Recipe #55

I started out thinking I would make taco salad tonight, so I bought some good dark Michigan green lettuce and some Romainian Romaine, along with Tyson boneless breasts and thighs that Kroger had on sale. We've got tons of tomatoes and jalapenos ripening in the garden, and I had some onion and green pepper diced up and ready to go.

My plan was to cook the chicken on the grill and then add taco seasoning in a fry pan for a while for some good chicken taco salad yum.

But, with our new satellite  package, we get the Cooking Channel, and I happened to be watching this show earlier to-day, where the guy goes all over (Portland, OR, in this episode) and tells us about good Mexican food.

I was almost dozing but I remember one place he went to cook up this meat concoction and just pour it over the tortillas and the guy dove right it and loved them. So I says to myself, 'Why can't I do that with my meat?!?'

I tried it and I thought it was pretty good. The seasoning ratios aren't exact - I mostly go by taste, but I've tried to give amounts as a general guide. I cooked the chicken on the grill until it was probably ALMOST done, then brought it in and sliced it very thin against the grain. Into my T-Fal non-stick 12 inch fry pan I put the sliced chicken, along with

1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp hot chili powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
pinch Cayenne powder
pinch red pepper flakes
pinch sea salt
1/4 c diced onion
1/4 c diced sweet red pepper
1 diced garlic clove
2 diced jalapeno peppers - sans seeds
1/2 c water
1 c diet mountain dew
2 oz Absolute Citron vodka
2 oz Worcestershire sauce

I cooked the chicken and all the above with the lid on for about a half hour, stirring often. I then let it go for another 15 minutes or so with the lid off, to get rid of some of the liquid.

I plated two flour taco tortillas, covered each with a handful of shredded cheese, and then topped with the meat. I devoured both while watching the first inning of the Tiger-Astros game in Houston.  (The game is being played in Houston, I was in our living room :-)

They were delicious, and I will do this again.

Tomorrow, we have the leftovers with salad.

Peace!