Taco Tuesday

Yay! It's Taco Tuesday! As if anyone really needs an excuse to enjoy tacos! (If you're like several people I know, I had you at tacos!)

Here are today's six taco recipes to help you through the day, including All American Beef Taco and Chipotle Shrimp Tacos. Enjoy!

CHEESEBURGER TACOS

This is from Family Time, and begins, “Cheeseburger tacos are a tasty take on tried-and-true burgers. Try them filled with lettuce, onion and pickle relish and seasoned with savory taco seasoning mix.”

Serves: 6; Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 15 minutes

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 pound lean lean beef

3/4 cup water

1 packet (1.25-oz.) ORTEGA® Taco Seasoning Mix

8 ounces pasteurized prepared cheese, cubed

2 tablespoons prepared yellow mustard

12 ORTEGA® Taco Shells or White Corn Taco Shells, warmed

2 cups shredded lettuce

2 cups chopped tomato

1 cup sweet pickle relish

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup ORTEGA® Medium Taco Sauce

Directions

Brown beef; drain. Stir in water and seasoning mix; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 6 minutes or until thickened. Add cheese and mustard; stir until cheese is melted.

Fill taco shells with beef mixture. Top with lettuce, tomato, relish, onion and taco sauce.

CHIPOTLE SHRIMP TACOS

This is from TasteforLife, and can be viewed online here.

Prep Time: 35 minutes prep time + 1 hour marinate time;Number of Servings: Serves 4 (2 tacos each); Recipe Source: From the Taste for Life test kitchen

Ingredients:

1 clove garlic, minced

1 c thinly sliced red radish

1 c thinly sliced red cabbage

1/2 c apple cider vinegar

1 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 c plain Greek yogurt or sour cream

1 1/2 Tbsp lime juice

2 Tbsp chopped cilantro

1 Tbsp oil

2 tsp chopped chipotle chile in adobo sauce*

1 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp salt

1 lb raw small or medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

8 soft corn taco shells

Diced cucumber, for garnish

Chopped cilantro, for garnish

Directions:

Place garlic, radish, and cabbage in a medium bowl. Add vinegar, sugar, and salt. Stir to combine. Place in fridge for 1 to 2 hours to allow vegetables to marinate.

Combine yogurt, lime juice, and cilantro in a small bowl. Set aside in fridge while making shrimp.

Preheat oven to 300°. To make shrimp, whisk together oil, chipotle chile, cumin, and salt in a large bowl. Add shrimp and toss to coat.

Heat an outdoor grill or stovetop grill pan. Grill shrimp until cooked through, approximately 1 to 3 minutes per side, depending on size of shrimp.

Lay soft corn taco shells directly over oven racks in preheated oven. Carefully, using oven mitts and a fork, and without burning yourself, gently push edges of taco shells toward bottom of oven—encouraging shells to droop over racks. Bake until shells are curved and crisp, about 30 minutes. (For soft taco shells, use shells as is without baking them.)

To assemble tacos, place some pickled radish and cabbage on bottom of a shell. Add shrimp. Garnish with yogurt sauce, cucumbers, and cilantro.

Notes:

A chipotle chile is a smoked and dried jalapeno. You can find them canned in adobo sauce in the Mexican or International foods aisle of most supermarkets.

CHICKEN TACOS WITH CHIPOTLE

This comes from David Tanis in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. He wrote, “For good tacos, you need fresh, hot tortillas and a zesty filling. Canned chipotle chiles will do the trick with their smoky heat; it's an easy way to get flavor fast. Look for small cans with “chipotle chiles in adobo” on the label. And Mexican groceries generally have better-quality tortillas than the ones you find in supermarkets; it's worth seeking those out and heating them gently over steam, or by toasting them in a dry cast-iron pan. You can also use this recipe with precooked chicken, which makes this already quite simple recipe as easy as falling out of bed.”

Yield: 4 servings; Time: 1 hour.

This was featured in “Chichen Tacos Let You Think Fast” and can be viewed online here.

Ingredients

For the Tacos:

4 large bone-in chicken thighs, about 1-1/2 pounds

3 scallions, left whole

1 bay leaf

1 thyme branch

3 black peppercorns

1 allspice berry

2 cloves

Kosher salt

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, finely diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

2 or 3 chipotle chiles in adobo, chopped

3 tablespoons adobo sauce, from the can

1/2 cup broth (use broth from simmered chicken)

8 fresh corn tortillas

For Garnish:

1 small white onion, finely chopped, soaked in ice water for 10 minutes and drained

Thinly sliced serrano chile

Thinly sliced radishes

Sliced avocado

Crumbled queso fresco or mild feta cheese

Crème fraîche or Mexican crema

Cilantro sprigs

Dried oregano

Lime wedges

Preparation

Put chicken thighs in a saucepan and cover with 3 cups water. Add scallions, bay leaf, thyme, peppercorns, allspice, cloves and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Simmer for 30 minutes, then remove chicken and cool. Shred chicken with your fingers, discarding chicken skin and bone. Strain broth and reserve. You should have about 2 cups shredded chicken.

Put olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add diced yellow onion, season with salt and cook until softened and a bit browned, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cumin and cook for 1 minute more. Add chopped chipotle chile and adobo sauce and stir to combine. Add shredded chicken, salt lightly and stir to coat. Add chicken broth and simmer for 2 or 3 minutes, until sauce has thickened somewhat. Keep warm.

Heat the tortillas over steam or by your favorite method, keeping them soft and pliable.

Build the tacos quickly: Put a spoonful of the saucy chicken in the center of each tortilla. Top with a teaspoon of chopped white onion, a few slivers of serrano chile, some radish and avocado slices, a teaspoon of queso fresco and a teaspoon of crème fraîche. Add a few cilantro springs and a small pinch of oregano. Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side.

