Taco dinners are pretty much a staple here at Casa De Young, when all else looks bleak on the menu we turn to tacos. I learned early on tacos are super versatile. You can make an elaborate taco dinner with all homemade fixings, you can make an easy meal with the help of ready-made products or you can get a nice mixture of both depending on the time you have.
Usually, dinner time for a family as large as ours is a hectic one. All the kids are starving asking for food when all I want to do is get cooking. I could make a simple little taco dinner, but I want one that will satisfy their hunger and buy me a couple of hours before they come back hungry again. So here is the taco dinner I usually make for our family, it is still Mexican Made Easy but it is a little more rib-sticking.
The first thing I usually get going is Spanish Rice. I just realized I don’t have a recipe for that post, I will get it going soon.
Peel or don’t Peel is completely up to you, but cut your potatoes into squares:
I start frying these in a small amount of oil and begin to brown my meat. By the time the meat is all browned, your potatoes should be tender. Add your taco seasoning, 1 cup of water and mix with the meat. Once the seasoning is mixed in add your cooked potatoes stir, cover reduce heat and cook until liquid has evaporated.
While your waiting on the meat potato mixture, start warming your refried beans and prep your taco shells. Normally I like fresh corn tortilla from our local tortilla factory since I want to make this a more convenient meal we are using Stand and Stuff Taco Shells from Old El Paso. We have tried them all and these ready-made crispy shells are the families favorite.
Now that the meat potato mixture, beans, and shells are ready to go now it is time to stuff those tacos. On one side of your taco shell and a layer of refried beans then fill with meat potato mixture. Bake in the oven according to shell instructions and your Potato Tacos are ready to go, now that is Mexican Made Easy.
The rest is up to you. Add lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, olives, salsa you name it. I love cilantro chopped up with spinach, it adds great texture.
If you’re in the mood for a Mexican dinner but don’t have the time, this is a great option. Enchiladas, Fajitas, Burritos, and Quesadillas can all be simplified with a little imagination…