Smash Dumpling Tacos

Cooked smash-burger style, these Smash Dumpling Tacos are an easy way to enjoy homemade dumplings without the painstaking chore of wrapping them.

Ingredients:

28 dumpling wrappers 

1 lb ground pork

2 tbsps minced garlic

2 tsps minced ginger

1/4 cup chopped green onion

4 tsps rice vinegar

1/4 cup soy sauce

pepper to taste

vegetable oil for cooking

sesame seeds and green onion slices to garnish

Sauce:

1/4 cup soy sauce

4 tsps rice vinegar

1 tsp chili crisp oil 

Combine the sauce ingredients and set aside. Mix the ground pork, garlic, ginger, chopped green onion, rice vinegar, soy and pepper together. This can be done early in the day and refrigerated for the flavours to meld. Lay the dumpling wrappers out on a counter. Take 1 tbsp of meat mixture, form a ball then press or smash onto the wrapper. Prepare all the dumplings stacking them between sheets of wax paper. Heat oil in a frying pan or griddle to medium. Place the dumplings pork side down on the pan and fry 1-2 minutes. Flip them over then fold over like a taco and cook another 1-2 minutes until crisped.

Serve with dipping sauce on the side and topped with sesame seeds and sliced green onions. Makes 28 or enough for about 4 servings.

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Beef and Black Bean Skillet

This one pan dinner is like Taco Tuesday without the taco! 

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef

1 onion, diced

1/2 red bell pepper, diced

2-3 tbsps taco seasoning (store bought or homemade)

1 cup rice

1 cup canned diced tomatoes

1 - 19 oz can black beans, drained

1 1/2 cups water or beef broth

1 cup kernel corn

1 cup shredded (Jalapeño) Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese

1/4 cup diced green pepper

sour cream to garnish

Link to the recipe for easy homemade taco seasoning:

https://hotandcoldrunningmom.blogspot.com/2016/05/homemade-taco-seasoning.html

In a large skillet, cook the ground beef, onion and red bell pepper until there is no pink remaining in the beef. Then add the taco seasoning (you should really try the homemade one!), rice, diced tomatoes, black beans, water or broth and corn. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the rice is tender. Top with cheese and cover 2-3 minutes to melt the cheese.

Plate and top with sour cream and diced green pepper. This one is going on repeat!

Serves 6

Adapted from: closetcooking.com

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Oven Baked Tacos

If you don't like a messy, crumbly taco then these double decker tacos are for you. Crunchy shells wrapped in corn tortillas to hold everything together! For best results make these right before dinnertime and serve immediately. 

Ingredients:

2 kale leaves, chopped well

1 lb ground beef

1 tsp onion powder

1 cup diced red pepper

2 tbsps taco seasoning, store bought or homemade, see note below)

a few drops of Tabasco sauce

6 hard taco shells

6 - 6" soft corn tortillas

1/2 cup refried beans

1 cup salsa, divided

1 - 1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese

Place the chopped kale in a saucepan with a little bit of water. Bring to a boil then turn off the heat. Once the kale has wilted, drain and squeeze out the water with your hands.  Set aside.

Brown beef and red pepper in a skillet then add onion powder and taco seasoning. Cook for 3-4 minutes, then add the kale and 1/2 cup salsa. Heat through.

Now to assemble... I used these Stand and Stuff Ranch Blasted taco shells (I really didn't taste much difference from plain shells). Take a soft corn tortilla spread with refried beans and wrap it around a hard shell.

Divide the filling in 6 portions and spoon into the hard shell. Stand it in the baking dish. When they are all stuffed top them with shredded cheese.

Bake at 375°F for 15-20 minutes.

Then add your favourite taco toppings like more salsa, chopped lettuce, diced tomatoes or sour cream. But my all time favourite to add is CAESAR salad dressing! For real!

Serve with a side of rice and peas and you're good to go!

NOTE: Homemade Taco Seasoning link here 🠋

https://hotandcoldrunningmom.blogspot.com/2016/05/homemade-taco-seasoning.html

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Taco Enchiladas

When you're feeling like enchiladas but it's Taco Tuesday ... 

Ingredients:

2 tsps taco seasoning, store bought or homemade

1 lb beef/pork mix

2 cups salsa, store bought or homemade

1/2 cup kernel corn, canned or frozen (or fresh of course!)

1/2 cup black beans

1 large onion, diced

1/2 red bell pepper, diced

1/2 - 1 jalapeño, finely chopped

2 cups shredded monterey jack cheese

8 - 6" tortillas

Your favourite taco toppings: tomato, cucs, lettuce, refried beans, sour cream

Brown the beef/pork and onion in a large skillet, breaking up the ground meat. Add the bell pepper and jalapeño and cook until the meat is cooked through. Add taco seasoning, corn, black beans and 1/2 cup salsa. Remove from heat and add 1 cup cheese.

