Taco Salad for One And All- Taco Salad Big & Small

We love tacos. As the weather gets warmer I like to change things around a bit and serve taco salad. I make large bowls for us and smaller bowls for the girls. It's fun for them to have a dish they can eat. Somehow even this small variation makes the meal a treat and there are many giggles as they break the bowl and eat it.

Taco Salad Bowls

This is a slight variation of a Kraft recipe.

Prep Time: 20 min
Total Time: 20 min
Makes: 4 servings

4 flour tortillas (8 inch) (if using wheat tortillas see tip below)
1 T chili powder, divided
3/4 lb. extra lean ground beef or 2 c shredded chicken(to make this a meatless dish use one 15oz can of black beans, drained)
1 cup matchlike carrot sticks (I just use salad with shredded carrot in it)
1/2 cup chunky salsa
4 cups torn salad greens
1 large tomato, chopped
1/2 cup Mexican style cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
* I will also line the bottom of the taco bowl with black or refried beans.
* Fresh salsa for garnish

PREHEAT oven to 425°F. Crumple four large sheets of foil to make four 3-inch balls; place on baking sheet. Place 1 tortilla on top of each ball (see tip below); spray tortilla with cooking spray. Sprinkle evenly with 1/2 tsp. of the chili powder. Bake 6 to 8 min. or until tortillas are golden brown. (Tortillas will drape over balls as they bake.)

MEANWHILE, brown meat with carrots (if they aren't in your salad) and remaining 2-1/2 tsp. chili powder in large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Add 1/2 cup of the salsa; cook 2 min. or until heated through, stirring occasionally.

PLACE beans in tortilla bowl (if desired). Add salad to tortilla shells; top with meat mixture, cheese, cilantro and tomato.

TO make the smaller taco bowls press 1 tortilla into a 2-1/2-inch muffin cup to form a bowl. I put a small ball of foil in the tortilla to keep an opening for the filling. Bake 10 min.

TIP: to make shaping the tortillas easier heat tortillas about 10-15 seconds each so they aren't so rigid and prone to ripping. So one at a time because as they cool they are more prone to tearing.

TIP: Wheat tortillas won't shape themselves around the foil like flour tortillas. For wheat tortillas shape them inside a large oven proof bowl or around a smaller oven proof bowl.

Crescent Leftovers

How is it that Easter is this weekend? Doesn't it seem early to you?

Well, whenever Easter falls it is inevitable that you will have leftovers. Here's an idea for what to do with them.

Leftover Crescents

This recipe was sent to my by my cousin's wife, Jenn who says she got it from Pillsbury and modified theri version just a bit. She says it's great for leftovers or those days when you have little brain power. I have to agree.


1 can of crescent rolls
8 slices of ham or whatever meat you have leftover
8 slices of cheese or we use cheese spread that is left over or even from a cheese ball
spicy mustard or whatever condiments left over

preheat to 350*. Roll out to triangle add ham, cheese, mustard and anything else you please and roll into triangle shape. Put on an ungreased baking sheet for 10 to 15 minutes til golden brown and serve warm with soup.

**Of course you can buy sandwich meats and cheese spread and make this for a quick lunch, a brunch or as an appetizer. Really very versatile.

**Another thing to do is buy biscuits. Press biscuits flat (or roll), add your ingredients to half the circle and fold over. Press edges closed with fork.

Whiskey Glazed Corned Beef

This takes that yummy corned beef up a notch. The glaze is tangy and sweet and adds an appetizing color to the meat. This is time consuming (the meat boils for 3-3 1/2 hours) but soooo easy. I got the recipe from one of my favorite sources, Cuisine magazine.

And, just a bit of trivia for you: Corned Beef is actually an American dish (Irish-American). In Ireland the cut of meat used was bacon. But any visitor to Ireland knows that it is not what we think of as bacon... I'm not sure if the cut of meat was not available or if it was too expensive, but beef brisket was substituted.

Whiskey Glazed Corned Beef

1 corned beef brisket (4 lb)
1/4 c ketchup
1/4 c whiskey (Jameson's... It's an Irish dish)
1/4 c apple cider vinegar
2 T brown sugar
2 T soy sauce
1 t dry mustard
1/2 t ground ginger
1/4 t red pepper flakes

Submerge corned beef, fat side up, in water in a large pot. Cover and simmer over low heat until beef is tender when pierced with a fork (3 to 3 1/2 hours). You can chill overnight after boiling, just bring the meat to a simmer again the next day and continue with recipe)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees; line a baking sheet with foil, top with a rack and coat with non stick spray. (I used a broiling pan) Transfer beefto prepared rack, fat side up. Use a knife to trim off the fat.

Whisk all remaining ingredients together in a saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat until thickened, 3-4 minutes. Spoon glaze on to beef, roast for 10 minutes or until glaze is dark and sticky. Remove from oven and let rest for 15 minutes.

Transfer to cutting board and cut against the grain.

Steak and Guinness Pie

Mmmm... This is absolutely perfect for a rainy Irish day. Or sunny St. Patrick's. OK, it's just good about any time... And it has Guinness...

Don't forget to turn on some Irish pub songs and invite friends.

Yet another great recipe from The Little Big Book of Ireland.

