Taco Tuesday

It's time for another Taco Tuesday. Today's yummy offerings include Steak Taco Salad, Pork & Pineapple Tacos, and Ice Cream Oreo Taco Bowls. Enjoy!

CHOCOLATE TACO MINI TACO BOWLS

This is from Old El Paso, and begins, "A chocolate taco? Delicious! Crispy, sugar-coated mini bowls are dipped into chocolate and chopped peanuts and filled with ice cream for an absolutely addictive version of an ice cream truck favorite. Here's how to make the chocolate dessert tacos of your dreams!"

Prep Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes; Makes 10 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.oldelpaso.com/recipes/chocolate-taco-mini-taco-bowls.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon butter, melted

10 tortilla bowls from 1 package (5.1 oz) Old El Paso™ Flour Soft Tortilla Mini Bowls (12 Count)

3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1 tablespoon shortening

1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons finely chopped cocktail peanuts

1-1/2 cups vanilla ice cream

1/4 cup chocolate sauce

1/4 cup caramel topping

Preparation

Heat oven to 375°F. Line cookie sheet with foil. Lightly brush melted butter on all sides of each bowl. Place bowls on cookie sheet. Bake 5 to 8 minutes or until browned on edges and firm to the touch. Cool 15 minutes.

In medium microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips and shortening uncovered on High 60 to 90 seconds or until mixture can be stirred smooth.

Place 1/2 cup of the chopped peanuts on plate. Hold baked bowls by the bottom, and dip each one into melted chocolate, covering top rim of bowl. Dip and roll top rim into chopped peanuts to coat. Refrigerate bowls about 10 minutes or until coating is set.

Fill each bowl with 2 small scoops (about 1 tablespoon) ice cream; drizzle with chocolate sauce and caramel topping, and garnish with remaining 3 tablespoons peanuts.

Expert Tips

Chopped toasted almonds are a nice alternative to the chopped peanuts in this chocolate taco recipe.

Any flavor of ice cream and sauces will work well for these chocolate-dipped ice cream tacos, so feel free to fill them with your favorite combination.

Exchanges: 1 Starch; 1 Other Carbohydrate; 3 Fat

Carbohydrate Choice: 2

ICE CREAM OREO TACO BOWLS

This is from Old El Paso, and begins, "The next time you’re craving a chocolate-dipped, cookie-coated, over-the-top, ice cream-filled extravaganza of a dessert, reach for this recipe. These mini ice cream bowls are positively heavenly."

Prep Time: 25 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour; Makes 8 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.oldelpaso.com/recipes/ice-cream-oreo-taco-bowls.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1 package (8 count) Old El Paso™ Soft Tortilla Bowls

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1 teaspoon shortening

8 Oreo Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, crushed (about 1 cup)

4 cups cookies & cream ice cream

1/2 cup hot fudge sauce, warmed

8 Oreo Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, whole

Preparation

Heat oven to 375°F. Lightly brush melted butter on all sides of each tortilla bowl.

Place bowls on large cookie sheet. Bake 5 to 8 minutes or until browned on edges and firm to the touch. Cool 15 minutes.

In medium microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips and shortening uncovered on High 60 to 90 seconds or until mixture can be stirred smooth.

Place 1/2 cup of the crushed cookies on plate. Hold baked bowls by the bottom, and dip each one into melted chocolate, covering top rim of bowl. Dip and roll top rim into crushed cookies to coat. Refrigerate bowls about 10 minutes or until coating is set.

Fill each bowl with 2 scoops ice cream; drizzle with hot fudge sauce, and garnish with remaining crushed cookies sprinkled over ice cream and 1 whole cookie inserted upright into ice cream.

Expert Tips

We used cookies & cream ice cream in this recipe, but if you prefer chocolate or vanilla ice cream, feel free to make a substitution.

If you like a little caramel with your chocolate, you can add a drizzle of warm caramel sauce along with the hot fudge.

Crush cookies quickly and easily by placing them in a food-storage bag and pounding gently with a meat mallet or rolling pin.

Exchanges: 1/2 Starch; 3 1/2 Other Carbohydrate; 1/2 Milk; 3 1/2 Fat

Carbohydrate Choice: 4

BIRRIA TACOS

This is from Claudette Zepeda at Food & Wine. For this recipe, Claudette wrote, "A combination of two meats creates the best balance of tender texture (from the chuck roast) and succulence (from the short ribs). These birria tacos get slow-cooked flavor from the adobo sauce."

Active Time: 35 minutes; Total Time: 8 hours 55 minutes; Yield: 16

To view this online, go to https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/birria-tacos.

Ingredients

1 (2-pound) boneless chuck roast (about 2 1/4 inches thick)

2 pounds English-cut beef short ribs (about 3 ribs)

2 tablespoons plus 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided, plus more to taste

Adobo

8 cups water

1 cup finely chopped white onion, rinsed

1/3 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro

Canola oil, for greasing

32 (6-inch) fresh corn tortillas or 16 packaged corn tortillas

Lime wedges, for serving

Directions

Sprinkle chuck roast and short ribs all over with 2 tablespoons salt. Combine roast, ribs, and adobo in a large nonreactive bowl; toss to coat. Cover and chill at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours.

