Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Chili

This recipe is so easy I think a chimp could put it together. Well, maybe that is overstating it a bit; BUT it is really easy...and delicious. This Pinterest find was another perfect remedy for a busy t-ball night at our house. I served it over tortilla chips (a la nachos), with some Greek yogurt (standing in for sour cream) and diced avocados for toppings. It was totally yummy! This would make for great burrito filling, or just as a stand alone chili, too.

Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Chili
Adapted From: Pinterest (not sure of original source)

Ingredients:
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14 oz.)can of Rotel original
1 (14 oz.)can of fire roasted diced tomatoes
1 (16 oz.) can of tomato sauce
1 small bag of frozen corn
1 packet of taco seasoning
1 tbsp of chili powder
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
salt and pepper to taste
(I also added a pinch of the following: garlic powder, cumin, coriander. This is totally optional)

Toppings:
Tortilla chips
shredded cheese of your choice (I used sharp cheddar)
diced avocados (marinated in lemon and lime juice, with a pinch of salt)
sour cream or Greek yogurt

Directions:
Add all ingredients into the slow cooker, with exception of toppings. Cook on high for 4-6 hours OR low for 8 hours. Shred chicken with forks once cook time is over. Serve over tortilla chips and toppings of your choice.

Oven Tacos

I saved the best of my updates for last. These tacos were a big hit with my family! They were just different enough to be exciting (as far as tacos go),but still classic enough to where my kids wouldn't complain about them. As a bonus, the filling made enough to be frozen and used for a whole other meal at a later date. Score!!! I used 10 taco shells, basically halving the recipe and filling. These were certainly a crowd favorite and they will go into permanent kid-friendly food rotation.

Oven Tacos
From: Mommy I'm Hungry blog via Pinterest

Ingredients:
2 lbs ground beef (or turkey/chicken)
1 small onion diced
1 small can diced green chilies
1 recipe for Homemade taco seasoning (below) or your favorite taco seasoning packet
1 (8 ounce) can low sodium tomato sauce
1 (16 ounce) can fat free refried beans (Actually, I used a small can of refried and a small can of whole pinto beans)
2 cups shredded reduced fat Colby-jack cheese
18-20 hard taco shells {if gluten free, be sure they are}

Optional Condiments-
Lettuce (shredded)
Tomato (diced)
Salsa
Guacamole
Sour Cream
Olives, sliced

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

In a large skillet brown ground beef and onion over medium-high heat. Drain off any excess liquid. Return to pan, add chilies, refried beans, tomato sauce, and taco seasoning. Mix well and cook for a few minutes if mixture seems runny.

Spoon the taco meat mixture into the taco shells and place into a 9 x 13 inch baking dish, standing up. Sprinkle cheese over the top of the taco meat in each shell. Place into the oven and bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until the cheese has melted and the tacos are heated through.
Remove from the oven and top with any optional condiments for serving.

Taco Seasoning
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

In a small bowl, mix all together. Store in an airtight container.
I used all of this on 2 lbs of ground meat with a little water mixed in.

Blackened Tilapia Baja Tacos

(I took a bite of taco and then remembered I needed a photo. Oops!)

(Here is a pic of my blackened tilapia. I broke the big fillets up into pieces with a fork to make them more taco-friendly.)

As my bff, Claire pointed out earlier to me, it is Mexican food week at our house. I didn't even realize it until she said something. To be fair, we had turkey BLT sandwiches last night and are having an Italian-inspired dinner tomorrow. I guess it only seems like we are having all-Mexican food/all-the-time, because that is what I keep posting for new recipes.

I love a Baja-style fish taco and these were pretty darn great. I skipped the avocado and lime wedges; opting to use my leftover Pineapple Habenero salsa for topping instead. So far, I have not found any Mexican type meals that this salsa doesn't go with...I've been using on everything. It's so delicious, I just can't help myself! (Also, I made a big batch and I can't waste it.) The only other change I made was adding some fresh shredded green cabbage for a little extra crunch and bulk. One more note, the ingredients list is long...but don't let that intimidate you. Most of the ingredients are spices for the fish rub. My tacos came together quickly and easily. SCORE! These "food truck-esque" tacos are another Cooking Light keeper!

Blackened Tilapia Baja Tacos
From: Cooking Light, David Bonom, March 2011

Ingredients:

1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream (I substituted non-fat plain Greek yogurt)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped
1 cup thinly sliced white onion (I used red onion, because I'm a rebel like that)
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon dried oregano
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
4 (6-ounce) tilapia fillets
1 tablespoon canola oil
8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
1/2 ripe peeled avocado, thinly sliced (I omitted the avocado)
4 lime wedges (I omitted the lime wedges)
your favorite salsa as topping (Optional. I used my Pineapple Habenero salsa)

Directions:

1. Combine first 4 ingredients in a food processor; process until smooth. Combine jalapeño sauce and onion in a small bowl.

2. Combine paprika and next 6 ingredients (through ground red pepper); sprinkle evenly over fish. Heat oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add fish to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness.

3. Warm tortillas according to package directions. Divide fish, onion mixture, and avocado evenly among tortillas. Serve with lime wedges and/or salsa.

Easy Taco Melts

I like to call this recipe, "Empanadas for Dummies". These little pocket taco melts have all the great features of an empanada, without all the muss and fuss (albeit not very traditional).

Seriously, these babies were so easy and quick to put together it was almost ridiculous; and the recipe itself has very few ingredients. Perfect for those of us--ahem!--who seem to be budget & time challenged lately. Affordable, family-friendly, and supremely tasty...need I say more????

Easy Taco Melts
Adapted From: pillsbury.com via Pinterest

Ingredients:
1 lb lean ground beef, cooked, drained
1 jar of your favorite salsa
1 can of jumbo refrigerated biscuits
1 cup shredded cheese (I used cheddar)

Directions:
In 10-inch nonstick skillet, mix cooked beef and jar of salsa. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until hot and liquid from salsa reduces down.

Press each biscuit into 6-inch round. Spoon some meat mixture and a good pinch of cheese onto the center of each round.

