Mariel here. Two recipes in one week?! Could it be…could things be returning to pre-baby normality here at Feast? It’s starting to look that way…
Since I spent the last quarter of 2012 indulging in takeout, I’ve been doing my best to get back into the kitchen and prep a few jumbo-size meals at the beginning of each week; something that my mom and I can easily reheat after putting the little Manster to bed each night. Yes…my babe is 7-months old and my mom still comes over…4 out of 7 nights. Don’t judge. The first time I made this, I went WAY overboard on the spiciness and could hardly get through a few bites without downing a glass of water. My husband on the other hand – who apparently has an asbestos mouth – adored these, so I figured they were worth a remake. The second time was far more successful. I seeded the chipotle pepper and excised the red pepper flakes in the taco seasoning so I was actually able to enjoy the flavor. The verdict: These are simple, healthy, they serve a small army and they reheat beautifully. I’ll definitely be adding them to the monthly rotation for those nights I don’t auto-dial El Burrito Poblano. Oh, and they’d make an excellent, less-fattening addition to your Super Bowl spread. Pun intended? I dunno, I’m tired.

Chipotle-Spiced Oven Tacos with Black Beans and Pepper Jack Inspired by a recipe from Mommy I’m Hungry Serves 10-12
Ingredients for Taco Seasoning: 1 Tablespoon chili powder – stock ¼-teaspoon onion powder – stock ¼-teaspoon dried oregano – stock ½-teaspoon paprika – stock 1½ teaspoons ground cumin – stock 1 teaspoon kosher salt – stock 1 teaspoon black pepper – stock Ingredients for Tacos: 1 small yellow onion, diced finely – $1.19 1 clove of garlic, minced – stock 2 teaspoons olive oil – stock 2½ lbs ground turkey, crumbled – $7.47 ¼-lb sweet Italian-style chicken sausage, casing removed, crumbled – $1.49 Half of a chipotle pepper in adobo, seeded + 1 Tablespoon of adobo sauce – $1.99 8-oz can of tomato sauce – $0.69 15-oz can of black beans, drained and rinsed – $0.99 2 cups shredded pepper-jack cheese – $2.99 18-20 hard taco shells – $4.00 Grand total assuming well-stocked kitchen: $20.81 Cost per taco: $1.04 Optional toppings Sliced cherry tomatoes Pineapple chunks Chopped cilantro Avocado slices Directions: 1. In a small bowl, whisk together all components of the taco seasoning and set aside. 2. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, saute the onions and garlic for 10-12 minutes, until onions soften and start to caramelize. Stir frequently to prevent burning. 3. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. 4. Add the meat to the skillet, crumbling it as you stir and incorporating with the onions/garlic. Brown and cook through. Add chipotle pepper, adobo, black beans, tomato sauce and homemade taco seasoning. Mix well and cook until sauce thickens. Remove from heat. Taste and adjust saltiness, as desired. 5. Arrange the taco shells in two 9×13 baking dishes, standing up. Spoon the meat into the shells and sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until cheese has melted and is starting to bubble. 6. Garnish with your favorite toppings (I recommend cilantro, tomatoes, avocado and pineapple).
Just pinned this bad boy – I think I know what’s on the menu next week!
These sound delicious – and I love that they are finished in the oven! I definitely don’t have a small army to feed, but I am a big fan of leftovers!
This is so incredibly smart! What a great way to make tacos for a crowd, and without doing all the dishes you often end up with when you set out all the fixin’s.
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We dropped in and think your blog is adorable! Happy cooking and so glad you found us -Cheers!
Oh my gosh, that looks SO good!
Oh these look absolutely delicious! What a tasty and exciting meal!
I don’t know why I never make tacos in the winter! Your oven baked recipe will do double duty…warming up my kitchen and providing us with an amazing meal!
These make a great party food when we have a group of friends for dinner! Love the spices and flavors in it!
What a great way to prepare tacos!! Love all the fillings, great recipe.
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