Tacopalooza

While browsing through Weshop, Emily and I decided that tacos would make a good summery dinner. We did them pretty basic: refried beans, tofu, roasted veggies (onions, red pepper and squash), shredded cheddar, medium salsa, avocado, and sour cream. It was so good and so easy - a perfect meal to eat on the porch at the end of a beautiful day.


Over the course of dinner, Emily commented that she tends to remake the same simple meal templates over and over without considering other basic template options. The standby that she, and I, and many of our friends go for is roasted veggies + protein + some interesting spice combo + a whole grain (usually brown rice). When we were eating our tacos we realized that it just a simple to prepare and that there infinite directions we could take it. There is no set taco template, but here are some basic components and how they might be varied. I am strapping in for Tacopalooza...now that I have thought of all the variations, I know I am going to be coming back for more!
Tortilla - flour, whole wheat, corn, or you could take a full departure and go for any sort of a wrap (or go without and mix up the fillers as a salad- although you then depart taco-dom)
Protein - chicken, beef, shrimp, fish, tofu, eggs, pork, turkey, beans...
Cheese - the sky is the limit!
Veggies - Ditto. What wouldn't taste good in a tortilla
Salsa - don't be limited by the classic tomato salsa. You can make peach salsa, mango salsa, and probably a whole lot of other salsas given a bit of creativity and enough time to avoid needing the canned convenience
Flavor - lime juice, cilantro and cumin OR ancho chile powder, garlic and salt OR coconut, lime, and cardamom...really there is no end to the possibilities

Happy taco-ing!
Sarah

Baby's all growed up.

Apparently some day I will have to feed myself without help from my housemates (and honorary housemates). Rumor has it that day is fast approaching. To prepare for this, I have been under their tutelage since September. A year ago--almost to the day--I took on baking for the first time. With Sarah Jeffrey babysitting, I produced a delicious batch of chocolate chunk cookies to be consumed by this boy I was visiting (hmm how little things change in a year, hmm hmm). I spent the spring and summer honing my baking skills, and I have spent most of this year playing helper to my housemates' (and honorary housemates') cooking endeavors.

So what happens when Grace is in Tahiti (luckyyy) and Em and X are at opera rehearsal? I think to myself, "I am hungry. There is food in the house. I can make that food. Right? I can make it yummy and have dinner waiting when my housemates come home."

And man am I amazing. I did it! A simple meal, but I did it aaaaall by myself. If you don't think this is impressive, ask Sarah to describe my baking efforts a year ago.



Baked tofu, mmmm. Marinated for a bit in some soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger, then baked for nearly an hour at 375 degrees. Attractive, no, tasty, yes.



And roasted green peppers. Green peppers are boring, but roasting is no-fail. They kept the tofu company in the oven. So apparently it's true: Anyone can cook. Even me. I might make it out there in the world. The food was successful: Em and X tested, Stega approved.