Rotel makes Homemade Tacos Great!

Tonight's Recipe: Homemade Tacos

This homemade taco meat is very simple and can be the base of a multitude of meals. I think Rotel is available nearly everywhere these days, but if you can't find it in your grocery, let me know. I am pretty sure my sister told me it's hard to find in the Bay Area, but she might just mean at her local grocery. That led to her receiving a case of Rotel and a 3 pack of 2% milk Velveeta, the staples of the best queso. I don't think I could make it through football season without queso. Lack of access to Rotel may in fact cause, seasonal depression, headaches, cravings, road rage, insensitivity, hostility towards strangers, poor success in sporting events. Look into it and stock up. It's like skipping black-eyed peas on New Years Day, only Rotel must properly be consumed at least every 10 days to prevent withdrawal symptoms.

1.3 lb ground turkey

3/4 large white onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

cumin

kosher salt

fresh ground pepper

Rotel

16 oz water

taco shells

tomatoes

corn

olives, sliced

grated cheese

Brown turkey in a saute pan on medium high heat. When browned, move turkey to one side of pan and add onions. Saute until soft, then stir turkey and onions. Add garlic, saute 2 minutes more. Shake ground cumin over surface turkey mixture until lightly covered. Sprinkle with 1/2 tsp salt and pepper. Pour can of rotel and juices over turkey mixture and add water. Stir and simmer until nearly all the liquid has evaporated.

Spoon mixture into prepared taco shells and top with corn, olives, cheese and tomatoes. Green onions, black beans, sour cream, and slivered lettuce make nice additional toppings.

Lasagna love

Tonight's Recipe: Homemade Lasagna

Lasagna is another recipe that's great for sharing. Making 2 isn't really any more work than making one. Plus, you can pre-make it, then leave it in the fridge for up to 48 hours then cook or freeze it up to 2 months, then cook. It's comforting food that reminds you of friends and love. My friend, Marti, made me a lasagna once and I never gave her pan back. It's okay, cause she had another one and she said I could keep it, but really, up until that pan, I never made homemade lasagna, just the store bought kind. Sometimes all it takes is the right pan. Of course, now I make mine in glass because I like to see the sides during the cooking process. Umm, Marti? Do you want your pan back, it's only been 5 years? : )

We've nearly quit using ground beef and switched over to turkey. We started in the interest of forming lifetime healthy food habits. The reason I've gone with the change in traditional dishes like lasagna is that I think the quality of ground beef and ground chuck, have gone seriously downhill. I don't have an explanation, but the ground beef and chuck our groceries are carrying seems truly poor quality. Feel free to make this with ground beef or chuck, if you can find good quality!

2 lbs. ground turkey

3 28 oz. cans of crushed tomatoes

1 tbsp tomato paste

2 tsps bacon grease

1 tsp sugar

2 tsps kosher salt

fresh ground pepper

5 cloves roasted garlic

Oven ready lasagna strips

3 cups Mozzarella cheese, shredded

16 oz. Ricotta cheese

1 egg

1 tsp dried oregano

3 tbsps fresh grated Parmesan, plus an additional 2 tbsps

Brown turkey in a saute pan over medium high heat. Drain. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, bacon grease, sugar, salt, and pepper. Cook on lowest heat for an hour.

Meanwhile, heat an oven to 325. Place a whole garlic on a cookie sheet and brush with olive oil. Roast in oven 45 minutes, until soft and squishy. Pull off five cloves, and remove papers. Crush to a paste in a bowl, then add to meat sauce.

Cook on low another 15 minutes.

Cover the bottom of a 9 x 13 glass pan with a thin layer of meat sauce. Place 3 lasagna pieces cross wise. Coat in ricotta cheese mixture. Cover with another thin layer of meat sauce. Sprinkle the surface with shredded mozzarella cheese. Place 3 more lasagna pieces, then repeat. Repeat a third time but with no additional ricotta. Also sprinkle the top layer with more freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Either cover and refrigerate for up to 48 hours, or bake in a 350 degree oven immediately. Cook 45 minutes, unless it's not bubbly, then continue cooking. Remove from oven, let stand 10 minutes and serve.