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Showing posts with label Chorizo and Avocado Breakfast Tacos. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chorizo and Avocado Breakfast Tacos. Show all posts

Tuesday, October 28, 2025

Taco Tuesday

It's time for another Taco Tuesday. Today's offerings include Chicken Tacos with Strawberry Salsa and Easy Fish Tacos. 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 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.

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.

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.

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

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.

Tuesday, June 11, 2024

Taco Tuesday

It's time for another Taco Tuesday. Today's yummy offerings include Chicken Tacos with Chipotle and Baja Shrimp Tacos With Creamy Slaw. 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.

BAJA SHRIMP TACOS WITH CREAMY SLAW

This is from Real Simple, and begins, " For these tacos, we took a couple extra steps to keep the batter for the fried shrimp light: 1) We cut the flour with a little cornstarch, which prevents it from getting tough (because cornstarch has no gluten), but you can substitute rice flour or arrowroot; and 2) Bubbles in the seltzer add air, so the batter stays crisp and light. Pro tip: Whisk your batter over an ice bath to preserve more seltzer bubbles, and then keep it cold until ready to use.

"A tangy cabbage slaw topping balances the richness of the fried shrimp, and then lime, hot sauce, and sliced scallions seal the deal."

Hands On Time: 25minutes; Total Time: 40 minutes; Yield: 4 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/baja-shrimp-tacos-creamy-slaw.

Ingredients

For the slaw:

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1-1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

3/4 teaspoon granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 cups thinly sliced red cabbage (about 6 oz.)

2 cups thinly sliced green cabbage (about 6 oz.)

1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

For the tacos:

Vegetable oil

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

3/4 cup seltzer or club soda

1 large egg white

1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined

8 6-in. flour tortillas, warmed

Lime wedges, hot sauce, and sliced scallions, for serving

Directions

Prepare the Slaw: Whisk mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, salt, and cayenne in a large bowl, add both cabbages and cilantro, and then toss to combine. Let stand at least 20 minutes.

Prepare the Tacos: Pour oil into a large heavy-bottomed pot to a depth of about 2 inches, affix with a deep-fry thermometer, and then heat over medium-high to 350°F.

Combine flour, cornstarch, and salt in a medium bowl, and then make a well in the center and whisk in seltzer and egg white until just combined.

Dredge a half-pound of shrimp in batter, shaking off excess, and then carefully lower into hot oil and fry, turning occasionally, until golden and cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes.

Transfer fried shrimp to a paper towel-lined plate to drain, and then repeat with remaining shrimp.

Divide shrimp evenly among tortillas and top with slaw, hot sauce, and scallions. Serve with lime wedges.

CHEESY NACHO WALKING TACO BOWLS

This is from Old El Paso, and begins, "Whether you enjoy these Cheesy Nacho Walking Taco Bowls at the table or on the go, with only 20 minutes of prep time needed, this simple meal is sure to make it to your list of go-to recipes. Seasoned ground beef and crushed up nacho-flavored tortilla chips punch up the flavor while Old El Paso™ Soft Tortilla Bowls bring taste and convenience to this walking taco recipe. Just fill it up and go."

Prep Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 20 minutes; Serves: 8

To view this online, go to https://www.oldelpaso.com/recipes/cheesy-nacho-walking-taco-bowls.

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 can (4.5 oz) Old El Paso™ Chopped Green Chiles

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

1 cup Old El Paso™ Shredded 3 Pepper Cheese Blend (4 oz)

1 cup shredded romaine lettuce

3 cups nacho cheese tortilla chips, coarsely crushed

1/4 cup chopped tomatoes

1/2 cup Old El Paso™ Mild Taco Sauce

1/3 cup Old El Paso™ Crema Mexicana

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, taco seasoning mix and green chiles; heat to boiling. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently, until thickened.

Divide warmed beef mixture among heated tortilla bowls. Top with cheese, lettuce, tortilla chips, tomatoes, taco sauce and sour cream.

Expert Tips

Want a little more heat? Top your walking taco bowls with Old El Paso™ Medium Taco Sauce.

Try Shredded Mexican Style 4 Cheese Blend to replace Shredded 3 Pepper Cheese Blend for a different flavor twist.

Try topping with more fresh toppings like chopped avocados or green onions.

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 “Chicken 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.

