Mexican Taco Rice

I love one-pot meals. Sometimes, I tend to make a bit of a mess when I cook, regardless of how hard I try not to, so the fewer the dishes involved, the better! Awhile back, my brother made a dish similar to this for me when I had gone home to my parents' house for the weekend. I really enjoyed it and ended up asking him for the recipe. He gave it to me, and unfortunately, I lost it amidst four moves and an overflowing box of loose recipes.

My original plan for dinner last night was just to make tacos, something quick and easy that I knew the kids would eat without a fuss. Then, for one reason or another, my brother's Mexican rice, which is usually served as a side rather than a main dish, popped into my head, and I decided that that would be a nice twist on the tacos I was going to make, but without going so far as to make the kids think I was trying to feed them some horrifying new dish chock full of veggies and good-for-them ingredients. I decided that with just a few minor additions, the Mexican rice my brother had made would turn into a delicious filling for burritos or tacos. Enter shredded cheese and sour cream and we have a delicious dinner!

This would make a great side dish, too, if you so desire!

Mexican Taco Rice

- 1 lb. lean ground beef

- 1/2 yellow onion, chopped

- 1/2 tsp. EACH black pepper, seasoned salt, paprika, cumin, and garlic powder

- 1/4 tsp. dried oregano

- 1 tsp. chili powder

- 1 16-oz jar of your favorite salsa

- 1 15-oz can sweet yellow corn, drained

- 1 15-oz can pinto or black beans, drained and rinsed well

- 2 cups instant rice

- 2 cups water

- Tortillas, shredded cheese, sour cream, lettuce, and olives for serving

1. In a large pot, cook ground beef and chopped onion together over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Drain excess grease and return to stove top. 

2. While meat is cooking, in a small bowl mix ALL of your seasonings together. Once meat has been drained, sprinkle seasoning over meat and stir in, mixing well. You can add a tablespoon or two of water if needed to make sure your meat is well-seasoned and evenly coated. At this point, you have a basic taco meat filling. 

3. After meat is seasoned, stir in salsa, corn, beans, and water. Stir well to combine. Bring mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.  

4. Once boiling, turn off the heat and stir in rice. Cover your pot with a lid and let stand for 5-7 minutes to allow rice time to cook. After rice is cooked, use a fork to fluff mixture before serving. 

5. Warm tortillas, either in microwave or stove top, and fill with a scoop of the Mexican Taco Rice. Top with lettuce, cheese, olives, and anything else your hungry little heart desires. Enjoy! 

(You can tell we were REALLY embracing the quick and easy idea-we even used paper plates!)

This meal goes great alongside some tortilla chips and fresh salsa, and is the epitome of the definition of a quick, easy, and delicious weeknight meal. The kids all really enjoyed the variation from our normal taco night, and didn't even complain about the corn or the beans! This one is definitely a keeper. I guess sometimes losing a recipe can end up being a good thing when the end result is a tasty twist on the original idea!

What are some of your favorite quick and easy weeknight meals that you can have on the table in 30 minutes or less?