Beef Tacos

Ease: 3.5/5     Kid-friendliness: 4/5     Taste: 5/5      Time: 2/5

Prep:
Cooking Time: min 4 hours

My dad had eight brothers and sisters. There are still seven of them; five in Alberta. My Grandma B is alive and kicking as well. When her children began moving out, she required only one thing of them: that they agree to come together at least four times a year to celebrate holidays and birthdays. Dutifully, they have done so. Family members take turns hosting. The host is responsible for the entree, and other family members bring the fixings.  This month was my husband and I's turn. Needless to say, it's a fairly large group that comes together. Cooking for large groups can stress me out a little. Turkey and roasts are the tried and true large group options, but this time around, I wanted to make something summery, and simple.

I landed on the idea of beef tacos. This worked out perfectly, because other than a little prep work, all that was required was throwing the beef into my slow cooker, giving me plenty of time to stress about cleaning the house.

What you'll need:

• 1 1/2 lbs (680 g) extra lean ground beef
• 3 Tbsp white vinegar
• 1 Tbsp chili powder
• 1 package Tex Mex seasoning
• 1 tsp dried whole oregano
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1 1/2 C chopped onion
• 1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
• 12 oz corn 
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 1 Tbsp Tex Mex seasoning
• 1 tsp parsley flakes
• 1/2 tsp dried whole oregano
• couple dashes of tabasco sauce
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper

Mix first 8 ingredients in bowl. Scramble-fry in non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat until browned. Drain. 

Put onion into 3.5 or 5 quart slow cooker. Add peppers, corn and beef mixture. Stir. 

Combine remaining 7 ingredients in bowl. Stir well. Pour over top. Stir. Cover. Cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours. Makes 10 cups. 

To complete the tacos, I served the beef mix with hard and soft taco shells, chopped lettuce, chopped tomatoes, chopped red onion, chopped green onion, salsa, and tex mex cheese. 

It was a great afternoon!