Taco Tuesday

It's Taco Tuesday. Here are six taco recipes to help you through the day, including Jamaican Jerk Steak Tacos and Cheeseburger Tacos. Enjoy!

WHITE BEAN AND POTATO TACOS (GLUTEN FREE AND VEGAN)

A while back, I stumbled across Oh My Veggies. They have all sorts of yummy veggie recipes, including a bunch of taco links.

This taco recipe, which was among the taco links on Oh My Veggies, is from Beard & Bonnet. Beard & Bonnet’s Meg van der Kruik is “the writer, mother, photographer, designer, cook and creative spirit behind Beard & Bonnet.”

This can be viewed online at http://beardandbonnet.com/white-bean-and-potato-tacos-gluten-free-and-vegan/.

Serves 4; Prep Time: 20 min

Ingredients

2 cups cooked white beans, I used Navy beans, or 1 can of cannelini beans, washed and drained

4-5 small potatoes, unpeeled, scrubbed, and cut into tiny cubes (or 1 large russet potato)

1/2 cup cilantro, minced

Juice and zest of 1 lime

Olive oil for frying

salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste

To assemble

6-8 white corn tortillas, blistered on both sides in a cast iron skillet

pickled jalapenos & radishes

cherry tomatoes, halved; I used Sungold cherry tomatoes from my CSA

lime wedges for serving

Instructions

Pour about 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the potatoes and a large pinch of salt, toss to coat and cover with a tight fitting lid. The potatoes will take about 5-8 minutes to cook through. Be sure to periodically lift the lid, scrape the pan, and toss the potatoes to ensure that all sides are crisp and golden.

While the potatoes are cooking toss the precooked, warmed, white beans with the chopped cilantro, lime zest, and juice. Mix well to combine and set aside.

When the potatoes are finished cooking set up an assembly line at your table with the tortillas, potatoes, white beans, and toppings. Allow your family to each build there own to suit their tastes.

CHICKEN TACOS WITH CHIPOTLE

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

Yield: 4 servings; Time: 1 hour.

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

Ingredients

For the Tacos:

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

3 scallions, left whole

1 bay leaf

1 thyme branch

3 black peppercorns

1 allspice berry

2 cloves

Kosher salt

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, finely diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

2 or 3 chipotle chiles in adobo, chopped

3 tablespoons adobo sauce, from the can

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

8 fresh corn tortillas

For Garnish:

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

Thinly sliced serrano chile

Thinly sliced radishes

Sliced avocado

Crumbled queso fresco or mild feta cheese

Crème fraîche or Mexican crema

Cilantro sprigs

Dried oregano

Lime wedges

Preparation

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

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

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

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

BUFFALO STYLE TACOS

Makes 8 servings

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

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

Ingredients

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

1/3 cup hot pepper wing sauce

8 hard corn taco shells, heated as specified on package

1 cup shredded lettuce

2 tomatoes, diced

1 avocado, sliced

1/2 cup blue cheese dressing

Directions

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

Add hot pepper sauce. Stir to combine.

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

Drizzle with blue cheese dressing.

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

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.

CHICKEN CHILI TACOS

This is from the TODAY Show Recipes e-newsletter. Prep Time: 10 minutes; Servings: 4.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1 1/2 cups prepared pico de gallo or salsa

1/4 cup fresh lime juice (about 1 1/2 limes)

2 teaspoons cumin seeds, lightly toasted

2 cloves garlic. minced

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

12 taco shells (crisp or soft/flour or corn)

Preparation

Place the chicken, pico de gallo or salsa, lime juice, cumin seeds and garlic in a slow cooker and stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours. (You can also cook on high for 3 hours.)

Allow to cool a bit. Scoop the chicken out with a big slotted spoon and place it in a large serving bowl. Use two forks to pull the meat apart. The chicken will shred easily. Stir in some cooking juice from the pot and top with the cilantro.

Place the shredded chicken, your taco shells and desired fixings on the table and let everyone put together their perfect taco.

JAMAICAN JERK STEAK TACOS

This is from Tiffany Azure on Delish. The recipe begins, “Everything is better when it's a taco. Homemade jerk seasoning has amazing flavor, but you can use store-bought as a shortcut.”

Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes; Prep Time: 15 minutes; Level: Easy; Serves: 4

To view this online, click here.

According to the note at the end of the recipe, “Tiffany Azure is a self-taught cook and photographer and loves to develop recipes with big bold flavors, using minimal ingredients and easy preparation techniques. You can find her tasty spins on classic recipes at Creme de la Crumb.”

