Tasty Thursday - Taco Cups

The other day I wanted to make Mexican but I couldn't decide if I wanted one of my favorites, taco salad or if I wanted tacos.  So I decided to try to make 2 meals out of one and it turned out perfectly.  I had enough meat and beans leftover for my salad for the following days dinner.  I think I'll be making these for Super Bowl Sunday.

Ingredients
1 lb ground beef/turkey/chicken (we use turkey in our house)
1 taco seasoning packet
1 can black beans (warm)
3 Large soft tortilla shells
shredded cheese

Toppings Ideas
Salsa
Tomato
Shredded Lettuce
Sour Cream
Avocado
Onion
Jalapeno

Directions
Cook ground turkey and add taco seasoning as instructed on packet.  Once, taco meat is finished take each of the tortilla shells and cut them into quarters by using a pizza cutter and cut a cross so you'll have triangle shaped shells.  Pop these in the microwave for 10 seconds and mold into a muffin pan.  Sprinkle a small amount of cheese into each cup, layer with about a teaspoon of black beans then with taco meat, sprinkle a small amount of cheese on top.  Bake at 350 for approximately 15 minutes.  Allow to cool for a few minutes and then add toppings you prefer.

This will make 12 taco cups however, remember I had enough meat & beans leftover for 2 large taco salads so you could use all the meat & beans and turn it into 24 taco cups.  I wish I would have done this prior to Addie's birthday party because this would have been great for a taco bar type set up and is super easy to make ahead of time.

An Early Tasty Thursday – Chick-fil-A Nuggets & Homemade French Fries

If you know me at all you know I love me some Chick-fil-a.  It’s bad they finally opened a free standing restaurant close to my office.  I’ve been at the restaurant once a week since they’ve opened a couple months back. My wallet and waistline are taking a beating.  When I saw the recipe for the nuggets and fries on Pinterest I knew I had to try it out.  So here are the recipes along with any variations I made and some tasty looking pictures.

Chick-fil-a Nuggets

Ingredients

2 skinless and boneless chicken breasts (cube chicken into bite sized pieces)
1 cup milk
1 egg
1 1/4 cups flour
2 TBSP powdered sugar
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
oil (again I used EVOO, peanut would be best)

Directions

In a medium bowl whisk the egg and stir in the milk. Place chicken in milk mixture and cover. Let it 'marinate' for 2-4 hours in the fridge. This will make the chicken very nice and tender. In a gallon size resealable bag combine flour, powdered sugar, salt and pepper. Seal and shake to combine. Place about 2 inches of oil in a medium deep pot. Over medium high heat (more towards the high side) heat oil until hot. If using a thermometer let the temperature reach 375°. If you don't have a fancy gadget like most people, I always test my oil by dropping a few drops of water into it. You want it to sizzle and not pop too much. Adjust your heat if necessary. Using a fork or tongs remove cut chicken from milk mixture and place in the flour mixture. Seal and shake until nuggets are completely coated. Place about a 6-8 nuggets into hot oil and let them cook until golden brown, turning half way through once the edge of your chicken starts to turn white. About 1 minute each side. Remove and drain on a paper towel.

Homemade French Fries

Ingredients:

3 russet potatoes (about 24 oz. total), peeled and cut lengthwise into even sized wedges
5 tbsp. oil (I used EVOO – peanut would probably be best)
¾ tsp. kosher salt, plus more to taste
¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste


Directions:
Preheat the oven to 475˚ F.  Place the potato wedges in a large mixing bowl.  Cover with hot water; soak for 10-30 minutes.  Put 4 tablespoons of the oil onto a heavy, rimmed baking sheet.  Tilt the sheet side to side to evenly coat the pan with oil (a pastry brush can also help with this).  Sprinkle the pan evenly with the salt and pepper.  Set aside.


Drain the potatoes.  Spread the wedges out on layers of paper towels or on clean kitchen towels.  Pat dry with additional towels.  Wipe out the now empty bowl so it is dry.  Return the potatoes to the bowl and toss with the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil.  Arrange the potato wedges on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer.  Cover tightly with foil and bake for 5 minutes.  Remove the foil and continue to bake until the bottoms of the potatoes are spotty golden brown, 15-20 minutes, rotating the baking sheet after 10 minutes.  Using a metal spatula and tongs, flip each potato wedge keeping them in a single layer.  Continue baking until the fries are golden and crisp, 5 -15 minutes.  Rotate the pan as needed to ensure even browning.