Instant Pot Taco Meat with Beans

September 14, 2018 by


I’m going to let you in on a little secret.  Even if you don’t love beans, you’ll probably love this.  How do I know? Because my hubby despises beans and yet this is one of his favorite meals!  I have made several recipes over the years with beans he likes but this one takes the taco cake.
I basically took my instant pot taco meat recipe and added dry beans to it and upped the cook time for the beans.  I also increased the seasonings.  If you would rather you can sub out the spices and salt for your favorite taco seasoning blend too.  I just always do my own since we don’t like super spicy or salty.
Normally you don’t want to add salt before cooking dry beans as it can inhibit their ability to completely soften.  This is a small amount though and I haven’t had any issues.  If it isn’t salty enough for you just adjust seasonings after cooking.   I usually use a super lean ground beef but have made this with ground chicken and turkey with good results too.
We use this mixture for tacos, burritos, tostadas, taco salad, nachos…. I usually serve half for dinner and freeze the remaining half for another meal.  Beans are a great way to extend your protein without making your family feel like you’re going vegetarian.  They are inexpensive and healthy and with an instant pot they cook up in no time!  Now go forth and TACO NIGHT!

INSTANT POT TACO MEAT WITH BEANS

2 lbs ground meat (beef, chicken, or turkey) Frozen is fine too!
2 cups beef stock (or chicken or vegetable)
1 cup water
1/2 lb dry pinto beans (approx 1 cup)
1 Tablespoon smoked paprika
1 Tablespoon cumin powder
1 Tablespoon onion powder
1 Tablespoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons ancho chili powder
1 tsp chipotle powder (more for spicier)

Place frozen meat and beans in instant pot, sprinkle on spices and pour in stock and water.
Cook for 40 minutes on high pressure then use quick pressure release.
Turn Instant Pot on Saute function and mash beef and beans with a potato masher to break up.
Stir occasionally as it simmers and continue to cook until liquid is reduced to your preference.

For tacos I like to stand up 12 taco shells in a 9 by 13 inch pan and divide half the mixture into the shells.
Sprinkle on a little cheese and put in a 400 degree oven for 10 minutes or the cheese is melted.
Add shredded lettuce, salsa, and sour cream and taco night is ready!

Filed Under: Beef, Instant Pot (Pressure Cooking), Mexican

Instant Pot Taco Meat

January 26, 2017 by

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My hubby loves few things more than tacos.  He’s a dragon at heart.  Just like them, he can’t stomach spicy foods too.  (Have you read Dragons Love Tacos? One of my kids favorite books!)
This recipe doesn’t necessarily save you a lot of time, as it will take longer to come to pressure since the meat is frozen.  But it does save energy.  I can throw it in and leave it while it cooks, then simmers.  The flavor becomes super intense and by allowing the meat to simmer in the liquid it becomes even more tender and concentrated. You can even make a big batch and freeze it for a super quick meal.
And if you have a favorite taco seasoning you could use that instead of all the spices.  But this is just how we love it!

Check out my other version with beans here! 

INSTANT POT TACO MEAT
2 lbs frozen ground meat (I used ground beef, but chicken or turkey is fine too)
2 cups beef stock (or chicken or vegetable)
2 tsp paprika
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp onion powder
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ancho chili powder
1/2 tsp chipotle powder (more for spicier)

Place frozen meat in instant pot, sprinkle on spices and pour in stock.

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Cook for 25 minutes on high pressure then use quick pressure release.

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Turn Instant Pot on Saute function and mash beef with a potato masher to break up.

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Stir occasionally as it simmers and continue to cook until liquid is reduced to your preference.

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For tacos I like to stand up 12 taco shells in a 9 by 13 inch pan and divide 1 lb meat into the shells.
Sprinkle on a little cheese and put in a 400 degree oven for 10 minutes or the cheese is melted.
Add shredded lettuce, salsa, and sour cream and taco night is ready!

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Filed Under: Beef, Chicken / Turkey, Instant Pot (Pressure Cooking), Mexican

Sweet Pork Taco Salad

July 13, 2016 by

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Proof that last minute dinners don’t have to suck… or be handed through a window.  I keep sweet pork in my freezer for just such a night. All though I’ve made it with cooked shredded chicken many times too and loved it just as much.  In fact if I’m having a crazy errand day ending with a trip to Costco, I grab a rotisserie chicken to shred just for this.  Then I freeze the bones to make stock for another meal later.  Either way it’s delicious.  The sweet pork freezes really well so I love having some on hand.  

