Taco dinner

[moroccangirl]

Oh Lord! DH wants me to do a taco dinner (taco bar, kind of) for two of his co-workers/friends. One is Spanish and one is a vegetarian. I told him I didn't want to make Mexican food for a Spanish guy. I know, I know, two totally different things, but you know what I mean. He said I was definitely from alabama! lol

Anyways, How Do I make a nice looking taco dinner? For us I usually just throw some simple stuff together.

[cgraz]

The nice thing is that is easy to work in with the vegetarian! Do they eat dairy? I would envision a buffet setup with the taco shells or tortilla (soft or hard?), then dishes of cut up lettuce, cheese, pico de gallo or just tomatoes. Then you could fancy it up with additional sides or toppings, like some kind of guac, sour cream, corn salsa, refried beans or just some other kind of beans (but made veggie, so they work as a protein for the vegetarian). I usually make the ground beef with packet o'seasoning for a basic taco dinner, but to make it nicer you could find some way to make shredded seasoned chicken or something, or even steak. There are loads of ideas online for making your own taco seasoning with spices, etc. I think it would be fun, and definitely nice enough for company! You could even make a colorful rice for a side dish if you wanted to fill it out more - I usually cheat and just make rice and throw in salsa and corn, but you could find a nicer "from scratch" way to do that, I'm sure!

[cgraz]

Or, you could totally go the other way and do fish tacos, with pickled onions, cabbage slaw, spicy sour cream made with adobo chilies, etc. Sides like corn salsa/salad, guac, etc. That is another kind of nice taco dinner altogether! Lighter, in some ways, I think.

And now I am hungry. 

[fancypants]

Taco bar is the easiest most versatile thing in my repertoire. Corn, beans, chicken beef of fish, lettuce, cheese, guacamole, olives, roasted veggies, tomatoes.  Of course, my family doesn't get the entire bar unless we have guests.


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[moroccangirl]

Thanks y'all!
Cgraz I've made fish tacos once and I wasn't crazy about them. Not sure if it was my cooking or that I don't like them. I need to try them in a restaraunt when we go home this summer so I know how they're supposed to taste. Lol.

[merigayle]

beans would be easy-- either refried (i could give you an easy recipe if you want, esp if you could not find canned vegetarian refried beans) or black beans seasoned with taco-ish seasonings.

bowls with the toppings-- guac, sour cream, cheese, salsa, lettuce, etc. You can have soft and hard shells as well.

[CheryG]

This is the beef taco recipe I use.  I substitute 1/2 a boullion cube  and some water for the chicken stock.  (and I omit the cayenne, because that sh!t is stupid.  )


http://www.food.com/recipe/americas-test-kitchen-beef-tacos-314504

[diablita]

I'd like the refried beans recipe.

[merigayle]

I have made it with black and kidney beans. http://www.thevegancrew.com/?p=7697

[The Turtle Whisperer]

One of the things I learned about refried beans is the procedure makes a difference... Basically you want to add your beans to pan with about a third of liquid... Wait until beans are easily mashed and mash and add another third... Once that mostly dries, add the rest of the liquid... They're done when they reach your desired consistency.

[moroccangirl]

Thanks y'all! Whenever I do it I'll let y'all know how it turned out.

[gebuh]

I just made this stuff tonight, I didn't cook the rice with the beans, just let the person mix them together, it came out really well.
I used roasted serrano chilis instead of jalepenos, added green onions, roasted the cumin and added extra and extra garlic.
I put out diced onions, sharp cheddar and lettuce to dress it with.  I wanted to add avocado, but somebody beat me to it and they were all gone.
It was really good.

http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2012/03/burritos-with-spanish-rice-and-black-beans.html

[triciaflower]

Now I want tacos.

[cgraz]

Now I always want tacos.

FIFY. 

[triciaflower]

Haha! I DO live in San Antonio, the taco capital of the U.S.


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[diablita]

Tricia, do you know about this book?  It's really, really amazing.



http://www.amazon.com/Dragons-Love-Tacos-Adam-Rubin/dp/0803736800

[Run Amok]

I like these taco lentils as an alternative to plain beans for the vegetarians. They are pretty easy peasy. http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Spiced-Lentil-Tacos-351390

[moroccangirl]

That looks good RA!

[triciaflower]

OMG Diablita! I'm going to find that book.

[diablita]

It's SO good.  He has others and they're cute, but this one is the best.