Tex Mex Soft Tacos

Has the Holiday Rush hit your town yet?

It sure has here!

For the past couple of weeks I've noticed a trend.  People are getting crazy out on the road.  Not that they aren't already crazy in LA, but man, it's getting wild around here!  There is a sort of "franticness" in the air.  People are driving crazy already, darting around, changing lanes erratically to go around other cars.  It's like driving on a nascar speedway just to go get some lunch!  The other day I was parked at the grocery store and a HUGH truck (largest I've ever seen) tried to park next to me and the woman just pulled in at a 45 degree angle blocking my car! The back end of her massive truck was literally behind my back fender.  She couldn't even get out her door, she was so close.  Then she just sat there looking at me, waiting for me to leave my car so she could slam open her door!  


And don't get me started on the mall!  Oh...my...gosh!  The mall is packed.  Let me rephrase, the mall PARKING LOT is packed.  People are honking, fighting for a spot, yelling at each other.  Heaven forbid you have to go to another level to get a spot.  This one person was waiting for a car to back out for over 15 min and you can imagine the tempers in the line of cars behind them.  To say the least parking and driving around here during the holidays is stressful!  (Oh, and once you get in the mall it's not crowded anymore!  Where do they all go? Are they all still in the parking lot?)


So let's take a poll.  Raise your hand if you haven't bought a present yet. (Hand raised!)  I'm getting stressed...I have to do some major shopping this weekend, after work, during lunch...whenever.  So when I get home I'm tired, it's late, and I'm hungry. (Boo boo face)


Need something fast and easy to make.  These tacos fit the bill.  These are a different spin on your normal "taco".   These are tex-mex in flavor and a little more messy, due to the saucier texture of the filling.  Since they are soft tacos they are quick (you don't have to mess with cooking up the shells).  The flavor is excellent! Kids will love them, your husbands and boyfriends will love them....MGG did!  He told me to put these on the "MGG loves list"!  Love those compliments.


So let's make Tex Mex Soft Tacos.


Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add your grounds beef.  Chop it up to break up the meat.  Add your chili powder, cumin, and salt.  This adds great flavor.

Next, add a can of rinsed and drained pinto beans, tomato sauce, water, and salsa.

Mash up the beans right in the skillet.  Leave some of them whole for texture.  

Bring your mixture to a boil, and then turn down the heat and simmer for about 10 min.  This should reduce your liquid and thicken the mixture.


Meanwhile heat your flour tortillas, and prepare all your taco toppings such as shredded lettuce, and cheese, sour cream, salsa, tomatoes...whatever tickles your fancy.


To assemble take your heated tortilla and place some filling down the middle toward one side of the tortilla.

Add some toppings...

Your done, super simple, fast and tasty!  Add a side salad or some Spanish rice and you have a great meal.

Dinner is served and we survived the mall for another day!

Tex Mex Soft Tacos

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Serves 6-8

1 pound ground beef

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained

1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce

3/4 cup water

1/2 cup salsa

Flour tortillas, warmed

Toppings: shredded cheddar cheese, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, salsa, sour cream

Cook ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add chili powder, cumin and salt, stirring until beef crumbles and is no longer pink. Drain well.

Stir in beans, tomato sauce, 3/4 cup water, and salsa. Mash pinto beans in skillet with fork, leaving some beans whole. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, 8 to 10 minutes or until liquid is reduced.

Serve with warmed flour tortillas and toppings.

Product Review: King Arthur Flour's Vermont Cheese Powder - Stove Top Macaroni & Cheese

I have a confession...I grew up eating Macaroni & Cheese

you know, the kind from the box...

the kind that's frowned upon.

What can I say, I loved it as a kid, and must confess that I still do.  I know, I know, it's not really cheese.  But I must say, I just love the flavor of it, it's sooo...cheesy.  Something I can't seem to recreate with a homemade cheese sauce, even using sharp cheddar.  Just doesn't taste the same.


So what to do?


Well, I've stumbled upon something so equal to that blue box.  While I was perusing one of my favorite sites, Kingarthurflour.com  I came across their Vermont Cheese Powder.  Intrigued I started to read about it.  It is the essence of Vermont cheddar cheese, in easy-to-use powdered form.  No preservatives, artificial colors, or artificial flavors.  


My initial response was....WOWEEE!   I can make my macaroni & cheese, stove top style!  Let's give it a try and compare it to my childhood favorite..okay, my adult favorite too.