Steak and Guinness Pie



8 slices bacon
2 pounds round steaks
1 T flour (seasoned with a bit of salt and pepper)
5 onions, peeled and chopped
1/3 c raisins (optional)
1 c peas
2-3 T chopped parsley
1 t brown sugar
1 1/3 c Guinness stout
1 sheet puff pastry
Oil

Brown bacon in frying pan. Crumble into small pieces.

Cut steaks into bite size cubes, roll in flour mixture, brown in bacon drippings; add extra oil if necessary. When browned place meat and crunmbled bacon in a cassarole dish.

Sautee onions in the bacon drippings/oil until golden, then add to the meat. Add the raisins, peas, parsley, brown sugar, and Guinness; cover tightly and simmer over low heat for 2- 2 1/2 hours. Stir occasionally and add more Guinness or water if the gravy gets too thick.

Roll out pastry to fit casserole. Place on top of meat mixture and bake according to package directions or until puffed golden.

Yields 8 servings

**You can make the filling ahead of time and reheat just a bit before placing in casserole dish, covering with puff pastry and baking.

Colcannon

A surprisingly easy and tasty dish, Colcannon is quite unknown. Try it in place of your regular mashed potatoes next time. My nephew, a notoriously picky eater, loved these.

Another recipe from The Little Big Book of Ireland.

Colcannon

1 (nice sized) head of cabbage
5-6 peeled potatoes
1 bunch scallions
Lots of butter (at least a stick)
Salt & pepper

Wash and cut the cabbage and potatoes into chunks. Wash & chop the scallions.

Put all into a large pot, add about an inch of water (over) and boil.

When potatoes are fork tender (check at 20 minutes and then again every 5 until done) remove from heat & mash. Add butter, salt & pepper to taste.

Makes 4-6 servings

Boxty (Irish Potato Griddle Cakes)

Boxty on the griddle
Boxty in a pan
If you can't make boxty
You'll never get a man

So goes an old Irish saying. I think it is because boxty is actually so easy to make that if you can't make it then you probably can't cook a bit and no man wants a woman who can't cook. Remember, this was in the days before take-out...

I got this recipe from The Little Big Book of Ireland, a book of all things Irish (so, of course, it's on my shelf!)

Boxty

2 c grated raw potatoes
2 c leftover mashed potatoes
2 c all purpose flour
2 t baking powder
2 t salt
Ground pepper to taste
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 to 1/2 c milk (more or less as needed)
1 T butter or oil (more or less as needed)

Mix together the raw and mashed potatoes.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and pepper, then add the potatoes. Stir in beaten eggs, mixing thoroughly.

Add the milk until it makes a batter.

Drop by the tablespoon full onto a hot buttered or oiled frying pan and cook over moderate heat until browned.

**Boxty is incredibly versatile. With these small boxty you can serve them buttered and sprinkled with cinnamon/sugar, jam or applesauce. I like to use them with stew.

You can also make these large, like a tortilla (make the batter very thin) and fill with about anything.

Guinness Cake

There isn't much that is more Irish than Guinness Stout. So while this cake may not be "traditionally" Irish it will be offered at my table this St. Patrick's Day.

A big thanks to Melody for leading me to the recipe.

Guinness Cake

INGREDIENTS
16 T. butter (1/2 lb.)
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon cardamom
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 2/3 cups flour
3/4 cup cocoa
1 cup Guinness® stout (or milk if you want a non-alcoholic cake)
6 eggs
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 pounds confectioner's sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a bowl, cream together the butter and both sugars. In another bowl, mix together the baking powder, spices, salt, flour and cocoa. At the very last moment, add the Guinness to the eggs. (Don't let it sit too long, or the alcohol will begin to cook the eggs!)

Add half of the dry ingredients to the butter and sugar mixture and blend, then add half of the wet ingredients. Repeat this process until all the ingredients are combined.

Pre-heat the oven to 350°, and line the bottom of at least two 9-inch diameter cake pans with wax paper. (Use as many layers as you like for your own cake.) Divide the batter between pans, and bake until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool cakes in pans for about 10 minutes, then turn them out onto a wire rack and peel off the wax paper. Let the layers cool completely before frosting.

In a bowl, beat together the cream cheese and butter until mixed, then beat in the sugar. Finally, add the vanilla.

Place one cake layer, bottom side up, on a platter. Spread with frosting, then top with another layer, bottom side down. Repeat with each layer, then spread the remaining frosting smoothly over the top and sides of the cake.

Irish Tea Cake

Ireland, like England, has afternoon tea. (Which is truly a great tradition. We should really do that here...) This tea cake is perfect for an afternoon snack, an after dinner dessert or a brunch. OK, we even had some for breakfast with fresh blueberries. It's just a great cake that is easy to make.

Irish Tea Cake

From AllRecipes.com. This recipe makes one 9" round cake.

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar for dusting (I used a sifter to distribute the powder evenly)


DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9 inch round pan.
In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time then stir in the vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; stir into the batter alternately with the milk. If the batter is too stiff, a tablespoon or two of milk may be added. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes in the preheated oven, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack, then turn out onto a serving plate. Dust with confectioners' sugar right before serving.