Taco Rice Recipe

About a year ago I got wise and started packing up half of the taco meat I make every week and tucking it away in the freezer.  We never finish a whole pound of ground beef at one taco night meal. Leftovers would occasionally get forgotten in the fridge.  It hurts to throw out pricey grass-fed beef!

Left-over taco meat is generally used for another round of soft tacos, a crowd pleaser at our house.  Aside from the in-store made whole wheat tortillas from the big HEB, this meal is hearty and wholesome by way of lots of wholesome fresh vege toppers and the whole family digs it.  Sometimes meat reserves goes into quesadillas or loaded nachos.  In the Spring when we have lots of local lettuces available I serve it as taco salad.

Last week I needed a pinch hitter on a meeting night.  I had taco meet ferreted away in the freezer, but no tortillas or lettuce.  It was a week night, so I couldn't justify nachos for supper.  Taco soup was an option but it's already spring in Houston, and we've been having highs in the 80s....  Plenty of brown rice was in the pantry, and I had a few grape tomatoes getting wrinkly and stalks of celery in the fridge.  Taco rice??  Perfect.  It'll do in a pinch.

When the boys asked what's for supper, big boo was upset we weren't having tacos.   He pouted.  When he came to the table and gave it a shot he cleared his plate without complaint.  The crunchy celery really made this dish.  I might add more next time.  This recipe is a keeper.

Taco Rice Recipe
Half pound of pre-cooked taco meat seasoned with onion and make-it-yourself taco seasoning
One crushed dry thai pepper (I get these from a local farmer, use what ever pepper you have)
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp turmeric
3 ribs celery
18 grape tomatoes quartered, or one whole tomato diced
One cup dry brown rice, cooked
salt and pepper to taste (may not be necessary depending on your rice & taco meat seasoning)
celery leaves - chopped (frugal sub for parsley, has similar taste, lots of nutrients, don't toss celery leaves!)
half a lime
Toppers of your choic : shredded cheddar, sour cream, salsa, avocado

Directions
Cook rice according to directions.  Cook tomatoes and celery in a bit of healthy fat over medium heat, about 5 minutes. Add Thai pepper, stirring to combine.  Add cooked taco meat.  Add cooked rice and dry spices.  Remove from heat.  Stir in chopped celery leaves and squeeze half a lime over top.

Kid Appeal Tip  If your kids protest left-over night or new recipes, hear them out.  They may just want you to know, hey mom, I prefer recipe round one or the way we usually eat pasta.  Let them know that it's your job to feed the family dinner. Sometimes the meal is a crowd pleaser and sometimes the meal is sustenance to put to good use ingredients you have on hand.  As a busy parent who works, shuttles kids to activities, helps with homework, and handles the laundry, you can't live at the grocery store or in the kitchen and make every meal fantabulous.  By making good use of the ingredients you've already invested in you are allowing your family to have more budget to go to the movies or splurge for a new video game.  Kids are smart.  Tell them why you do left-overs and new concoctions. Let them know what it does for them, expect them to dig in, and they will. 

This post is participating in Nourishing Gourmet's Pennywise Platter and LifeAsMom's URS.

What do you do with left over taco meat?