When I think of easy and affordable meals, tacos immediately come to mind. Aside from crispy corn or soft flour tortillas, everything else needed to make the Mexican dish can be found around the house on a daily basis. Also helping to keep down the costs is the main ingredient. Ground beef or turkey and chicken are all relatively cheap meats.
The only problem with tacos is that they can get boring if you serve them more than three or four times a month. That’s where the following dishes come in handy. The recipes for Taco Soup, Turkey Tacos and Taco Pizza allow you to enjoy the benefits of an affordable meal without dulling your family’s taste buds.
EASY TACO SOUP
Ingredients:
2 pounds ground beef
1 cup finely diced onion
1 can pinto beans, drained
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
1 (28-ounce) can crushed or diced tomatoes
1 package taco seasoning mix
1 package original hidden valley ranch dressing (dry)
2 cups beef broth
1 cup water
Your favorite taco toppings (cheese, olives, sour cream, lettuce, salsa, etc.)
Tortilla chips
Directions:
Brown ground beef and onions in a large pan, drain off fat.
Add remaining ingredients and simmer for a half hour.
Serve with your favorite taco fixings on top and tortilla chips for dipping.
TURKEY TACOS
Ingredients:
2 pounds lean ground turkey
1/2 medium onion, diced
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
3/4 teaspoons garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
6 (8-inch) flour tortillas
1 cup lettuce, coarsely chopped
1 small tomato, diced
1 avocado, diced
3 tablespoons green onion, diced
1/4 cup sour cream
Directions:
Lightly coat a skillet with cooking spray. Over medium heat, cook ground turkey, onion, garlic, lime juice, and seasonings. When turkey is no longer pink, stir in tomato sauce, bring to a boil, reduce heat and let simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.
Fill tortillas with meat mixture and top with taco toppings.
HEALTHY TACO PIZZA
Ingredients:
1 whole-wheat pizza shell
3/4 cup salsa
1 cup turkey taco meat
1 cup lettuce, shredded
1/2 cup reduced fat cheddar cheese
1/2 cup multi-grain tortilla chips, crumbled
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Heat turkey taco mixture in a pan over medium heat.
On a pre-baked pizza shell, layer salsa, taco meat, lettuce, onions, cheese and chips.
Bake for 15 to 17 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.
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