As I mentioned in an earlier post, my husband and I really enjoy Mexican food. This turkey taco recipe is a favorite of ours! It comes from Rachel Ray’s 365: No Repeats cookbook. While I am not a fan of her show, some of Rachel’s recipes are quite tasty and easy to whip up in a short amount of time. This meal can actually be prepared within 30 minutes, making it a perfect weeknight meal. These turkey tacos are delicious on their own, or with beans and rice. Of course, a margarita is always a welcome addition.

I have changed very little from the original recipe. In fact, my only modification is that I omit raisins. According to a site note in the cookbook, the raisins “help keep the meat moist and balance the spice,” but I’ve never bothered with them. The resulting turkey taco meat, seasoned according to the original recipe, is flavorful and moist. I like using ground turkey when I cook for two reasons: 1) It’s much cheaper than ground beef and 2) It’s a healthier option. My guests are usually surprised to find that this tasty recipe contains turkey and not the standard ground beef.

Enjoy!

Turkey Tacos

Yields 4 servings (2 tacos per serving)

1 package super-size taco shells (I like the Ortega Stand ‘n Stuff)
1 package (approx 1 1/3 lbs) ground turkey
salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tsp poultry seasoning
3 garlic cloves, chopped or pressed
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp cumin
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 cup tomato sauce (I use a single 8 oz. can of plain sauce)

Shredded cheese, shredded romaine lettuce, diced tomatoes and salsa for garnish.

1) Heat taco shells in oven according to package directions.
2) Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the turkey and break up the meat.
3) Season the meat with salt, pepper and poultry seasoning.
4) When the meat is nearly browned, add the garlic, onions, chili powder and cumin.
5) Cook for 5 minutes, or until the onions are soft, then stir in the stick.
6) Stir in the tomato sauce and simmer over low heat for 5 minutes.
7) Fill taco shells with meat sauce and top with desired garnish.

Since our evening was quite busy, my husband and I opted to have appetizers for dinner. We both love Mexican food. It’s tasty, fun to make and pairs perfectly with a yummy margarita. We decided that quesadillas would be a quick, filling appetizer-for-dinner.

I adapted this recipe from the “Black Bean Quesadilla” recipe in Favorite Brand Name Mexican. My husband bought this cookbook for my birthday, and I love it. Not only does it contain quite a variety of recipes, but it’s well-organized and chock full of lovely photos. I really like to see picture of what I’m making.

The original recipe does not include corn and only calls for 1/2 cup of black beans. Adding the corn and doubling the amount of beans makes for a very filling quesadilla. I also increased the amount of cheese by about 1/4 of a cup, because I like cheesy quesadillas. Extra cheese also helps to hold things together.

This is not a recipe that needs to be followed carefully. Have fun changing proportions and switching up ingredients to include your favorite mix of flavors!

Black Bean and Corn Quesadillas

Cooking spray
4 8-inch flour tortillas
1 cup shredded cheese (cheddar or Mexican blend are perfect)
1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup corn (if using frozen, thaw first)
2 green onions with tops, sliced
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tbsp dried cilantro
salsa and sour cream for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spray large nonstick baking sheet with cooking spray. Place two tortillas on baking sheet.
2. Combine beans, corn, green onions, cumin and cilantro in a small bowl; mix lightly.
3. Spoon corn and bean mixture onto tortillas. Sprinkle cheese over mixture.
4. Top with remaining tortillas and coat tops with cooking spray.
5. Bake 10-12 minutes or until cheese is melted and tortillas are lightly browned.
6. Cut each quesadilla into 6 wedges. Top with salsa and sour cream, if desired.