TACO STUFFED PEPPERS

This comes from Lauren Miyahira on Delish, and begins, “Taco 'bout a healthy dinner!”

Total Time: 35 minutes; Prep Time: 15 minutes; Level: Easy; Yield: 6

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 Onion, chopped (about 1 cup)

1 clove garlic, minced

1 lb. ground beef

kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 tbsp. Chopped cilantro

1 tsp. chili powder

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. smoked paprika

3 bell peppers, halved (seeds removed)

1 c. shredded Cheddar

1 c. Shredded Monterey Jack

1 c. Shredded lettuce

Pico de gallo, for serving

Hot sauce, for serving

Lime wedges, for serving

Directions

Preheat oven to 375° and spray a large baking dish with cooking spray.

In a large skillet over medium heat, heat about 1 tablespoon olive oil.

Add onion and cook until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute more. Add ground beef and cook until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Drain fat.

Add chili powder, ground cumin, and paprika to beef mixture, then season with salt and pepper.

Drizzle bell peppers with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the peppers, cut side up, in the baking dish and spoon meat mixture into each pepper. Top with cheese and bake until the cheese is melted and the peppers are crisp-tender, about 20 minutes.

Top each pepper with lettuce and serve with pico de gallo, hot sauce, and lime wedges.

ALL AMERICAN BEEF TACO

This is from Alton Brown at the Food Network.

Prep Time: 45 minutes; Cook Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes; Yield: 6 servings; Level: Intermediate

To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/all-american-beef-taco-recipe-2014469.

Ingredients

3/4 cup peanut oil

12 (6-inch) yellow corn tortillas

Kosher, for seasoning, plus 1 teaspoon for beef

1 medium onion, chopped

16 ounces ground sirloin

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 recipe Taco Potion #19, recipe follows

2/3 cup low-sodium beef broth

6 ounces panela cheese, crumbled

12 pickled jalapeno slices

1 cup shredded iceberg lettuce, optional

1 large tomato, seeded and chopped, optional

1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, optional

Taco Potion #19:

2 tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon ground cumin

2 teaspoons cornstarch

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1-1/2 teaspoons hot smoked paprika

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Special equipment: heavy duty aluminum foil

Directions

Make a taco mold by rolling out aluminum foil and folding it over in 10-inch increments until you have a 4-sheet-thick piece of foil. Fold the large foil square in half horizontally, bringing the bottom to the top, and then turn 90 degrees. Crimp over the top and bottom edges by 1 inch, and then fold over the sides by 1 inch. Place the aluminum foil roll or a narrow rolling pin into the center of the foil square and bring the sides together to create a hollow, narrow tube to mold the taco, making sure it can stand up on the long side.

Heat the oven to 250 degrees F.

Heat the peanut oil in a 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat until it reaches 350 degrees F on a deep-fry thermometer, about 5 minutes. Adjust the heat to maintain the temperature.

Shape 1 tortilla around the aluminum foil mold, forming a taco shape. Use tongs to hold up the sides against the mold and put the bottom of the tortilla into the hot oil and fry for 20 seconds. Lay 1 side of the tortilla down in the hot oil and fry for 30 seconds. Flip the tortilla over and fry for an additional 30 seconds. Remove the taco shell to a cooling rack set over a newspaper lined half sheet pan and cool for 30 seconds before removing the mold. Sprinkle the hot tortillas with kosher salt, to taste. Repeat frying procedure with the remaining tortillas. Keep the taco shells warm in the heated oven while preparing the filling.

Drain all but 2 tablespoons of the peanut oil from the skillet and return to medium heat. Once the oil shimmers, add the onion and cook until softened and lightly browned around the edges, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the ground meat, 1 teaspoon salt, and garlic. Cook until browned, about 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, to break up the meat. Add Taco Potion and beef broth. Bring to a simmer and cook, uncovered, until sauce is slightly thickened, 2 to 3 minutes.

Assemble each taco with meat mixture, panela, jalapeno slices, lettuce, tomatoes, and cilantro. Serve immediately.

Taco Potion #19:

Yield: 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons

Put all of the ingredients in a small jar and shake to combine. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 month.

EASY FISH TACOS

This recipe, by the Taste of Home editorial team at Taste of Home, is originally from Jennifer Palmer, Rancho Cucamonga, California. For this recipe, Jennifer wrote, "Searching for a lighter alternative to traditional fried fish, I came up with this crispy, crunchy fish tacos recipe. It's a hit with friends and family."

Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes; Yield: 4 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/fantastic-fish-tacos/.

Ingredients

1/2 cup fat-free mayonnaise

1 tablespoon lime juice

2 teaspoons fat-free milk

1 large egg

1 teaspoon water

1/3 cup dry bread crumbs

2 tablespoons salt-free lemon-pepper seasoning

1 pound mahi mahi or cod fillets, cut into 1-inch strips

1 tablespoon canola oil

4 corn tortillas (6 inches), warmed

Toppings:

1 cup coleslaw mix

2 medium tomatoes, chopped

1 cup shredded reduced-fat Mexican cheese blend

1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro

Directions

For sauce, in a small bowl, mix mayonnaise, lime juice and milk; refrigerate until serving.

In a shallow bowl, whisk together egg and water. In another shallow bowl, toss bread crumbs with lemon pepper. Dip fish in egg mixture, then in crumb mixture, patting to help coating adhere.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add fish; cook 2-4 minutes per side or until golden brown and fish just begins to flake easily with a fork. Serve in tortillas with toppings and sauce.