Preheat oven to 300°F. Transfer adobo mixture to a large (9 1/2-quart) Dutch oven; add 8 cups water. Bring to a simmer, uncovered, over medium, stirring occasionally. Cover with lid, and place in preheated oven. Bake until meat is fork- tender, about 4 hours.

Remove chuck roast and short ribs from braising broth, and transfer to a large bowl; cover with aluminum foil to keep warm. Return broth in Dutch oven to heat over medium, and cook, uncovered, skimming off fat as needed, until reduced to about 8 cups, 15 to 20 minutes. Season broth with salt to taste. Shred meat; discard bones. Toss meat with 1-1/2 cups of the broth.

Stir together onion, cilantro, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small bowl; set aside.

Heat a large nonstick electric griddle to 400°F or a large (12-inch) cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Using a paper towel dipped in canola oil, lightly grease griddle. If using fresh tortillas, stack 2 tortillas, and use tongs to dip them together into adobo broth. (If using packaged tortillas, dip 1 tortilla per taco.) Place stacked tortillas on griddle; top with 1/4 cup meat. Repeat with as many tortilla stacks as will comfortably fit on griddle. Cook until bottom tortilla is lightly browned and crispy, 1 to 2 minutes. Fold tacos in half, gently pressing with a spatula. Transfer to a serving plate. Repeat process with oil, adobo broth, remaining tortillas, and remaining meat.

Serve tacos hot with onion-cilantro mixture, lime wedges, and remaining adobo broth for dipping or sipping.

Make Ahead

Adobo can be made up to 3 days ahead. Meat can be braised up to 2 days in advance and reheated in broth before shredding meat and reducing broth.

PORK & PINEAPPLE TACOS

This is from Eating Well. It begins, "Plan ahead so you can use your slow cooker to prepare the pulled pork for these tacos. This recipe is a better-for-you twist on the classic tacos al pastor. Pork loin is a lean cut that's a healthier option than traditional pork shoulder, which has more fat."

Prep Time: 30 minutes; Additional Time: 7 hours; Total Time: 7 hours 30 minutes; Servings: 6; Yield: 12 tacos

To view this online, go to https://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/280196/pork-pineapple-tacos/.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon chili powder

2 teaspoons smoked paprika

1 teaspoon packed light brown sugar

3/4 teaspoon salt, divided

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

1 (2 pound) pork loin roast, trimmed

1/3 cup apple juice

1/2 cup lime juice

2 cups finely diced fresh pineapple (about 1/2 small pineapple)

1 cup finely diced seeded cucumber

1/4 cup finely diced red onion

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

12 6-inch corn tortillas, warmed

2 cups shredded red cabbage

Directions

Combine chili powder, paprika, brown sugar, 1/2 tsp. salt, garlic powder, and pepper in a small bowl.

Place pork in a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker. Rub the spice mixture all over the pork. Pour apple juice around the pork. Cover and cook on Low until the pork is fork-tender, 6 to 7 hours.

Meanwhile, combine lime juice and the remaining 1/4 tsp. salt in a medium bowl. Add pineapple, cucumber, and onion; toss to combine. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Skim off visible fat from the juices in the slow cooker. Using two forks, shred the meat. Stir in vinegar.

To assemble tacos: Place a generous 1/4 cup pulled pork on each tortilla and add a drizzle of the cooking liquid. Top with about 2-1/2 Tbsp. shredded cabbage and about 3 Tbsp. of the pineapple salsa.

Tips

Equipment: 5- to 6-qt. slow cooker

To make ahead: Prepare spice rub (Step 1) up to 24 hours ahead. Refrigerate salsa (Step 3) for up to 1 day.

CRISPY POTATO TACOS

This is from Hetty Lui McKinnon in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. This recipe begins, "Potato tacos, or tacos de papa, as they are known in Mexico, make the perfect meal for those times when you find yourself with an excess of potatoes and a package of tortillas on hand. Tortillas are an endlessly versatile pantry item. In this recipe, adapted from “Tenderheart” by Hetty Lui McKinnon (Alfred A. Knopf, 2023), they are stuffed with potato and cheese for a deeply satisfying meal or light snack. Cooking the potatoes whole, skin intact, prevents them from absorbing too much water, and the skin also adds a nice texture to the filling. Shortcuts are always available: If you’ve got leftover mashed potatoes, you can use them and skip the first step."

Time: 1-1/4 hours; Yield: 4 servings

This was featured in "4 Easy Dishes That Embrace Everyday Vegetables", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1024397-crispy-potato-tacos.

