Turkey Tacos

I love tacos!  

They are a great meal all on their own or can be an awesome way to utilize leftovers .  You can make them the same every time or you can change it up and be different.  It's a great dish to be creative with.  All it takes is a little prep.  Tacos are also a great weeknight meal because everything can be made ahead of time and then reheated right before serving.

Here is how it goes in my house but please - feel free to change it up depending on what you like. 

We've got:

Just over a pound of ground turkey. I like to use turkey because it is a leaner cut of meat and has great flavor.  But feel free to use ground beef or ground chicken.  You could even substitute shredded beef, chicken or even use roasted veggies.  It's your kitchen - do what you like best.
2 cloves minced garlic
1 minced or finely chopped carrot (adds a natural sweetness)
1/2 minced red onion - or whatever type of onion you like
2 Tbsp taco seasoning (see below)
1/2 minced jalapeno pepper - if you don't like it too spicy - omit - if you like it spicier - add more
2 Tbsp chopped cilantro - again - omit if you don't like or add more if you do.

Taco Seasoning:
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp cumin
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Most homemade taco seasonings would call for an addition of garlic and/or onion powder but since I am using fresh garlic and onion, I omit them in my seasoning.  This recipe can certainly be doubled or tripled so you can keep it on hand to use in fajitas, soups, etc.  

Then as your accompaniments:

We've got both hard and soft tortilla shells.

Then for toppings, shredded and sliced cheese (makes less mess for the kids), chopped tomatoes, chopped lettuce, sliced radishes and wedged limes.  I also like to put out sour cream, fresh salsa, maybe some guacamole - but I forgot to take a picture of them! 

Again, this is the part where you can get creative and use some other veggies or condiments you may have on hand.

So, now what do I do?  Here it is:

In a large saute pan cook your ground turkey (or other meat) until it is browned.  Add your carrot, jalapeno, onion and garlic and saute about 3-4 minutes.

Next, add your taco seasoning and if needed some water.  Depending on how juicy your meat is, add about 1/4 cup of water at a time until the meat and sauce is the consistency you like.

Cook another minute or until heated through.  Stir in the cilantro and you are good to go.

Here is what my assembled taco looked like:

Top photo is the hard shell version and bottom is in a soft flour tortilla.

And of course, what goes better with tacos than a margarita!

Well, I guess you could argue that an icy cold beer could go with the tacos just as well - or some nice fruity sangria.  Again, it's your kitchen so serve what you like and make it your own.  

On a side note - I'll be back at the farmers market tomorrow (couldn't make it last week due to Hurricane Irene) - so I promise to post the smashed potato pie and peach cobbler recipes that were requested this week.

As always, thanks for joining me!