Ground Beef Tacos with Homemade Taco Seasoning

Happy belated Valentine's day! I was too busy cooking a dinner and dessert for Dustin to get around posting yesterday. And I didn't make anything pink or red, so it's alright that I missed the big day. I haven't succumbed to the trend of celebrating my holidays a week (or two or three) early so that I can have recipes ready to go for the occasion (like so many food bloggers seem to do). I prefer to have turkey on Thanksgiving and heart shaped treats on February 14th, not before. It just means you get the recipes after the fact, and to me, that's OK! Although admittedly, there were no hearts to be found in my kitchen yesterday- yes, two delectable desserts, but nothing cut or dyed or molded into a cooking "craft".

Here is a recipe I made last week that Dustin is still talking about. Basic ground beef tacos. What's so special? Well, instead of dumping a paper packet of seasoning into the skillet, I made the mix myself! I had all the needed ingredients on hand, and it only took 2 minutes! Seriously, anyone could do it! And while it tasted surprisingly similar to a store-bought brand, it lacked the characteristic powdery processed feel- in other words it was fresher and better! Tender juicy beef, folded in a soft flour tortilla amongst typical taco toppings, it made for a seriously good meal.

I'm still using the local grass-fed beef that I bought at the end of the summer (and have stored in my freezer). It's marvelous. I never much cared for ground beef until now. It has transformed my opinion of red meat. I won't go back. If you're interested in where my meat is coming from you can visit this link to Greenway Beef's website. It's a Virginia family farm- think local and sustainable and 100 times better for you than what you'll find in the supermarket! They conveniently deliver to the farmers market in the summer, but you can place orders all winter long as well.

INGREDIENTS
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/2 cup water
1 recipe taco seasoning (see below)

whole wheat flour tortillas, warmed
lettuce, shredded
tomato, diced
Cheddar or Monteray Jack cheese, grated
sour cream
salsa

Taco Seasoning:
1 Tbsp. chili powder
1 1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. dried Mexican oregano (or regular oregano)
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. black pepper

INGREDIENTS
1. Combine seasonings in a small bowl. Set aside.

2. Preheat large skillet over medium heat and cook beef until browned. Drain the fat. Stir in the flour and seasoning mix to coat. Pour in the water, bring to a simmer, reduce heat, and cook several minutes until thickened and most of the water has evaporated.

3. Serve warm with soft tortillas, lettuce, tomato, cheese, sour cream, and salsa.

Serves 4.

(Adapted from All Recipes)