Spicy Chicken Nachos with Pepper Cheese Plus Taco Seasoning Recipe

We have been gifted with a half dozen or so packages of prime cheeses from Wisconsin and several varieties are pepper cheeses.  Just the thing for adorning a big platter of chicken nachos for an easy one dish supper for the two of us.

This weekend I saw again them being made in TV and thought I would roll out my homemade taco seasoning and sear some chicken to start things rolling.      thehiddenpantry.blogspot.com/2012/04/hot-ooey-gooey-tex-mex-cheese-dip-taco.html 
 (This is the link for the taco seasoning recipe.)

Ingredients for Spicy Chicken Nachos:

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts or 3-4 boneless skinless chicken thighs
2 t. taco seasoning
2 T. butter
2 t. chili powder
1 can Rotel tomatoes with chilies
8 oz. shredded pepper cheese
corn chips
2-3 diced green onions
2 seeded diced ripe tomatoes
2-3 T. canned or fresh sliced peppers, optional
1/4 head shredded lettuce
sour cream

Melt the butter in a heavy skillet, cast iron if you have it.  Mix the taco seasoning and chili powder and season all sides of the chicken.  Sear the chicken all over then reduce the heat to medium and cook 8-10 minutes until done.  Remove the chicken to a platter and just let it sit a few minutes while you pour the Rotel into the hot skillet over the drippings and stir to loosen the bits in the pan.  Reduce the heat to a simmer.  Shred the chicken with 2 forks and return it to the pan with the tomatoes and chilies (Rotel).  Simmer 10-15 min.

Line a large serving platter with corn chips of your choice.  Ladle half of the hot chicken over the chips.  Next place a layer of half the shredded cheese.  Repeat layers with chips, chicken, and cheese.

Top the layers off with green onion slices, diced tomato, pepper slices, shredded lettuce, and sour cream.  DIG IN!  Pass lots of napkins!

This should serve 3-4 unless you have 2 starving men!  Or pass with small plates and forks as an appetizer or snack.  Serve as a dinner salad or a main dish. 

Nachos with Fresh Corn, Tomatoes, and Peppers

Corn chips, beef, peppers, cheese, corn, and tomatoes married up for a quick and easy supper.

Easy, and the sweetness of the corn and tomatoes and spice from the peppers made a fresh and flavorful supper.  Brian really liked this a lot and it made use of my on hand pickled peppers from last summer as well as the 2 remaining ears of corn on hand. You can easily design this dish around whatever you like and have on hand as long as you have some really good melting cheese!

Ingredients for Corn, Tomato, and Peppers Nachos: 

Corn chips
Shredded cheese
Pickled or fresh sliced peppers
Seasoned taco meat and/or beans (whatever you like chicken, beef, or pork)
Corn sliced from ears or drained fresh
Chopped fresh tomato
Diced onion, optional
Taco sauce or hot sauce, optional
Cooking spray

I did not give amounts as this is more a do what you like in the quantities and build these nachos to suit yourself guide or suggestion.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Spray a large flat oven proof dish or pan well with cooking spray.

Spread corn ships across the bottom of the pan.  Sprinkle generously with an easy melting cheese of your liking.  Top the cheese with sliced peppers.  Layer with meat and or beans.  Sprinkle with the corn and another layer of peppers and cheese.

Bake 10-15 minutes.  Remove from the oven and slide onto serving dishes.  Top with diced onions and tomatoes.  Serve hot and pass the  sauce.

Taco Dip Fast, Fun, & Delicious Every Single Time I Make It!

I love the ceramic dish my Granddaughter's painted with big triangular corn chips and our names!

This Mother's day has been lovely and such a relaxing time.  Partly because we had an easy meal and nobody had to do a lot because we all did a little!  Brian grilled burgers and roasted carrots on the grill.  Joel and Julie brought the chips and Mike and Julie brought dessert.  I made the dip!  One of my favorite dips!  It is easy, fast, and downright yummy.