FIDEOS SECOS TACOS

This is from Claudette Zepeda at Food & Wine. For this recipe, Claudette wrote, "These griddled tacos are filled with fideos secos, a Mexican dish of thin spaghetti cooked in a chile-based tomato sauce until the pasta has absorbed the flavor and rich red color of the sauce."

Active Time: 40 mins; Total Time: 1 hrs 40 mins; Yield: 14 tacos

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

Ingredients

Chile Base

2 dried guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded

1 dried chipotle chile, stemmed and seeded

1-1/2 cups boiling water

1-1/4 cups tomato sauce (such as Pomì)

1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves and stems

2 teaspoons kosher salt

Fideo Filling

1 tablespoon grapeseed oil

1/2 pound fresh Mexican chorizo, casings removed

8 ounces uncooked fideo (spaghettini)

2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic

1 fresh or dried bay leaf

1 dried chile de árbol

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish

3 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, grated (about 3/4 cup)

14 (6-inch) fresh corn tortillas

1 cup Mexican crema

1 large avocado (about 8 ounces), sliced

5 ounces queso fresco, crumbled (about 1-1/4 cups)

Directions

Make the chile base

Heat a large (12-inch) cast-iron skillet over medium. Add chiles; cook, turning occasionally, until fragrant and lightly toasted, about 4 minutes. Transfer chiles to a blender; add 1-1/2 cups boiling water. Let stand 30 minutes. Add tomato sauce, cilantro, and salt. Process until smooth, about 20 seconds. Set aside.

Make the fideo filling

Heat oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Add chorizo, and cook, stirring occasionally, until crumbled and browned, about 6 minutes. Stir in fideo, garlic, bay leaf, and chile de árbol. Cook, stirring occasionally, until fideo is lightly toasted and turning opaque, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in chile base. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until fideo is tender and liquid is fully absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes, stirring once after 8 minutes. Remove and discard bay leaf and chile de árbol. Transfer mixture to a medium bowl, and stir in cilantro. Let cool 20 minutes. Stir in Monterey Jack cheese.

Top each tortilla with 1/3 cup fideo filling; fold each tortilla in half, pressing gently. Heat a large cast-iron skillet or grill pan over medium-high. Working in batches, toast tacos until tortilla is lightly charred and filling is warmed through, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Top tacos with Mexican crema, avocado slices, and crumbled queso fresco. Garnish with cilantro. Serve immediately.

Make Ahead

Chile base can be made up to 3 days in advance.

Notes

Use fresh tortillas; they’re less likely to tear or crack when charring.

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.

Tuesday, January 23, 2024

Taco Tuesday

It's time for another Taco Tuesday. Today's yummy offerings include Pork Tacos with Mango Salsa and Easy Oven-Baked Chicken Tacos. Enjoy!

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.

PORK TACOS WITH MANGO SALSA

This is from Amber Massey, from Argyle, Texas, on Taste of Home. She wrote, "I've made quite a few tacos in my day, but you can't beat the tender filling made in a slow cooker. These are by far the best pork tacos we've had—and we've tried plenty. Make the mango salsa from scratch if you have time! Yum."

Prep Time: 25 minutes; Cook Time: 6 hours; Total Time: 6 hours 25 minutes; Makes 12 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/pork-tacos-with-mango-salsa/.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons lime juice

2 tablespoons white vinegar

3 tablespoons chili powder

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1-1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

3 cups cubed fresh pineapple

1 small red onion, coarsely chopped

2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce

1 bottle (12 ounces) dark Mexican beer

3 pounds pork tenderloin, cut into 1-inch cubes

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 jar (16 ounces) mango salsa

24 corn tortillas (6 inches), warmed

Optional: cubed fresh pineapple, chopped avocado and queso fresco

Directions

Puree first 9 ingredients in a blender; stir in beer. In a 5- or 6-qt. slow cooker, combine pork and pineapple mixture. Cook, covered, on low until pork is very tender, 6-8 hours. Stir to break up pork.

Stir cilantro into salsa. Using a slotted spoon, serve pork mixture in tortillas; add salsa and toppings as desired.

Freeze option: Freeze cooled meat mixture and cooking juices in freezer containers. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Heat through in a saucepan, stirring occasionally.

