Tacos Recipe made with Ground Beef

Tacos are delicious and so easy to prepare. My favorite tacos are made with Ground Beef. Use lean Ground Beef to make them healthier. One pound of Ground Beef that is at least 85% lean will leave you with more meat and little grease to contend with. You can drain the grease if you like or you may prefer to use an even leaner grade. The wonderful smell of simmering Ground Beef and Taco Seasoning is enough to make ones mouth water in anticipation of such a delicious meal.

• 1 Lb. Ground Beef
• 1 package Taco Seasoning
• 1 medium Onion
• 1 Tomato
• 1 can sliced Black Olives
• 1 Avocado
• 2 cups shredded Lettuce
• 1- 8 oz. bag Mexican Cheese
• Sour Cream
• Salsa or Taco Sauce
• Giardiniera (Medium is hot enough for me)
• Tortilla Shells or
• Ground Corn Taco Shells

If you are using hard Taco Shells, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. The shells only need to warm for 3-4 minutes but they taste so much better heated up!

Brown the Ground Beef until it is crumbly.

While the Ground Beef is browning you can prepare the items you will fill your Tacos with.

• Cut up the tomato in small pieces
• Chop the onion
• Shred the lettuce. Iceberg lettuce is not very nutritious or tasty. I like to use Romaine or Green Leaf Lettuce.
• Slice the black Olives into smaller pieces. If you have whole Black Olives, cut them in fourths.
• Slice the Avocado into small pieces.

You want to be able to fit all the chosen fillings into the Taco Shell so make sure you cut them into small enough pieces. A soft shell (I prefer Azteca Tortilla Shells) is easy to stuff but the hard shells can fall apart easily. Use the extra large Ortega Yellow Corn Shells. They don't fall apart with the first bite!

• Once the Ground Beef is browned, add the Taco Seasoning and 3/4 cup water. Simmer for 15 minutes.
• Heat the hard shells in the oven for 3-4 minutes.
• If you are using soft shells, microwave them for 20 seconds. When heated up they taste better, are more pliable and easier to stuff and fold over.

Spoon Sour Cream, Salsa and Giardiniera into small bowls. Place all cut up veggies side-by-side onto a serving board. Put Mexican Cheese into a small bowl.

Instead of sliced Avocado you may want to make Guacamole Dip. Here is an easy recipe for Guacamole:

• 4 Avocados peeled,cut up and smashed
• 2 Roma Tomatoes chopped
• 1 small red onion finely chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic chopped or minced
• small bunch of fresh Cilantro chopped..to taste
• Sea Salt and Black pepper..to taste
• 1 Tbs. Lime Juice (lemon Juice may be substituted)

Mix all ingredients together. Cover with saran wrap. Chill until ready to serve.

Leftovers? What a bonus! Turn the left over Taco filling into an easy to make Taco Salad.

For a light lunch salad start with the shredded lettuce and add the cut up vegetables. Sprinkle on Mexican Cheese. I like to use Giardiniera as my "dressing".

Taco Salad is great for dinner, too. Acteca makes a Taco Salad Shell that can be baked for a few minutes in the oven. You place it over the cardboard forms that come in the box. As it bakes it drapes over the form and becomes a bowl.

Fill Your Taco Salad Bowls

• Start with a bed of lettuce
• Add your cut up veggies
• Add seasoned Ground Beef
• Sprinkle with Mexican Cheese
• Add Sour Cream, Salsa, Guacamole or whatever toppings you most enjoy

The Taco Salad Bowl is edible, crunchy and delicious! Enjoy!

If you would like to make your own Taco Salad Bowls; Make 4 inch foil balls. Spray with non-stick cooking spray. Drape foil balls with tortilla shells and bake in a 350 degree oven for 8-10 minutes until lightly browned.

You can also make appetizer size Tortilla Bowls! Spray the bottom of a cupcake pan and place taco shells in between the cups. Bake at 375 for 10 minutes

• 1lb. Boneless Chicken Breast or Chicken Tenders sliced into small pieces
• Garlic, Salt and Pepper to taste
• 2 TBS Flour
• 2 TBS Butter
• 1/4 cup Milk
• 1 package Taco Seasoning

Try this recipe for Gluten Free Lime Chicken Tacos!