Ingredients for Taco Dip:

8 ounces room temperature Philadelphia Cream Cheese
1 C. sour cream
1 bottle taco sauce
i can black olives
1/2 jar of pepperonchini
3-4 sliced green onions, optional
1 diced tomato
4 ounces shredded cheese
Corn Chips for scooping up the dip

Using an electric mixer beat together the cream cheese and sour cream until smooth.  Spread this onto a large flat serving dish.  I used the large decorated dish the granddaughters made me one Christmas.  It is decorated with big triangular corn chips with all of our names on painted on them. (Really cute girls!)  Next spread the taco sauce across the top of the cheese and cream layer.

I usually stop with the sauce just before the edge but it really doesn't matter!  Next add a layer of sliced black olives and a layer of sliced pepperonchini.

Top these layers with diced fresh tomato and shredded cheese.  You are ready now to scoop and enjoy!  Yield 12 - 15 servings.

Spicy Mexican Chicken & Corn Soup

As my daughter-in-law says this is a "do again!"

Today has been a whirl wind.  Since I hadn't been to the grocery for 2 weeks and things have just piled up while I have been away I needed to go full press and a pot of soup fits the bill for tonight's supper.  There should make enough to reheat for a supper next week and some lunches.  I have 6 ears of fresh corn in the downstairs refrigerator that need to be used so I have spun off an Ina Garten recipe for Mexican Chicken Soup and adapted it as my own very spicy corn  and chicken soup!  It is delicious.  We garnished with avocado,  sour cream, and shredded cheddar, yum!

Ingredients for Spicy Mexican chicken & Corn Soup:

3-4 large split bone and skin on chicken breast halves
3-4 T. olive oil
Kosher salt
Fresh ground black pepper
2 large diced onions
2 C. diced celery
3 C. diced carrots
4 large cloves garlic chopped
2 1/2 quarts chicken stock
28 Oz. can crushed tomatoes
4 fresh jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped
1 1/2 t. ground cumin
1 1/2 t. ground coriander seed
6 ears fresh corn cut from the cob or 3-4 C. frozen sweet corn
1/4-1/2 C. chopped cilantro
6 fresh corn tortillas

Garnish with avocado, sour cream, shredded cheese, and tortilla chips.

Just slip the meat from the bones!

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.  Cover a half sheet pan with heavy duty foil and drizzle with a small amount of olive oil.  Salt and pepper the chicken breasts and place them on the prepared sheet.  Roast bone side down in the oven for about 40-45 minutes.  Remove and set aside to cool.  When the chicken is cool enough to handle discard the skin and bones and shred with your fingers.  Set aside in the refrigerator.

A gentle simmer is perfect!

Meanwhile, heat 3 T. oil in the bottom of a soup kettle or dutch oven.  Add the onions, carrots, and celery and saute for 8-10 minutes over medium heat.  Add the garlic and stir around for a half a minute or so.  Add the stock, tomatoes, peppers, cumin, coriander, and taste for salt, adding to taste.  Add 1 t. pepper, and the cilantro.  Bring the soup to a boil and cut the tortillas into strips and add them and the chicken.   After it returns to a boil reduce to a simmer and let it slow simmer for 20-25 minutes.  Serve up and garnish.  Yield 8-10 servings.

Easy Homemade Beef Enchiladas with Homemade Enchilada Sauce

These Beef Enchiladas Look, Smell, and Taste Wonderful.

This day I am devoting to cooking a bit and planning menus for the rest of the week as I am going to start the drudgery of getting all of our tax stuff together in the morning.  I expect our CPA will fall over if I get this done as I plan because we always wind up filing an extension because I find this to be such a chore.  Since we own a small business it is a bushel basket or so of paper if you are lucky!!

I went to town this morning to buy gas and stop and pick up the few things I needed.  Then of course I vacuumed.... seems like that is an everyday chore.  (No mishaps, if anyone is wondering!)

I picked up a pound of shrimp for Pesto and Shrimp one night, Enchiladas ought to be good for 2 nights and carry out will work for another.  (Brian stops and gets chicken about once a week at the Buehler's Buy Low grocery on his way home as they make it fresh and it's very good.)

This beautiful dish of enchiladas can be baked and served now,  refrigerated and baked later,  or freezer wrapped and frozen for later baking.  It will keep about 3 months in the freezer.

