HAPPY NEW YEAR EZ Meals readers! I cannot believe its 2010 … time has flown! AND what better way to start off the year than with a super EZ  one pot meal?! My ground beef and potato tostadas are a hearty meal that will satisfy your hunger without breaking the bank.

GROUND BEEF & POTATO TOSTADA

Servings: +4

Ingredients:

2 potato diced [any type will do]
1 small onion minced
2 large garlic cloves minced
1lb lean ground sirloin
1 chile chipotle with adobo sauce
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 8oz tomato sauce can
2 tbsp cooking oil
salt + pepper

Directions:

1. Heat oil in large skillet, once oil is hot add diced potatoes. Cook potatoes until translucent, about 8-12min. Then add onion and garlic, cook for another 2-5 min until onion is translucent and garlic is toasted.

2. Add ground sirloin to potatoes, break up sirloin as it cooks.

3. Add tomato sauce, paste and chipotle to the meat and potatoes, lower heat to a simmer and cook until sauce thicken slightly.

4.  Scoop meat and potatoes over tostada* and top with sour cream if desired.  ENJOY!

* Ground sirloin and potatoes can also be served alone or in tortillas, even over a salad!

CARNITAS RE-VISITED

Servings: 3

This is my 2nd attempt at carnitas, my first attempt was delicious BUT it was missing the crunch! So I did some research and found an easy way to make street like carnitas without frying them! The result?! SUCCESS trust me when I say that these carnitas are crunch-tastic!

Ingredients:

-CARNITAS-

3lb pork shoulder  [aka pork butt]

12 corn tortillas

1 white onion chopped

3 garlic cloves, peeled

3 tbsp. tomato paste

2 bay leaves

1 tbsp. salt

1.5 tbsp. cumin

1 tbsp. oregano

1 liter stock or broth [chicken, beef or vegetable]

water

Garnish: minced onion and cilantro

-GREEN SALSA-

1/2 lb. peeled green tomatillos milperos

4 serrano peppers

1 tbsp. oil

salt

Garnish: chopped cilantro

Directions:

1.  Place all of  the carnitas dry ingredients in a large dutch oven.

2. Pour liter of stock over dry ingredients then add water to just to cover meat.

3. Bring ingredients to bubbling simmer then cover pot and  lower heat to lowest setting, braise for 3 hours until fork tender.

4.  Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Take braised pork out of the pot; season [generously with salt] and shred over sheet pan, I covered it with aluminum to make clean up easier

5. Cook pork until the edges are golden brown and crispy about 20-25minutes. Take this time to make the delicious green salsa!

6. SALSA RECIPE:

• cut tomatillos + peppers in half
• heat large sautee pan over medium heat, add oil
• place tomatillos + peppers in hot pan
• cover with lid or plate
• sautee for 10-15 minutes until tomatillos are soft and turned a dull green
• take ingredients from pan to blender
• pulse until ingredients reach your desireed consistency, I like my salsa smooth
• pour into serving bowl and season [with salt only!!!]
• garnish with cilantro
• RETURN to CARNITAS!

7. Your carnitas should be golden brown and crispy! Take carnitas out of the oven and onto a cutting board, chop or shred that beauty!

8. Heat your tortillas over a hot skillet and prepare tacos! Place a heaping serving of carnitas onto warm tortilla and garnish with salsa, onions, and cilantro as desired!

EZ TACO SALAD

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

1 lb. quality ground beef

1/2 white onion

3 vine ripe tomatos

2 tbsp. corn oil

2 tsp. minced garlic

salt + pepper

1 [15oz] can of beans [your favorite variety]

4 flour tortillas, burrito size

Seasoning:

2 tbsp. tomato paste

1 tbsp. worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. smoked paprika

Toppings:

1/4 lettuce

1 beef steak tomato

1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

sour cream

Directions:

1. Prepare taco shells:

• Preheat oven to 450
• Spray each tortilla with cooking spray [both sides]
• Place tortilla over small oven proof container, as shown -OR- make a ball the size of your fist with aluminum paper and place tortilla over ball
• Cook for 8-10 minutes

2.  Prepare meat as shown  in Ground Beef Tacos recipe

3.  Rinse and drain beans, add to ground beef. Cook for about 5 minutes.

4.  Chop tomato, slice lettuce and great cheese.

5. Load up your taco salad: place beef at bottom of bowl and  top with lettuce,  cheese, tomato and sour cream!

PAPAS and CHORIZO TACOS

Potato &  Mexican Sausage Tacos

Servings: 8

Ingredients:

2.5lbs Yukon gold potaoes

1 tube of mexican pork chorizo

2 dozen corn tortillas

salt & pepper

- toppings-

sourcream

shredded cheddar cheese

sliced lettuce

Directions:

1. Potatoes:

• wash potatoes with mild soap, pat dry
• cube potatoes
• cook potatoes:

1.  bring a large pot of salted wated to boil

2.  add potatoes; cook until tender but still firm, about 15min

3.  drain and set aside

2.  Chorizo

• heat large skillet over medium heat until hot
• add tub of chorizo to hot skillet
• fry chorizo in its own fat until chorizo crumbles

3. Add potatoes to chorizo, smash potatoes into chorizo until potatoes are no longer whole.  Season with salt + pepper to taste.

4. Warm tortillas over hot skillet; assemble tacos take warm tortilla, place 2tbsp of  the papa mixture in the center and fold tortilla so that the papa mixture is not exposed.

5. Fry Tacos: in a small skillet, heat 1inch corn oil to 360 degrees F, using a thong place taco into heat, cook each side for 1-2 minutes, or until crispy.

6.  Plate: Place 4 tacos on plate stuff with sour cream, lettuce and cheese.

CARNITAS

Servings: 8

Ingredients:

1 1/2lb rump roast

4 garlic cloves, peeled

1 bell pepper [green, orange, yellow or red] sliced

1/3 white onion, sliced

3 tbsp. Mrs Dash Southwest Chipotle

salt + pepper

Directions:

1. Make 4 small cuts in roast and insert garlic cloves.

2. Season roast with salt, pepper and Mrs Dash seasoning.

3. Coat the bottom of slow cooker with onion, bell pepper and remaining seasoning.

4. Set roast on top and cook on slow for 8 hrs. or 4hrs. on fast.

5. After roast in cook throughly it should fall apart, shred and serve on warm tortillas with minced cilantro, onion and avocado slices.