It was also suggested that you could sprinkle it over popcorn (yum), baked potatoes (hmmm...), and over garlic bread (sounds delishhh!).  There is also a great recipe included on the package for Cheddar Cheese Crackers...now that sounds good!  You could also use it in a Cheddar Cheese Soup, or create a Cheddar Sauce.  As you see it have many uses...which make this product more appealing....although I'm partial to the mac & cheese dish.


So I quickly ordered it.  It comes in a 6oz. package and sells for $6.98.  Here what it looks like.

When I got it I immediately made some stove top mac & cheese.  I waited in anticipation as the pasta cooked, added my butter, milk, and the cheese powder.  It's white in color, so you don't have that bright orange look.   Then the moment arrived...I took a bite, right out of the pot....couldn't help myself.  Can't blame me can you?  A cook's got to sample the food!  The result?  HEAVEN!  I found such a great substitute for the blue box....yippee!  The taste was purely sharp cheddar.  The texture was smooth and silky...ah, there's my mac & cheese!


I highly recommend that if you like the "blue box" or have kids that love this stuff, try this product.  So I'm off to eat some more...!  Just kidding....okay, not really!


Here are some pics so you can see for yourself.

See how good this looks?

Stove Top Macaroni & Cheese

serves 4

8 oz of elbow macaroni

2 T butter

1/4 c milk

4 T Vermont Cheese Powder, or more to taste

Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling water following directions on your pasta package.  Drain pasta and return to the pot.  With the pot on low, add butter, milk, and cheese powder and stir to combine.  Serve.

Sunday Supper: Chicken in a Puttanesca Sauce

Ready for another Sunday Supper??
I am.

This series of Sunday Supper recipes is designed to bring your friends and family together for good food and good times.  There's nothing better than gathering around a table to good food, making great memories.  These recipes are easy to prepare and taste wonderful.  Hearty, fulfilling dishes.

This week we are going to explore the cooking technique of "braising".  Braising is a method of using dry and wet heat to slowly cook a cut of meat.  The meat simmers in a liquid and cooked until tender, low and slow.  The meat is typically seared first then simmered in a liquid in a covered pot.  Braising can be accomplished in the oven or on the stove top.  

In this week's recipe braises on the stove top.  This really is a simple way to cook dinner.  Not much hands on, you let the stove do all the work!  Also, I'm so excited to use my new braising pan.  See how gorgeous it is?  It's enameled cast iron, red, and performed wonderfully.

So, this weeks dish is Italian in nature.  A spin of sorts.  Let's make Chicken in a Puttanesca Sauce!

First, you need some bone-in, chicken breasts.  You will need to remove the skin as seen here.  Salt and pepper your breasts in preparation of searing them.

For braising you should use a deep enough pan to hold the liquid so that the meat is partially covered by it and it will simmer well.  A dutch oven or a braising pan is perfect for this.  Heat the pan over medium high heat adding the oil to the pan to heat as well.

Add the chicken and sear on each side for about 3-4 minutes per side.  You want the meat to quickly brown.  Remove the chicken from the pan when complete.

Next, make the sauce in the same braising pan.  Add some fire roasted tomatoes, juice and all ( I used the kind with garlic in it), some tomato paste, chopped olives, and some red pepper flakes.  If you don't want this too hot, watch these flakes.  

Stir it all together and bring the sauce to a boil.

Turn your heat down now to medium-low.  Let the sauce cook for a minute or to to blend the flavors.

Add your chicken back to your pan. 

Place a lid on your pan and allow the chicken to simmer in the sauce for about 30-35 minutes until done.

Meanwhile cook your pasta according to the directions on the package.  I used a rotini (corkscrew pasta) so it would catch all the chunkiness of the sauce.

To plate, place the pasta on the dish first and top with a chicken breast, spooning the sauce over the top.  Great with garlic bread and a salad!  

Great flavors with a kick!  See all the chunkiness?

Make some memories...have a Sunday Supper!

Chicken in a Puttanesca Sauce

Sauce Adapted by Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade

Serves 4

Ingredients

8 oz corkscrew pasta - rotini
4 bone-in skin-on chicken breasts
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 (14.5-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes with garlic, undrained
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Directions

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and keep warm. Remove skin and excess fat from chicken. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

In a large braising pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add chicken to pan, and cook, turning occasionally, for 6 minutes, or until browned. Remove chicken from pan.  Add tomatoes, tomato paste, olives, and crushed red pepper to pan, stirring to combine.

Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook for 1 minute. Return chicken to pan. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, or until done. Serve with cooked pasta.