Ground Turkey Seaoned For Tacos And Burritos

Photo: Tylt -  With vegetables and lettuce, a hodge-podge of textures is delicious baby!

At the supermarket this week I bought a 48-ounce package of 85% lean ground turkey, a manager's special, for $5.99. Many people like to substitute ground turkey for beef. Truthfully I'm not usually one of them, as ground turkey is wetter and blander than ground beef, but sometimes I give in. Can't beat the price! 

Here's a spicy, flavorful way to season ground turkey that can be used for tacos and burritos. Ground turkey is rich in protein, low in fat, and tasty with spices and textures added.  Of course, ground beef or vegan soy "meat" could be used instead if you wish.

Feel free to freeze the leftovers for another day, or simply half or quarter the recipe.*

Ingredients:

Photo: grillsforever

48 ounces of ground turkey
1/4 cup chili powder
2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
1 tablespoon ground paprika
1 Jalapeño pepper, diced (If you don't have the fresh pepper, substitute 1/2 teaspoon Cheyanne pepper)
1 tablespoon salt 
1 tablespoon dried garlic
2 teaspoons dried onion 
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1/4 cup cider vinegar
Sprinkle of Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon of brown sugar

Optional: I diced a small onion to toss into the meat. I like the texture of some cooked vegetables; you don't need this extra onion for flavor.

Directions

Photo: simplrecipes

1) Toss the ground turkey into a large frying pan and cook for 5 minutes. Break it up into small chunks. Turn the heat off.

2) Measure and combine all the dried spices in a bowl, then add it to the meat. You may wonder if all the dry powder spices are too much for the recipe, but it all cooks together.

3) If you are also using a Jalapeño pepper and onion, dice and toss them into the pan.

4) Turn the heat back on and add the cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce and brown sugar.

5) Continue to break up the meat into small chunks (With beef, you need to add a cup of water to the pan, but ground turkey usually releases water as it cooks.)  So add water only if needed. Simmer on medium-low for another 15 minutes.

Ah, the rewards of my labor.

Use for tacos, taco bowls and burritos. You will need tortillas, cooked rice (or a baked potato for a bowl), diced lettuce, diced onions, diced tomatoes, hot or medium salsa, beans or refried beans, avocados or guacamole and lots of melted cheese! Oh yeah ... ¡Buen provecho!

Extra tip: If you only make 1/4 amount of the recipe (12 ounces of meat for about 3 servings), where you see to add a tablespoon of seasoning, cut the measurement to a teaspoon of the seasoning. A 1/4 cup has 12 teaspoons. A tablespoon equals 3 teaspoons, so reduce accordingly. If you make a large quantity, you can freeze a portion for quick microwave meals later.


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Homemade Sloppy Joe's Sandwiches

Photo: Chowkhound

Food is one of THE SAVVY SHOPPER'S topics because it takes a big bite out of a budget. No matter what, we have to eat every day! Today's feature makes an easy weekend dinner.

I never ate Sloppy Joe's as a child as my Mom never made it. To me it was a Hunt's TV spot called a Manwich.

According to Wikipedia, the sandwich was created in the 1930s in Sioux City, Iowa by a cook named Joe. Recently I obtained a 2020 calendar from my local Key Food Supermarket with the recipe, and decided to lighten it up a tad:

Homemade Sloppy Joe's

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon butter (omit)
1 teaspoon olive oil (omit)
1 pound lean ground beef
1/3 green (or red) bell pepper, minced
1 medium yellow onion, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2/3 cup ketchup
1/3 cup water
1 tablespoon brown sugar (I reduce it to half a teaspoon of brown sugar. Sweet enough for me.)
1 teaspoon yellow mustard (I stock Dijon, or brown mustard.)
3/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (I use sea salt.)
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
dash of hot sauce (optional)

Directions:

1. Heat butter and oil in large skillet over medium/medium-high heat. Add beef and brown, breaking apart into crumbles as it cooks, about 5 minutes. (Note: I omit the butter and olive oil to brown the meat since even lean ground beef has some fat, which is enough to brown the meat.)

2. Add onion and bell pepper to the same skillet and cook 2-3 minutes, until soft. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds or so, until fragrant. Add tomato paste. Stir well.

3. Add ketchup, water, brown sugar, mustard, chili powder, Worcestershire sauce, salt, red pepper flakes and hot sauce (if using), and black pepper. Stir well to combine.

4. Cook over medium heat for 10-15 minutes, until mixture has thickened to your liking. Remove from heat and serve over toasted buns. (Another tweak: I toast 2 slices of grainy bread in lieu of buns. I also like to butter one side of the bread so it browns better and for taste.)

Unlike canned Sloppy Joe's sauce, you control what goes into the pan. Lean and relatively healthy, this homemade recipe is the perfect blend of savory, tangy, zesty and a hint of sweet. Enjoy!


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