Ingredients

For the Jerk Seasoning

1 tbsp. garlic powder

1 tbsp. dried Italian blend seasoning

2 tsp. sugar

2 tsp. kosher salt

2 tsp. onion powder

1 tsp. ground allspice

1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

1 tsp. cayenne pepper

1 tsp. smoked paprika

1/2 tsp. Freshly ground black pepper

1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

For the Tacos

2 tbsp. jerk seasoning

1/4 c. plus 2 tbsp. canola oil, divided

1 1/2 lb. flank or skirt steak

10 small (taco-sized) flour tortillas

1 c. diced pineapple

1/2 c. diced onion

1/4 c. freshly chopped cilantro

Juice of 1/2 lime, plus lime wedges for serving

1/4 tsp. kosher salt

1 avocado, sliced

Crumbled cotija cheese, for serving (optional)

Directions

Make jerk seasoning: In a small bowl, whisk together spices until combined. (If using store-bought jerk seasoning, move to step 2.)

Make tacos: In a small bowl, whisk together jerk seasoning and 1/4 cup oil until combined. Pour into a large resealable plastic bag and add steak. Press out as much air as you can and seal. Shake to coat the steak in the marinade, then chill for 1 hour or up to 24 hours.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Add steak and cook until nicely seared but slightly pink in center, 6 to 8 minutes per side. Remove from heat and let rest 5 minutes.

In a small bowl, stir together pineapple, onion, cilantro, lime juice, and salt.

Thinly slice steak across the grain. Serve in tortillas with pineapple salsa and avocado. Top with cotija cheese if desired and serve with lime.

Taco Tuesday

It's time for another Taco Tuesday. Today's offerings include Chicken Chili Tacos and Buffalo Style Tacos. Enjoy!

ROASTED TOMATILLO AND BLACK BEAN TACOS

This is from Vegetarian Times, and begins, “To prepare fresh tomatillos, strip off the husks and rinse under warm water to remove any sticky sap clinging to the skin.” Serves 4.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients:

3/4 lb. fresh whole tomatillos, husks removed

1 small onion, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (1 cup)

1 small red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (1 cup)

3 large cloves garlic, peeled

3 Tbs. coarsely chopped cilantro, divided

1 1/2 tsp. minced jalapeno pepper

1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained

4 6-inch corn tortillas, warmed

1 small avocado, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices

2 Tbs. queso fresco or feta cheese

1/4 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed, optional

1/4 cup low-fat sour cream, optional

Instructions:

Preheat oven to broil. Place oven rack 3 inches from heat source. Coat baking sheet with cooking spray, and spread tomatillos, onion, red bell pepper, and garlic on prepared baking sheet. Broil 12 minutes, or until tomatillos are blistered and charred, and onion and bell pepper are softened and charred, tossing once halfway through cooking time.

Pulse garlic, 1 Tbs. cilantro, jalapeño, and tomatillos 10 times in food processor, or until chunky. Season with salt and pepper.

Toss 1/4 cup tomatillo sauce with black beans, red bell pepper, and onion.

Fill tortillas with black bean mixture, avocado, and queso fresco. Garnish with remaining cilantro and corn kernels, if desired. Serve remaining tomatillo sauce and sour cream, if desired, on side.

Nutrition Information: Calories: 226; Protein: 8 g; Total Fat: 7 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 36 g; Cholesterol: 2 mg; Sodium: 457 mg; Fiber: 11 g; Sugar: 7 g; Yield: Serves 4

CHEESY TACO MEATLOAF

This comes from Campbell’s Kitchen, begins, “It takes just 10 minutes and a few ingredients to put together this scrumptious meatloaf...and when it comes out of the oven you've got two family favorites, tacos and meatloaf, combined into one tasty dish!”

Prep Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 16 minutes; Serves: 8 people

To view this online, go to https://www.campbells.com/kitchen/recipes/cheesy-taco-meatloaf/.

Ingredients

2 pounds ground beef

1 jar (16 ounces) Pace® Chunky Salsa - Mild or Pace® Picante Sauce - Medium

1 1/2 ounces tortilla chips, crushed (about 1/2 cup)

1 egg

1 teaspoon chili powder

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions

Set the oven to 350°F. Thoroughly mix the beef, 1 cup salsa, tortilla chips, egg, chili powder, salt and black pepper in a large bowl. Place the beef mixture into a 3-quart shallow baking pan and shape into an 9x4-inch loaf.