SWEET PORK TACO SALAD

Sweet Pulled Pork
Black beans (I make them like this)
Shredded lettuce
Tomatoes, chopped
White Onions, chopped
Tortilla Strips (I just cut tortillas in strips and bake or fry)

For Cilantro Lime Salad Dressing:
1 cup packed cilantro leaves
3 cloves garlic
1/2 cup sour cream (I use light)
1/4 cup lime juice
1/2 cup olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste

Blend salad dressing ingredients together in a blender until well blended.
Toss with salad ingredients.

Filed Under: Mexican, Salad / Dressings

Cilantro Lime Salad Dressing

May 12, 2016 by

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I’ve been trying to get all my recipes in order lately.  Most of them are little scribbles on scraps of paper scattered around.  They don’t usually even have a title so I sometimes forget what it is and have to attempt to decipher by the list of ingredients!  The other day I was going to make this and couldn’t find the scrap of paper! Panic!  I thought I had posted it here but hadn’t.  A frantic 15 minutes later I found it, phew!  This is a favorite here and I use it primarily for Sweet Pork Tostadas  or taco salad.  It’s perfect for tacos as well.  We have found we don’t need sour cream or cheese, this adds so much flavor and creaminess.

CILANTRO LIME SALAD DRESSING

1 packed cup cilantro (1 bunch)
3 cloves garlic
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup lime juice
1/2 cup olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste

Blend all ingredients together in a blender until smooth.
TIP: I rinse off the cilantro and just break off the bottom half or third of stems and use the leaves with some stems still on them.  Since you are blending it up, and the stems actually have a good amount of flavor, use them!

Filed Under: Mexican, Salad / Dressings

Best Ever Burritos (Freezer Friendly!)

April 13, 2016 by

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There are 2 types of food that I know without a shadow of a doubt, my hubby will LOVE.  Pizza and Mexican.  Pretty much any variety of either.  Well, almost.  There was the cauliflower pizza crust experiment.. we don’t talk about that. 😉

I love keeping these on hand in the freezer, either for dinner or lunches.  I make them lots of ways, and we like them equally with shredded chicken too.  Homemade enchilada sauce and refried beans aren’t a must but if you want the best EVER you really should put in the extra time on those, they are so much yummier.
You can adapt these to your own taste, if I have leftover refried beans I sometimes whip some up with just beans and cheese in them too.
I’ve even made them with leftover turkey from a holiday.  Adding the enchilada sauce to the meat helps it stay moist.

BEST EVER BURRITOS
For the beef:
2 lbs roast
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp chipotle powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder

To assemble:
Flour Tortillas
Homemade Enchilada Sauce, or store bought
White or Red Rice
Refried Beans
Shredded cheese, I use a combination of monterey jack and cheddar

To serve:
Shredded lettuce
chopped tomatoes
Guacamole
Sour Cream
Sliced olives

Combine all the spices together in a small bowl.  Coat the roast with the spices.  Heat a drizzle of oil over medium high heat in a heavy oven safe pot and sear all sides of the meat.
Add 1 cup of water, cover, and bake at 350 degrees for 3 hours or until roast falls apart. (TIP: If your roast doesn’t have much marbling of fat or is a cheaper cut, cut into smaller pieces so it will break down faster.)  Shred meat and toss with enchilada sauce.
To assemble burritos:
In a flour tortilla, place rice, meat, and beans.  Fold up one long side, then the short sides, and then roll tightly.
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In the picture I also have shredded chicken tossed with enchilada sauce since I was making some chicken ones for the freezer as well.
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If I’m freezing them, at this point I roll it snugly in foil then place them in a ziplock bag.
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Place on a baking sheet and top with a little enchilada sauce (more if you want a “wet” burrito) and some cheese.
Bake at 375 degrees until cheese is melted and warmed through.

