Taco Tuesday!

Welcome to my new blog.  I started this blog because for about a year now I post what I cook each night for my family on Facebook.  As the months have gone by, I have had several people tell me that my dinners sound delicious and they love reading what I cook.  I honestly didn't think I had a "following" of people that enjoyed my dinner posts, but I actually got a request from two very kind ladies last night asking me to start a blog.  So, I thought, what the heck.  So, going forward I will blog what I make each night and post the recipe here for you to try (if you like).  Most of my meals are family friendly, easy to make and very affordable.  I'm not a fancy gourmet cook, I am just a regular gal cookin' for her family.  I try to make my meals healthy (or healthier) by using ground turkey (instead of beef), chicken, whole wheat pasta, olive oil, etc.  Some of my dinners are recipes I find out of magazines or cookbooks and some are my own creations.  My secret ingredient to all my meals is Love!  I know, I know, a little cheesy, but if you love cooking for your family, then the meal will be that much better! :-)

A little bit about me:  I was born and raised in Brea, CA.  I married my high school sweetheart when I was 18 years old and we have been married for 11 years.  We have two sons together, Dylan - 9 1/2 and Dayne 18 months.  I am a full time mom and also work from home as an Accounting Manager for a staffing and recruiting company.  I love my family very, very much!

Alright, now for the fun stuff!  Tonight's dinner is something anyone can make, and it's really not that inventive, but it's Taco Tuesday night at the Long's.  Here is how I make my tacos:

Ingredients:

The Meat:
2 lbs ground turkey
1 small onion - chopped
3 garlic cloves - minced
Taco Seasoning (see below)
Non-stick cooking spray

Taco Seasoning:
Ground Cumin
Chili Powder
Garlic Salt
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Mrs. Dash Southwest Chipotle Seasoning
- I do not have exact measurements, but I just sprinkle over the meat while it's cooking and taste as I go.  Good rule of thumb is to start with 1tsp for each seasoning and add as needed.  Don't go to heavy on the Mrs. Dash Chipotle Seasoning, unless you like your meat with some extra heat (I have to be careful with this seasoning because of the 18 month old).  Of course you can always use store bought taco mix too, it's just cheaper to season yourself.  For 2 pounds of  meat you would use 2 taco seasoning packets.

Refried Beans:
2 cans refried beans (we like Rosarita's Lowfat Black Beans, but you can use any type or flavor)
1/2 cup of shredded cheese
1 tsp garlic salt

The Rest:
Corn tortillas (warmed in a plastic baggie in the microwave - good rule of thumb, if you are warming 1-2 corn tortillas microwave on high for 10 seconds, for each additional tortilla add 5 seconds).
Shredded Pepperjack and Colby cheese (for tacos I like to freshly shred my cheese, it melts better than the bagged shredded cheese from the store)
Salsa
Dollop of Light Sour Cream
Chopped tomatoes

Cooking Directions:

Meat:  Chop onion and mince garlic while warming a large cooking skillet.  Spray with non-stick cooking spray (I like non-stick olive oil spray).  Add onion and garlic and saute.  Add the ground turkey and cook.  While ground turkey is cooking, add your taco seasonings.  Remember, ground turkey is poultry, so do not taste test your meat until the turkey is fully cooked!

Beans: Warm a medium cooking pot and add your two cans of refried beans.  Warm about 1 minute, then add shredded cheese and garlic salt.  Mix well and warm until the cheese is completely melted. 
- I like to add cheese and garlic salt to the beans to boost the flavor and texture of the canned beans.

The Rest:  Warm the tortillas, shred the cheese, chop a tomato or two (depends on much you like tomatoes) and get ready to prep your tacos.

Fill your warm tortilla with the taco meat, top with shredded cheese, chopped tomatoes, salsa and dollop of light sour cream.  Use the beans as a side dish.

Side note:  I cook for a family of 4 (3 of the members being male and large eaters).  If your family is smaller or doesn't consume as much food, only make 1 lb of ground turkey and 1 can of beans.

Hope you enjoy these tacos as much as our family does!  Happy Taco Tuesday!