Fold dough in half over filling; press to seal. Place on greased (or lined) cookie sheet.

Bake at 375°F 9 to 14 minutes or until golden brown.



Here is a photo of some of the finished ones on the baking sheet. One taco melt is a good serving size for an adult. Yum!

Taco Chicken Bowls

I found an interesting, money-saving meals website through Pinterest called Budget Bytes. It looks to have some fairly easy, inexpensive and family-pleasing dinners listed. I haven't done a whole lot of exploring on the site yet, but I am sure planning on delving a little deeper into it after this tasty dinner. As promised, these Taco Chicken Bowls were a hit with my brood and made with a lot of ingredients I stock on a normal basis. This was a hearty meal we polished off quite quickly.

Taco Chicken Bowls
Adapted From: Budget Bytes via Pinterest

Ingredients:
1.5 lbs. chicken breasts (I used 1 1/2 large, chicken breasts)
1 (16 oz.) jar salsa
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained
1/2 lb. (8 oz.) frozen corn
1 Tbsp chili powder
1/2 Tbsp cumin
1/2 Tbsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups dry rice (I used brown rice)
8 oz. shredded cheddar
5 green onions, diced for garnish
1/2 bunch cilantro for garnish

Directions:
Add everything except the rice, cheese, and cilantro to the slow cooker along with 1/4 cup of water (for good measure). Give everything a good stir and make sure the chicken is covered in the mixture. Secure the lid on your slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hrs.

Near the end of the cooking time, cook the two cups of rice according to the package directions (Bring the rice and 3 cups of water to a boil in a medium pot with a lid in place, as soon as it reaches a boil, reduced the heat to low and let simmer for 20 minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving).

After 8 hours of cooking, carefully remove the lid of the slow cooker. Stir with a fork to shred the chicken (it should be super tender and will shred easily). Build the taco bowls by placing rice on the bottom, then the taco chicken mix, shredded cheese and fresh cilantro.

ALTERNATE METHOD:
Combine all ingredients except rice, cheese, and cilantro to a glass casserole dish, sprayed with cooking spray. Cover chicken breasts in mixture and bake at 425 degrees for 30-40 minutes, or until chicken is thoroughly cooked. Remove chicken to a cutting board when cook time is up and shred with two forks. Return shredded chicken to casserole dish and combine with other cooked ingredients. Serve by spooning cooked rice into a bowl and topping with chicken mixture. Garnish with shredded cheese, green onions and cilantro.



The Result:
I didn't have time to go the slow cooker route with this recipe, so I made up the "alternate method" instead. Our chicken bowls were still delicious, so really I think it worked out great. Either way, this recipe is a winner!

Creamy Beef Taquitos

My son started his swim lessons this week; and conveniently (not really), they are scheduled right in the middle of our usual dinner time. That makes the next two weeks a little tricky to plan our evening meal around. Luckily, I had some frozen taco meat saved from our last taco adventure, and it was easy to morph my stash into these yummy taquitos. This recipe was a crowd-pleaser and really easy to put together (especially with the meat already cooked).

Creamy Beef Taquitos
From: the Meal Planning 101 blog

Ingredients:
1 lb lean ground beef
2 tbsp taco seasoning (homemade or store-bought)
1/3 cup light cream cheese
1/4 cup salsa
1 tbsp lime juice
3 tbsp cilantro, chopped
2 tbsp green onions, chopped
1 cup grated cheese (cheddar, mozzarella or pepper jack)
12 small flour tortillas (can also use corn tortillas; I ended up using 8 medium whole wheat tortillas)

Directions:
Heat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly coat with cooking spray.

In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef and break it up into crumbles as it cooks. Add the taco seasoning and cook the beef about 8 minutes until cooked through.

Heat cream cheese in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds so it's soft and easy to stir. Add salsa, lime juice, cilantro and green onions and stir to combine. Once the beef is browned, add the beef and cheese and combine well. You can prepare up to this step ahead of time. Just keep the mixture in the fridge.

Place 2-3 tbsp of beef mixture on the lower third of a tortilla, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edges. Roll it up as tight as you can. If your tortillas are cracking or breaking, you can microwave them for 10-20 seconds with a damp paper towel over top. Once rolled, place seam side down on the baking sheet. Lay all of the taquitos on the baking sheet and make sure they are not touching each other. Spray the tops lightly with cooking spray or brush with a bit of oil and sprinkle some kosher salt on top. Place pan in oven and bake for 15-20 minutes or until crisp and the ends start to get golden brown.



The Result:
I swear I have never had a bad recipe from the Meal Planning 101 blog. Her meals are always spot-on delicious, and these taquitos were no exception. We all gobbled 'em up!

Chipotle Pork Tacos

I think I may have given up on the "cookbook project". I just don't have the time or energy to mess with it. Instead, I have been trying to use as much of my pantry and freezer items as possible, and plan our meals around that. Our food budget is getting a little ridiculous, especially since the babies are on table food now. Constantly trying new recipes-for the purpose of just trying new recipes-gets costly. Also, it seems my children inhale fruit. Seriously, I go through so much fresh produce it's crazy! I guess I shouldn't complain that my family loves fresh fruit and veggies, but for a family of five it is not cheap. Anyway, I decided to fit in new recipes where it seems prudent, and the cookbook project was just too taxing. It was a good idea while it lasted, though.

Anyway, I got the new issue of Cooking Light magazine in the mail and spied these tacos right away. I didn't have pork tenderloin, but I did have some cooked, shredded pork shoulder that I had squirreled away in my freezer. I marinated the pre-cooked pork, and then proceeded with the rest of the recipe. We love our tacos, so this was a satisfying dinner that my whole family appreciated.

Chipotle Pork Tacos
From: Cooking Light, April 2011 issue, Lisa Bell

Ingredients:
1 1-pound) pork tenderloin, trimmed
1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated lime rind
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons minced fresh oregano
1 teaspoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons chopped chipotle chile in adobo sauce
2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon salt
Cooking spray
1 cup thinly sliced shallots
2 teaspoons olive oil
8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
Chopped cilantro (optional)

Directions:
1. Place pork tenderloin between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; pound to 1/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet or small heavy skillet. Remove plastic wrap. Cut pork into thin strips. Combine pork, lime rind, and next 6 ingredients (through salt).

