Easy Taco Meat

Easy Taco Meat- A quick, flavorful taco meat that can be used in a variety of dishes. It can also be dressed up or down to fit your taste preference.

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Ingredients Needed

• Ground beef
• Minced onion
• Taco seasoning
• Cornstarch
• Your preferred liquid

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Can I Use Another Type of Protein?

Yes. This recipe will also work for ground turkey, ground chicken, ground pork or a meatless crumble. Keep in mind, these proteins contain less fat than ground beef.  You may want to adjust the seasoning and your cooking time may be less.

Can I Use a Fresh Onion?

Of course! Add your fresh onion into the meat as it is browning. The size of your pieces/amount is up to you.

Desired Liquid?

• This depends on your preference! You can use water, chicken broth (or your favorite broth) or tomato sauce.  Using a broth or tomato sauce, does give you a bit more flavor.  So, if you are using water, you may want to increase your taco seasoning a bit. 
• If you use tomato sauce and the meat seems too thick, you can thin it out with just a smidgen of water.

Taco Seasoning? 

Packaged or homemade both do the trick.  My favorite homemade taco seasoning recipe. 🌮

Storage

• Keep any leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator. It is best used within a week.
• This meat is great for freezing. Let it cool compltely. Then, store it in a freezer safe/covered container or storage bag.  When ready, let it defrost, then, heat it up in skillet before using.

Put Your Taco Meat to Work In:

• Tacos
• Tostadas
• Salads
• Nachos
• Quesadillas
• Casseroles
• Dips

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Easy Taco Meat

Chicken Chopped Salad (Portillo's Copycat)

Chicken Chopped Salad (Portillo's Copycat)- A hearty salad filled with lettuce, tomatoes, cooked chicken, bacon, pasta and blue cheese. It's all topped off with a perfect sweet Italian dressing. Just like the classic Portillo's restaurant version! 

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This salad brings me back to the time my sister and I worked close together. We would head to Portillo's and eat way too much food. This salad included. 

Portillo's= A Chicagoland based restaurant that serves burgers, hot dogs, fries and more. It's been around forever and is soooo good. 

Ingredients Needed

• Romaine lettuce
• Bacon
• Chicken
• Bleu cheese
• Tomatoes
• Ditalini pasta
• Sweet Italian Dressing

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Ok, so, I am not giving you exact measurements for this recipe, with the exception of the dressing. Because, it's a salad. You can put as little or as much of the ingredients into your salad as you wish. The dressing recipe below will make you about 1.5 cups of dressing. 

Guide to Make Salad for a Group (4-6 servings)

• Lettuce: 2-3 cups, chopped
• Pasta:  1 cup, cooked
• Tomatoes: 1 cup, chopped
• Cheese: 1/2 cup
• Bacon:  2-3 slices, cooked and chopped
• Chicken: 1-2 cups, cooked and chopped

Storage

• Keep any leftover dressing in a covered container in the refrigerator after using. It's best used within a week or so.
• I don't recommend keeping a prepared salad longer than a day in your refrigerator. However, you can keep the ingredients in your refrigerator for a longer time period. Simply mix yourself up a batch whenever you wish! 

Dressing Shortcut

I do recommend the below dressing recipe for this salad.  However, I know that not everyone wants to make your own dressing.  If you wish to skip that step, you can use Olive Garden Signature Italian Dressing or use the Aldi version. 

shared at weekend potluck

Chicken Chopped Salad (Portillo's Copycat)

One Pot Sloppy Joes

One Pot Sloppy Joes- The classic! Ground beef simmered in a tangy sauce. It's all made up in one pot and can easily be doubled to feed a crowd. 

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 I have shared this recipe in the past and the one question is....is that ketchup amount correct?  The answer?  Yes, it is.   

This is my mom's sloppy joe recipe and just the smell of it in my kitchen transports me back to my childhood.  It's so yummy and goes perfect with a side of plain ole' potato chips!

Ingredients

• Ground beef
• Onion
• Celery
• White vinegar
• Brown sugar
• Lemon juice
• Worcestershire sauce
• Ketchup
• Salt/Pepper

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Can I Use Ground Turkey?

Yes. Your ground beef can easily be replaced with ground turkey. 

Onion and Celery

I like to use fresh versions of both.  I chop them up pretty well, so, I don't have chunks in the sauce. However, you can use dry minced onion or celery salt as a replacement. 