First I make my sauce either out of my home canned tomato sauce or store purchased sauce.  I freeze what I don't need for another time.  Today I am using my home canned sauce. www.thehiddenpantry.blogspot.com/2012/08/canning-basic-tomato-sauce.html

Ingredients for Enchilada Sauce:

1-2 T. olive oil
1 diced onion or about 1/4 C. dried onion flakes
4-5 cloves fresh garlic peeled and diced
6-7 T. chili powder
2 T. ground cumin
1 quart canned tomato sauce (4 C.)
2 C. chicken stock
1 t. kosher salt add more to taste
1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper add more to taste

Mix all of the above ingredients together in a medium saucepan and heat to boiling over medium high heat.  Stir well to combine the ingredients then reduce to simmer.  Simmer over low heat at least 20 minutes and a bit longer is fine too. Yield 5 C. sauce.

Ingredients for Easy Beef Enchiladas:

2 T. olive oil or melted butter
2 T. flour
5 C. enchilada sauce
1 C. chicken or beef stock
salt and pepper to taste

1 pound lean ground beef
1 diced onion
salt and pepper to taste

vegetable oil to fry the tortillas
12-14 corn tortillas
2-4 ounce cans of diced green chilies
1 bunch of green onions sliced with the tops
2 small cans of sliced black olives or 1 regular can of black olives and slice them
3-4 C. grated cheese  (Cheddar or Monetary Jack and Cheddar blended or part Pepper Jack)

Whisk the fat and flour together in a saucepan over medium heat.  Let it bubble for a minute or so and pour in the red sauce.  Keep stirring and add the stock, taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper if needed.   Reduce the heat to the lowest simmer and leave it to get delicious while you cook up the beef!

Throw the onions and beef together into a heavy skillet. ( I love cast iron for this. ) Turn the fire up to medium high and brown it together.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  If there is fat to drain please drain it off now.  Turn the heat off and leave this for now.

Next we need to heat up the tortillas by giving them a quick dunk in hot oil.  It is not accurate to say we are going to fry them as we do not want to crisp them.  We only want to warm them up a bit and make them pliable.  Heat about 1/4" of vegetable oil over medium heat.  Add the tortillas one at a time and leave maybe 5-10 seconds and then turn.  Leave another 5-10 seconds and remove from the hot oil to a stack of paper towels to drain.  Fry them one at a time until they are all softened and draining. 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Butter a 9 x 13" baking dish and set it aside for now.

Spread about 1/2 C. sauce into the bottom of the prepared baking dish.  One at a time dip each tortilla into the sauce.

Lay the sauced tortilla into a dinner plate.  In the center of the tortilla place a tablespoon full of the meat, a teaspoon of the green chilies,  a sprinkling of green onions, a sprinkling of sliced black olives, and top off with a big handful of the shredded cheese.  Roll up the tortilla with all of these fillings inside and lay seam side down in the prepared baking dish.

Prepare the rest of the tortillas in the same way placing them snugly next to each other until the pan is filled.

Pour the remaining sauce atop the casserole and sprinkle with the remaining ingredients.  Cheese first then anything else you may have left like chilies and green onions and olives.  Looks yummy doesn't it!!

Bake for 25-30 minutes until bubbling and heated throughout.  Let it sit a few minutes before serving.  Yield 8 servings.

This casserole can be made ahead, covered and kept in the refrigerator until time to bake.  It also freezes well for up to 3 months.  Increase the baking time to about 1 hour and keep covered with foil for the first 45 minutes of baking.  Check the center to be sure it has heated through.  The edges should be bubbling and the cheese melted and bubbling.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

This soup is chocked full of "good for you" food yet tastes astonishing!

I have read a lot of tortilla soup recipes but had never made it until today.  It is a brisk 20 degrees this morning, clear, cold, and Brian is still coughing although his temperature has finally dropped below 100 degrees.  This warm spicy chicken soup sounds like a plan to me.

Chilies, cumin, chili powder, garlic, onions, and hot sauce all blend into a heavenly concoction.

Now it is mid afternoon and I am back on task!  I have been trying to get this part of the post written in but took Brian to the Dr. after making the soup and sitting it to simmer.  Boy does this house smell wonderful pulling into the garage from out in the cold air.  Such a welcoming and comforting thing to come home to something simmering on the stove!!  Here is what I have concocted.