2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add shallots to pan; sauté for 4 minutes or until tender. Place shallots in a large bowl. Add oil to pan. Add pork; sauté for 3 minutes or until no longer pink. Add pork to shallots.

3. Warm tortillas according to the package directions. Spoon 1/3 cup pork mixture onto each tortilla, and top each tortilla with 1 1/2 teaspoons sour cream and cilantro. Fold in half.

Nutritional Information:
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 2 tacos)
Calories:299
Fat:9.3g (sat 2.8g,mono 3.9g,poly 1.2g)
Protein:27.3g
Carbohydrate:27.4g
Fiber:2.6g
Cholesterol:80mg
Iron:2mg
Sodium:253mg
Calcium:61mg



The Result:
These were really yummy. They reminded me of Mexican street tacos; very authentic in flavor. This is something I would definitely make again, especially since these tacos were so satisfying.

Chipotle Chicken Salad Tacos with Avocado, Red Skin Potatoes, and Romaine

Oh, Rick, Rick, Rick, Rick, Rick. I had almost forgotten what a magical, creative, food-stud you are. Thankfully, my husband picked your cookbook for my cookbook project and I was gently reminded that your Mexican cooking skills are unmatched. I will never make that mistake again. I bow to you, sir. Nobody puts Bayless in the corner.

Chipotle Chicken Salad Tacos with Avocado, Red Skin Potatoes, and Romaine
From: the Everyday Mexican cookbook, by: Rick Bayless

Ingredients:
1 large red-skin potato or Yukon Gold, sliced about 1/4 inch thick
Salt
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican
2 canned chipotle chiles en adobo, seeded and chopped
1/4 small white onion, finely chopped
6 ounces (about 1 1/2 cups) coarsely shredded cooked chicken
2 cups sliced romaine leaves - slice them about 1/4 inch across
1 ripe avocado, cut into 1/4 inch cubes
2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil
12 warm corn tortillas

Directions:
Place the sliced potatoes into a large microwavable bowl, pour in 1/4 cup of water and sprinkle generously with salt. Cover and microwave on high for about 4 minutes. Remove potatoes with a slotted spoon to a cutting board and let cool, reserving cooking liquid.

Add the vinegar, oregano, chipotle chiles and onion to the bowl with the potato water to make the dressing. Mix and then taste, add salt if necessary.

Use a fork to break up the potatoes (or just dice like I did) into 1/2 inch pieces, then place them in a large bowl. Add the chicken, drizzle over the dressing and toss to combine. You can refrigerate it for a half and hour to allow the flavors to blend.

Just before serving, add the lettuce and avocado, and drizzle with olive oil and toss gently to combine. Serve with warm tacos.



The Result:
Fan-freakin'-tastico!!! These were delicious and so easy to put together. My photo is a little sketchy, but the tacos were great. We garnished ours with some queso fresco and it was a delicious touch. Yum! Rick Bayless is the man.

Jen's Baja-Style Fish Tacos

The other night I was craving Baja-style fish tacos with a creamy/slightly spicy sauce, so I decided to improvise a recipe. I must say, this was probably my best and most authentic attempt at homemade fish tacos yet. Next time, I will get a photo; but in the meantime, here is how I put my tacos together. These tacos were both easy and delicious...another great summertime dish!

Jen's Baja-Style Fish Tacos

Ingredients:
cooking spray
2-3 tilapia fillets (I used tilapia loins)
garlic salt
Lawry's Seasoned Salt
ground coriander
ground cumin
ancho chili powder
1/3 head of a small green cabbage, shredded
1 carrot, peeled and shredded
4-5 radishes, sliced thin
1/2 cup of cilantro, chopped
1/4 of a large red onion, sliced
1 tsp. of canned chipotle adobo sauce (do not use the actual chile pepper; just the sauce from the can. Use more sauce if you want your tacos to be really spicy.)
2 Tablespoons of lime juice, or more to taste
dash of lemon juice, to taste
salt and pepper to taste
1/3 cup of low fat plain Greek-style yogurt
1/3 cup of mayo
salsa for topping
corn tortillas

Directions:
Spray a large skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat. Spray tops of fish with cooking spray and season with a pinch of each spice, sprinkled over the top as follows: Lawry's Seasoned Salt, garlic powder, cumin, coriander, and ancho chili powder. When skillet is hot, place fish in pan spice side down and cook for 3-4 minutes, or until fish is browned on first side. Flip the fish over and cook on the other side until the fish is cooked through, another 3-4 minutes. Remove the tilapia to a cutting board, and flake into big chunks with a fork. Set aside.

In a large bowl add shredded cabbage, shredded carrot, radishes, cilantro, and red onions. Toss to combine. Set aside.

In a small bowl, mix the mayo, yogurt, lime juice, lemon juice, adobo sauce, salt, and pepper together. (Note: You will use more lime juice than lemon juice. Add both slowly and taste the sauce as you go. Adjust the quantities, if needed.) Whisk until combined. Set aside.

To assemble the tacos: In a corn tortilla, place the desired amount of fish, top with a little bit of salsa and/or Baja sauce. Add the cabbage mixture on top of the fish, and then top with more Baja sauce. Serve and enjoy!

The Result:
Perfect food to have in really hot weather, with an icy cold margarita. These were awesome!

