1/10/2013

Mexican Picadillo Tacos


Lets Have Mexican For Dinner Tonight!









Picadillo is an awesome Mexican taco filling.  Hard tacos, soft tacos, corn tortillas, or flour tortillas... whatever floats your boat this will work! 

This meal usually takes 20-30 min for the whole thing... well, that might be a fib... cutting all the side/topping stuff is what takes the longest.  So here we go!
(Yes Momma Lynne this is not a hard recipe and even you can do it!)


This feeds about 6 people
Don't worry, leftovers are wonderful I promise!




2 or 3 lbs. of ground beef
2 or 3 big potatoes (I used big baking potatoes but whatever you have in the pantry will do)
2 med white onions (again just use what you have, 1 onion is for the cilantro and onions)



Throw the ground beef into a skillet on med/high
Dice up the potatoes (don't forget to scrub scrub scrub the potato before dicing)
Dice up the 1 onion



Add potatoes and onion to the ground meat


No reason its separated... I'm just crazy sometimes!





That's more like it!



I love onions!  Well, I love meat and potatoes too! Mmmmm...
If your a spicy kind of person this is where you can add hot peppers if you like!

Cook the meat until its not pink, make sure you stir stir stir...  If there is any grease in the pan after the meat is cooked do spoon it out... 

Now its seasoning time!




2 cans of Enchilada Sauce (whatever brand is on sale) I like to shake things up and use one Mild and one Medium!  I know I break all the rules!
   
 If you like hot get both cans hot! My husband will come to your house because he absolutely loves "Hot".  I'm a little bit of a sissy...  I like sorta hot... Sorta not so hot... Sorta a little hot... OK not really hot... Sissy hot.. My husband can eat food so hot that if i sit next to him my nose starts to run and my eyes begin to water! lol...

OK back to cookin!

Spices time!

2 packets of Taco Spice
1Tbs of Italian Seasoning
2Tbs Chili Powder (I'm going crazy with the hot! Use 1 if your a sissy)
Shakes of Black Pepper
1Tbs of Garlic Powder





Use whatever is on sale
 If your concerned about salt I have seen lower sodium Taco Seasonings




Add your enchilada sauces and your seasonings... Now put your skillet on a lower temp, cover, and let all your flavors dance together!  "Lets have a party" Now let the good times roll!  Its chopping time!
 
 

Doesn't that look good?  Taste time before chopping time... This is where you add a little more of this and that to taste...

Sniff Sniff Sniff

Here comes the family with spoons wondering what smells so good!





All this side/topping stuff is absolutely up to you so be creative!

This is what I added

Fresh Tomatoes
Cilantro
Onion
Shredded Cheese
Head of Lettuce
Jalapenos


Cut, dice, and shred all of your sides





 



Chop up the cilantro and the onion and mix those up in a bowl.
I absolutely love cilantro and onions!
Don't forget the stir the meat!

 
 
 

I have to wear a glove when i dice these... Just don't touch your eyes while chopping them up!
 
 
 
 
I like to use a block of cheese and shred it myself, it just tastes better. 
I like to use a mixture of hard taco shells, flour tortillas, and corn tortillas.  For the hard taco shells I place the shells upwards in a baking pan. 
 
 


Then fill them with the meat and top with your shredded cheese and bake at 350 for 5 min or until the cheese melts.  Don't just put them in the oven and forget!  Set your timer! Trust me on that!


Yes they do fall over, just keep putting them back up...
Hahahaha!

 
 


Did you set your timer?



Start setting the table with all your side stuff, because your almost done...

You don't have to but I like to slightly warm up each of the tortillas.  Place 3 or 4 on a flat griddle and flip them when they are warm and slightly brownish.  Too much toasting will make them hard so go easy your not tyring to make a chip, your just warming them up. 




And that's it!

Enjoy!


True story!  We invited our neighbors over to eat this with us and after we had all finished eating...  My neighbor actually grabbed the left over Picadillo skillet and ran home with it! No kidding!  Skillet and all!  He liked it so much he wasn't going to share anymore with anyone... he wanted it all for himself! I'm telling you, its that good!



 


FYI
If your have leftover cilantro and onion put them in a mason jar.  This will help you in the morning when your half asleep with your cup of coffee reaching into the fridge for your cream.  I'm saving you from passing out because your refrigerator stinks like onions and stinky cilantro!  Not a good way to start your morning!  Coffee and onions is not the breakfast of champions!

Your Welcome!





I hope you love this recipe as much as my family (and neighbors) do!