Ingredients

For the Tacos

Sea salt

1-1/2 pounds potatoes (any variety), scrubbed and cut into 1-1/2-inch pieces

1-1/2 cups grated Cheddar

Handful of cilantro, leaves and stems finely chopped

1 small garlic clove, finely chopped

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon paprika

16 to 18 corn tortillas

Neutral oil, as needed

Any combination of sliced lettuce or cabbage, very finely sliced red onion or sour cream (all optional), for serving

For the Spicy Red Salsa

3 tomatoes (about 1 pound), chopped

1/2 red onion, roughly chopped

Small handful of cilantro, leaves and stems roughly chopped

1 fresh serrano or Fresno chile (seeded, if you prefer less spice)

1 garlic clove, chopped

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

Sea salt

3/4 cup vegetable stock

Preparation

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the potatoes and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until tender. (Check them by inserting a fork or knife into the largest potato piece. If it goes in and out easily, the potato is ready.) Drain and allow to cool for a few minutes.

Make the spicy red salsa: Place tomatoes, onion, cilantro, chile, garlic, cumin, oregano, sugar and 1 teaspoon salt into a blender or food processor and blitz until completely smooth. Pour the purée into a saucepan, add the vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until darker in color and slightly thickened, while you prepare the remaining ingredients.

Place the cooled potatoes in a bowl and roughly mash them. (It does not have to be smooth; a chunky texture is great.) Add the Cheddar, cilantro, garlic, cumin, paprika and 1 teaspoon sea salt and mix to combine.

Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and, working in batches, add the corn tortillas and heat until soft and pliable. Remove from the pan and cover the tortillas with a clean kitchen towel to keep them warm. Fill each warmed tortilla with 1 to 2 tablespoons of the potato mixture, then fold in half and press down lightly.

In the same skillet, add enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan and warm over medium-high heat. Place three or four tacos in the oil, pressing down lightly with a spatula so that the edges are in the oil, and fry for 1 to 2 minutes, until golden and crispy. Flip them over and repeat on the other side. Repeat with the remaining tacos.

Serve the tacos with the spicy red salsa and any of the optional serving suggestions. (The potatoes can be cooked and mashed 2 days ahead and stored in an airtight container in the fridge. The salsa can be made 2 days ahead and kept in the fridge. For freezing info, see Tip.)

Tip

You can freeze these assembled tacos by wrapping them tightly and storing in a freezer bag or airtight container. To cook, there is no need to thaw; you can fry them straight from frozen.

STEAK TACO SALAD

This is from Tricia Manzanero Studeman on Southern Living's site. The recipe begins, "Who doesn’t love a good taco salad? It’s everything you love about taco night, but less assembly!

"Here, we sneak some classic Tex-Mex flavor from store-bought seasoning packets—they give the grilled flank steak a savory, cumin-scented punch. Piled high with grilled corn, tomatoes, creamy avocado, shredded cheese, and crumbled tortilla chips, this hearty main dish salad will make any weeknight dinner a fiesta."

First off, here are DIY Pickled Onions.

Microwave 1/2 cup each vinegar and water in a heatproof jar for 3 minutes. Stir in 1 tsp. sugar, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1 sliced red onion. Let stand 20 minutes.."

Active Time: 45 minutes; Total Time: 55 minutes; Makes 4 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.southernliving.com/steak-taco-salad-7556399.

Ingredients

1 (8-oz.) container sour cream

2/3 cup smooth mild salsa

1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro, divided, plus more for garnish

3 tsp. kosher salt, divided

1 (1-oz.) envelope taco seasoning mix, divided

2 Tbsp. canola oil

3 ears (about 1 lb. total) fresh yellow corn

1 (1-1/2-lb.) top sirloin steak (1 to 1-1/2 inches thick)

1 (5-oz.) pkg. spring mix salad greens (about 7 cups)

1 (7-oz.) pkg. shredded Mexican 3-cheese blend (about 1-3/4 cups)

1-1/2 cups roughly crushed tortilla chips

1-1/2 cups diced plum tomatoes (from 3 medium tomatoes)

1-1/2 cups thinly sliced pickled red onions (from 1 [16-oz.] jar)

2 medium avocados, chopped

Directions

Whisk together sour cream, salsa, 1 tablespoon of the cilantro, 1-1/2 teaspoons of the salt, and 1-1/2 teaspoons of the taco seasoning mix until smooth; set dressing aside.

Preheat grill to high (450°F to 500°F). Whisk together oil and remaining taco seasoning mix in a small bowl. Brush corn with 1-1/2 teaspoons oil mixture; set remaining oil mixture aside. Pat steak dry using paper towels; sprinkle evenly with remaining 1-1/2 teaspoons salt.

Place corn and steak on oiled grates. Grill corn, covered, until slightly charred and tender, 10 to 12 minutes, turning occasionally. Grill steak, covered, until a thermometer inserted into thickest portion registers 135°F to 145°F (medium), 8 to 11 minutes, or to desired degree of doneness, brushing both sides with reserved oil mixture halfway through grill time. Transfer steak to a cutting board. Cover with aluminum foil, and let rest 10 minutes.

When corn is cool enough to handle, cut kernels from cobs. Thinly slice steak against the grain; cut slices into 1-inch pieces. Divide lettuce and remaining 1/2 cup cilantro among 4 bowls. Top with steak, corn, cheese, chips, tomatoes, onions, and avocados. Drizzle as desired with dressing. Garnish with cilantro, and serve with remaining dressing.