Taco Bowl/Salad

The idea of travelling to Mexico is riveting for many people. I mean who isn’t drawn towards warm sunny weather, sandy beaches, and not to mention the home of Tequila! However, travelling anywhere outside of your country can be expensive and requires you to have time off. From paying off bills, tuition, working full time, or have kids to attend to, travelling just isn’t feasible right now. Fortunately there are ways to experience a culture from the comfort of your own home

I have personally been down to Mexico more than once, and from those experiences I have learned two things. (Obviously I learned other things as well like the language, the wildlife, and way of life, but we’ll stick to relevant topics relating to food and drink.) One, they really love their tequila and two, they really know how to throw a party! What makes their parties so successful is their ability to entertain and the cuisine they lay out for the guests. I happened to visit the country during Christmas time and New Years during which they hosted a luxurious Gala. They literally turned food into edible art… No masterpieces! Some examples of what they did I will post below!

Although I am going to specifically talk about the Taco today, I want to remind you that there is so much more to Mexican cuisine than just Tacos, Burritos, and Nachos. If you do happen to visit Mexico, do not forget about Chilaquiles, Enchiladas, and Tostadas! Tacos are one of the easiest dishes to make at home as well as one of the most versatile! There are a variety of ways to present your delicious Mexican treat. Do you prefer a soft shell or a hard shell? Prefer a hand held item or a salad? Chicken, Shrimp, Steak, Tofu, Beef, or Beans as your protein. Well whatever your preference may be I will try to be as flexible as possible with the recipe! I will start out with some basic recipes. If you keep scrolling, I will also include some recipes for add-ons if you want a fancier taco dish.

Utensils:

1. Medium oven safe bowl

2. Mixing bowl

3. Whisk

4. Knife

5. Cutting Board

6. Pan

Ingredients to assemble the Taco Bowl/Salad

1. Touch of Oil

2. Large Soft Tortilla Shell per bowl

3. ¼ cup of Beef or any other protein

4. 1-2 handfuls of Shredded Romaine Lettuce per bowl

5. 3-4 Cherry Tomatoes cut in half per bowl

6. A Handful of Cheddar Cheese per bowl (Shredded) (a blend is fine)

7. Lime Crema (Recipe is below) or Sour Cream

8. Salsa

9. Cilantro or green onion (garnish)

Directions:

1. Preheat an oven at 350 ̊F.

2. Brush a little bit of oil on one side of the tortilla. Place the tortilla into the medium oven safe bowl and shape it to look like a bowl, being careful not to break the shell. Bake for about 3-5 minutes or until the rim is a golden brown. Be careful as it burns quite quickly. OR if you are making a salad, just cut up the tortilla into chip like pieces and bake.

3. Take the shell out and begin building the bowl/salad.

4. Add the lettuce

5. Add the Cheese

6. Add the halved cherry tomatoes and arrange them with the inside facing up

7. Add the Protein

8. Add the salsa to the middle

9. Drizzle lime crema or sour cream

10. Garnish with cilantro or green onions

Ingredients for Meats:

1. Oil

2. 4 cloves of garlic (minced)

3. 1 medium white onion (Diced)

4. 1 lb of ground beef/meat

5. 2 Tsp of Chilli Powder

6. 1 tsp of Cumin

7. 1/4 tsp of onion powder

8. 1/4 tsp of garlic powder

9. 1/4 tsp of red pepper flakes

10. 2 tsp of Oregano

11. 2 tsp of Kosher salt

12. 2 tsp of pepper

13. Pinch of Cayenne pepper

14. OR 2-3 Tbsp of pre-made taco seasoning (optional)

Directions for meats:

1. Season your meat with spices 5-13 or just 14.

2. Add some oil to your pan and heat over Medium heat. Add Onions and sautee for about 3 minutes. Add in garlic and sautee for another minute.

3. Add in the ground beef and break it apart and cook through completely.

4. Once the beef is cooked. Drain out excess fat.

5. Adjust taste if needed.

Ingredients for Lime Crema

1. ½ cup Sour Cream

2. ½ cup mayonnaise

3. 2 Tbsp of lime

4. 1 tsp of cayenne peppers/chili powder

Directions for lime crema

1. Combine all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and whisk.

2. Put into a squeeze bottle for easy drizzling

Ingredients for Guacamole

1. 3 ripe avocados

2. ½ tsp of kosher salt

3. 1 Tbsp of lime juice

4. 3 Tbsp of minced red onion

5. 1/2 tsp of chili flakes

6. 2 Tbsp of finely chopped cilantro

7. 1 tsp of freshly ground peppers

8. 1/2 medium Roma tomato (Diced with seeds and pulp removed)

Directions for Guacamole

1. Cut the avocado and remove the skin and pit. Place in a mixing bowl.

2. Mash with avocado with a fork

3. Salt the rest of the ingredients and blend.

4. Taste and adjust as needed.

5. Serve immediately or seal and refrigerate/freeze

Ingredients for Pico de Gallo

1. 3 medium tomatoes (diced)

2. ½ medium onion (Diced)

3. 1 jalapeno pepper (minced) (optional)

4. ½ cup of cilantro (chopped)

5. 2 Tbsp of lime juice

6. 1/2 tsp of salt

7. 1/4 tsp of freshly ground pepper

Directions for Pico de Gallo

1. Combine all ingredients into a mixing bowl and mix.

2. Adjust the flavour as needed. Enjoy right away or cover and refrigerate