Ingredients for Chicken Tortilla Soup, my way:

4 C. cooked chicken shredded and skin removed (I used leftover chicken)
2 T. olive oil + an additional 1 C. for frying the tortilla strips
1 heaping teaspoon of Cumin
1 rounded teaspoon of Chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt + additional for dusting the tortilla strips after frying
2 large diced onions (about 1 1/2 C.)
1 large or about 1C. red bell pepper
3 cloves of fresh garlic chopped
1 can Rotel tomatoes with green chilies
1 small can of diced green chilies
2 quarts of chicken stock
1/2 of a 6 ounce can of tomato paste (freeze the rest for later)
2 cans of vacuum packed Mexi-Corn
2 cans of black beans drained
2 diced carrots
3 T. cornmeal
2 T. fresh Cilantro chopped + more for garnish
Dash or two of your favorite hot sauce
5-6 whole corn tortillas cut into uniform strips  2-3" long

Garnish :

Fresh chopped Cilantro
Sour cream
Diced avocado
Diced red onion or green onion
Grated Monterrey Jack cheese or Mexican Blend Cheese

Shred chicken and set aside.  If you do not have cooked chicken season 2 or 3 large pieces (1 to 1 1/2 pounds) of fresh chicken ad roast at 375 degrees on a oiled sheet pan for about 25-30 minutes.  Cool, remove skin, and shred as previously explained.

Heat 2 T. oil in a soup kettle with a heavy bottom.  Saute the onions, red pepper, and garlic.  Add the Rotel, stock, and seasonings.  Stir well.  Mix in the chicken, corn, beans, diced carrots, and cornmeal stirring as you do.  Reduce to simmer and continue coking for 30-40 minutes.  Stir occasionally.

Add the cilantro and hot sauce and taste to adjust the seasoning if need be.  By now it smells so good it requires willpower to keep from pulling out a bowl and sampling.

Turn off the heat and let the soup sit for 10-15 minutes while you heat the additional oil in a shallow pan and fry the tortilla strips.  Drain on absorbent paper and lightly dust with salt.

Brian is not big on avocados.

This was my bowl, I like the works!

Ladle the soup into bowls and top with the crisp tortilla strips.  Garnish as desired with chopped fresh cilantro, sour cream, avocado slices, and shredded cheese.  Oh my, this might be my new favorite soup!

Yield about 10 servings and I predict it just gets better the longer it sits.  Yummmm.

Election Day Chili Mac 'n Fixin's

If you were a follower back on 11/1/2010 you may remember I love to serve chili on election day and watch the election returns late into the night.  It has become a family tradition here!  I do vary the chili though, but chili it is!

Yes, I have voted.  I went this morning and Brian voted on the way to work.  We ALWAYS vote.  Then I make chili.

This year I am making chili mac (with macaroni)  which I do not often do.  Mostly because if we are expecting guests it makes it nice to have the noodles on the side as some prefer with and some prefer without.

Ingredients for Chili Mac:

1 pound ground chuck
1 pound ground turkey
1 large onion diced
3 cloves of garlic chopped
2 fresh jalapeno peppers seeded and chopped
1 large can tomatoes
1 can chili hot beans
1 can chili mild beans
1 1/2 C. ketchup
3 T. brown sugar
1 t. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 T. salt
1 t. black pepper
1/4 C. chili powder
1 t. cumin
2 T. vinegar from canned hot peppers
4 C. water
1 1/2 C. elbow spaghetti or broken spaghetti

Brown the meats with the onions and garlic.  Season with a bit of the salt and pepper.  Drain any excess grease.  Add everything except the spaghetti and bring to a boil.   Reduce the heat and simmer for as long as you like.  It just gets better.  Stir occasionally and use a heavy bottomed kettle  to keep from sticking.   Just before serving cook the spaghetti according to package directions and drain.  Stir into the chili,

At serving time serve pipping hot with crackers or corn chips.  Top with diced onions. diced fresh tomatoes, and shredded cheese.  Yield 6 quarts.

Regardless of who wins the election we enjoy our evening and I hope you will too!

Turkey & Bean Burritos with Homemade Seasoning Recipe

Last night I just didn't want to cook.  I was pooped and had emptied about a dozen huge boxes of fabric in the late afternoon and just wanted something easy and a hot shower.  I opened the cabinet doors to the spice shelves and spied my jar of homemade taco seasoning.  Out of corn chips,  but there are some large flour tortillas in the bottom of my frig., a case to be made for burritos!  I am cutting back on red meat and I think ground turkey will do just fine.  I have stocked up and have some in the freezer.  Oo-lay!