Filed Under: Beef, Chicken / Turkey, Freezer, Mexican

Sweet Pork Tostadas

October 9, 2015 by

Sweet Pork Tostadas

If you haven’t made my sweet pulled pork yet, maybe this will change your mind.   This was a big hit and will be making it on the menu pretty often.  I love the combination of the sweet pork, smoky beans, and the freshness of the lime.  If you have the pork made ahead of time in your freezer this is incredibly quick to whip together.  I didn’t include amounts because you’ll want to use what your family likes.  For us, one quart of the pork is plenty.
I used my homemade queso blanco cheese (I’ll share the recipe soon for you) but any crumbly Mexican cheese will do, like queso fresco too.
Sweet Pork Tostadas
SWEET PORK TOSTADAS

tostadas (alternatively you can fry or bake corn tortillas)
sweet pulled pork
favorite black beans
tomatoes, diced
white onion, diced
cilantro leaves
lettuce, shredded
Queso fresco, or other crumbly Mexican cheese
fresh lime, for serving

Layer the meat, then beans, vegetables, then cheese on top of tostadas.  Serve with lime wedges.

Filed Under: Mexican, Pork

Favorite Black Beans

October 9, 2015 by

Favorite Black Beans (Smoky and delicious!)

My hubby does NOT like beans.  But I’ve finally found a second way he likes them.  The first being refried, and these being the second.  While I prefer using dry beans, I’m not opposed to using the canned occasionally for the sake of getting dinner done on time.  I love the smokiness the cumin gives and they literally take a couple minutes to cook up.
We like them on taco salad, in burritos and tacos, or served with enchiladas. Or my favorite, in Sweet Pork Tostadas.

FAVORITE BLACK BEANS
1/2 tsp olive oil
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed (or aprox. 1 1/2 to 2 cups cooked black beans)
1/4 cup diced white onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp cumin
salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat.  Add onion and garlic and cook until fragrant and softened.
Add beans and cumin and stir to combine.  Heat until warmed through, season with salt and pepper.

Filed Under: Mexican

Sweet Pulled Pork

October 8, 2015 by

Sweet Pulled Pork - freezer friendly!

This is one of those things I am so glad to have in the freezer when we have a hectic night and I am more parts tired mom than I am food blogger… okay, I’m always more parts tired mom… but some times more than others. 😀 Pork shoulder is a cheap cut, locally I can get it at United Grocers Cash and Carry (No, you don’t have to own a restaurant or have a business license to shop there) for around $1.50 lb.  But you do have to get a pretty big bag of it.  Winco is having a case lots sale through this week and has them for only 95 cents a lb.  They weigh around 10 lbs each and do have a bone but it doesn’t account for much of the weight at all.  I bought a few for the freezer (they came in sealed packages and can be frozen for up to 12 months) and went ahead and cooked one up for some freezer meals.  From one 10 lb piece I got about 5 quarts.  I freeze it in quart containers, that’s about right for our family.  For best quality use the cooked pork within about 3 months.

SWEET PULLED PORK (For the freezer!)

10 lb pork shoulder (also called pork butt, pork picnic)
1 T onion powder
1 T garlic powder
1 T smoked paprika
1 T kosher salt
1 tsp black pepper
2 tsp chipotle powder (more if you want it spicy)
1 cup brown sugar
1 (12 oz) can root beer (or cola)

Place the pork in a large roasting pan.  Combine the spices with the brown sugar and coat the pork with it.  Pour the root beer or other liquid over the top.  Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 6-8 hours, until meat falls off the bone and shreds easily.
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Remove any fat (this should be fairly easy to remove off the outer layer) and bones.
Meat should be very easy to shred.  I just stir it with tongs.
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Remove from remaining liquid and cool if not using immediately.
Package in freezer containers or bags  (I get about 5 quarts from this recipe) label and freeze.

To serve: (Makes sweet pork like Costa Vida or Cafe Rio)
1 quart pork
1 cup root beer (or cola)
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 T tomato paste

Put the root beer, brown sugar, and tomato paste in a skillet and heat over medium heat, stirring to combine well.
Add pork and continue to heat for about 15 minutes, until sauce is mostly absorbed.

USES:
Serve in tacos, burritos, on taco salad, enchiladas, taquitos, tamales, pizza, on rolls.  Or my favorite, sweet pork tostadas!
If you want a less sweet pork, replace the root beer with something neutral like chicken stock for the cooking part. (Or leave the root beer in the cooking section and just skip the serving sauce.)  This makes amazing sloppy joes as well.
Use as is to serve or heat with another sauce such as BBQ.