Rick Bayless' Chorizo, Potato, Mushroom Tacos with Roasted Tomatillo Salsa

I think by now you all may recognize my obsession with Rick Bayless. I am not the only one...I share this obsession with my friend Claire, as well. I don't know how to explain it other than I have a huge "chef crush" on him and his food. My husband doesn't even mind, since he loves Rick Bayless too (in a very platonic, masculine way). Ahem. Anyway, I have never been disappointed with one of his recipes. Also, I love that most of his dishes from the Mexican Everyday cookbook are pretty darn easy. It is seriously my favorite cookbook ever!
Since we always have a surplus of bulk chorizo on hand in my house, I thought these tacos would be an easy one dish meal to try out. Also, I made the Roasted Tomatillo Salsa a week or so ago, and I can't get it out of my head. I just have to have it again. These tacos promise to be a great vehicle for the salsa. Yum! I still have some stale corn tortillas leftover; I am going to try to revive those, and pair this meal with a green salad.

Chorizo, Potato, and Mushroom Tacos with Roasted Tomatillo Salsa
From: Mexican Everyday, by Rick Bayless; copyright 2005

Ingredients:
12 oz. Chorizo, casings removed (I use bulk pork chorizo)
1 medium white onion, sliced 1/4-inch thick
6 oz. mushrooms, stemmed and sliced (shitake is recommended, but I am using sliced crimini)
12 oz. (approx. 3 medium) Yukon Gold potatoes, coarsely grated
Salt to taste
1/2 cup loosely packed chopped fresh cilantro
corn tortillas, warmed
1 cup Roasted Tomatillo Salsa (see recipe below)


Directions:
Crumble chorizo in a large nonstick skillet and place over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes or until sausage is half cooked. Increase heat to medium-high. Add onion and mushrooms; continue to cook, stirring almost constantly, for about 3 minutes or until vegetables begin to soften. Sprinkle potatoes into skillet; cook, stirring frequently, for 10 to 15 minutes or until potatoes are soft. Season to taste with salt. Transfer mixture into a bowl and top with cilantro. Serve in warm corn tortillas with Roasted Tomatillo Salsa.

Roasted Tomatillo Salsa
From: Mexican Everyday, by Rick Bayless; copyright 2005

Ingredients:
4 medium (8 ounces total) tomatillos, husked, rinsed, and halved
2 large garlic cloves, peeled
Hot green chiles to taste (2 Serrano *OR* 1 jalapeno), stemmed and roughly chopped (For less heat, seed & devein some or all of the chile peppers)
About 1/3 cup (loosely packed) roughly chopped cilantro
1/2 small white onion, finely chopped
Salt to taste

Directions:
Set a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Lay in the garlic and tomatillos, cut side down. When the tomatillos are well browned, 3-4 minutes, turn everything over and brown the other side. The tomatillos should be completely soft.

Scrape the tomatillos and garlic into a blender or food processor and let cool to room temperature, about 3 minutes. Add the chiles, cilantro, and 1/4 cup water. Blend to a coarse puree. Pour into a salsa dish and thin with a little additional water if necessary to give the salsa an easily spoonable consistency.

Scoop the chopped onion into a strainer and rinse under cold water. Stir into the salsa. Taste and season with salt, usually about 1/2 tsp.



The Result:
These tacos were yummy and satisfying; but admittedly, not as fantastic as some of the other recipes I have tried from Rick. They were good, just not drool-worthy/craveable. The flavors were all familiar, but nothing new and exciting. Also, the shredded potatoes made these suckers really, really filling. The tomatillo salsa was still great, and I also mashed up an avocado with some salt, lemon juice, and lime juice for a topping. On the plus side, this was one Mexican dish that did not have dairy in it. (For most people that is certainly a con instead of a pro...but sadly not for me. I will say that cheese would have worked in this dish for those of you who are not currently lactose intolerant. Under normal circumstances, I would have added queso fresco to these tacos.)

I did have some tortilla issues, so that didn't help matters. It turns out that my old corn tortillas were...how can I put this delicately??...in a word...YUCK! Not good. We took one bite of the stale tortillas and gave the rest of the package to the dogs. Seriously, inedible. Thankfully, I had just done my grocery shopping yesterday morning and bought some whole wheat flour tortillas. Whew! Those literally saved dinner. We ended up making little burritos with the filling, salsa, mashed avocado, and the new tortillas. Yum! Again, they were good...once the tortilla issues got straightened out. Now for the big question...would I make these again??? Maybe. If I wanted tacos and already had everything on hand, I would. I don't know if they were stellar enough to go out of my way to specifically make again. I liked that these were pretty much a one dish meal, so they were pretty easy. I guess I am just used to always being dazzled by Rick Bayless. Ultimately, I think there are much better Rick Bayless recipes out there to try first that will blow your socks off.

Tacos

There is nothing really exciting to report at our house dinner-wise this weekend. Yesterday, we went over to my in-law's house for dinner. The husband needed to do some work on his truck with his dad, so we ended up staying all day and having an easy dinner of take out In n' Out burgers, fries, and vanilla milkshakes. It was really good, and kinda hit the spot.

Today, we are working on getting our house-and piles of laundry-in order. It seems that laundry is my number one household nemesis. Sigh. Anyway, I want something easy for our dinner tonight and tacos fit the bill. As I said before in an earlier taco post,there is not a certain taco "recipe" that I follow. I literally buy pre-made shells, follow the instructions on the back of the taco seasoning packet, and make condiments, such as fresh chopped lettuces, tomatoes, and onions. Yum! Along with my tacos, I will probably doctor up a can of refried beans and call it a night. Tacos are simple and family-friendly...perfect food for a busy day of cleaning and organizing.

Tacos

Nothing exciting happening around here for dinner tonight. Just basic, follow the instructions on the back of the seasoning packet, tacos. I served some canned beans and rice with our tacos for an easy and kid-friendly dinner. I was too exhausted to put in much effort, otherwise. Hopefully, tomorrow's dinner will be a bit more post-worthy.