A thaw in the microwave for the turkey, a can of re-fried beans from the pantry and I am half way home!  I have the seasoning mix already made up and if you would like to try it here is how I make it.

Ingredients for Homemade Taco/Burrito seasoning Mix:

4 T. Chili Powder ( I like Mexainne)
4 t. Paprika
3 T. Cumin
5 t. Onion Powder
1 t. Garlic Powder
1/4 t. Cayenne Pepper or to taste

Blend these ingredients and store in jar with a tight fitting lid.  To use add 2 T. spices mix and 1 C. of water to one pound of cooked and browned ground meat, lower the heat to simmer, and cover.  Cook for 5-10 minutes then use in your favorite recipe.

Ingredients for Turkey Burritos:

1pound cooked and browned ground turkey
2 T. Seasoning Mix above
1 C. water
1, 16 ounce can of re-fried beans
4-6 large flour tortillas
1 diced tomato
3-4 leaves of romaine shredded
3-4 oz. cheese shredded
2-3 T. sour cream

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.   Prepare a large foil packet for the flour tortillas and wrap them well.

Prepare the seasoned meat filling as above directed and add 1, 16 ounce can of re-fried beans.  cover and turn the heat to simmer stirring occasionally.  Meanwhile place the foil package of tortillas in the oven and set the timer for 10 minutes,  Prepare the tomato, lettuce, and cheese while they warm.

Place a warm tortilla on a flat plate and add in a long row about 3 tablespoons of the meat and bean filling.  Dollop a few half teaspoons of sour cream across the warm meat and sprinkle with a bit of the shredded cheese.  Strew the lettuce and tomato across the top keeping everything in a line about 2-3 inches from the top and the bottom. 

Fold up the bottom of the tortilla then I fold the side closest to me over then I fold again forming a wrap with an opening at the top.  The temptation is to overfill but they are so much easier to eat if you don't!!  So there you have it, quick, easy, one pan, paper plates, and heart healthy, low fat and I used no salt!

Yield 6 burritos.

Hot Chicken Taco Salad in a Crisp Flour Tortilla

Hot Chicken Taco Salad with Beans in a Flour Tortilla Bowl.

The other day I saw a commercial on TV advertising a little pan to place a flour tortilla in and bake, resulting in a crisp ruffled base for a taco salad.  It occurred to me you would achieve the same result by ruffling a large flour tortilla in any oven proof round dish slightly smaller than the tortilla and baking it until crisp.  So I tried it and it works just fine!

Yesterday I remembered I had two cooked chicken breast halves in a zip lock bag in the meat drawer I needed to use so a plan was hatched.  Chicken taco salad and I would use a crisp tortilla base.

First thing was to mix up my Taco Seasoning:

4 T. Chili Powder
3T. + 1 t. Paprika
3 T. Cumin
1 T. + 2 t. Onion Powder
1 t. Garlic Powder
1/4 t. Cayenne Powder

Store in an airtight container and shake well to mix.  For 1 pound of beef or chicken for tacos, mix 2 T. seasoning to each pound of cooked meat and 1 C. of water and simmer until the water is almost gone.

Chicken Taco filling:

1 pound cooked diced chicken
1 recipe for taco filling

Mix and simmer until most of the water is cooked away.  Meanwhile make chopped lettuce,  diced onion and tomato, shredded cheese, and heat re-fried beans.   Assemble pepper rings and any other dressings or condiments desired.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Tortilla bowls:

Large flour tortillas
Oven proof bowels slightly smaller than the tortillas

Place the flour tortillas inside the slightly smaller bowels and pat the center of the tortilla gently down to the bottom of the bowel.  With your fingers ruffle the sides as shown in the pictures.  I baked 8-12 minutes checking for crispness every few minutes after the first 8 for crispness.  You will need to watch closely as the thickness and damptness of the tortilla will vary. 

Assembly of Taco Salad:

I choose to use re-fried beans as the first layer of the salad but cheese would also do well crating a bit of a moisture barrier if you do not like or want the beans.  Next layer the hot meat and a bit more shredded cheese. 