Nutrition Facts: 2 tacos: 282 calories, 6g fat (2g saturated fat), 64mg cholesterol, 678mg sodium, 30g carbohydrate (5g sugars, 5g fiber), 26g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 3 lean meat, 2 starch.

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.

MUSHROOM CHICHARRON TACOS

This is from Jocelyn Ramirez in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. Jocelyn write, "This simple recipe calls for pan-searing meaty oyster mushrooms so they become as perfectly crispy and golden as chicharrón. Paired with fresh pico de gallo, these mushrooms feel satisfying with their natural umami savoriness. This quick dish tastes like juicy carniceria tacos that balance the richness of fried meat with the acidic punch of salsa."

Yield: 4 servings; Time: 30 minutes

To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1022424-mushroom-chicharron-tacos.

Ingredients

For the Pico de Gallo:

1 large beefsteak tomato, cored and cut into 1/4-inch dice

1 large ripe Hass avocado, pitted, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice

2 jalapeños, stemmed and finely chopped (seeded if desired)

1/2 cup cilantro leaves, finely chopped

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from 1 to 2 limes)

Coarse kosher salt

For the Mushroom Tacos:

18 ounces oyster mushrooms (from 2 to 3 medium clusters)

1/3 cup neutral oil, such as canola

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1-1/2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt

Black pepper

12 corn tortillas

Preparation

Make the pico de gallo: Combine the tomato, avocado, jalapeños, cilantro and lime juice in a bowl and season with salt. Gently fold together. Set aside to allow flavors to marry while the mushrooms cook.

Make the tacos: Tear the oyster mushrooms into bite-size pieces, leaving some mushroom tops whole. To make sure the mushrooms become crisp, cook in two batches: Heat a large cast iron or other heavy skillet over medium-high and coat with half of the oil. Once the oil is hot, add half of the mushrooms in a single layer without crowding the skillet. Cook, stirring every few minutes, until deep golden brown and crisp, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a plate, then repeat with the remaining oil and mushrooms. Return the first batch to the skillet, and add the cumin and salt, and season with pepper. Stir well, then remove from the heat.

While the mushrooms are cooking, warm the tortillas on a comal or heavy skillet over medium-high heat until soft and pliable. Wrap them in a dish towel to keep them warm until ready to serve. Divide the mushrooms and pico de gallo among the warm tortillas. Serve immediately.

EASY OVEN-BAKED CHICKEN TACOS

This is from Betty Crocker. It begins, "These cheese- and bean-stuffed tacos are our new favorite way to turn a rotisserie chicken into a super-easy dinner that serves up to 10."

Prep Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 30 minutes; Makes 10 servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 package (4.7 oz) Old El Paso™ Stand ‘N Stuff™ taco shells

2-1/2 cups shredded deli rotisserie chicken

1 package (0.85 oz) Old El Paso™ chicken taco seasoning mix

1/4 cup water

1 can (4.5 oz) Old El Paso™ chopped green chiles

1 can (16 oz) Old El Paso™ refried beans

1-1/4 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend (5 oz)

Diced avocado, chopped tomato, green onions, shredded lettuce, salsa and sour cream, if desired

Directions

Heat oven to 400°F. Spray bottom of 13x9-inch (3-quart) baking dish with cooking spray. Place taco shells standing up and together in dish; set aside.

In 10-inch nonstick skillet, cook chicken, taco seasoning mix, water and chiles over medium heat 5 to 6 minutes, stirring frequently, until chicken is heated through. Remove from heat.

To assemble, spread about 2 tablespoons refried beans in bottom of each shell. Top each with heaping 1/4 cup chicken mixture and 2 tablespoons shredded cheese. Bake 5 to 7 minutes or until cheese is melted. Top with remaining ingredients, if desired.

Tips from the Betty Crocker Kitchens

tip 1

Try other varieties of Old El Paso™ taco seasoning mix, such as original or hot & spicy for something different.

tip 2

Try Monterey Jack or pepper Jack cheese for a flavor twist!

BAJA SHRIMP TACOS WITH CREAMY SLAW

This is from Real Simple, and begins, " For these tacos, we took a couple extra steps to keep the batter for the fried shrimp light: 1) We cut the flour with a little cornstarch, which prevents it from getting tough (because cornstarch has no gluten), but you can substitute rice flour or arrowroot; and 2) Bubbles in the seltzer add air, so the batter stays crisp and light. Pro tip: Whisk your batter over an ice bath to preserve more seltzer bubbles, and then keep it cold until ready to use.

