Taco Bar

This is an overly-complicated recipe for a "simple" taco bar, using rice, beans, ground beef & a vegetarian equivalent.  It is not actually very complicated, once you understand what to do.  Please remember that tacos are delicious and extremely filling, and that it is recommended to have as much kitchen cleaning done as possible prior to starting your meal.  You won't want to clean up afterwards.

Shopping List:

Fresh Produce

Spices

Packaged Goods

2 medium yellow onions

2 red/orange bell peppers

1 poblano pepper

4-5 tomatoes

1 bunch scallions

1-2 avocadoes

~6 medium cloves garlic

Cumin

Ancho Chili Powder

Oregano

Tumeric

Coriander

Salt

Pepper

4 15oz cans Black Beans

1 can chilis in Adobo

1 jar sofrito

1 jar salsa

Meats

Dairy

Dry

1.5 - 2lbs Ground Beef

1.5 - 2lbs Mixed Vege Beef

Monterey Jack Cheese

Pepper Jack Cheese

Cheddar Cheese

Sour Cream

1 box Saffron Rice

Masa Harina

Cooking Time: 2.5hr

Instructions:

If more than two people are cooking: have one person work entirely on cooking tortillias, as they take as long  to make as everything else put together.

If only one person is involved in preparing food, just use store-bought flour tortillias.  This is a very sad option, but unavoidable.

@2.5hr to dinner

Prepare a double recipe of Masa tortillia dough and cover.

@ 2hrs to dinner:

Chop onions, bell peppers, poblano peppers, scallions, and canned chilis, (and garlic, if using fresh).

Measure ingredients into mise en place as listed below (yes, I know it's a lot of bowls.)

If making tortillias: begin preparing & cooking tortillias on two skillets on stovetop.  Continue pressing/cooking tortillias for remaining 2 hrs.

mise en place

For Beans:

For Meat:

For Vege Meat:

Garlic

(Added /w oil)

(cooked just as oil heats)

1tbsp + 2tsp garlic, minced

(+~3tbsp olive oil)

1 + 1/2tsp garlic, minced

(+~2tbsp olive oil)

1tsp garlic, minced

(+1/4 cup olive oil)

Onions

(Added First)

(Mid Heat: cook 1-2 min)

Cook until translucent

1 medium onion (~ __ cup), diced

1/2 medium onion (~__ cup), minced

1/2 medium onion (~__ cup), minced

Vegetables

(Added Second)

(Mid-H Heat: cook 2-3 min)

Cook until softened/browned

1  bell peppers (~4/3 cup), diced

1/2 poblano pepper (~2/3 cup), diced

3 Scallions, diced

1/4 bell pepper (~1/3 cup), diced

1 scallion, diced

1/4 bell pepper (~1/3 cup), diced

1 scallion, diced

Sauces

(Added Third)

(Mid-H Heat: cook 30 seconds)

Cook until fragrant

1/2 canned chili, minced

(+1/2 tsp adobo)

3 tbsp sofrito

3 tomatoes (~1 cup), diced

3/8 canned chili, minced

1/8 canned chili, minced

2 tsp sofrito

Spices

(Added Third)

(Mid-H Heat: cook 30 seconds)

Cook until fragrant

1tbsp + 1tsp cumin

1/2tsp (scant) coriander

1tbsp +1 tsp Ancho chili powder

1/2tsp tumeric

1tbsp oregano

3/4 tsp salt

2tbsp cumin

1 1/2tsp Ancho chili powder

1tsp oregano

1/4tsp tumeric

1/4 tsp salt

1tbsp + 2tsp cumin

1tsp Ancho chili powder

1tsp oregano

1/4tsp tumeric

1/4 tsp salt

Main Ingredient

Cook as directed

4 15oz cans Black Beans

2lbs ground beef

1.5lbs mixed vege meat

@ 1.5hr to dinner:

Set 1 pack of saffron rice to cook over low heat

In a medium-sized saucepan, begin heating olive oil and garlic for beans.  Add onions when garlic begins to smell fragrant, and continue to add ingredients and cook as listed above.  Allow beans to simmer lightly on stovetop.

@.5hr to dinner

Remove rice & beans from stovetop.  In separate skillets, heat olive oil and garlic for meat and vege-meat.  Add onions when garlic begins to smell fragrant, and continue to add ingredients and cook as listed above.  Cook just until meat is medium-well, or vege meat becomes tender.

Slice or dice Avocado and Tomato for serving as desired.

Grate monterey jack, pepper jack, and cheddar cheeses as desired, and mix.

Reccomended proportions:

1/2 c Monterey Jack

1/4 c Pepper Jack

1/3 c Cheddar

@10m to dinner

Remove tortillia skillets from stove, and add beans & rice pots for re-heating.  Prepare sour cream, salsa, avocado, tomato, cheese mix, taco meat, vege meat, beans, rice, and tortillias for serving.

Alternate Ingredient List

Ingredients:

1 box Saffron Rice (cook on its own)

4 cans Black Beans (cook /w bean ingredients)

2 lbs ground beef (cook /w meat ingredient mix)

1.5 lbs vege meats (cook /2 meat ingredient mix)

1/2 cup Monterey Jack Cheese

1/4 cup Pepper Jack Cheese

1/2 cup Cheddar Cheese

1-2 avocadoes (for serving)

1-2 tomatoes (for serving)

Sour cream (for serving)

Salsa (for serving)

Taco Bean Ingredient Mix

Meat Ingredient Mix (for 2lbs)

Vege Ingredient Mix (for 1.5lbs)

Vegetable Ingredients

~3tbsp olive oil

1 medium onion (~ __ cup), diced

1 1/2 bell peppers (~__ cup), diced

1/2 poblano pepper (~__ cup), diced

3 tomatoes (~__ cup), diced

3 Scallions (~__ cup), diced

1/2 canned chili, minced

(+1/2 tsp adobo)

3 tbsp sofrito

1tbsp + 2tsp garlic, minced

~2tbsp olive oil

1/2 medium onion (~__ cup), minced

1/4 bell pepper (~__ cup), diced

1 scallion (~__ cup), diced

1/4 canned chili, minced

(+1/4 tsp adobo)

1tsp garlic

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 medium onion (~__ cup), minced

1/4 bell pepper (~__ cup), diced

1 scallion (~__ cup), diced

1/4 canned chili, minced

(+1/4 tsp adobo)

2 tsp sofrito

1tsp garlic

Spice Mixes

__tbsp cumin

1tsp (scant) coriander

1tbsp Ancho chili powder

1/2tsp tumeric

2tsp oregano

1/2tsp salt

__tbsp cumin

1tsp Ancho chili powder

1tsp oregano

1/4tsp tumeric

Salt to taste

__tbsp cumin

1tsp Ancho chili powder

1tsp oregano

1/4tsp tumeric

Salt to taste