Tex-Mex Style Soft Taco Recipe [Sponsored]

Tex/Mex Style Beef Tacos (Prep. time: 20 minutes plus 5 hours in slow cooker or 1 hour on stovetop. Makes 2 large tacos)

½ lb. stew beef

½ red bell pepper, diced

½ onion, diced

1 large garlic clove, diced

1 heaping Tb. chili powder

2 tsp. dried oregano

¼ tsp. cumin

1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

pinch of red pepper flakes

cracked black pepper

pinch of salt

2 Tb. tomato paste

1 ½ C. beef stock

flour or corn tortillas

taco toppings

1. Stir beef, vegetables and spices together in the slow cooker or sauce pan.
2. Add the tomato paste and stir to coat.
3. Stir in the beef stock.  If using the stove-top, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for about an hour or until the beef pulls apart with a fork.  The slow cooker takes about five hours on high.
4. When the beef is tender, pull it apart with two forks, mixing it in with the sauce.
5. Warm individual tortillas over a gas flame or in a toaster oven.  ( I actually stuck the softened tortilla into one of those taco bowl forms just so the thing could stay standing up, but you don't have to do that.  If you do want to have it stand and you don't have one of those things, just press the warm tortilla into a small salad bowl.
6. Dress with toppings like shredded cheese, salsa, sour cream, shredded lettuce, avocados or even a slaw.

(As this post goes up just before Halloween, 2015.. you can start this in the slow cooker by mid-day and have a filling treat for your little monsters before they go out for all that candy.  This recipe was actually the result of "The Husband" having a bad day and saying he wanted something warm and comforting when he got home.  Let's just say he felt better.)

Thanks to Down to Earth Whole Foods on Grant Ave., Endicott for sponsoring Foodie Fridays.  Talk to them about locally sourced and organic ingredients, including beef and vegetables.  They can also give you suggestions on creative side and main dishes.  Nice people. Really.