Farm Fresh Taco Night
Keep taco night fresh & creative with a collection of farm fresh seasonal toppings and flavors.
Adapted from Taste of Home & Allrecipes
As busy farmers and parents we love a quick and easy week day dinner plan, not much is easier than taco night! Especially when it’s set up as a build your own taco bar and most of the ingredients can be found on the farm/in the farm stand on a Summer’s day.
What to Include on Your Taco Bar
Shells: Include your favorite taco shells - like hard corn shells, soft corn or flour shells, and/or lettuce cups. If you have extra time, here’s how to make homemade tortillas.
Protein: We love ‘taco seasoned’ thempe, tofu, refried pinto beans, black beans, pork, chicken, beef, fish or shell fish. Any thing goes! We generally have a type of beans and another protein choice on the bar. Taco seasoning recipe below.
Toppings: Here’s the really fun part! Get creative and dress up your bar with shredded cheddar or pepper-jack cheese, Cotija cheese, sour cream and heap of in season veggies and herbs - shredded lettuce and/or red cabbage, thin sliced radishes, black olives, chopped cilantro, shiso & green onions, diced onion, pickled onions or jalapeños, thin sliced radishes, sliced fresh jalapenos, and sliced and/or grilled bell, sweet or poblano pepper.
Sauces and salsas: Now for the flavor boosters. Have limes for squeezing, homemade guacamole and a variety of hot sauces and salsas into small bowls. Here is an easy Fresh Salas & a Shisito Pepper Sauce recipe to play with.
Taco Seasoning
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon ground paprika
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
*Mix all the spices together in a bowl. Use immediately or store in an airtight container.
**Best if spice mix is tempered by heated in oil on the pan before adding in protein of choice.
***Add a 8oz of tomato sauce when cooking chicken or shedded beef.
Assembling your tacos
Start with a shell.
Add a protein or two.
Top your protein - we like to put the chesse right on top of the warm protein to melt it a bit.
Now drizzle on the sauces and salsas.
Grab a napkin & enjoy!
Notes
When short on time we love Amy’s Organic Vegetarian Refried Beans
Warm up your taco shells in a 200F oven or toaster oven. Keep then in there till your ready to assemble them.
Don't overload your taco, focus on balancing flavors and textures with simple, small components and fresh garnishes
A layer of sour cream or guacamole applied directly onto the tortilla will create a moisture barrier, acting as a protection from the ever-dreaded sog and helping prevent breakage. Ain't no shame in adding them atop your filling, too!
More tips from Allrecipes here
