The weather is starting to turn... Which, if you're like us, means you're looking forward to all your cooler weather comforts. Fuzzy sweaters, a mug of coffee or tea or cocoa, and maybe in the not too distant future, even some snow.
When the weather starts to show signs of getting ready for fall, we like to start planning ahead. However, planning for later means figuring up and readying all the little things now - that way, you still have a couple of brain cells left for dealing with whatever other things sneak up on you.
Today's recipe is just as much an introductory meal plan as it is a recipe. We're going to figure out how to feed your crowd tacos on the cheap. Freeze the leftover filling, because next time around, we'll show you how to use exactly the same ingredients to do enchiladas. And as a bonus, for the recipe after that, we'll use the same ingredients to make tostadas. That's three meals in a row designed to use the same things - but without breaking the bank or running back to the store.
It's easy to fall down the rabbit hole of needing every single specialty item for a specific dinner. The real magic of meal planning is that it allows some of the things on the grocery list to do double or triple duty. Once you get this down, you'll be able to make three nights of dinner in one day. That doesn't sound like much... But just wait until you learn to apply it to a holiday dinner.
Ingredients
3 pounds ground beef (we like 80/20)
1 pound dried brown lentils
1 pound carrots
1 yellow onion, diced
1 24-count package corn tortillas
1 15-oz can black beans (or pinto, if you prefer)
3 10-oz cans diced tomatoes and green chilies (use chili-ready tomatoes for less heat)
2 packets taco seasoning*
1 large jar salsa (mild or hot, whatever you like)
4 oz (1/4 pound) cheddar or Monterey jack cheese (reserve the other 3/4 for next recipes)
1/2 head lettuce, chopped
8 oz sour cream
*feel free to sub in any other store-bought or homemade seasoning blend you prefer - or just toss in chili powder, salt, pepper and garlic, if you'd rather keep it simple!
Tools
large pot with lid, slotted spoon, large colander, cheese grater, cutting board, knife, mixing bowls, measuring cup, cooking spray
Pour your dried lentils into the colander, and give them a shake and a rinse. Weed out anything that either isn't actually a lentil (sometimes random debris gets swept up with them) and also anything that looks sad and shriveled. Dump all the good ones into the pot and add enough water to cover them twice over, plop the lid on top and crank up the heat to medium-high. Let them simmer away for at least 20 minutes - we like them to be soft but to still hold their shape. If you cook them much longer than about half an hour, though, they become easier to hide in the final product because they partially dissolve. (Feel free to consider that a picky eater tip, but also a word of caution.)
While your lentils are simmering, rinse out your colander and begin to crack open your canned goods. Pour your beans into the colander and rinse them - this removes the excess dark bean liqueur and prevents it from dyeing the rest of the food icky colors. As they drain, feel free to dump the tomatoes on top of them.
While you're still waiting on your slow-poke lentils (it feels like forever, we know), you can get started with your lettuce. Give it a quick wash and shake off the excess water, then plop it on the cutting board and chop it down to desired size. Set it to the side, since you won't need it for a while yet.
If your onion isn't already diced, this is a good opportunity to take care of that, too. To be honest, we've come to hate onion tears, and now tend to buy the boxes of diced onion in the grocery store cooler case. /lazy
Pick up the cheese grater and grate... the carrots. No, we really aren't kidding. Use the finest grate to shred the whole pound of carrots into a mixing bowl. Then give the grater a quick scrub and shred the cheese into another bowl.
Your lentils should be about done now - test a couple to make sure they're at your chosen level of doneness, and assuming they are, dump them into the colander. Allow them to drain out over the beans and tomatoes but don't rinse.
Preheat your oven to 375. Give your cooking spray a shake and lightly spritz both sides of eight of the corn tortillas. Drape them over the center rack in the oven so that they form a flat surface in the center and both sides are even. (If you're concerned about a mess, there's no reason you couldn't put a sheet of foil on the rack beneath them.) Allow them to heat up along with the oven. Once the oven signals you're at 375, set a timer for ten minutes. At the ten-minute mark, you'll likely be distracted by browning the beef - so it's fine to just turn the oven off and let your taco shells stay warm in there while you finish other tasks.
Put the pot back on the burner and brown up your ground beef in it. Once it's no longer pink, add the carrots and the diced onion and cook a little bit longer. As the onion starts to become translucent, get ready to drain the fat off. Same colander. Yes, for real. And yes, we know the colander is looking pretty full here; there's a reason we specified a large one. Remember you're batch cooking for three meals, so it's bound to look like a lot. It is a lot.
Pour everything from the colander back into the pot. Add eight to ten ounces of water to it, then pour in your packets of taco seasoning (or homemade seasoning) and stir thoroughly to make sure all your powdery ingredients dissolve. Allow it to simmer on medium-low, uncovered, for eight to ten minutes, stirring occasionally.
Pull your taco shells and stand them up on a plate - one of the big benefits of making your own is that they come out flat-bottomed and can stand up on their own! - to fill. Use a slotted spoon to transfer filling from the pot to the shells. Top with salsa, cheese, lettuce and a dollop of sour cream, and serve. Remember to refrigerate your remaining toppings
Once you're done enjoying your meal, the filling should have had some time to cool. Divide the remaining filling into two-gallon size ziploc bags, label them and drop them in the freezer. Come back next week to learn how to make it into something else!
Let us know what you thought over on our Facebook page, or in the comments below.
If you’re here because your freezer isn’t keeping things on ice, you can call us at ((214) 599-0055) or schedule an appointment via our contact page. We’re always here to help.