Jen's Tacos and Pinto Beans...Ole'

Sometimes I go back through my own blog, just to read some of my old posts. Admittedly, it is a little narcissistic. I can't help it...I crack myself up. I just like reading what was going on in my strange little world at the time of a particular post. Sometimes my posts are all business...just the food and the facts. Other times (and these are my favorites), I include little personal tidbits of info that you, as the reader, may or may not want to know. I went back to look for my taco recipe to link today, and I ended up re-reading the entire post. It brought me back to a particularly (now somewhat funny) bad day that I had last October. It made me smirk and chuckle. So, I wonder if other bloggers do the same thing???? Do other people spend time going back and re-reading their old blog posts???? Or am I just really, really self-centered??? (Okay, don't answer about the self-centered part...I prefer not to know the truth). Anyway, tacos are not particularly exciting, so I thought I would share that little gem with you guys today. Here is the link to what we are having for dinner...my version of tacos and beans. Not really noteworthy, just darn yummy. No changes or earth-shattering adjustments; just tacos and beans.

Jen's Tacos and Pinto Beans...Ole'

This is a classic family favorite. We are going to use the straight-out-of-the-box generic corn taco shells tonight. My (almost) three year old son is going to be really excited when he finds out what is for dinner. This meal is certainly a kid-pleaser!

PS- Yes, I changed my blog background again. What can I say, I get bored easily. I am just trying to keep it interesting!

PPS- This is my 100th blog post in 2009! Overall, 346 posts since I started. Somehow, that is exciting for me!

Taco Crescent Bake

Today, the boy and I are having a relaxing day at home. I decided to get caught up on laundry, my least favorite chore, and goof around the house. This is one of our favorite casseroles, so the thought of a good dinner is making the task of icky laundry less daunting. Also, we have been having some dinner time struggles with my son. I decided to do a behavior chart with sticker incentives; to encourage a better dinner time experience for us all. I figure that Taco Crescent Bake will help, since I usually don't have to fight with him to eat it. He really likes it, so that means less coaxing to "sit down and eat" on my part. The husband will be pleased that we are having a meal with ground beef as an ingredient. As much as he approves of my vegetarian meal choices, he starts balking when I have more than two in a row. I need a dish with some beef in it to soothe him back into submission...just kidding, honey!!! This is a great all in one dish. I think I will serve it with our usual veggie and maybe a side salad. I have a surplus of romaine that I am trying to use up, so salad has been a prominent feature at our house lately.

Taco Crescent Bake

I noticed that the last time I made this was back in October, so it has certainly been awhile since we have had this dish. I am excited to have it again tonight!!!

Lime Chicken Soft Tacos

I get really burnt out on boneless, skinless white meat chicken sometimes, but it is such a healthy protein, I buy it anyway. It just feels so pedestrian. Since I know I have this proclivity towards boredom (and since chicken is so plentiful at my house), I try to find inventive ways to prepare it...just to break the monotony. This is the case with tonight's dinner, for sure. I have a standard way to prepare chicken soft tacos, but they sounded so boring. Usually, I put together a marinade and grill the chicken...nothing exciting...just a basic, standard (albeit yummy)grilled chicken tacos. No surprises.
Well, I am in the mood to try a different version tonight. I turned to my new, favorite recipe site recipezaar.com and found this taco dish. I have everything on hand for it, and it seems to be just a twist on a classic chicken taco. New enough to spice things up...but not so new as to where it will be taxing on my brain. It is different enough to be interesting, but yet, similar enough to keep within the guidelines of what I had planned for dinner. Honestly, I would not have thought to simmer the chicken in with the 'lime sauce' so I am interested to see how this will turn out. I am kind of a one-trick pony when it comes to certain chicken recipes; chicken soft tacos included. Now, at least I am a bit more excited to cook tonight.

Oh, and since we are sort of on the subject-I love recipe compilation websites such as recipezaar.com and allrecipes.com! I love trying "new-to-me" food from other home-cooking enthusiasts. Plus, I love reading the reviews. I especially love when people alter the recipe completely (sometimes until it is unrecognizable from the original), and then give it a bad or a 'eh' review. That cracks me up. Or they substitute everything under the sun, until it is not even in the spirit of the original recipe. How can you give an objective recipe review when you don't stick to the recipe you are reviewing???? I will admit, I play around with recipes all the time, but at least I...a) don't go and give a review based on my alterations, b) try and stick with the original the first time through, unless it involves extenuating circumstances (extenuating circumstances would count as one or more of the following and are subject to change without notice: a) my going to the store when I don't feel like it, b) interrupting Oprah, c) buying unnecessary ingredients when we are broke, d) any other excuse that I find handy at the time...my rules are flexible when it's convenient for me). I know, I know...adjustments need to made based on individual preferences/tastes. But still...the whole thing is just funny to me. I am such a reasonable and logical person sometimes!

Anyway, back to regularly scheduled programming...

I think my side dish will be some black or pinto beans tonight. I am not sure which one. I will probably ask the hubs to decide for me. Also, I have a few ripe avocados to use, so those will come into play as well. I look forward to trying my new found chicken soft taco recipe. I will let you know how it goes!

Lime Chicken Soft Tacos
Recipe #64160 By: kcdelong Jun 9, 2003

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
1/8 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 lime, juice of
1 teaspoon white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 green onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
10 6-inch flour tortillas
1 tomato, diced
1/4 cup shredded lettuce
1/4 cup shredded Monterrey jack cheese
1/4 cup salsa

Directions:
1) Saute chicken in a medium saucepan over medium high heat for about 20 minutes.
2) Add vinegar, lime juice, sugar, salt, pepper, green onion, garlic and oregano.
3) Simmer for an extra 10 minutes.
4) Heat an iron skillet over medium heat.
5) Place a tortilla in the pan, warm, and turn over to heat the other side.
6) Repeat with remaining tortillas.
7) Serve lime chicken mixture in warm tortillas topped with tomato, lettuce, cheese and salsa.

Jen's Notes:
I have two substitutions. I don't have green onions, so I will just dice up some white onions, and I only have whole wheat tortillas...not flour. Ah-hem. Maybe I do change things around a lot. By the way, the comments I made before about substitutions count as a double standard...but only because it is twice as true!