"A tangy cabbage slaw topping balances the richness of the fried shrimp, and then lime, hot sauce, and sliced scallions seal the deal."

Hands On Time: 25minutes; Total Time: 40 minutes; Yield: 4 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/baja-shrimp-tacos-creamy-slaw.

Ingredients

For the slaw:

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1-1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

3/4 teaspoon granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 cups thinly sliced red cabbage (about 6 oz.)

2 cups thinly sliced green cabbage (about 6 oz.)

1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

For the tacos:

Vegetable oil

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

3/4 cup seltzer or club soda

1 large egg white

1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined

8 6-in. flour tortillas, warmed

Lime wedges, hot sauce, and sliced scallions, for serving

Directions

Prepare the Slaw: Whisk mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, salt, and cayenne in a large bowl, add both cabbages and cilantro, and then toss to combine. Let stand at least 20 minutes.

Prepare the Tacos: Pour oil into a large heavy-bottomed pot to a depth of about 2 inches, affix with a deep-fry thermometer, and then heat over medium-high to 350°F.

Combine flour, cornstarch, and salt in a medium bowl, and then make a well in the center and whisk in seltzer and egg white until just combined.

Dredge a half-pound of shrimp in batter, shaking off excess, and then carefully lower into hot oil and fry, turning occasionally, until golden and cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes.

Transfer fried shrimp to a paper towel-lined plate to drain, and then repeat with remaining shrimp.

Divide shrimp evenly among tortillas and top with slaw, hot sauce, and scallions. Serve with lime wedges.

Tuesday, December 26, 2023

Taco Tuesday

Hope everyone has had a good holiday season this year. (And yes, I did take Christmas off yesterday, in case you were wondering. It was nice.)

This is the last Taco Tuesday of 2023. Today's offerings include Easy Oven-Baked Chicken Tacos and Double-Cheese Bacon Beef Takis Fuego 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.

ELOTE CHICKEN TACOS

This recipe from Old El Paso begins, "This mashup of traditional Mexican grilled street corn and simple skillet chicken tacos comes together in Old El Paso™ Soft Flour Tortilla Bowls for a quick, fun and easy dinner that pairs perfectly with a Corona Light® on Cinco, or any day!"

Prep Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 30 minutes; Makes 8 servings

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

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cups frozen corn kernels

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)

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

1 package (0.85 oz) Old El Paso™ Chicken Taco Seasoning Mix

1/4 cup water

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

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

1/2 cup crumbled queso fresco cheese

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Lime wedges, if desired

Preparation

In 10-inch nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat. Add frozen corn, salt and red pepper; cook 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until corn begins to brown on edges and is steaming hot. Transfer to medium bowl; cover to keep warm.

Place same skillet over medium-high heat; add remaining tablespoon of oil. Add chicken; cook 4 to 6 minutes without moving. Turn chicken; cook 1 to 2 minutes longer, until no longer pink in center. Add taco seasoning mix and water; reduce heat, and cook 1 to 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until thickened.

Divide corn among warm tortilla bowls; top with chicken. Drizzle with Old El Paso™ Spicy Queso Blanco Sauce. Top evenly with cheese and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges.

Expert Tips

Drizzle with your favorite hot sauce for extra heat.

Rinsed and drained canned corn can be used in place of frozen corn.

Top with sliced green onions for extra flavor.

Drink responsibly. Corona Light® Beer. Imported by Crown Imports, Chicago, IL

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.

CHEESE ENCHILADAS

This is from Bryan Washington in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Bryan wrote, "Enchiladas are an essential component of Houston’s ebullient, dynamic foodways. Mexican in origin, while distinctly Tex-Mex at the same time, the dish adapts to its surroundings. Each version of enchiladas is deeply local: The style ubiquitous in Monterrey, Mexico, will be different from those found in San Antonio or El Paso or Mexico City. But from enchilada to enchilada, the common denominator is deliciousness. In 'The Enchilada Queen Cookbook,' Sylvia Casares notes, 'for Tex-Mex-style cheese enchiladas, yellow cheese, such as Cheddar, is the traditional choice' yielding 'the quintessential Tex-Mex enchilada.'"

