Taco Night

Tonight was taco night in our house. We have been making these tacos ever since I can remember, but this is one of the few recipes that my family didn't actually start. These crunchy gifts were introduced to us by the Smith family. We all get our family recipes somewhere, right? Sometimes they come from close family friends.  Growing up we would make these almost weekly. Anytime we had big family dinners at our house, tacos were almost always on the menu with my dad at the helm and the three daughter prepping all the tortillas. My mom would be creating a new mouthwatering dessert, and the baby boy of the family was in charge of following the messy cooks around with a garbage bag. It was always a group effort on Sundays. We would spend the time in the kitchen talking about anything and everything and chances are my dad was teasing someone. Everyone was always so excited to come over for taco night at our house. These tacos have always been my go-to dinner when I want to impress someone. Is that weird? Maybe. During My Freshman year at college I was living in BYU student housing and often times there were would be a flyer on my door for a dessert party at one of the other apartments in my building. I would go mingle and try to make new friends. After going to a few of these parties where the dessert was sparse and really not that great, I decided to have my own party. My party wasn't a dessert part though, instead I put flyers on about 50+ doors saying "Taco Night bring your appetite." So I told my parents about my plan and they took me shopping. A few hundred dollars later I had the makings for a great taco night. By the time the night was over I had made over 200 tacos. I cooked most the night but I also was the girl who made killer tacos and there were no left overs. So if you ever want an easy way to impress people these tacos are your answer.

They require three simple ingredients, Corn tortillas, garlic salt, and ground beef. You will also need lard or oil for frying. I prefer Lard it gives them a good crunch and they end up being less greasy. 

The first thing you do is get your ground beef, only a little, and spread it on one side of you tortilla and then you sprinkle garlic salt over the top of the beef. Repeat this process with the rest of the tortillas and stack your tacos so the meat is on the opposite side. If you put all the meat on one side your pile will fall over. 

Your oil or lard should be hot by now. You will need to fold your taco in half and place it in the hot oil. You will want to hold the bottom part of the taco in the oil for a few second to keep it from cracking. then place the taco on its side and let it cook for 3-5 minutes on each side. It will be a nice golden brown when its done.

Once your tacos are done place them in a serving dish over paper towels. You will want to place the tacos upside down so you can let all the excess oil drain. Once all your tacos are cooked you can stuff them with you favorite ingredients. My go-to is homemade salsa and shredded cheese. Enjoy!

Quick Look

Makes over 30 tacos 

1 lb ground beef

package of corn tortillas

garlic salt

lard or oil for frying

1. Heat lard or oil in skillet. The oil should be about 2 inches deep.

2. Spread about 1.5 teaspoons of ground beef on one side of tortilla and sprinkle meat with garlic salt. repeat with the remainder of the tortillas.

3.  Fold the tortilla in half and place in the oil. First let the bottom of the tortilla sit in the oil for a few seconds to prevent the tortilla from breaking.

4. Place the taco on its side and cook each side for 3 - 5 minutes until golden brown.

5. Build your own taco with all your favorite toppings and enjoy!

Green Chile Burritos

Little Hands can cook too. Me and my Daughter cooking. She loves to help with the salt.

Tonight I made green chile burritos. Now, these aren't any ordinary chiles. These chiles come from Hatch, New Mexico. Most people know what Hatch Chile is because it has become pretty trendy in the food world. My family has been cooking with Hatch Chile long before it was popular, but that's because my dad grew up in New Mexico. While I was buying my fresh batch of roasted chiles, there were two guys buying several cases. I couldn't help but laugh to myself because these guys were probably as hipster as you can get, and I knew the thoughts that would be going through my dad's mind if he was standing where I was. We would have gotten in the car, and he would have smirked and said, "Did you see those fashion jeans those idiots were wearing?" Yes, my dad called any jeans that weren't wranglers "fashion jeans". So try not to let the fact that hipster now buy Hatch Chile keep you from enjoying some of the best chile our nation has to offer. My boot-wearing dad didn't let it faze him.

