S/O taco thread, how do you make yours?

[princesspiglet]

Here in PA we do a lot of "walking tacos". You start with an individual bag of Doritos, Tortilla chips or my favorite- Chile Cheese Frito's. Add the seasoned meat on top with lettuce, salsa, cheese and sour cream. Close the bag, shake it up, open back up and eat up with a spoon. You will see hundreds of kids eating these at every sporting event here.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

for the meat filling:

browned ground beef
chopped cilantro, diced onion, and finely diced tomato
cumin
chile powder
garlic powder
salt
paprika
occasionally finely diced potato sauteed in Adobo seasoning first until potato is soft, then add into meat mixture at the very end. (mostly if I need to stretch the meat for more people)

Toppings:
queso frecso cheese, crumbled
sour cream
green salsa left over from the best little taco stands in our area
DH occasionally likes lettuce and tomato, but the rest of don't, so he usually goes without.
DS10 and I like finely chopped onion and fresh cilantro on top of ours.

Tortillas:
Corn heated on a flat griddle with a tiny bit of oil
flour warmed up in a damp towel in the microwave

We never use those seasoning packets. Yuck!

I will have to try this, so I am quoting you. I am trying to cut out sodium, fat, etc. So using herbs/spices is something I am experimenting with.

Typically at this house....

I use the La Tiara white corn taco shells. Bake in oven for 10 mins @ 200.
Seasoned meat, salsa, sour cream, cheese, lettuce.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

This may not be technically correct, but here's my distinction between the two. A taco is usually a crisp corn tortilla, or a soft flour tortilla with a spicy meat filling, diced tomatoes, shredded lettuce, shredded cheese, and taco sauce. A burrito is usually a flour tortilla filled with spiced meat, cheese, refried beans, and maybe a bit of taco/burrito sauce (I think it's the same stuff.)

Somehow burritos in restaurants like Chipotle have come to include all kinds of stuff like rice (because the tortilla isn't enough carbs?) and just about anything you can think of. They might be tasty, but I think it stretches the definition of burrito. But I make no claims to authenticity, it's just what I grew up with.

Well it depends on whether you're talking about a Mexican taco or an American Taco. You have defined the American Taco.

 

[North of Mouse]

Here in PA we do a lot of "walking tacos". You start with an individual bag of Doritos, Tortilla chips or my favorite- Chile Cheese Frito's. Add the seasoned meat on top with lettuce, salsa, cheese and sour cream. Close the bag, shake it up, open back up and eat up with a spoon. You will see hundreds of kids eating these at every sporting event here.

This is what dh & I enjoyed when we were first married. A local place made them, or we made our own (Lafayette, LA). We didn't shake them up though. Had small individual bags of Fritos and called them 'Frito Pies'!! Yum! Quick, easy, and nothing to wash!!

 

[Heidict]

I season ground beef with homemade sofrito, fresh garlic, Adobo and sazon. I make a pico de gallo which is just tomato, onion, cilantro and lime juice. I only put that on my tacos. For the rest of the family I have cheese, lettuce and sour cream available. Sometimes I buy the crema if I can get to the Spanish store or SO's mom picks it up for us.

We have corn tortillas and hard shells available.

Gonna take a shot in the dark here and guess that you are Puerto Rican? Cause this is exactly how my DH would make them if I let him. Every time I make mexican, I have to fight him off. He is always trying to make it more PR.

If I am making tacos, then 9 times out of 10 I fry up my own corn tortillas to make hard shell tacos. Not the healthy way to eat them, but it's comfort food for me. I will not touch the boxed "shells" with a 10 foot pool. I will generally do ground beef seasoned with cumin, chili powder, garlic, mexican oregano, salt and pepper. Sometimes we will use shredded beef, pork, shrimp or fried fish, all though we generally use flour tortillas for those.

Haven't made tacos in a while. Guess I know what I will be picking up at the store on the next grocery run!

 

[mi*vida*loca]

Gonna take a shot in the dark here and guess that you are Puerto Rican? Cause this is exactly how my DH would make them if I let him. Every time I make mexican, I have to fight him off. He is always trying to make it more PR.

If I am making tacos, then 9 times out of 10 I fry up my own corn tortillas to make hard shell tacos. Not the healthy way to eat them, but it's comfort food for me. I will not touch the boxed "shells" with a 10 foot pool. I will generally do ground beef seasoned with cumin, chili powder, garlic, mexican oregano, salt and pepper. Sometimes we will use shredded beef, pork, shrimp or fried fish, all though we generally use flour tortillas for those.

Haven't made tacos in a while. Guess I know what I will be picking up at the store on the next grocery run!

Yes I am and I add sofrito to just about everything I cook unless it's Italian food. lol

I just put my corn tortillas on an open burner on the stove and flip them with tongs or my bare hands if I'm living on the edge.

We have a lot of authentic Mexican places in the area so if I want true Mexican food we order out. DD has a really good friend that is Mexican and her mother has cooked for us before so I don't even try to imitate it. She made seafood soup and tacos for her DD's 11th birthday party. It was THE BEST kids birthday party I have ever been to!

 

[RedAngie]

I've always been curious - what's "officially" the definition of a taco v.s. burrito?

I've read a few of the other responses and I'll give my opinion. A taco is left open with visible fillings, while a burrito is rolled up and the fillings are enclosed within and not visible.

 

[Micca]

called them 'Frito Pies

I see this on some fast food menus around here...I think Sonic might even have it. Frito pie is typically served in a short cup with Frito chips filling up the bottom,chili is poured over the chips, and it's topped with shredded cheese--sometimes some chopped onion. It's no substitute for a good taco or burrito, but it's not bad.

 

[disneychrista]

Frito pie is typically served in a short cup with Frito chips filling up the bottom,chili is poured over the chips, and it's topped with shredded cheese

We just call this Chili Fritos. Have been eating it for as long as I can remember.