What's for Dinner? Shredded Beef and Guacamole Tacos!

This week I've been a little busy.  My good friends, Tim and Meredith, are getting married this weekend and I am in the wedding.  So between errands/work for that and doctors appointments to find out that I am having ANOTHER BOY (AHHHHHH!), we've been having really quick and easy meals (none of them too blog-worthy).  But this one was another idea of my friend Angie.  It's so simple because you cook the meat in a crockpot with more of that delicious Frontera Skillet Sauce and you almost have an insti-meal.  Just take a few minutes to chop up some ingredients for the guac, and it really is a simple, good dinner.  If you don't dig on beef, you could probably do this with 3 or so chicken breasts...although I haven't tried it, so don't quote me on it!  :)  Enjoy!

Shredded Beef Tacos
Serves as many as you want it to serve!

1 chuck roast (I used a 2 lb roast and it made enough for probably 10-12 tacos)
1 packet Frontera Taco Skillet Sauce (I used the Chipotle Garlic flavor)
1/2 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
diced tomato
shredded lettuce
shredded cheese
salsa (try my recipe for "Spencer's Salsa" from last month)
Holy Guacamole (recipe to follow)
Sour cream
Flour or corn tortillas

In a crock pot, place chuck roast in and pour Skillet Sauce over top.  Sprinke in onions and garlic.  Cook for 6-8 hours until beef shreds easily with fork.  Shred meat.  Assemble tacos to your liking! 

Holy Guacamole!

Serves 4

2 large ripe avocados, halved and flesh scooped out into medium bowl
1 roma tomato, finely diced
1/4 small red onion, finely diced (eyeball this...don't go too crazy with the onion)
1 large handful of cilantro, chopped
1 clove garlic, pressed through garlic press
1/2 jalapeno, seeded and finely diced
juice from 1/2 lime
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt (fit this to taste)

Mash avocado in bowl to desired consistency (I like mine chunky).  Stir in all other ingredients.  Taste to make sure properly seasoned.  Serve with tortilla chips or on tacos!

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What's for Dinner? Fall(ish) Chili!

It's the first day of September, and when I stepped outside this morning, there was a slight (dare I say) chill in the air!  It felt great and got me really excited for Fall.  So in honor of that, and it being the first night of college football (and Sully's Fantasy Football draft), I decided to make chili tonight (no mind that it ended up at 85 degrees out!).  I think chili is one of those things that is hard to mess up.  You really just throw a bunch of ingredients--whatever you like--in a pot, cook for a couple of hours, and it usually turns out pretty good.  This little concoction I came up with turned out great.  I used lean beef and hot italian sausage for a little kick, but you can use anything from beef to turkey to bison. Just cook for at least 2 hours, and preferably longer, to give it time for the flavors to meld.  You can even do it in the crock pot and set it to cook on low all day.  Be creative! I can't wait for Fall weather (and food), every day!!  Enjoy!

Fall(ish) Chili

Serves 6

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
• 2 stalks celery, finely chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 pound ground beef (can use turkey or bison as well, at any fat level)
• 3/4 pound hot Italian sausage (can use turkey or chicken sausage instead of pork)
• 1 (15 ounce) can chili beans (or you can also use black beans)
• 1 (15 ounce) can dark red kidney beans, drained
• 1 (28 ounce) cans diced or crushed tomatoes with juice
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• ½ cup pureed pumpkin (NOT the pumpkin pie filling)* [this is my mom's secret chili ingredient--adds extra fiber and vitamins, but you can't taste it...promise!]
• 1/2 cup beer
• 2 tbsp powdered beef bouillon (or 2 cubes)
• 2 tbsp chili powder
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• salt & ground black pepper to taste
• shredded cheese (for garnish)
• diced onion or green onion (for garnish)
• sour cream (for garnish) 

In a large stew pot, heat olive oil over medium heat and add onion, celery and peppers.  Saute for 5-7 minutes, until veggies begin to soften.  Add garlic and saute one minute more.  Pour into bowl and set aside.  In same pot add meat and brown over high heat.  Make sure to break up the meat in very small pieces.  When meat is browned, add back in veggies.  Add tomatoes in juice, tomato paste and pumpkin and stir to combine.  Add in beans and beer.  Add all spices.  Reduce heat to simmer and cook for at least 2 hours (the more, the better!).  Garnish with goodies on top (and tastes really good over spaghetti and/or with crushed Fritos on top...ohhhhh, yeah!).

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