The Result:
This was good, but nothing really outstanding. Actually, I would categorize it as just okay...certainly no better than my usual marinade/grill method. The flavors were good, but this recipe did not really cure my sense of boredom with this recipe. It was a little lack-luster in my opinion. We still enjoyed our meal; the tacos were just basic, normal chicken soft tacos. I ended up making really super-spicy black beans, which were actually a bit too spicy for the boy and husband. Also, instead of a standard veggie, I decided to relax a bit and serve some organic tortilla chips with salsa and mashed avocado for my other side item. The boy was so excited to eat chips for dinner! Overall, this was a good dinner, but I don't think I would bother making this particular chicken recipe again.

Rick's Zucchini, Mushroom, and Chorizo Tacos

After yesterdays bakefest, tortilla making, and dinner preparation, I was beat. I did not get around to my dinner posting, because I went to the couch and did not move until bedtime. Then, it was a fast transfer from couch to bed...and I conked out! I love days when I am so tired I just black-out at bedtime; no tossing and turning or insomnia for me! Anyway, I am doing last nights meal post now.

I mentioned that I was going to try a brand new recipe last night, but I think I am actually going to do that one tonight. I wanted something familiar last night, so I turned to my favorite Mexican-cuisine chef, Rick Bayless. If you read my blog with some regularity, you know I heart Rick. His Mexican Everyday cookbook is one of my favorites...definitely in my top 5 cookbooks. We have had this taco dish before, and I remembered it being well balanced and easy to put together. We used up all our tortillas, so I made some of Rick's Easy Corn Tortillas (which can also be found in Mexican Everyday) to go with it. I did not mind putting forth a little extra effort so we could have this family favorite.

Rick's Zucchini, Mushroom, and Chorizo Tacos

Ingredients:
4 oz. fresh Mexican chorizo sausage, casing removed
1½ Tbsp vegetable or olive oil, if necessary
1 medium white onion, sliced ¼" thick
3 oz. mushrooms, stemmed and sliced about ½" thick
One 15-oz. can fire-roasted diced tomatoes in juice, drained
1 chipotle chile (from a can of chipotle chiles en adobo), seeded
1½ tsp of the adobo sauce from the can
2 medium zucchini (about 12 oz. total), cut into ½" cubes
Crumbled queso fresco, feta cheese, or goat cheese
Warm corn tortillas
Hot sauce to taste
Salt to taste

Directions:
Cook chorizo in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring regularly and breaking up clumps, until cooked through, about 4 minutes. If the chorizo has rendered considerable fat, tip off and discard all but enough to lightly coat the pan; if it has rendered very little, add the oil to the skillet and raise the heat to medium-high. Add the onion and cook, stirring regularly, until beginning to soften, about 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook about 2 minutes more, stirring regularly, until their liquid has evaporated and the mushrooms are beginning to brown.

While the mushrooms are cooking, pour the drained tomatoes into a food processor or blender, along with the chipotle chile and the adobo sauce; whirr until smooth.
When the mushrooms are ready, add the tomato mixture and cook, stirring regularly, until the mixture has thickened to the consistency of canned tomato sauce, about 3–4 minutes. Add the zucchini and continue to cook, stirring every once in a while, until the zucchini is cooked through but still a little crisp, 8–10 minutes. Taste and season with salt if necessary.

Scoop into a bowl and garnish with the crumbled cheese. Serve with the warm tortillas and hot sauce.

Jen's Notes:
I mixed up a fast guacamole and chopped some fresh cilantro to go on top as a garnish. I used Queso Fresco cheese, 1/2 pound of chorizo, 3 small zucchini, and 8 ounces of sliced button mushrooms as substitutes. Also, I should note that the cookbook version does indicate that the chorizo is optional...you can make these tacos with or without it. In my opinion, I think the chorizo is the only way to go. It gives it such a awesome flavor. I heart these tacos very much!





The Result:
These were fantastically yummy. As I said before, this is one of our favorite dinners. We served these more tostada-style, rather than in the form of tacos. My tortillas were not as flexible as normal, so we had to work around it. I think I goofed and put too much (or not enough...I am not sure) water in the tortilla dough. My tortillas were not as good as usual, but that was my fault. I was talking to my husband and not really paying attention to what I was doing when I was making the tortillas. Don't get me wrong...they were still yummy....just not as good as usual, from a textural standpoint. Other than that, these 'tacos' were great!!!!!

Taco Crescent Bake

I have some items that I need to use up in my fridge, crescent dough being one of them. This recipe is always a winner with the family, and it is very kid-friendly. I don't have tortilla chips (unless you count the two wayward, stale taco shells that I found in the pantry), so I am going to have to substitute Sun Chips instead. It is the best I can do with what limited supplies I have on hand. I really, really need to get to the grocery store. It is beginning to be a little ridiculous...tumbleweeds are going to start blowing through my pantry! If I can pull this off, then I can avoid the store until tomorrow, or Saturday at the latest. I hate taking my 2 1/2 year old grocery shopping, so I try to go when the husband is home to watch him, or we can all go together. This helps me avoid the mid-shopping meltdown (for both the boy and I). For some reason, my son's behavior is terrible when it is just the two of us at the grocery store...but then, he magically behaves when Dad goes. Hmmmm. I think my husband secretly bribes him, or they are conspiring together to drive me crazy. Anyway, this recipe is another one of Claire's finds. I love being able to copy her ideas! I will serve this with whatever veggie I can find in my freezer.

Taco Crescent Bake

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs ground beef
2 cups crushed corn chips
1 can tomato sauce
1 package crescent rolls
1 envelope taco seasoning
1 cup sour cream
1 cup shredded cheese

Directions:
Grease/spray a 9x13 baking pan. Spread out the crescent roll dough along the bottom and sides. Pinch the perforations closed. Crumble a layer of half the chips. Brown and drain the ground beef. Add tomato sauce and taco seasoning to the ground beef and simmer a few minutes. Pour beef mixture over chips. Top with sour cream, cheese and remaining chips. Bake. Enjoy!

Bake uncovered at 350 for 25-30 min or until crust is lightly brown

Jen’s Notes:
Sprinkle salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder on ground beef while browning. Add approx. 1 teaspoon of adobo sauce (from chipotle chile can, if on hand) to tomato sauce mixture. Also, you can add green chiles to the ground beef for extra flavor.

