Simple Saturday: Terrific Tacos

Make-ahead tacos are not only a fun meal that kids can assemble themselves (thereby making it more delicious to them, of course!), but it's also a great way to ensure your dinner includes some veggies, as vegetables don't always freeze well.  This dish focuses on veggies that will freeze!

Ingredients

Taco stands make taco night
even more fun!

• 1 lb. ground beef (or turkey for a lighter meal)
• 1 T Fiesta Party Dip Mix
• 1 T Onion Onion
• 8 oz. tomato sauce
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1-1/4 cups diced tomato
• 1 T fresh chopped cilantro
• 2/3 cup diced red onion
• 1 T lime juice
• pinch salt
• 3/4 cup shredded cheddar or mexi-blend cheese
• 6 (or more) tortillas or taco shells

Make-Ahead Preparation

• In a large skillet, combine ground beef, Fiesta Party Dip Mix, and Onion Onion.  Saute until meat is browned and cook through.  Drain fat.
• Stir in tomato sauce, water, and cumin.  Simmer for 10-15 minutes.
• Let cool, and transfer meat mixture to freezer container.
• In another freezer container, combine tomato, cilantro, red onion, lime juice, and salt.
• Measure cheese into a third freezer container.
• Pack all containers into one, label, and freeze.

To Serve

• Thaw completely in refrigerator.
• Place meat mixture in a large skillet.  Heat on medium high heat, stirring frequently, until heated through.
• Assemble tacos, with each one having: 1 tortilla or shell; 1/6 of meat mixture; generous 1/4 cup salsa; and 1 T shredded cheese.
• Or, for a "fun" meal, create a taco assembly line on the kitchen counter!

Have you tried a taco assembly line with your kids?  Does it help them stay interested in dinner?

Southwest Meatloaf

Done right, meatloaf is a delicious and kid-friendly meal packed with nutrients.  Add a Southwestern kick, and suddenly your meatloaf goes from drab to fab in under 60 seconds (or as long as it takes to chop the southwest vegetables, I suppose).  Here is a recipe for moist and delicious make-ahead meatloaf that will put an end to the chorus of, "Meatloaf AGAIN?!"

Aunt Laurie's Unrolled Cabbage Rolls

I absolutely love cloves.  But aside from putting them in my chai, I'm never quite sure what to do with them. Here is a delicious way to make a one-dish meal featuring cloves.  Whats more, this dinner is loaded with fiber, meat and grain proteins, and just a tiny bit of sugar, which means that for a small amount of calories you'll stay feeling satisfied for longer.

Chipotle Shrimp and Sausage Jambalaya

This versatile dish makes for a hearty winter's warmer, or a neat summer treat.  The sweetness of the kidney beans and the turkey sausage combined is what gives this meal its great flavor.  Serve over rice, and you'll have yourself a one-dish make-ahead meal!

Make-Ahead Slow Cooker Chili

Our family loves chili, whether it's for a small, intimate family meal, or a big group get-together.  Either way, this chili is sure to please even the most discerning 5-year-old's palette.  What's more, this make-ahead chili can be tailored to satisfy a number of different dietary restrictions and still taste great.

Ingredients:
1.5 lbs ground turkey
1 tsp seasoning salt (Lawry's is recommended if gluten-free preparation is desired)
1 yellow onion, chopped (can also use frozen, pre-chopped onion)
1/2 large red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 large green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 large yellow bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves (or more!) garlic, diced
1 can kidney beans
1 can white kidney beans (cannellini)
1 can black beans
2 cans chipotle petite diced tomates (such as Western Family brand)
1 can garlic and olive oil flavored petite diced tomatoes (such as Western Family brand)
1 tsp (or more) chili powder
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp oregano
salt and pepper to taste

Make-Ahead Preparation:

• In a large skillet over medium heat, combine turkey and seasoning salt.  Cook turkey for several minutes, breaking it up with a spatula, until brown and mostly cooked through.  Remove any extra fat with a turkey baster or paper towels.
• Add onion, bell peppers, and garlic to pan.  Cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until onions and bell peppers are soft and no longer crunchy.
• Remove pan from heat and let cool.
• In a colander, drain and rinse beans.  Dry gently with a paper towel.  Pour beans into large freezer bag or container.
• Pour tomatoes, including juices, into freezer bag or container with beans.
• Add chili powder, basil, oregano, and salt and pepper to freezer bag or container.
• Once the meat mixture is cool to the touch, add mixture to freezer bag or container.
• Mix all ingredients.  If using a freezer bag, the kids love to help with this step by shaking the (tightly closed) bag all around.
• Freeze chili until ready to use.

To Serve:

• Thawing chili prior to cooking is optional.
• Place frozen or thawed chili in slow cooker.  Cook on high 3-4 hours, or on low 6 hours, stirring occasionally. 

This chili can also endure longer cooking times.  For example, I frequently start a batch of this home-made chili in the mornings before I leave for work, and cook on low all day (more than eight hours), to return to a delicious dinner all ready to go! 

Serve this chili with some of your favorite toppings, such as sour cream, shredded cheese, chopped onion, chopped green onion, the remaining halves of the chopped bell peppers, or my personal favorite, cottage cheese.

Makes approximately 8 1-cup servings.