I was making myself some coffee, though I swear I'm going to quit (they say caffeine can lead to early miscarriage, so I've sworn off of it in the past. However, these days I don't worry about it as much because when you can't even get pregnant to start, it's not worth worrying over 1 cup of coffee in the morning) and I was thinking about baking today and that I'm craving some Americanized Mexican food. I think I'm going to make Taco Skillet Supper tonight. I found this recipe in a cookbook put out by Herberger's (one of my Salvation Army finds...) and thought it sounded just odd enough to maybe be good, and I tell you what--It's surprisingly good! So I encourage you to look past this rather odd combo to see the flavor potential, and how incredibly easy it is to prepare! I'm not going to promise low fat, gluten free (though you could probably easily convert it), low carb or anything like that, but rather promise a good, hearty, Midwestern Americanized Mexican dish!
1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
1 egg
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup milk
1 pkg. taco seasoning
1 (10.5 oz) can bacon-bean soup
1/2 soup can of water
1 cup grated cheese (cheddar, Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack, or "Mexican" blend cheese)
Chopped tomatoes
Lettuce
Taco chips
Sour cream
Salsa
Mix ground beef, egg, bread crumbs, milk & seasoning together. Shape into patties (about hamburger size or smaller). Brown patties. Mix soup and water and pour over patties. Cook about 15 minutes more or until patties are done. Top with cheese and your favorite toppings. Good served with Mexican rice. Serves 4-6.
When I first made these I made 2 mistakes: 1) I made the patties way too big. I think I got 3 patties out of all that hamburger because the recipe says "serves 4". I think you could easily make 6-8 smaller patties and they'd be more managable and better for leftovers; 2) I tried frying these in a pan that wasn't non-stick and didn't have enough fat so they stuck to the pan like none other because of the egg in the mixture. So make sure to fry these in a non-stick skillet or maybe grill them. I also use only 1 lb of hamburger and just adjust accordingly or use 1/2 lb ground pork!
For a nice side dish, here's approximately how to make Mexican rice. Martha, a Mexican immigrant and good friend of ours from our time living in Wisconsin, once tried to tell me how to make her rice. Here's what I remember with my own American twists and fill-in's to make it work.
Mexican Rice
1 cup long grain white rice
1-2 T. olive oil, corn oil or butter
1/4 cup or more to taste of chopped onion
1/4 cup or more to taste of chopped green pepper
1 glove garlic crushed or a few sprinkles garlic powder
1 small can tomato sauce
2 cups water or chicken broth
Tabasco
Salt
Pepper
Cook onion and pepper in hot oil until tender, adding garlic about half way through. Add rice and cook about 3-5 minutes to get it coated with oil and starting to toast. Add liquid and tomato sauce, season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed. You may need to add a bit more liquid as it cooks. Throw in a couple squirts of Tabasco, and give 'er a mix. This is a simple dish. It's not knock your socks off, but just a simply flavored side. You could add cheese to the top or jalapenos instead of green peppers. Some people might want to add some cumin and/or chili powder for extra kick and flavor. I like it simple. You could also half the tomato sauce if you don't like it so tomatoey.
Well, looks like the rain has eased up a bit. DH has requested my presence at our new house to help him sweep the floor and prepare for insulation Monday. Then it's to town for appliance shopping! I wish I could say I look forward to it, but shopping with a man isnt' my idea of a good time. :)
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