Taco Ring

This is an old school recipe my mom used to make for our family all of the time. It's uber quick and easy and feeds a family of four nicely. My sister and I got the craving for it and made it and sharing it here seemed like the next logical step. I use home made taco seasoning which I have included the recipe for, but feel free to use the packaged kind if you have it on hand.

Taco Ring adapted from Sandy Quigley

2 Cans Crescent rolls

2 lb. ground beef (you could use turkey or chicken)

2 packets of taco seasoning or 1/4 c. homemade taco seasoning

2 c. cheddar cheese

Favorite Taco Toppings

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Unwrap crescent rolls and separate into triangles. Arrange crescent triangles in a circle on a round baking stone, with bases overlapping in center and points to outside.

Brown ground beef. Add taco seasoning. Stir in 1.5 cups of cheddar cheese.

Spoon ground beef mixture onto the bases of the crescent rolls. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup cheddar cheese over top.

Finish ring by pulling the points over the ground beef mixture and tucking under the base in the middle of the circle. Continue all the way around the circle.

It should look like this:

Bake for 12-15 minutes or golden brown and the crescent rolls are cooked through.

Serve with your favorite taco toppings: green peppers, tomatoes, lettuce, sour cream, salsa, ranch, black olives, or anything you might like.

Taco Seasoning from Dining on a Dime Cookbook

6 tsp. chili powder

4.5 tsp. cumin

5 tsp. paprika

1/4 tsp. oregano

3 tsp. onion powder

2.5 tsp. garlic powder

1/8-1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

Mix all ingredients and store in airtight container. One teaspoon homemade taco seasoning equals 2 teaspoons store bought.

Happy New Year!

This New Year’s Eve Zach and I decided to take it easy, relax, and celebrate the New Year at home. We slept in and then did a little shopping. After we worked up a good appetite, we came home and ate. And boy, did we eat. Our menu was: pan seared New York Strip steaks, Italian style risotto, and fresh green beans sautéed in butter. The risotto paired perfectly with the spicy steak and crisp, buttery green beans. Honestly, I would not have changed a thing as all items got a rave review from Zach, Butterscotch, and Max (the latter two being our cats). And myself, of course. Yummy!

Just a couple of tips here- Do not be afraid of risotto! It is so delicious and pretty hard to mess up. Yes, it is time consuming, but it is totally worth the effort! Also, don’t be afraid of seasoning!!! Salt and pepper are your best friends in the kitchen. Just a touch of salt can enhance the flavor of anything and make it taste so much better. I just want to note here as well, the pairing of meat and pepper is a match made in heaven. A good steak will hold up to the spicy kick of pepper and your taste buds will love you forever. So without further ado, our menu…

New York Strip Steaks
Steaks- Look for a nice red color and it should not have a bad odor. It should spring back to its original shape when touched.
Salt
Pepper
Garlic Powder
Seasoned Salt

Season the steaks with the spices and grill or pan fry until desired temperature. Let rest for 5 minutes before eating so juices can redistribute throughout the steak.

Buttery Green Beans
1 lb. fresh green beans
3 T. butter
Salt
Pepper

Trim ends off green beans and remove any strings.

Fill a medium to large pot halfway full of water. It doesn’t really matter how big the pot is as long as the beans will all fit in without being crowded. Generously salt the water and bring to boil.

While waiting for the water to boil prepare an ice bath by putting a generous amount of ice in a bowl and filling it with cold water.

Add the green beans to the boiling water and cook until almost done but still crisp. Drain and immediately place the beans in the prepared ice bath. This will stop the cooking until you are ready to finish them.

When ready to finish the beans, melt butter in a sauté pan and get the pan hot. Add the beans and toss together until warmed through. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Italian Style Risotto
½ c. Arborio rice
¼ c. chopped onion
4 T. butter, divided in half
1 ½-3 c. chicken broth (amount will vary depending on rice)
2 T. heavy cream
¼ c. shredded Italian style cheese (mixture has Mozzarella, Provolone, Parmesan, Romano, Fontina, and Asiago cheeses)
¼ t. dried oregano
¼ t. dried basil
Bay leaf

Heat chicken stock.

In a separate pan, sauté the onion in half of the butter until soft.

Add rice and sauté for about 2 minutes.

Stir in 1/4 cup of hot broth and cook over medium high heat while stirring until all the broth is absorbed.

Add bay leaf, oregano, and basil.

Continue adding stock ¼ cup at a time, cooking until all the broth is absorbed before adding the next amount. The rice will be done when it is soft or slightly al dente, depending on preference.

Remove from heat and stir in heavy cream and cheese.

Source: Me!