Can This Be Doubled?

Yes! This can easily be doubled. The doubled version will serve about 10-12 people! 

Can I Freeze This?

Again, yes!  Make your sloppy joes as directed and let them cool completely.  Then, store in a freezer safe, covered storage bag or container.  They will be good for 3-6 months. When you are ready, defrost to room temperature, then, reheat in a skillet. 

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One Pot Sloppy Joes

Chocolate Chip Pound Cake

Chocolate Chip Pound Cake-A buttery pound cake with the delicious addition of chocolate chips and a smooth chocolate glaze. 

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Ingredients Needed

• Flour + Salt
• Eggs 
• Egg yolks
• Vanilla
• Sugar
• Chocolate chips

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Why Use An Egg and An Egg Yolk?

The whole egg is used as a binding agent. It's going to hold your cake together. The egg yolk will provide more flavor and richness to your cake.  They also will give you a  smoother batter. So, be sure to use both.  If you don't, the cake will still work, however, your texture may be different.

Chocolate Chips

I used semi-sweet chocolate chips for ours.  However, milk chocolate and dark chocolate will also work with the cake. 

Glaze

I love the chocolate glaze on this cake! However, if you aren't big on glazes or simply want to omit it, the cake is just as delicious without it.  Your choice!

Storage

Keep any leftovers in a covered container. No need to refrigerate, unless it's hot/humid in your area. It's best eaten within a week.

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Chocolate Chip Pound Cake

Peanut Butter Swirl Bars

Peanut Butter Swirl Bars- Creamy peanut butter with the added bonus of a chocolate swirl in convenient bar form.  A great option for a weekday dessert! 

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When I was little, my mom was a stay at home mom.  She did work, but, it was once my younger sister was in middle school/high school.

While she was a stay at home mom,  my mom baked nearly every weekday.  Yes, no exaggeration.  It was pretty awesome. We would always have something for dessert after dinner or after school.

These bars were part of the regular dessert rotation.  No wonder! They are easy, delicious and can be made with just a few simple pantry ingredients. 

Ingredients Needed

• Flour + Baking powder + Salt
• Butter
• Peanut butter
• Sugars: both white & brown
• Eggs 
•  Vanilla
• Chocolate chips

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Recipe Notes:

Peanut Butter

I recommend using a "regular" peanut butter as opposed to a natural version. The natural version will work, but, does have a higher oil content.  If you do use it, you may want to add a tablespoon or two extra of flour, to absorb the extra oil.

Baking

Don't over bake your bars.  They will appear soft at first, but, will firm up as they cool. As long as the edges are lightly brown, they are OK. 

Storage

Keep any leftover bars in a covered container. No need to refrigerate, unless it's really hot/humid in your area.

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Peanut Butter Swirl Bars

Greek Yogurt Guacamole

Greek Yogurt Guacamole- A delicious and versatile guacamole that can be made to fit your taste preference.   Serve it with a side of chips or on tacos, quesadillas, sandwiches, nachos, burgers and more! 

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My sister got me on the homemade guacamole kick many years ago. She gave me the original recipe and I adapted it into this version. The Greek yogurt gives your guac a little extra creaminess and the pico is a great shortcut.

Ingredients Needed

• Avocados
• Plain Greek yogurt
• Lime juice
• Salt
• Fresh pico de gallo

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Recipe Notes

What is Pico De Gallo?

Pico de gallo is a blend of fresh, chopped tomatoes, onions, jalapenos and cilantro. It is not the same as salsa.  Salsa has more liquid.  I like to grab a package from the deli section of my local grocery store, instead of making it homemade.  It's just quicker and I can use the pico for a variety  of other dishes. If you can't find pico in your store or simply prefer to make it homemade,  here is a simple recipe.

Avocados

I actually use frozen chopped avocados for this guacamole. I found mine at Aldi.  However, you could probably check out Walmart, Target or your local grocery store for them.  I like them because, if you don't use fresh avocado in a timely matter, it can go bad on you.  With the frozen, they are always ready to go! However, fresh or frozen will work for this recipe.

Taste Your Guac!

Below is what I like for my guacamole. The great thing about this dip is its versatility. Taste your guac as you make it and adjust the ingredients to fit your preference.

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Greek Yogurt Guacamole