When I met Michael, there was one thing he could cook. He called it “Michael’s Famous Tacos”. Eventually I took over the taco making in our house because it was excruciating to see how long it took him to prepare the ingredients. There are three things he is still in charge of though: Grating the cheese, cooking the homemade taco shells and assembling them.
Like most of us, Michael grew up eating home made tacos with prepackaged taco shells. However, during his college days, he learned from his friend, Adrian, how to make his own homemade taco shells.
Baking Tortillas for Homemade Taco Shells
Lay out the tortillas on a cookie sheet and grate some cheese on them. Put them into a preheated 350 degree oven for about 12 minutes. They should be crispy, but still pliable enough to bend them.
The Meat
We used ground turkey here, but it could be whatever kind of meat you choose. Michael used to use a packaged seasoning mix, but I prefer to create my own. After browning the meat, I add to it:
- salt
- garlic powder
- dried minced onion
- cumin
- paprika
- smoked paprika
- cayenne pepper
- oregano
The Salad Mix
- romaine
- tomatoes
- green onions
- cilantro
- avocado
Of course you can still make tacos without all these ingredients. Use what you have. After crushing some garlic with salt in my mortar, I whisk in these ingredients:
- lime juice or vinegar of some kind
- olive oil
- salsa
For tostadas, you would bake the tortillas about 5 minutes longer.
Got any meat left over? Toss it into a salad the next day along with some rice or beans for a satisfying lunch. Make some dressing by crushing in your mortar and mixing together:
- garlic
- salt
- coriander
- lime juice
- olive oil
- salsa
Got more soft tortillas? Make fajitas. See Use Your Head, Plan Ahead.
Okay! So you are putting Mike to work on this dish. 😃