Table Dances and Tacos

Remember how I said I've been painting furniture? That up there is a (bad) picture of the stool that I painted. Now, whilst I am somewhat proficient in the Doing Things that Do Not Matter or Help in the Running of my House- I'm not so much with the cooking bit. The crazy table is below - I still need to put a few coats of clear varnish on them both to protect them, but you get the general picture.


I'm not much of a chef - more like a short-order cook with the wrong order. But here is recipe that seems to be a crowd-pleasing hit. So I give you: Maya's Magical Tacos! I learned to make them at the knee of my mom, who is quite a genius in the kitchen and if I had one culinary wish, it would be to be able to duplicate her pinto beans. mmmmm beeeannnns...

They are sooo easy to make even one who is physically incapable of cracking an egg without getting shells in the yolk or boiling pasta without later cleaning up the stovetop, such as myself, can make them. So I wish to share with you in the bountiful ease that is this "recipe" and I use that term lightly, cause sometimes I just don't have something, and I don't use it.

Maya's Magical Chicken Tacos - More chicken and tortillas serves more people. This would probably feed 2 or 3 hungry people and about 4 not-so-hungry. Precision is my middle name.

-One Packet Lawry's CHICKEN, (not beef, but CHICKEN) taco powder. Note: Not optional, but can be substituted with the SPICY taco powder.
-2-3 frozen chicken breastsss (bebos is what we used to call them when I was a tiny tot) Microwave on high for 1-2 minutes and chop them up, just before cooking (duuuh!)
-1 large onion. NOT OPTIONAL Chop fine and divide into two parts. The larger part gets sauted with a little bit of vegetable oil until the onion starts to turn transluscent. Now add the chicken. Cook for a minute or 2 on high, than turn to medium-low and add about a cup of water and all the taco powder. Mix, cover and don't let it burn.
THAN ADD: 1 generous shmear of garlic paste, or some garlic powder, or chopped fresh garlic..whatever, just get some garlic in there.
-1 small handful per person of mixed greens (I use the pre-washed ones from Trader Joe's) and you can chop them up a bit. You could use plain old lettuce or whatever you have handy.
-Throw a few tablespoons of sour cream into a plastic baggie so you can strategically place it in little bits, instead of big blops.
-Grate a bunch of cheddar cheese.
-One or two flour (or corn, but I like flour better) tortillas per person. Fry in a skillet of veggie oil and set on some paper towels to blot.

Now, throw the meat, veggies, chopped onions, cheese, sour cream and whatever else you like on tacos in the shell. Make sure to eat them on a colorfully painted table for two. Or three. Or four.


Maya