Lettuce, onions, pepper rings and tomatoes are next followed by our favorite, ranch dressing.  It was a feast in a bowl!

Brian smacked his lips and said it was a "do again" what more could I ask for?

Easy, Easy Tex Mex Main Dish and Guacamole

I just returned from a visit at my son's home north of Indianapolis and we made some wonderful new dishes I thought you might enjoy too!  This dish is so very good I am sure to make it again and again.  The ingredients are easy and it is as pleasing to the eye as it is delicious.  It is all good!!   Reheats well too, not that a hungry family will leave much!

Ingredients for Tex Mex Bake:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. spray a 9 x 9" baking dish with cooking spray.

Break 2 C. tortilla chips and scatter evenly in the bottom of the baking dish and set aside.

1 pound lean ground meat of your choice browned and seasoned with 1 package taco seasoning
1 can re-fried beans
1 C. salsa

Combine above ingredients and spread evenly over the corn chips.

In a another bowl combine:

1 can of black beans rinsed and drained
1 can of corn drained
1 C. cheese
1/4 c. fresh cilantro chopped
1/2 pkg. taco seasoning

Stir together and spread atop the meat layer.

Top with additional:

1 C. cheese

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until heated though and bubbling.

Remove from the oven and top with:

1/2 C. sliced black olives
1 C. diced fresh tomatoes
2 T. chopped fresh cilantro, optional

Serve with tortilla chips,  fresh made guacamole, and sour cream.

Guacamole ingredients:

3 ripe avocados
1 large lime ( 2 T. lime juice minimum)
1/2 chopped sweet onion
1 diced tomato
1/4 C. cilantro
1 seeded and diced jalapeno pepper, optional
1/2 t. kosher salt

Add the lime juice to the bottom of a medium bowl and mash the avocado into it stirring to combine.
We like chunky avocado and leave it in larger pieces.  The lime adds delicious flavor and keeps  the spread an beautiful color.  We like to taste the lime a little!  Add the remaining ingredients and enjoy!

Hot OOEY GOOEY TEX MEX Cheese Dip & Taco Seasoning Mix

The spring like weather makes me want to fix salad suppers and finger foods and we have certainly been enjoying some lovely spring weather.  I took some liberties with a recipe I saw and got inspired to make a hot gooey dripping with luscious spicy goodness south of the border cheese dip.  Annies-eats.com  was the source of inspiration and here is the end result.

Ingredients:

1/2 C. Mayonnaise
8 oz. cream cheese
2 seeded and ribbed Jalapenos chopped fine
1 fresh, roasted, seeded, peeled, and de-veined red bell pepper, diced
3 -4 green onions chipped
1/2 C. chopped fresh cilantro
10 oz. sharp cheddar shredded
8 oz. pepper jack cheese shredded
1/2 t. red pepper flakes
salt and pepper

 Stir all of the ingredients together well in a large bowl until well combined.  Place 1/2 of the mixture in a freezer safe container and freeze for another day.  Place about  1/4 C. portions in microwave safe individual dishes and microwave on medium for about 2-3 minutes.  Refrigerate any unused portion for another day,  Serve with nacho chips or crisp crackers or veggies.  This is quite addictive so resist the temptation to cut the recipe in half.  I can't wait to serve this to our sons when they are home!!

If you like you may also spoon the whole concoction into a buttered glass baking dish and bake in a preheated 350 degree preheated oven until bubbling hot, about 20-30 minutes and serve for a small crowd of hungry cheese lovers.


While I was at it I made Taco salad for supper and was out of Taco seasoning so I whipped up a quick batch in the jar I keep it in.  Before I stirred it up I noticed how lovely the spices looked layered in the jar and thought .."what a nice gift this would make."  Especially given still in layers with directions to stir well before using.  So here you go I am repeating my recipe and showing the cool photo.

Taco Seasoning Ingredients:

4 T. chili Powder
3 T. +1 t. Paprika
3 T. Cumin
1 T. +2 t. onion powder
1 t. garlic powder
1/4 t. Cayenne pepper

Use 2 T. mix to 1 pound cooked ground beef or chicken, plus 1 C. water.  Simmer until the water is almost gone.  Serve with your favorite fixings for Tacos or Taco salad.