What to serve with tacos?

**nuisance** · 12-04-2010, 10:49 AM

Re: What to serve with tacos?

Make it where it can be either tacos, or taco salad maybe. give a choice of beef, or shredded chicken? Batter and fry up some jalapeno slices.... of course all your condiments, queso.... refried beans maybe along with your spanish rice....or a pot of barracho beans instead of refried beans..

for the tortillas, maybe wrap a dozen at a time in foil packages, put a damp towel at the bottome of your Nesco and that will keep the opened packages from drying out so fast.

And let me know when to be there!

**CharleneG** · 12-04-2010, 11:04 AM

Re: What to serve with tacos?

Here's a recipe for rice that my Mexican DIL told me was very, very authentic. It comes out as a white rice. If you want to make it come out the typical red of rice you see in restaurants there's a product available in the Mexican foods section that's made by Knorr and a few others, a tomato powder. You would just add a spoonful of it to the rice as it's cooking. Tastes great!

ARROZ BLANCO

Hot water to cover rice
1-1/2 cups long grain white rice
� to 1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 Tbsp. Finely chopped white onion
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
About 3-1/2 cups water or chicken broth
1 small carrot, trimmed, scraped and thinly sliced (optional)
2 Tbsp. Peas (optional)
1 large sprig parsley or cilantro (optional)
2 serrano chilies, left whole (optional; see note)
Salt (preferably sea salt), to taste

Yields 6 servings.

For this quantity, you will need flame-proof pan about 4 inches deep and 9 inches across. Pour hot water over rice and let it soak for 5 minutes. Strain, rinse in cold water and strain again. Be sure to shake strainer well to remove any excess water. Do not do this step ahead of time or rice will become too damp.

Heat oil in flameproof pan and stir in rice � it should sizzle as it touches oil. Stir until grains are evenly coated and continue to fry over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add onion and garlic and continue frying until they sound brittle, just before they turn golden, about 10 minutes. Tip pan to one side and spoon out excess oil.

Add water or broth and optional ingredients along with salt. Cover pan and cook over medium heat until all liquid has been absorbed � small holes will appear in rice. Carefully dig to bottom of rice to see if any moisture remains; if so, then continue cooking over low heat for a few minutes more. Set aside still covered to give rice a chance to steam and swell for about 15 minutes. (Mexican cooks never stir rice when it is cooking � they say it will become mushy and stick to bottom of pan.) When serving, gently turn rice over with fork from bottom, where seasoning tends to sink.

NOTE: When handling chilies, experts recommend wearing rubber gloves and not touching your eyes during or afterward.

CHARLENE�S NOTES: This is excellent, but it needed salt added to the simmering mix. I would suggest about 1 tsp salt added at the same time as the broth/water mix. I also added some frozen corn to it, just because I had some available.

***********

Here's another dish that is super easy to make, and quite authentic too. This stuff is so good, and I love it hot, cold, whatever! You could make a big bunch of it and keep it warmed in a crockpot. It's good reheated too!

Skillet Fideo

2 cups Anthony's Cut Fideo (or other fideo or vermicelli)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, chopped
3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 can (14-1/2 oz.) stewed tomatoes, broken up
1 can (8 oz. tomato sauce
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper or chipotle powder
1/4 tsp. ground cumin, optional

In large skillet, over medium heat, cook and stir fideo, onion and garlic in oil until fideo is browned. (Charlene's hint: Start the fideo first, then add the onion and garlic so that the garlic doesn't burn.) Stir in stewed tomatoes, tomato sauce, salt and pepper, and cumin if using. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 10 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and fideo is tender.

**Happy@home** · 12-04-2010, 11:06 AM

Re: What to serve with tacos?

The damp towel idea is brilliant. I would never have thought of that. You are welcome to come but be warned there will be swarms of hungry teenagers at the party. I was thinking of chicken too. Do you have an easy way to make queso? We will be having the party at a a park so we will have a shelter with electricity but no cooking facilities on site. I have to make as much ahead as possible.

**nuisance** · 12-04-2010, 11:36 AM

Re: What to serve with tacos?

I'd make it in a crockpot. I make a couple different ones
1. 1 brick velvetta, melt in crockpot, add salsa until you like the taste..
2. 1lb sausage (breakfast or italian..I like breakfast better)(browned drained), 1 (8oz) cream cheese, 1 can rotel tomatoes, in crockpot, stir, warm, eat
3. 1 brick velvetta, salsa to taste, and 1 can wolf brand chile (no beans) crockpot, warm.... eat.....

**Happy@home** · 12-04-2010, 11:41 AM

Re: What to serve with tacos?

Thank you for the recipes and ideas. I think we will have to try some out before the party.

**Happy@home** · 12-04-2010, 11:53 AM

Re: What to serve with tacos?

Does anyone have a good pineapple salsa recipe?

**JoycerAz** · 12-04-2010, 12:38 PM

Re: What to serve with tacos?

I used to have big Mexican parties--tacos; enchiladas, refried beans, spanish rice--salsa and queso, chips etc. One of my favorite ways to entertain! My in laws (Philly) had never had Mexican food so when they came to visit I had a big Mexican party--they looked at the food really strange and I thought they did not like it, too spicy--but the next time they came to visit they asked when I was going to have my Mexican food again! Then when we went to visit them in Philly they wanted me to make for the other relatives but we could not find any of the ingredients in the markets there! Probably has changed now as the Hispanic communities have spread out across the USA