I’m from the generation that grew up with Saturday westerns on TV, like the “Cisco Kid” and “The Lone Ranger.” Those shows may have only been shown in black and white, but we couldn’t get enough of them. One thing we didn’t have, however, was southwestern or Mexican food to complement our TV viewing.
It seems like once tacos became popular, then everything from enchiladas to sopaipillas showed up in restaurants, and all their ingredients showed up in stores so we could even make our own Mexican dishes at home. While western shows and movies have all but disappeared, our taste for fare that originated south of the border is more popular than ever!
Here is a recipe for Cowboy Tacos that is sure to please the entire family, especially if served with served with refried beans, Mexican rice and corn on the cob.
COWBOY TACOS
1 pound boneless pork loin or chuck steak, cut into 1 1/2-inch strips
1 (1 1/4-ounce) package taco seasoning mix
1-2 tablespoons oil
1 cup thick and chunky salsa
1 cup black beans OR spicy chili beans
1/4 cup apricot preserves
1 (4.6-ounce) package hard taco shells
1 cup shredded cheddar-Monterey Jack cheese
Garnish:
Sliced ripe olives
Chopped green onions
Sour cream
In a shallow bowl, combine pork or beef with taco seasoning mix; toss to coat.
Heat oil in large skillet over medium high heat until hot. Add pork or beef; cook and stir 3 to 5 minutes or until no longer pink.
Stir in salsa, beans and preserves. Reduce heat to low and simmer 10 to 12 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, heat taco shells according to package directions. To serve, spoon 1/3 cup meat mixture into each taco shell; top with shredded cheese, sliced olives and green onions and several dollops of sour cream on top. Makes 12 tacos.
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