Taco Salad

There have been occasions where I have made tacos for dinner just so that I can make taco salad the next day.  I love it so much.  Of course, I could just make the salad without making tacos, but I like tacos too, so it's win-win.  My girlfriends and I actually have an annual taco party where everyone brings different ingredients for the tacos. And each year we always get into a huge discussion about what order the toppings should go on on a taco.  Personally I like meat first, then the cheese so it can melt, then taco sauce, sour cream, lettuce (it needs to be next to the sour cream so that it has something to stick to!), guacamole, and then the tomatoes.  The guacamole keeps the tomatoes on nicely.  And it has to be a hard taco shell, and not the stand-and-stuff because the bottoms break after the first bite.  So...ya, that's my opinion about tacos, how do you like yours made?

So anyhow, back to the salad.  As I said, I usually make mine with leftover taco ingredients, but I will write the recipe for just the salad on it's own.  It's easy and delicious, and a salad that my hubby loves because it's full of beef.  Enjoy!

I forgot to buy avocado, so it's missing:(

Taco Salad
1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 pkg taco seasoning mix*
1 head iceburg lettuce
2 tomatoes
1 avocado
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/2 cup crushed corn chips or tortilla chips or taco shells
1/4 cup taco sauce
1/4 cup French or Catalina  salad dressing
2 tbsp chopped cilantro (optional)

Cook beef and taco seasoning according to package directions.  Shred the lettuce and dice the tomatoes and avocado.  Put into a large bowl with the shredded cheese and crushed chips. Top with the ground beef.  Mix the salad dressing and taco sauce together and pour over salad.  (Only salad dressing can be used if taco sauce is not available.)  Serve with cilantro, if desired.

*The package is for a pound a beef, so just use half:)

Greek Style Potatoes

One of my favourite places to eat in the mall is at Jimmy the Greek.  (Sometimes I go to the mall just for the food court:)  I love their potatoes, salad, and rice, especially since they cover everything in feta cheese and tzaziki sauce ( I always ask for extra).  The potatoes are so moist and flavourful, so I decided to try to replicate them at home.  I looked at a few recipes for Greek potatoes and used ingredients from a couple of them.  They turned out really well, but I think the next time I make them I will drain the liquid and cook them for another 10-15 minutes so that they get a little crispy on the outside.  They were quick to prepare though, and my hubby loved them which is always nice.  I served them with my homemade tzaziki sauce, yum yum.

Greek Style Potatoes

4 large potatoes
1/2 cup water
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tbsp chicken stock powder
pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375F.  Peel and cut potatoes into 4 wedges each.  Place in a baking pan.  Mix remaining ingredients together.  Cover pan with tinfoil and bake for approximately 1 hour, or until cooked through.  For a crispier exterior drain liquid and broil for 5 minutes, turn potatoes, and continue broiling for another 5 minutes.

Quinoa Veggie Burgers with Homemade Tzaziki Sauce

I've been feeling a little guilty about all the creamy pastas and fish and chips I have been eating lately, so I thought I would make some healthier fare this week.  I saw a recipe in Chatelaine Magazine for quinoa burgers and decided to try them out.  The recipe had mushrooms in it, which I just don't like, so I had to change the recipe a bit, but they still turned out amazing.  I served them with yogurt tzaziki sauce and a fresh salad of  lettuce, cucumbers, and tomatoes with some greek-style potatoes on the side.  Everything was so good, and the burgers have a lot of taste to them.  I'm not sure how well they would hold up on a bun, but with a salad they were great.  The tzaziki I made is a sauce I've been making for quite a few years, but I made it healthier by making it with yogurt instead of the sour cream and cream cheese I usually use.  The tzaziki is great as a dip with pita bread and vegetables as well, so it doesn't hurt to double the batch.  If you are not a huge fan of garlic you may want to decrease the amount to one clove as this is a pretty garlicky sauce.

Quinoa Veggie Burgers

2 cups cooked quinoa
1 tbsp + 1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 zucchinis, grated
1 medium carrot, grated
1/2 spanish onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 egg, beaten
3 tbsp instant tapioca
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in large frying pan over medium heat.  Add the vegetables and garlic and cook until soft.  In a large bowl mix the vegetables, quinoa, and remaining ingredients.  Mix well.  Divide mixture into 6 equal amounts and form into patties using hands.  Heat the remaining oil in the frying pan and cook patties until browned on each side, about 4 minutes per side.  Serve topped with tzaziki sauce:

Tzaziki Sauce

1 cup Balkan or Greek Style plain yogurt
1 cucumber
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp lemon juice

Slice cucumber lengthwise and remove seeds.  Grate cucumber and put in a fine mesh strainer to squeeze out the liquid.  Add to yogurt along with remaining ingredients.  Mix well.