For a quick condiment: Cut up 1 avocado into diced pieces (slightly mash w/ fork), cover with juice of ½ lemon and sprinkle with salt to serve on top.



The Result:
This was really good, but I knew it would be. It is such an easy, yummy, comforting casserole. I served it with brussel sprouts, which are not my favorite (as I may have mentioned in the past). I only make them because the husband loves them and they are packed with nutrition. My little son ate a few tonight, too...so I feel my sacrifice is not in vain. At least I can fake my way through liking them, so he will eat them. Hey, I am a parent...what can I say. I make sure to eat a full serving and I try not to make faces or gagging noises (at least so my son does not notice). Anyway, this remains to be a proven family favorite at our house.

Jen's Tacos and Pinto Beans...Ole`!

I need an easy dinner tonight because I have had a harrowing day. I don't really want to get into the details, other than it has not been fun. I know...it is not really nice to say something like that and not give up any specifics. What can I say...it is my blog...and I am cranky. Let's just leave it at that! Anyway, I have some leftover salad ingredients that are not plentiful enough to make up a couple of salad. However, they can be stretched into taco fixings. Since I have an aversion to wasting food of any kind, I feel compelled to use every last bit of leftovers in my house. That includes salad ingredients that go south relatively quickly.

My taco "recipe" is really hardly a recipe at all. It is more of a combining of items in a skillet. Mainly, I use what I have on hand. It is super-simple, and requires little preparation. For example, I don't have fresh tomatoes; I will rinse and drain a can of diced tomatoes instead, and cook half of them with the beef. The other half will go into the beans and be used as taco toppings. You don't have to add all the 'stuff' that I add to the beef. The recipe is easily adaptable and you can add or subtract items, without detriment to the taco meat. Really, I add all the extras to clean out my fridge.

I think I will serve this meal with Jen's Pinto Beans ...and that is it. I bought the crunchy corn taco shells a while ago, so it will be nice to make some room in my pantry. This meal is always a family favorite!

Jen's Tacos

Ingredients:
1 lb. of ground beef
1 packet of taco seasoning
3/4 cup of water
2 cloves minced garlic
1/2 a can of diced tomatoes
1 small can of green chiles
1 chipotle pepper, diced (optional)
1 teaspoon of adobo sauce (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

Taco fixings:
hard or soft taco shells
lettuce
diced green onion
diced white onion
sour cream
shredded cheese
diced tomatoes
pickled jalapenos
salsa

Directions:
Brown ground beef in skillet over medium heat. Drain off any extra fat. Add minced garlic, diced tomatoes, chipotle chile, green chile, adobo sauce, salt and pepper. Combine and let cook for 1-2 minutes. Add taco seasoning packet and water. Stir to combine. Let simmer until sauce is formed, and most of water has evaporated. For serving, place a scoop of meat in taco shell and top with the fixings of your choice.

Now on to the beans...

I decided to re-post my old recipes, instead of making you dig through my old blog posts to find them.

Jen's Pinto Beans

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon of olive oil
2 14.5 oz cans of pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon of Ancho chile powder
1 teaspoon of hot sauce (Tamazula brand)
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano (or regular dried oregano)
1/2 cup of Jen's Homemade salsa (or any salsa you like)
1 chipotle chile, seeded and diced
1 tablespoon of lime juice
3/4 cup of beef stock
plenty of salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped, to finish
1 tablespoon of butter, to finish

Directions:
Heat oil in a medium sauce pan over medium high heat. Add beans and stir for approx 1 minute. Add remaining ingredients (except for cilantro and butter) to pan. Stir to combine. Heat until simmering. Turn heat to medium and reduce mixture until slightly thick and sauce is formed. Add butter and cilantro, stir to combine, and serve.

Jen's Notes:
You could use dried pinto beans for this recipe too; however dried beans must be soaked in water beforehand to soften. Just follow the package directions for soaking and the result should be the same, if not better.

Also, I will add the 1/2 can of diced tomatoes...just to use 'em up!



The Result:
The tacos and beans were yummy. Seriously, can you really go wrong with taco night??? I don't think so. This is such a comforting, kid-friendly meal. I always think of my elementary school experience when we have this dinner. I always got super-excited for taco day in the school cafeteria. Sigh....yummy, yummy school tacos. Somehow, they always tasted better when served by an old woman wearing a hair net. Just in case you are wondering, I did not get excited for fish stick day. Even as a young child, I had definite opinions about my likes and dislikes. Fish sticks just horked me off. Bleeaach! Vile fish sticks. Although, I don't mind them now, as an adult. Ugh. Okay...how was that for a tangent? You get a dinner review and some insight into my little world I like to call "The Jen Bubble". Double Ugh.

Green Chile Chicken Soft Tacos

So, I am back to recipe stalking my friend Claire. She had this dish a few nights ago, and said that she really liked it. Although, her husband claimed it was a bit too spicy. HA! I laugh in the face of spicy...I scoff at spicy....I revel in spicy! Double HA! What I am trying to say, is that we like really spicy food. It is originally from my new favorite cookbook/chef Mexican Everyday by Rick Bayless. I think I have sufficiently covered my Rick Bayless fanaticism in the past...so we will move on.

I scored some fresh, still-warm-when-I-bought-'em, corn tortillas today. They will be perfect with this meal. I am contemplating eating one right now, straight out of the bag...but I am trying to practice a little restraint.
The above-mentioned Claire and I took a trip into the ghetto this afternoon to go to the local, Mexican grocery store. I think we were a little over confident, because it was somewhat scary. It was like taking a trip south of the border. I expected to see Federales standing by the meat counter. This place made Walmart seem like a Macy's.
Speaking of the meat counter...there was a certain odor that smelled a little too native for my liking, and there was a whole cows' head on display...sans fur. It was not too far down from the pork chorizo I purchased in the meat case. Let me tell you, it was like a train wreck...I could not stop staring at it! Yup, a whole cows head...with eyes, and teeth and everything. That was almost a little too close to the food chain for us. I thought pregnant Claire was gonna lose it. As a prissy American, I prefer to think of my meat wrapped in foam trays and cellophane; not with teeth and eyelashes. Anyway, other hijinx ensued. There was a definite language barrier, as was evident when I tried to purchase fresh cheese. I tried to brush up on my conversational Spanish before our trip, but it was not enough. I got my cheese and I think I may have insulted the cheese ladies' mother in the process. To be fair, there were some really good deals, and they had a lot of Hispanic specialty items that I would not be able to find anywhere else (well, duh). But, seriously, I thought the Border Patrol was going to check our papers as we left the market.