Yield: 4 servings; Time: 1 hour

This was featured in "All Enchiladas Are Perfect. But These Are My Favorite", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1023152-cheese-enchiladas.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons neutral oil, such as canola, plus more for greasing

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons ground red chile powder (see Tip)

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, plus more for sprinkling

2 cups beef broth

Salt

10 corn tortillas

1 pound shredded Cheddar (5 cups)

1/2 cup finely diced white onion

Fresh parsley or cilantro, for garnish (optional)

Preparation

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9-by-13-inch shallow baking dish or pan or a very large cast-iron skillet.

Add the oil and flour to a medium skillet. Set over medium-low heat and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture (known as roux) turns a golden color, smells nutty and thickens, 5 to 7 minutes.

Add garlic, chile powder, cumin, oregano and black pepper to the roux. Whisk until smooth (some clumping from the garlic is fine), being careful to not let the spices burn, about 30 seconds.

While whisking constantly, add beef broth 1/4 cup at a time, whisking after each addition, until smooth. Reduce heat to low and simmer gently, whisking occasionally, for 10 minutes. Then remove from heat, and allow the gravy to rest for another 10 minutes. Taste the gravy and season with salt as needed for a savory sauce.

Meanwhile, in another pan, lightly heat a tortilla over medium just until softened, about 30 seconds per side. Transfer to a clean kitchen towel or sheet of foil and wrap. Repeat with the remaining tortillas, stacking them in the towel or foil. Be careful of overcooking: You’re softening each tortilla to prevent them from cracking as they’re filled and folded.

Fill a softened tortilla with about 1/3 cup of cheese. Roll shut and, with the seam side facing downward, place in the greased baking dish or skillet. Repeat until you’ve filled all of the tortillas, setting the rolls next to each other.

Slowly pour the gravy over all of the tortillas to coat. Afterward, sprinkle the dish with the rest of the cheese and the diced onion.

Bake until the gravy is bubbling and the cheese melted, 20 to 25 minutes.

Garnish with parsley, if desired, alongside a sprinkle of salt and black pepper. Serve immediately.

Tip

You want ground dried chiles, not chili powder, which includes other spices and salt. The choice of mild, medium or hot chile powder is up to you, but avoid using chipotle chile powder, which can end up bitter.

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.

EASY OVEN-BAKED CHICKEN TACOS

This is from Betty Crocker. It begins, "These cheese- and bean-stuffed tacos are our new favorite way to turn a rotisserie chicken into a super-easy dinner that serves up to 10."

Prep Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 30 minutes; Makes 10 servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 package (4.7 oz) Old El Paso™ Stand ‘N Stuff™ taco shells

2 1/2 cups shredded deli rotisserie chicken

1 package (0.85 oz) Old El Paso™ chicken taco seasoning mix

1/4 cup water

1 can (4.5 oz) Old El Paso™ chopped green chiles

1 can (16 oz) Old El Paso™ refried beans

1 1/4 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend (5 oz)

Diced avocado, chopped tomato, green onions, shredded lettuce, salsa and sour cream, if desired

Directions

Heat oven to 400°F. Spray bottom of 13x9-inch (3-quart) baking dish with cooking spray. Place taco shells standing up and together in dish; set aside.

In 10-inch nonstick skillet, cook chicken, taco seasoning mix, water and chiles over medium heat 5 to 6 minutes, stirring frequently, until chicken is heated through. Remove from heat.

To assemble, spread about 2 tablespoons refried beans in bottom of each shell. Top each with heaping 1/4 cup chicken mixture and 2 tablespoons shredded cheese. Bake 5 to 7 minutes or until cheese is melted. Top with remaining ingredients, if desired.

Tips from the Betty Crocker Kitchens

tip 1

Try other varieties of Old El Paso™ taco seasoning mix, such as original or hot & spicy for something different.

tip 2

Try Monterey Jack or pepper Jack cheese for a flavor twist!

Tuesday, May 23, 2023

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.

Tuesday, February 7, 2023

Taco Tuesday

Okay, folks, you know the routine, if it's Tuesday (and my calendar indicates that it is), then it's time for another Taco Tuesday. Today's offerings include Chorizo and Avocado Breakfast Tacos and Barbecue Chicken Ranch Tacos. Enjoy!

