You know the image - a girl wrapped in a comforter, eating ice cream out of the carton, sometimes watching a tear-jerking romance.
You know the feeling - cool ice cream sliding down your throat, your favorite flavor tickling your tongue.
Sometimes people try to recreate a feeling, an image, a memory in a bar, or by visiting a certain location or friend.
There are days, we need that special comfort.
In my family, we often celebrate with food. I think we are probably like a lot of other families out there. When we are young, food tends to NOT affect us as dramatically as it does when we are older and more sensitive to its power.
One of our family traditions was selecting the birthday dinner. Two meals frequently showed up on the special menu. Homemade macaroni and cheese (not the Kraft kind which can also be a comfort food) and tacos with all the fixings including guacamole. If we used flour tortillas we wrapped them in foil and warmed them in the oven. If we used corn tortillas we fried them in vegetable oil in a frying pan, flipping them over at about the forty-five second mark.
Tacos can be a healthy meal, or they can be a meal laden with fat, and not the good kind.
Recently, there was a request for tacos again for supper. I took a few liberties with them to make them healthier. I definitely skipped the flour tortillas. More of us are getting intolerant of flour. I swapped them for the corn tortillas which are smaller and not filled with lard.
The second thing I did with the tortillas is that I warmed them on an electric skillet that had absolutely no oil of any kind on it. I also learned the hard way that corn tortillas heat quickly so it is best to leave heating them until the rest of the preparations are completed.
Rather than using hamburger, I used chicken breasts. I also could have used ground turkey or chicken too, but I opted for the heavier feel of the breasts.
I also substituted a white cheese for the yellow.
Finally, I created my own seasoning rather than purchase an envelop of 'taco seasoning'.
The results were amazingly good and much more healthy for us than the traditional way I've made tacos in the past. I haven't figured out how to make a cheese sauce 'healthy' and it may take some dangerous experimentation, but when I do find a good alternative that works for a traditional tongue, I'll be sure to let you know. Below is my modified taco recipe:
Ingredients
1 bag of corn tortillas (30 count)
2 thawed chicken breasts
1/2 can diced tomatoes
organic chicken stock
cayenne powder
chilli powder
garlic
cillantro
lettuce (the greener the better)
shredded parmesan cheese
taco sauce or salsa per family taste
Directions:
Cut chicken into narrow strips - the narrower the better
Dice garlic (or use the pre-diced garlic in the jar)
In a frying pan combine 1/2 cup chicken stock with about a teaspoon of chili powder and cayenne powder with the equivalent of two cloves of garlic. Add diced tomatoes. Bring to a boil and let simmer and reduce
Add chicken and cover, heat on medium to medium low until no longer pink and the liquid is nearly gone.
Chop lettuce and cilantro.
Warm electric frying surface - start low. Place tortillas on griddle.
Turn when warm and then heat another minute. Be careful the tortillas don't overcook and get hard.
Place tortillas on plate, using a slotted spoon, spoon chicken mixture on tortillas. Top with a sprinkle of cheese, lettuce, cilantro and dollop of taco sauce and serve.
This recipe easily adapts to taco salads and fajitas too.
Three tortillas will fill the stomachs of most. Enjoy!
