The Best Turkey Taco Meat Ever!

Do you ever struggle cooking for kids?  Or is it just me?  You see, I married a bit too late in life to have children so cooking for kids has always been a bit intimidating for me.  I never had much practice, but occasionally when I traveled out East to visit my brother and his family, I would travel with a few basic recipes packed in my bag or a favorite cookbook from my over-flowing collection.

And when they traveled here for a visit, same.  I would plan out what to make for almost a week in advance!  This holiday season was no different.  We had some very delicious meals during their holiday stay, but as I mentioned in a previous post, we made guacamole every night no matter what was on the menu!  After about the fourth night, we all ate a bit less since we were almost full by the time we sat down to dinner!

As always, I was stuck to the basics hoping they loved what I prepared.  I can hear you all ready…..“Karen, you’re food is amazing?”.  Well that may be so, but I am not so sure the rest of my family would agree 100% of the time.  But who doesn’t like Tacos right?  It turns out, when I asked if Tacos were ok one night, one of my nieces replied,  “Yes, everyone in our family loves Tacos”…and the I also heard, “and our Guac will be perfect for them too!”.  Smart nieces I have huh!

I am about to share one of the BEST Taco Meat recipes ever.  If not the BEST!  Oh Oh…..there I go again.  Bragging about my recipes.  Seriously though….you’ll love this one!  And the best part, kids will too, like my hubby!  You can serve as is, or accompany with black beans or refried beans.  Add in some rice, plain or flavored with cilantro, or if you want, cauliflower rice.  The option are endless!

Earlier in the day I posted a pic on Instagram asking friends to guess my secret ingredient.  I had some pretty good guesses:  Cinnamon, grapes, pineapple, pumpkin, apple cider vinegar…..but no one guessed correctly.  My niece Alivia came close though.  Any guesses from you before we dig a little deeper to discover my secret ingredient?

Can I have a drum role please.  Ha, in all seriousness, it’s Raisins.

The raisins, golden or regular, keep the meat moist and balance the spice.  You don’t even notice them once they are plumped and cooked!  Go ahead and try this secretly on your kiddos, big or little.  Kids of all ages will love these Tacos!  Hands down!  Be sure to make some Guacamole too!  This has become a favorite at our house.  It’s super easy to make ahead of time and warms up nicely in the evening after running class.  The spiciness of the taco meat is perfect after a cold winter running class!

TURKEY TACOS

INGREDIENTS

• 2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil or Coconut Oil
• 1 package of ground turkey breast meat (I used this brand)
• salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup golden or regular raisins
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 1/2 cup beer or chicken stock (I use beer because my husband alway has plenty!)
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 2 cups of shredded Monterey Jack Cheese, Cheddar, or Mexican Blend
• 1 romaine lettuce heart, shredded
• 2 firm plum tomaotes, diced
• 1/2 cup olives, green or black (I prefer black)
• 1 cup salsa verde, or your choice of salsa
• guacamole, greek yogurt or sour cream
• 1 package of taco shells, hard or soft shell, or crushed chips if desired

DIRECTIONS

1.  Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high-heat.  Add the oil.  Add the turkey and break up with a wooden spoon.  Season the meat with salt and pepper and poultry seasoning.  Add the garlic, onions and raisins to the meat, than season with the chili powder and cumin.  Cook for several minutes.
2. After turkey starts to brown, onions are starting to get soft, stir in the beer or stock and deglaze the pan.  Stir in the tomato sauce and simmer over low heat for several more minutes.
3. If using hard tac0 shells, crisp them up in a 325 degree oven for 5 to 7 minutes.
4. Now it’s time to play.  Fill your taco shells and top with lettuce tomatoes, olives, salsa, greek yogurt or sour cream, guacamole, etc.
5. Or make a HUGE taco salad like me! Top with crushed non-gmo tortilla chips.