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

PreparationBeat 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.

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

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

Tuesday, December 6, 2022

Taco Tuesday

It's time for another Taco Tuesday. Today's offerings include Double-Cheese Bacon Beef Takis Fuego Tacos (that even sounds like a mouthful!) and Slab Bacon Tacos with Burned Scallion Crema. Enjoy!

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.

QUICK TACO PIZZA

This is from Old El Paso, and begins, "Blogger Cate O’Malley from Sweetnicks shares a favorite recipe. Some days, you have a craving for tacos. Some days, pizza. With this quick 30 minutes start-to-finish recipe, you don’t have to choose."

Prep Time: 5 minutes; Total Time: 30 minutes; Makes 8 servings

To view this online, go to https://www.oldelpaso.com/recipes/quick-taco-pizza.

Ingredients

1 package Pillsbury™ refrigerated pizza crust

1-1/4 lb ground beef

1 package Old El Paso™ taco seasoning mix

shredded lettuce (just a handful is perfect)

3-4 tablespoons of Old El Paso™ Salsa

1/4 cup shredded Cheddar cheese, more as desired

Preparation

Preheat oven and prepare the pizza crust, following the package instructions.

While the crust is prebaking, put the ground beef in a pan on medium heat, breaking it up. Once the beef has browned, drain the grease from the pan. Add 1/4 cup water and the taco seasoning package. Mix thoroughly, return to the heat, and allow the beef to cook for another 3-4 minutes as the sauce thickens.

Spread the beef on the prebaked crust and pop it back in the oven for 5 minutes. Remove the pizza from the oven and add the shredded lettuce, salsa, and the cheese. Return to the oven until the cheese has melted and the crust has browned, approximately 5-7 minutes. Cut into slices and serve.

Expert Tips

Swap out the Cheddar and use Mexican or Monterey Jack cheese.

Add drizzles of sour cream, chopped green chiles, or diced avocado for extra flavor.

SLAB BACON TACOS WITH BURNED SCALLION CREMA

This is from Sam Sifton in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. Sam wrote, "This is candied bacon, essentially, on corn tortillas with a creamy, smoke-flecked sauce that tastes of scallion and lime. I like it with pineapple salsa as well, and a salad of cilantro, mint and soft lettuce. You could make it with your standard sliced bacon from the market, but it’s far superior with the thick-cut variety or, best of all, with a chunk of uncut bacon that you can slice as thick as you like."

Yield: 6 to 8 servings; Time: 45 minutes

This was featured in "The Expandable Feast", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018991-slab-bacon-tacos-with-burned-scallion-crema.

Ingredients

For the bacon:

2 tablespoons chile powder

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon brown sugar

2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

2 pounds slab bacon, cut into 1/4-inch slices

For the crema:

1 bunch green scallions, trimmed and cut into large pieces

1 jalapeño

1 to 2 limes

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste

For serving:

Corn tortillas

Lime wedges

Pineapple salsa (see recipe)

Preparation

Heat oven to 450 degrees. Mix the chile powder, ground cumin, brown sugar and black pepper together in a large bowl, and then add the bacon slices, tossing to coat them with the spice mixture.

Arrange the coated bacon slices on a sheet pan, ideally one fitted with a wire rack. Roast in the oven until they are caramelized and starting to crisp at the edges, approximately 10 to 15 minutes. Remove pan from oven, chop the bacon into large dice and keep warm. Reserve the bacon fat for another use.

While the bacon cooks, make the crema. Put the scallions and jalapeño in a large dry sauté pan and cook over high heat, tossing occasionally, until the scallions and jalapeño have blackened at the edges, approximately 10 to 12 minutes.

Put the scallions and jalapeño in the bowl of a food processor, and blitz them with the juice of 1 lime, then add the sour cream and mayonnaise, and blitz the mixture until it is smooth and flecked with blackened bits. Season to taste with the salt and, if you’d like the mixture thinner, the juice of the second lime. Scrape into a bowl, and reserve.

To serve, warm the tortillas in the dry pan, one or two at a time, and reserve them in a tortilla warmer or clean dish towel. Fill them with the diced bacon and a slash of the crema, along with quartered limes and, if you like, salsa, cilantro, mint and hot sauce.

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.

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.