Needless to say, I was so impacted by my cultural experience today, I decided to celebrate my life lessons in diversity with some tacos for dinner! Ole`!

Green Chile Chicken Soft Tacos

Ingredients:
2 large fresh poblano chilies
2 Tbsp vegetable or olive oil (divided use)
1 large white onion, sliced 1/4 inch thick
Salt
1 pound boneless, skinless, chicken breast halves
Ground black pepper
3 Tbsp fresh lime juice
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped or crushed thru a garlic press
12 warm corn tortilla, store bought or homemade
3/4 cup roasted tomatillo salsa, guacamole, or bottled salsa or hot sauce, for serving.

Directions:

Roast the poblanos over an open flame or 4 inches below a broiler, turning regularly until blistered and blackened all over, about 5 minutes for an open flame, 10 minutes for the broiler. Place in a bowl, cover with a kitchen towel, and let cool until you can handle them.

Turn on (or adjust) the oven to its lowest setting. Heat 1 Tbsp of the oil in a very large skillet over medium high. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until golden but still crunchy, 4-5 minutes. Scoot into a heatproof serving bowl, leaving as much oil as possible in the skillet, and slide it into the oven. Set the skillet aside.

Rub the blackened skin off the chiles and pull out the stems and seed pods. Rinse the chiles to remove bits of skin and seeds. Cut into 1/4-inch strips and stir into the onions. Taste and season with salt, usually a generous teaspoon. Return the bowl to the oven.

Sprinkle both sides of the chicken generously with salt and pepper.

Return the skillet to medium heat. Add the remaining 1 Tbsp oil. When the oil is hot, lay in the chicken breasts. Brown on one side, about 5 minutes, then flip and finish cooking on the other side, about 4 minutes more. When the meat is done, add the lime juice and garlic to the skillet. Turn the chicken in the lime mixture for a minute or so, until the juice has reduced to a glaze and coats the chicken.

Cut the chicken breasts into 1/4-inch strips and toss with the onion-poblano mixture. Taste and season with additional salt if you think necessary. Serve with the warm tortillas and salsa, guacamole, or hot sauce for making soft tacos.

Jen's Notes:
I think there is one thing that needs to be clarified with this recipe, which has to do with removing the skins on the peppers. I took a Mexican cooking class a while back, and they taught me how to do it a bit differently. I roast mine over the open gas flame on my stove (as indicated). However, instead of covering with a towel, I learned that you place the roasted peppers in a glass bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. This allows the residual steam and heat condensation to loosen the pepper skin, making it much easier to peel. After you let them sit for about 15-20 minutes, the skin will just rub off with your fingers (or a paper towel) and they will not be too hot to handle. It is important to not rinse with water or rub all the black char off, since it lends flavor to your dish.
Claire mentioned having trouble with the chiles, and I blame the above instructions. I think the directions written in this recipe, for this method, is certainly not the easiest way peel these chiles. What can I say...Rick Bayless is not perfect...but his flaw only makes me love him even more.

Blackened Fish Tacos

I saw this recipe on my friend Claire's blog, and wanted to have it immediately. It sounds really good, and I have been craving baja style fish tacos lately. While this is not a traditional baja fish taco recipe, I think it will satisfy my craving quite nicely. I think Jen's Pinto Beans (see previous post) is a good call for a side dish.
I will post the recipe as she has it, but I need to tweak it some due the the ingredients (or rather the lack of ingredients) that I have on hand.
Also, I will be making the corn tortillas from scratch, which sounds impressive...but really, it is super easy. The tortillas only have two ingredients! I will post the tortilla recipe and method separately.

Blackened Fish Tacos

Ingredients:
Slaw:
1/4 cup sliced green onions with tops
2 Tbsp snipped fresh cilantro
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 garlic clove, pressed
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp Cajun or blackened fish seasoning
2 cups broccoli slaw mix

Fish:
1 pound tilapia or catfish fillets
1 Tbsp Cajun or blackened fish seasoning
1 avocado, seeded and sliced
8 (6-inch) corn tortillas, warmed
3 medium radishes
Additional snipped fresh cilantro (optional)

Directions:

For slaw:
combine green onions, cilantro, lime juice, oil, garlic, sugar, and Cajun seasoning. Whisk until blended. Add slaw mix; toss to coat. Cover; refrigerate until ready to serve.

For Fish:
Heat grill pan over medium heat 5 minutes. Moisten fish fillets with water and sprinkle with Cajun seasoning. Lightly spray pan with vegetable oil. Place fillets in pan; cook over medium heat 10-12 minutes or until fish flakes easily with fork, carefully turning once. Remove from heat.

Flake fish into bite-size pieces.Cut avocado in half lengthwise; remove seed and cut flesh away from skin. Cut one avocado half into slices. Reserve remaining half for another use.

Warm tortillas in microwave or oven. Once heated, top tortillas evenly with slaw mixture and fish. Grate radishes evenly over fish. Top with avocado slices and sprinkle with additional cilantro.

Jen's Notes:
So, I am changing almost everything with this recipe.

I am using cabbage and making actual cole slaw with red onion and carrot in a light dressing, instead of broccoli slaw. I don't have radishes for garnish. Then, I am going to use a cast iron skillet to really blacken the fish in a little canola oil and not a grill pan. I think I will cook the fish, then cut into strips versus flaking it apart, as directed. Lastly, I will probably just mash 1 whole avocado with lime juice, salt, and pepper rather than putting wedge slices on each taco.

Mine will be similar, yet different.