Bake for 1 hour or until the meatloaf is cooked through.

Spread the remaining salsa over the meatloaf and sprinkle with the cheese. Bake for 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

CHICKEN CHILI TACOS

This is from The TODAY Show. Prep Time: 10 minutes; Servings: 4

To view this online, go to http://www.today.com/recipes/chicken-chili-tacos-t28111.

Ingredients

6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1 1/2 cups prepared pico de gallo or salsa

1/4 cup fresh lime juice (about 1 1/2 limes)

2 teaspoons cumin seeds, lightly toasted

2 cloves garlic. minced

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

12 taco shells (crisp or soft/flour or corn)

Preparation

Place the chicken, pico de gallo or salsa, lime juice, cumin seeds and garlic in a slow cooker and stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours. (You can also cook on high for 3 hours.)

Allow to cool a bit. Scoop the chicken out with a big slotted spoon and place it in a large serving bowl. Use two forks to pull the meat apart. The chicken will shred easily. Stir in some cooking juice from the pot and top with the cilantro.

Place the shredded chicken, your taco shells and desired fixings on the table and let everyone put together their perfect taco.

WHITE BEAN AND POTATO TACOS (GLUTEN FREE AND VEGAN)

A while back, I stumbled across Oh My Veggies. They have all sorts of yummy veggie recipes, including a bunch of taco links.

This taco recipe, which was among the taco links on Oh My Veggies, is from Beard & Bonnet. Beard & Bonnet’s Meg van der Kruik is “the writer, mother, photographer, designer, cook and creative spirit behind Beard & Bonnet.”

This can be viewed online at http://beardandbonnet.com/white-bean-and-potato-tacos-gluten-free-and-vegan/.

Serves 4; Prep Time: 20 min

Ingredients

2 cups cooked white beans, I used Navy beans, or 1 can of cannelini beans, washed and drained

4-5 small potatoes, unpeeled, scrubbed, and cut into tiny cubes (or 1 large russet potato)

1/2 cup cilantro, minced

Juice and zest of 1 lime

Olive oil for frying

salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste

To assemble

6-8 white corn tortillas, blistered on both sides in a cast iron skillet

pickled jalapenos & radishes

cherry tomatoes, halved; I used Sungold cherry tomatoes from my CSA

lime wedges for serving

Instructions

Pour about 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the potatoes and a large pinch of salt, toss to coat and cover with a tight fitting lid. The potatoes will take about 5-8 minutes to cook through. Be sure to periodically lift the lid, scrape the pan, and toss the potatoes to ensure that all sides are crisp and golden.

While the potatoes are cooking toss the precooked, warmed, white beans with the chopped cilantro, lime zest, and juice. Mix well to combine and set aside.

When the potatoes are finished cooking set up an assembly line at your table with the tortillas, potatoes, white beans, and toppings. Allow your family to each build there own to suit their tastes.

BUFFALO STYLE TACOS

Makes 8 servings

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

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

Ingredients

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

1/3 cup hot pepper wing sauce

8 hard corn taco shells, heated as specified on package

1 cup shredded lettuce

2 tomatoes, diced

1 avocado, sliced

1/2 cup blue cheese dressing

Directions

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

Add hot pepper sauce. Stir to combine.

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

Drizzle with blue cheese dressing.

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

CHEESY TACO SKILLET

This is from Lindsay Funston on Delish. The recipe begins, “Everything you love in beef tacos, only without the tortillas.

Total Time: 20 minutes; Prep Time: 5 minutes; Level: Easy; Serves: 4.

Click here to view the recipe online.

Ingredients

1 tbsp. vegetable oil

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1/4 c. sliced green onions, plus more for garnish

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp. chili powder

1 tbsp. ground cumin

kosher salt

1 lb. ground beef

1 15-oz. can diced tomatoes

1 c. black beans

1 tbsp. Hot sauce

1 c. Shredded Monterey Jack

1 c. shredded Cheddar

Directions

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil. Add bell pepper and green onions and cook until tender, 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute. Add chili powder and cumin and stir until combined, then season with salt.

Add ground beef and cook until no longer pink, 5 minutes more.

Add diced tomatoes and black beans and stir until combined. Stir in hot sauce, Monterey jack, and cheddar. Cover with a lid and let melt, 2 minutes, then garnish with green onions and serve.