You will need Lard for cooking, ground beef, an onion, potatoes, garlic powder, salt and of course green chile. First heat about a table spoon of lard in your skillet

Then dice up the onions and throw them in the skillet. Cook them until they are translucent. Once cooked remove from skillet and set aside in a bowl.

While the onions are cooking you will want to wash and dice up your two potatoes and put them in a microwave safe bowl. Yes I said Microwave. You will cook your potatoes under the baked potato setting. It was about 7 minutes in my microwave. Trust me this will make it go much faster and guarantee you don't serve crunchy potatoes!

While your potatoes are cooking, start to cook your meat.

Once your potatoes are done and your meat has browned, add the remaining ingredients, including your onions and potatoes. Cook until the meat is cooked through. You will then turn your burner to low and cover your burrito meat and let the potatoes soak up all the flavor. Leave it covered for about five minutes.

And now we build the burrito. Put a spoonful of the meat in the center of your tortilla and top with a little cheese, but not too much; you want to taste the chile. Some people put sour cream on the burritos at this point. To my dad, this is worse than fashion jeans and should be considered culinary treason.

Roll up the burrito and enjoy!

Quick look
Makes about 20 burritos

2 lbs ground beef
1 Large Onion
2 Medium Potatoes
1/2 cup Hatch chile (Taste it as you add, so its not too hot)
2 1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp salt (or to taste)
1 tablespoon lard or oil
Flour tortillas (I like the raw ones)
Cheese

1. Heat lard in pan
2. Dice onions and cook until translucent. Once cooked transfer to a bowl and set aside for later.
3. Dice potatoes and cook in microwave. Follow the instruction on your microwave for two baked potatoes. It will make the cooking process much faster.
4. Add the ground beef to the skillet and cook while you wait for the potatoes.
5. Once potatoes are done, drain meet and add all ingredients to skillet, including the potatoes and onions.
6. Continue to cook until meat is cooked through.
7. Turn your heat to low, cover the burrito and let sit for five minutes to let you potatoes soak up the flavor.
8. Assemble your burritos and enjoy!

Birthday Dinner

My dad and my daughter Isabella on the day he entered the hospital

Saturday was my Dad's birthday. He would have been 55 this year. We spent the day reminiscing, which isn't too different from every day. We had a good ol' country breakfast at our local diner, watched Lonesome Dove and finished off the weekend with salmon patties. Salmon patties were the very first thing my Dad ever taught me to cook, and it only made sense to have them be the first recipe on the blog. They aren't gourmet and they aren't anything fancy but they make me feel like I am home. I wont lie, I absolutely hated Salmon patties growing up, but now they are one of my go-to recipes. They are quick, easy and require little clean up.

Its a simple recipe with few ingredients. You will need: two cans salmon, about half a sleeve saltine crackers, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, 1 egg, and vegetable oil for frying.

 Throw your cracker in the food processor and grind them until they are crumbs. The finer the better so the patties will form well.

Drain salmon and combine all ingredients into a bowl and mix until well combined. 

Roll the patties into ball a little bigger than a golf ball. Once oil is hot place the patties into the oil and let them cook for about 3 to 5 minutes until they are golden brown.

Once cooked remove salmon patties from the oil and place them on a plate with a paper towel to soak up any excess oil. I often serve these with my homemade pinto beans, fried potatoes, and a dash of Tapatio hot sauce

Quick Look

Makes 10 patties

2 6 oz. cans skinless boneless salmon

1/2 sleeve saltine crackers

1 egg

1 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

oil for frying

(chopped pickles taste great in the salmon patties too!)

1. Pour oil into your dutch oven, about 2 inches deep, and heat to 300 degrees.

2. Throw your crackers into the food processor and pulse until they are crumbs. The finer the better.

3. Drain Salmon and then combine all the ingredients into your mixing bowl.

4. Mix your ingredients with hands until well combined.

5. Once oil is hot gently place the patties into you dutch oven, they should be covered by the oil. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes until golden brown.

6. Remove from oil and place on a plate with a paper and let the oil drain off. 

7. Serve and Enjoy!