM TACOS

I can hear it now: Ice cream tacos??? Are you crazy?

Well, maybe. But this recipe is definitely something that makes for a perfect dessert – especially on Taco Tuesday.

This is from Leah Maroney, who, besides writing for The Spruce Eats, has her own blog, Mini Pie Kitchen.

For this recipe, Leah wrote, “Move over Choco Tacos, these homemade ice cream tacos are in town. You only need flour tortillas, ice cream, and chocolate chips to make these babies a reality.

“Get a little crazy and make your own ice cream or your own waffle cone shells. Or keep it simple and use the store-bought kinds. You really can't go wrong.

“Ice cream tacos are a fun party treat or spin on popular on-the-go ice creams. Just make sure to serve and eat them quickly!”

Total: 4 hrs 35 mins; Prep: 4 hrs 35 mins;Cook: 0 mins; Yield: 6 ice cream tacos (serves 6)

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

6 flour tortillas (6-inch)

3 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon sugar

10 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

6 scoops vanilla ice cream (or other ice cream of your choice)

Garnish: sprinkles

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Make 6 foil logs that are large enough so that the tortillas can drape over them to form a taco shell shape. Lay them on the parchment paper and drape the tortillas over each log.

Melt the butter in the microwave. Brush the butter over the top of each tortilla. Then sprinkle each tortilla with the sugar.

Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for about 10 minutes or until lightly browned.

Remove them from the oven and allow to cool. Then place the baking sheet in the freezer for about 15 minutes or until very cold.

Melt the chocolate chips and coconut oil in the microwave in a microwave safe bowl for 30 second increments, stirring in between until it is completely smooth and melted.

Remove the bowl from the microwave and brush the melted chocolate on the inside of each shell until coated. Place the shells back in the freezer and freeze for another 10 to 15 minutes, or until the chocolate has hardened completely.

While the shells are hardening again, take the ice cream out of the freezer and allow it to soften slightly. Fill each shell with a large scoop of ice cream to the top edge of the shell. Squeeze the shell slightly to disperse the ice cream, being careful not to break the shell.

Place it back onto the baking sheet and freeze again for 1 to 2 hours, until very firm.

Reheat the chocolate in 30 second increments until melted. Pour it into a loaf pan. Dip the top of each taco in the chocolate quickly, covering the ice cream and the top edges of the shell. You need to work quickly so that the ice cream does not mess. Spoon more onto the top of the tacos if needed and then sprinkle generously with sprinkles.

Place them back on the parchment paper and freeze again until the chocolate is completely hardened and then serve!

CHICKEN AND VEGGIE FAJITAS

This is from Old El Paso, and begins, "No need to go out for delicious chicken fajitas when you can make this restaurant-inspired version at home. Ready to go big on homemade flavor? These fresh chicken fajitas use seasoned chicken strips, colorful sautéed peppers, sliced red onions and loads of fresh toppings all wrapped in flour tortillas. Chicken and Veggie Fajitas are perfect for picky eaters because they're almost infinitely customizable. Set out your favorite toppings like sliced jalapeños, chopped tomatoes and lime wedges. You'll be serving up a sizzling skillet of flavors in no time."

Prep Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 30 minutes; Makes 5 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.oldelpaso.com/recipes/chicken-and-veggie-fajitas.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 cups thinly sliced red or yellow bell peppers

1 cup thinly sliced red onions

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

2/3 cup water

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

1 package (8.2 oz) Old El Paso™ Flour Tortillas For Soft Tacos & Fajitas (6 inch), heated as directed on package

Toppings as desired, such as Old El Paso™ Shredded Mexican Style 4 Cheese Blend, sliced jalapeño chiles, chopped tomatoes, lime wedges, Old El Paso™ Creamy Salsa Verde Sauce, Old El Paso™ Crema Mexicana, guacamole, pico de gallo salsa

Preparation

In 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add bell peppers and onions. Cook over medium heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are crisp-tender. Spoon vegetables onto platter; cover to keep warm.

Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to same skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink in center. Stir in water and taco seasoning mix; heat to boiling. Reduce heat; simmer 2 to 3 minutes or until thickened. Add to platter with vegetables.

To serve, fill tortillas with warmed chicken, bell pepper mixture and your favorite toppings.

Expert Tips

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

Try Old El Paso™ Shredded 3 Pepper Cheese Blend to replace Old El Paso™ Shredded Mexican Style 4 Cheese Blend for a little extra heat for your chicken fajitas.

Short on time? Use 3 cups frozen pepper and onion stir-fry blend to replace fresh bell peppers and onions. Cook according to package directions; add to platter, and cover to keep warm. Continue with recipe.

Fajitas are almost infinitely customizable, so set out your favorite toppings so people can make their own perfect fajita combos.

The word “fajita” is the diminutive form of the Spanish “faja,” which means “strip” or “belt.” So “fajitas” literally means “little strips.”

Nutrition: 2 Fajitas: Calories: 340 (Calories from Fat: 120); Total Fat: 13g (Saturated Fat: 4g, Trans Fat: 0g); Cholesterol: 55mg; Sodium: 680mg; Total Carbohydrate 32g (Dietary Fiber 2g, Sugars 2g); Protein 24g

% Daily Value: Vitamin A 4%; Vitamin C 25%; Calcium 6%; Iron 15%;

Exchanges: 2 Starch, 1/2 Vegetable, 2 1/2 Very Lean Meat, 2 Fat, Carbohydrate Choices: 2

BUFFALO STYLE TACOS

Makes 8 servings

Print Friendly: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/bin/print.cgi?ID=1341

View recipe with photo: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/1341.shtml

Ingredients

1 (16-ounce) package JENNIE-O Lean Ground Turkey

1/3 cup hot pepper wing sauce

8 hard corn taco shells, heated as specified on package

1 cup shredded lettuce

2 tomatoes, diced

1 avocado, sliced

1/2 cup blue cheese dressing

Directions

Cook turkey as specified on package. Always cook to well-done, 165F as measured by a meat thermometer.

Add hot pepper sauce. Stir to combine.

Fill tacos shells with lettuce, turkey mixture, tomatoes and avocado.

Drizzle with blue cheese dressing.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 220; Protein: 14 g; Fat: 13 g; Sodium: 260 mg; Cholesterol: 45 mg; Saturated Fat: 4 g; Dietary Fiber: 3 g; Sugars: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 13 g

GRILL VEGETARIAN TACOS

This was on the Runner’s World website (by Meghan Kita, posted on June 28, 2013), and begins, “Ivy Stark, runner and executive chef for Dos Caminos in New York City, loves this healthy, filling recipe.”

The article begins, “Unless you're a no-meat athlete, your grill likely cooks hot dogs, hamburgers, chicken breasts, or steaks almost every time you fire it up. Sure, you'll throw on some veggies as a side dish, but the meat tends to take center grate.

“...You'll need to oil your grill and your avocadoes really well to ensure that they don't stick. The asparagus, you can just toss in oil before grilling. It's time-consuming to make your own refried beans, but they'll come out much fresher — and much less metallic-tasting — than ones from the can.”