Take To School Taco Bar Recipes

TACO BAR

Steps:

• Set a 12-inch saute pan over medium heat and add the olive oil. Once hot, place the onions in the pan and saute until translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cumin to the pan and continue to saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the beef to the pan and cook, breaking the pieces up as they cook, until the meat is browned, about 8 to 10 minutes. Season with the chipotle pepper and the salt. Add the beef broth and tomato paste to the pan and bring to a simmer. Cook the meat, stirring occasionally until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and serve with the garnishes for guests to assemble their tacos to their liking.
• In a small mixing bowl, combine the avocado with the onion, garlic, cilantro, lime juice, and salt and mash with the back of a fork until mostly smooth.
• Serve immediately, or cover with plastic wrap (pressed directly onto the surface of the guacamole) and refrigerate for up to 4 hours.
• Combine all the ingredients and stir well to combine. Let salsa sit for 30 minutes for the flavors to blend.
• Serve as an accompaniment to fish tacos, or other dishes, as desired.

TAKE-TO-SCHOOL TACO BAR

Steps:

• Fold 1 slice roast beef inside each of 2 soft tortillas and sprinkle with cheese. Pack in the biggest compartment of the lunch box. Pack other compartments with guacamole, salsa, sour cream and other favorite toppings. Seal and send off to school.
• Grate tomatoes on the largest holes of a box grater into a bowl all the way down to the skins. Discard the skins. Grate the onion into the tomato. Stir in olive oil. Season with salt, to taste. Serve with cilantro leaves on the side, or stirred in, if desired.
• Scoop the flesh from the shell with a spoon into a medium bowl. Squeeze the lime juice over the avocado and stir to coat evenly. Add the salt. Use a fork to stir and mash into a chunky guacamole. Stir in tomatoes or fruit, if desired.

MIDDLE-SCHOOL TACOS

Steps:

• Place a large skillet over medium-high heat, and add the oil. When it begins to shimmer, add the onion, and cook until softened and starting to brown, approximately 5 to 7 minutes.
• Add the garlic, and cook for a minute or so to soften, and then the ground beef. Cook until the beef is starting to brown, stirring and chopping with a spoon to break up the meat, approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Pour off excess fat, leaving only a tablespoon or two in the pan.
• Heat oven to 325. Add the chile powder, cumin, salt, pepper, cornstarch, paprika and red-pepper flakes, and stir to combine. Add the broth, stir, bring to a simmer and cook uncovered until the sauce has thickened slightly, approximately 4 to 5 minutes.
• As sauce cooks, place taco shells on a sheet pan, and toast in oven until they are crisp and smell nutty. Serve a few tablespoons of meat in each taco, along with whatever toppings you like.

TACO BARS

Steps:

• Brown ground beef in skillet over medium heat until no pink remains.
• Drain fat and rinse, if desired.
• Add taco seasoning and prepare according to package directions (use 1/2 amount of water if using 1/2 pkg. seasoning).
• Unroll one tube of crescent rolls and place on bottom of 9" x 13" cake pan.
• Press seams together and spread out to cover bottom of pan.
• Bake in 375 degrees F oven until rolls just start to brown.
• Cover dough with hot beef mixture; then spread sour cream over beef using a teaspoon.
• Sprinkle with cheese and drizzle with salsa.
• Unroll second tube of crescent rolls and carefully spread out over top, pinching together seams where possible.
• Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until top is golden brown.
• Let set 10 to 15 minutes, then cut into squares.

TACO IN A BAG

Steps:

• Place ground beef in a large skillet. Cook and stir over medium heat until browned. Drain excess oil. Mix in the taco seasoning and prepare according to the directions on the package.
• With the bags unopened, gently crush the corn chips. Snip the corners off the bags using scissors and slit open the bags along the side edge. Spoon equal amounts of the beef mixture, lettuce, tomato, Cheddar cheese, salsa and sour cream into the bags on top of the crushed chips. Serve in the bag and eat using a fork.