Filed Under: Freezer, Mexican, Pork

Chicken Tortilla Casserole

September 19, 2014 by

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I don’t know about you all, but it’s been a bit crazy around here.  “Back to school” in our house looks different than the staged photos everyone is taking for their kids first day of___.  I am usually scurrying around with last minute projects and re-organizing our classroom.  Hence the shortage of posts lately!  I’ve also been canning up a flurry (I have something fun to share soon for canners!)  So simple meals have been on the list lately and this one totally saved the day last night.  Quick and yummy.  You could totally make this ahead of time, just wrap in plastic wrap and keep in the fridge until ready to bake.
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CHICKEN TORTILLA CASSEROLE

10 (9 inch) flour tortillas
oil
1 1/2 cups chopped onion, about 1 large
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup finely chopped cilantro
1 cup sour cream
1/4 tsp chili powder (more if you want it spicy)
1/2 tsp cumin
1 1/2 tsp oregano
salt and pepper, to taste
1 1/2 lbs chicken breast, cooked and shredded (about 4 cups)
2 cups shredded monterey jack cheese
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
For topping: diced tomatoes, sliced green onions, chopped avocado

Use a drizzle of oil to brown tortillas in a skillet over medium to medium high heat, adding another drizzle of oil as needed (not necessary but does give the tortillas a more crisp texture.)
When tortillas are done, using the same skillet, add another drizzle of oil and saute the onions until softened.  Add the garlic and cook another minute or until fragrant.  Set aside.
Mix the sour cream, chili, cumin, oregano, and salt and pepper together in a small bowl.
Spray a 9 by 13 inch pan with nonstick spray and place 2 tortillas in the bottom, overlapping to fit.  Spread with about 3 T of the sour cream mixture.
Top with a quarter of the chicken (about 1 cup), a quarter of the onions, a couple tablespoons of cilantro, then about 3/4 cup of the cheese.
Repeat 3 more times.  Top with remaining 2 tortillas and spread with remaining sour cream mixture and shredded cheese.  Reserve the remaining cilantro for sprinkling on after baking.
Bake uncovered at 375 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes, or cheese is all melted and hot throughout.
Top with remaining cilantro, tomatoes, green onions, and avocados.  Serve with extra sour cream and salsa if desired.

Filed Under: Chicken / Turkey, Mexican

Steak Tacos with Roasted Pineapple Salsa

January 24, 2014 by

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Have you ever combined 2 of your favorite things only to find they are even more amazing together?  Yep, that’s these tacos.  Usually on taco night I make a lot of salsas and sides, but not if we’re having these.  They are so good, all by themselves.   I dare you not to love them!
You can read more of  my tips for making steak tacos  here. 

STEAK TACOS WITH ROASTED PINEAPPLE SALSA
To serve:
Small corn tortillas, warmed in a dry skillet briefly
Cilantro leaves
Lime wedges

For Roasted Pineapple Salsa:
1 pineapple
1/2 large red onion
1 red bell pepper
1 jalapeno pepper, optional, or 1/2 green bell pepper
3-4 T lime juice (from about 2 limes)
zest of 1 lime
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
salt and pepper to taste

Put broiler on to start heating, with the oven rack about 8 inches from heat.
Skin, core, and slice pineapple into 1/2 inch slices.
Put on a large rimmed baking sheet.  Slice onion into 1/4 inch slices and place on baking sheet.  Cut tops off peppers and remove seeds.
Cut into quarters and add to baking sheet.
Make sure everything is in a single layer and broil for about 15 minutes, flipping halfway through, or until slightly charred.
Let cool to room temperature then chop roasted ingredients.
Add lime juice and zest and add salt and pepper to taste.

For Lime Marinated Steak:
1 1/2 to 2 lbs skirt steak
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup olive oil

Skirt steak usually comes in long strips.  Cut into a couple pieces and trim any excess fat off.  Put in a bowl with remaining ingredients and rub marinate into steak, turning a few times to make sure it’s coated well.
Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or ideally 6 to 8 hours.
Get either a griddle or heavy pan hot over medium high heat. (Cast iron works well).
Drizzle a small amount of oil on pan, and when hot, remove steak from marinade and cook until well seared, then flip and cook until well seared on second side.
(Cook in batches if needed, don’t crowd the pan).
Let rest for a few minutes on a board, then chop.

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Filed Under: Appetizers / Dips / Snacks, Mexican