Spread 1/2 cup of salsa in the bottom of a 13 X 9 baking dish. Divide the meat mixture into 8 portions and fill tortillas, placing them seam side down in the dish.

Pour the remaining salsa over the top and cover with cheese. Oil a piece of foil and cover the dish.

Bake in a 375°F oven for 20 minutes, then uncover and return to the oven for another 10 minutes. Serve with bowls of diced tomato, chopped lettuce, etc. so everyone can top their taco enchiladas the way they like it!

And if you'd like to make either homemade taco seasoning or salsa then here are the links to the recipes:

https://hotandcoldrunningmom.blogspot.com/2016/05/homemade-taco-seasoning.html

https://hotandcoldrunningmom.blogspot.com/2018/09/homemade-salsa.html

Follow hotandcoldrunningmom on Pinterest. You can scan the pincode seen here with your phone if you're on a desktop. If you're on a phone just screenshot it, go to the Pinterest app, click camera. Then instead of taking a pic use the option to use one of your photos. Click on the screenshot you just took and go right to my Pinterest profile where you can follow me 🙂

Vegetarian (ish) Tacos

My first attempt at cooking with tofu was a success! However, full disclosure, this dish was cooked with part tofu/part pork to ease into tofu only. Next time I make it... full on tofu only, it was delicious! 

Ingredients:

1/2 lb shredded firm tofu

1 lb ground pork (or just use 1 1/2 lbs tofu, no meat)

1 tbps vegetable oil

1 tbsp sodium reduced soya sauce

1 tbsp taco seasoning (see below for  homemade recipe link)

1/3 cup diced red onion

1 cup salsa

2 tbsps taco seasoning

1/2 cup kidney beans

8 soft whole wheat tortillas

8 crunchy taco shells

2 cups shredded (jalapeño) cheddar

1/4 cup (roasted red pepper) hummus (see below for recipe link)

Toppings: lettuce, tomato, cucumber, sour cream, salsa, black olives

To prepare the tofu simply pat it dry with a paper towel and grate on a box grater. Mix 1 tbsp vegetable oil, 1 tbsp soya sauce and 1 tbsp taco seasoning and toss with the tofu to coat. Spread out on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake at 350°F for 28-30 minutes, tossing halfway through. Set aside.

In a large skillet brown the pork then add the red onion to soften. Stir in the tofu, 1 cup of salsa, kidney beans and the remaining taco seasoning.

Note: If using only tofu (no pork) increase the soya sauce to 2-3 tbsps, the veg oil to 3 tbsps and use the 3 tbsps of taco seasoning in the tofu.

Lay a soft tortilla out and spread lightly with hummus (regular or roasted red pepper). Place a taco shell in the center and fill with taco mixture.

Repeat with all the tortilla/tacos and stand in a greased 13 X 9" baking dish. Top with cheese.

Bake at 375°F for 15-20 minutes.

Here's the before pic 🠋

and the after pic 🠋

Load on your favourite toppings and serve!

I added a side of Mexican rice.

Serves 8

Homemade Taco Seasoning:

https://hotandcoldrunningmom.blogspot.com/2016/05/homemade-taco-seasoning.html

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus:

https://hotandcoldrunningmom.blogspot.com/2021/07/roasted-red-pepper-hummus.html

Baked Double Decker Tacos

This makes 6 soft and crunchy beef tacos for Taco Tuesday or anyday. The soft tortilla holds everything together making these the least-messy tacos you've ever eaten!

1 lb lean ground beef
1/3 cup diced onion
2 tbsps diced celery
2 cups salsa
4 tbsps taco seasoning
1/2 can refried beans
6 medium-sized whole wheat soft tortillas
6 crunchy taco shells
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup hummus

Brown beef along with the onion and celery in a skillet. Drain if needed, then add 1 cup of the salsa and 3 tbsps of taco seasoning.

Warm the refried beans and add the remaining 1 tbsp of taco seasoning.

Lay the soft tortillas out on your work surface. Spread the refried beans on half of each tortilla. Spread hummus on the other half.

Stand the taco shells up in the middle and fill with the beef mixture.

Wrap the soft tortilla up onto the taco shell and sit in an 11 X 8" baking dish that has been prepared with cooking spray.

Top with cheese and bake in a 375 F oven for 15-20 minutes.

Serve with the remaining salsa, sour cream and chopped lettuce, tomato, red pepper and cucumbers.